The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-09-28
FINDER or $50. 100000
LIES IN PAuPERS GRAVE
(Dillon Examiner.)

gtngs ever found by man, which
yielded upward OF $50. O00 600 In gold.
Fairweather was said To be the
most fearless man In the territory
lie was also an honest man. true
TO his word and TO his friends and a
natural leader IL was whisky that
brought him to his grave, panper.
in 1876 at the age OF 80.
One of Fairweather's peculiaritieS
was his absolute fearlessness OF rat,
tlesnakes. and had IL not been for
the fact that he was unAfraid OF
them and that they would not bite
him. he would have been killed hl
Indians a day or two before he di-.
covered the fabulously rich Alder
dlggings, The story is an unusual
one.
II was in May. 1868. that party
consisting Of FairweatheF, T. W. Co
Yer, Henry Edgar. Barney Hughes.
one Sweeney and an old mountain,
eer Rodgers. started from where
Deer Lodge now stands, intending to
prospect some tributary OF the We,
lowstOne. They crossed the main
range by Deer Lodge pass. crossed
the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers.
struck across the Tobacco Root
range at the head OF Granite creek.
a tributary OF Alder. passing within
four or Ave miles OF the Alder dig
gings which they later found.
They then went down the Madison
turned east. and crossing the Gala.
tin and the mountains lying between
II and the Yellowstone and started
down the latter stream. They had de,
scended the Yellowstone for two
days when war party ~ indiana
stopped them and made them prison
ers, threatening them with horrible
death and torture.
Bill Had a Snake.
Henry Edgar, in his story OF the
adventure, gives the folio ing Il,
markable details;
III was jointly through nill Fair
weather and Lewis Simpson that We
we're saved. ! don't know how Il was
but Tattlesnake would not bite Bill.
When he saw one he would grab II
up and carry IL for several days.
They never seemed To resent any.
thing be did to them, and he never
killed one.
AS we were going toward this VII,
lage Of Indians, Bill picked up rat.
tlesnake land just az the outskirts
he picked up another, When the In.
dams saw him come In with a rattle
snake on each arm they were awed
He put the snakes in his shirt bosom
and Simmons told the Indians that
he was the great medicine man Of the
whites They took us TO their medi
cine lodge, where there was a big
bush in the center They marched w
around that bush several times. and
BIN said II they marchtd US around
that bush again he would pull up
their sacred bush They marched us
around once more and Bill pulled up
the bush and walloped the medicine
man on the head with e.
Prepared 20 Fight.
I'VE then formed three 10 three.
back 10 back We had refused all
along TO give up our guns and revoly
ers. The old chief drove the Indians
back with whip They had a coiin,
eli that lasted from noon to mid
night. In the morning we got our sen.
ience II we would give up our horses
and go back we would not be harm,
ed"
II was plain enough 10 see that
the Indians were afraid Of Fairweths
or, for they did not take his horse
They evidently THOUGHT he was crazy,
believing that no one but q crazy
man or one gifted with supernatural
powers would carry live rattle
snake or pull up a sacred medicine
bush The indians also gave the rest
of the party a few old almost useless
horses In exchange for their good
ones.
The party then Travelled with H..
tie rest until they came out OF the
mountains on 10 the Madison valley
and crossing the river they felt Hhf"
from pursuit and rested for day on
wigwam creek. They prospected for
few hours but found little gold
The next morning they started TO re-
turn 10 BannOek.
Az they reached Alder Ouleh. on
posite what aftarword was known ~
Fairweather bar. Bill said II there
isn't any gold here We won't prospect
any more til we have gotten back
20 Bannack.' and when they reached
the nat he ailEhter and began "a
unsaddle
Makes the Big Strike.
A. they had Travelled only I'VE
miles. the Others asked what be
meant by stopping there He replied
that he WAS going 20 prospect The
others IN the party rode on = Shor'
distance. but decided 10 face about
and return 90 Bin They too, unaad
dIed and turned their horses loose
Fatrweather and Edgar began pan
ming gravel and soon discovered that
they had made a rich strike The'
remained there for FIVE days b"for'
returning to BannAck with the new
~ the discovery.
II was the discovery uf Alder Kuiti
| that caused congress 90 make 3 sep
arata territory % Montana. TOT h'
stampede fhat followed news ~ 'h'
-grb nIaeer grounds created Virgins
CITY a camp o. 1000 people.
lea - 1894 there was not