The Meeker herald., 1917-11-10
The Last
HopeMine
How d,s klinsrs Were
Civilized

'OO4 OF I00 O08t p4yM hVteS ~ sAso
sroun' before 1t run out was the Last
Hope mine. Its name was given II
Oy the man who struck It. who was
much down at the heels at the time
and fully intended that II 1t didn't re-
lieve his necessities be would hang
himself to the limb Of tree that ex-
tended directly over It. He sold his
claim for 10000 to Q company and
rstires tlrst OF from this here story.
'The president Of the Last Hope
lived In the east and sent out q man
ager from that region. Mr.. Parkhurst.
among other things, at home had been
superintendent of Sunday school,
Naturally he didn't like the appear
ance Of q Colorado mimi camp. The
cussin' that was going ON was Just like
fireworks. The saloons did better
business than the store. Whenever the
wind ris the playin' cards oiled the
air like snowstorr1. Al for Sunday.
there was NO work on that day. but
instead Of services there was gamblin'.
There was few women In the camp.
bot they was worse'n the men.
"Mr. Parkhurst looked the ground
over and sized up the situation. What
that camp needed was wives. He ar
gued that men without the restrainin'
Influence Of women would naturally
turn into Wild animals. and he resolv-
ed to send for some girls. He called
the miners together and told 'em that
II they would turn out the women
there was iu camp he would send for
carload of real good. true members
Of the female sex to be helpmeets for
'em. The miners agreed, and Mr..
Parkhurst wrote Miss Amelia Bowers.
who had succeeded him a. head of his
Sunday school, to come out with .
dozen Of the best behaved and best
lookin' young women she could pick
up Her influence was far more need
ed In the west than where she Was.
Husbands would be provided.
miss Bowers, q middle aged. con-
scientious woman. concluded that II
was her duty to accept the situation
and proceeded to collect q dozen young
women who would rather get married
than work. She also shipped several
hundred Bibles and hymn books. The
company paid all expenses and give
each gal q hundred dollars to set mp
housekecpin' with.
THE day Miss Bowers arrived with
them twelve gals was screamer. Not
. man would work, and every one Of
'em went to the tavern where the
coach was to unload. While they was
wsitin' Ben Higgins, an old Teller who
was Z leader among 'em. made EN-
q speech. remindin' 'em that they
mustn't b in too much Of 4 hurry to
wed and that gals liked to BE- courtsd.
There wasn't enough gals to 20 round
BY any means. but any fightin' for 'em
would spoil the whole business. II
the men behaved right another lot
would be provided: II they didn't those
who had come would so back.
when the coach drove up to the
tavern door there was q yell. Some Of
the gals was on top. and they was
mighty good lookin'. Them miners
hadn't seen 4 nice woman in Year,
some Of 'em-and they wasn't used to
such beauty. 1t was like angels comm
down from heaven. The men was ~
NJ v,1nNn
49,. :noS vor,., :. ~ rsverenced
.s 80. ..-.tv ~ -.
s 80 ~. ao.en - tha t.vsrn
81. a. III. -. sn.,a. mt thers
suu ..c -, o.. 80 ~. tn.v
~ '.. ~ t",..a. srN .tccd
sono w ~ :" 80. 49,,
.net. vii" " tu ~. III. eNn. -. - .,as..
"sslns, eno O,u . ..e 49,. 80 n.
70 en- s"o.s 1n1 ,s. "a -
tneif nats: ine sa' .ooa - 80 y.
tunny' - II not kno"" ""~' " A
Oh tne teeep'ion'
III the manager n.a sent u.
enough eaS TO 90 touno IN .no 1s.
place there wouldn't hkeiy nave oeen
any trouble. AZ II was. several NJ ~
most desperate men eacn saw among
the lot gal ne wanted. ana some u