The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-10-08

Et4ftl tiAaA was oAAQNNARA III
The weather was quite warm as the
time was in August, 1864.
The entire gulch was one OF the
liveliest spectacles the writer had
ever seen. Nearly every claim was
under operation and the amount OF
gold cleaned up daily from the
sluices must have amounted 10 up
wards of a million dollars.
Crows We're seen on the hillside
at Virginia City. These crowds de
noted the execution OF some male
factor as the vigilantes were very
active In those days In making the
land ont OF the sanest In the world
for n peaceahle man TO live In. A
prize fight also took place during
that time near Nevada City between
Con Orem and Hugh O'Neill. II last
ed q long time with neither man the
victor. Con Orem swore before go
ing into the fight that he would win
or die. He did not win but made a
draw, as Hugh O'Neill refused TO ex-
ercise his full strength and force I'M
der the circumstances
Moves 10 Jefferson Valley.
Having worked out the pit. which
did not pay very well. and winter
coming on, the mining parties
ceased operations and built several
cabins in AGobetown. These were
occupied for a short time when the
entire party moved to the jefferson
valley near the mouth of the Pipe
stone river. There they wintered as
- 1QEE utbon fhnv want ~ Last
Chance. Before going. the entire
party decided to take up ranches and
go into that business. Logs were
cut. and houses constructed so far
as the framework was concerned.
But before that time, Il. S. Wilkin-
son had gone to Last Chance TO see
what could be done In mining
He there met John =. Barnes.
noted as the man who gave his name
to the Barnes-King Mining company
The two were old friends and they
camped togther In the gulch, The
weather was very cold and every
place at all inhabltable was occupied.
But they secured n spot just above
Broadway, on Main street. Helena,
where they were allowed to spread
their blankets along with a lot Of
other people. The building was only
a log cabin, but 1t served to keep
the cold out. While in the camp the
elder wilkinson contracted for a
mining claim in the upper part Of
Grizzly gulch and soon returned for
the remainder of the family
ON 20 Last Chance.
In March, 1865, everything IN the
Jefferson valley was abandoned and
a fresh start was made to Last
Chance in the proverbial covered
wagon and long string OF oxen.
Tho weather was quite warm at the
time and continued so until Golcondo
gulch was reached, a short distance
below Jefferson city. I'm Jefferson
county. There the moving party en-
camped for the night IN n saw mill
building that was about completed.
The structure belonged to John
Freeland, an uncle OF the writer.
During the night the weather be-
came very cold, and In the morning a
foot of snow was on the ground and
the thermometer had gone down.
The party remained there for several
days on account of the cold, and
then started for Last Chance. The
loose cattle were still In charge OF
the writer, who made no objection,
as Ii was more comfortable to walk
than TO ride. Between Helena and
Montana City, which latter place
was then OF considerable pretensiona,
having many cabins and streets laid
out in an orthodox and "sumptious'
manner. Well, while on the way, the
writer was seized with one OF those
sudden fits OF hunger that is not
uncommon In the young and growing
youth of the land. The more he
thought about It the hungrier he got
until he could stand 1t no longer.
At the lind of the Trail.
At the time he was about half a
mile behind the wagon. but by run
ming and walking he soon overlook
the caravan and was diving into the
grub box which was always present
at the rear end OF the wagon. he
soon satisfied his hunger and crawl
ed into the wagon for ride. The
father OF the boy was there and Of
fered a protest but 1t fell ON deaf
ears, as the boy was then busily en-
gagged In munching bacon and bread.
At the head of what was then Bridge
street, he was sufficiently rested and
cold enough to resume charge OF the
loose cattle. Going down State
street about dark, the party con-
tinued on its way up the gulch, ar
irving at the village OF Springville
long after dark. There they found
tolerably comfortable quarters In a
log cabin and remained there for
several weeks and until spring had