The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-07-13

, quartz and nearly had heart failure
| when he saw that it was peppered with
free gold. He then knocked off other
pieces, all Of which showed native
gold, some of it in nuggets and clus-
I tiers of nuggets and little spurs of the
precious yellow metal.
All that day was spent in breaking
and sampling that quartz vein. Taking
about 60 pounds of the best ore, Davis
padded to Fort Francis where he sent
me the samples and a letter by Capt.
Lewis of the steamer Shamrock.
Moore Hastens to TT. Frances.
After I went through that bag Of
gold specimens, lost no time in TAX
ing the steamer back to Fort Frances
on it's return trip. I found Davis wait
ing for me. He looked the part of a
prospector who had roughed 1t in the
wilderness for a summer. His cloth
ing literally was in tatters. clothed
him up and then we took a birch bark
canoe for the scene Of the new COLA
discovery. T never will forget the
m moonlight night and the unrippled
water as we made our way through
the islands on our way to the find.
We spent day in further samplins
the outcrop and also looked over
some adjacent islands. We crossed
to Sand Beach on the Canadian side
Of the line, where Davis had found
gold showings while waiting for me
to come from Rat Portage. We called
the discovery on the Minnesota side
the Little American and the one on
the Ontario side the Little Canada.
Mining Shaft Is Started.
Going back to Fort Frances,
equipped Davis with an outfit for a
prospecting trip up the Seine river.
also got tools and half dozen men
with which to start a shaft on the dis
ccvery on Little American island. The
vein quickly widened to six feet and
the sides Of the shaft showed visible
gold in a most attractive way.
was satisfied with results and de-
termined to stand pat on the showing.
l decided to get outside to seek CAPT
tai for real work. Just as was put
ting the finishing touches to my work,
w. E. Seelye and G. F. Kindred Of
Brainerd, Mimi, appeared at my
camp. At Rat Portage they had heard
, about the new gold discovery on the
Minnesota side Of the line on Rainy
Lake, therefore they came to Fort
Francis by boat and then padded up
20 the Little American,
Kindred Talks Business.
"What are your plans?" asked Mr..
Kindred.
II am going to Duluth, either to
sell the property or to organize a COM
pany to work it," replied.
"what is your price?" Kindred in
quired.
IT am asking $25,OOo," informed
him.
when are you going DOWN." was
the next question.
"This is Wednesday," I informed
him, land I expect to take the Satur-
day boat at Fort Frances for Rat Port
age. Next Monday wish to leave for
Duluth"
On arriving at Rat Portage, as plan
medal found telegram from Seelye,
asking me to stop over in Brainerd,
Mimi, as he might have an offer for
me. To get to Duluth, had to go to
Winnipeg and thence to Duluth, via
the N. P. r. r., through Brainerd.
Jeff Hildreth had come from the
states, in response to message from
Davis, and he was taking a hand in
matters. He suggested that he go on
to Duluth to fish around until ar
rived and see what he could turn up
in case did nothing at BraInerd.
Seelye Was at the Station.
found Seelye waiting for me at the
Brainerd station. He informed me
that he expected telegram from Kim
dred at any time and asked me to
wait over until the next day, which
did. But no telegram came from Kin
dred, therefore took the train for Du-
luth where I found jeff Hildreth wait
ing for me greatly excited. Taking me
to his room at the old hotel st. Louis,
he exclaimed:
II have found people here who will
give $4,000 for the mine. advise
you to accept it."
We met the purchasers, A. 8. Chase,
Hutch Bevier, ct al, and quickly ef-
fected a deal whereby they were to
pay US $4,000 for the mine; to make
a cash payment Of $4,000; and to as
sumo work and risk Of securing a
sufficient title from the government.
After closing the deal and deposit
ing the cash, started back to Rainy
Lake to get other properties in order
for the boom that I felt sure would
follow. Davis staid in Duluth but was
to take the Tower trail and meet me
on the border.
When the purchasers set about to
acquire title, they found that the U.
8. mineral laws did not apply to Min
nesota, therefore they entered the
little island under the timber and
stone act. Timber being negligible
quantity, their land attorney did not
think it necessary to include the tim.
. Der clause in he filing. That gave the
hungry land attorneys an excuse to
bring contest on the grounds that
the original filing was inadequate and
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