The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-09-24

I the hospitality OF their cabin, where
] spent a very pleasant evening with
them.
/ Ten years later on my first visit
to the great Comstock lode, Sam
Jones was superintendent of the
Crown Point Milling company, which
was then controlled by his brother,
the senator, his brother Ed, having
passed away in San Francisco.
Starts Return Trip.
| Upon my return to Boise / traded
| two of my cayuses and round sum
in dust for pair of stout horses,
purchased some blankets, ONE bacon
and few other articles to make a
moderate load and started on my re-
turn. / retained one saddle animal
for my assistant and drove the
team. The third day after our de-
parture we had fearful storm which
lasted several days but we managed
to get over the range two or three
days before it was closed for the
winter.
We returned to Virginia City,
where 1 quietly stored my goods and
chattels for short time. l found,
however, that there was a reason
ably good supply of the weed at
that place, and / concluded to re-
load and go to Helena. En- route
1 had the pleasure of taking Christ
mas dinner with Captain Parkinson
and his wife, by their kind invitation.
They were then living near Boulder
on the road to Helena, and square
meal was a delightful luxury in those
days, particularly when accompanied
with such gracious hospitality.
Upon arriving at Helena / unload
ed my goods in warehouse exca-
waited at the back of store belonging
to a Mr.. Lefevre, whom I had known
In Iowa many years before. The char
acter of my goods was known only
TO him.
Helena Quiet
Those were quiet days in Helena,
md the winter was very severe. When
he Sun river stampede took place
concluded to take a chance with
many others and upon arriving at
he Dearborn river received unfav-
,rable reports as to the discoveries,
nd the weather being intensely cold
concluded to return to Helena. A
lumber of stampeders were severely
rested at that time, and there was
intense suffering.
Tobacco in Helena was at that time
cry scarce, and they we're asking as
Ugh as $40 pound for it, but the
etailers would buy only a small
uantity at a time to supply their
IMMEDIATE requirements. Expect
1g and hoping that new camp
Tould be opened somewhere in the
pring I quietly traded off more of
ly tobacco, box at a time, for other
Io ~, lra
ssortment of merchandise, and abide
ly time for a stampede. In March
he stampede came and Reynolds City
n Elk creek, tributary of the Big
'lackfoot, was the newly hearalded
'ldorado.
1 found a pack train of mules at
[elena, owned by Spaniard by the
anne of Joaquin Abascal, which /
ired and started with general as
,rtment of merchandise to the new
imp where I spent the spring and
INNER with reasonable success.
essrs. Bonner and WEIGH, well
1own firm, were amongst my COM
,titors there, and for a few months
was very lively camp.
Meets Old Timers.
The merchants replenished their
ocks by purchasing from pack
aims that came in from the west,
It in order. to have a suitable va
ETY. we we're obliged to make occa-
,nal purchases at Helena. / made
is trip occasionally horseback by
ny of the Nevada creek valley and
e old camp of Blackfoot. During
e of these trips I met on the trail
ing into Elg Creek, Hon. Hiram
hol
tt and Dixon, also we'll known at
rneys, recently arrived from Neva-
and were located at Helena
Concluded on Agricultural Page