Arizona state miner., 1925-04-18
BY H. B. Watson

The first time | saw Sam Powell
was in the spring Of '73 or IA at
Sioux City, Iowa. He was then a
fine looking young man of splendid
physique and 1.-THE as a gaZelle. A
steamer Zone of those proverbial
stern wheel boats) had just hove in
sight around the bend of the river
and was steaming to the levee where
many people had gathered to say
farewell and watch the passengers
going into the Black Hills by way OF
the Missouri river and Ft. Pierre,
then considered head of navigation.
A big band of mules was to be
taken on board at Sioux City for
Perseverance" William, popular
auctioneer.
Sam wasn't averse to asking ques-
tions and as the boat landed made
inquiries about the boat and destin-
alton of it's cargo and passengers.
He had the Black Hills fever-a bad
case of it-and so did |.
Well, to make a long story short,
Sam got away ON that boat just as
important as If he owned every mule
in that band. He helped fight off
the Indians, too, after they left FIT,
Pierre, and got safely into the hills.
What Sam didn't know about mules
and redskins after that trip nobody
had any license to tell.
About a year later, in the fall, ]
caught bunch of freighters and got
into DeadwOod. The outlook was
bad, Indians were bad, and the wea-
ther was getting too darn cold. /
made my way south to Sidney, Neb.,
and went back to Rosewater's Omaha
Bee, where I worked that winter at
the case. Next spring, l found my
self at Cheyenne, and met Sam Pow
ell in front of McDanieps theater.
He was headed for Colorado and left
soon after with prospecting outfit,
but he showed me a fine time for
several days before he left. From
then on l heard occasionally Of Sam
at Central City, Leadville, Cripple
Creek and finally met him in Arizona.
I was still in the newspaper game
and Sam was miner. After taking
in most all of the stampedes in Ari-
zona, Sam settled on the Hassay-
ampa near Wickenburg. He's there
yet, for we buried Sam up there last
year.
His was the happiest disposition
of any oldtimer I ever met. Every
body knew Sam in Arizona and he
was a conspicuous figure in the Pho
neers' Celebration at Phoenix every
year-he and his 'Brindle Steer
Sam Powell, one of the most popu-
lar and we'll known pioneers Of Ar1-
zona, and resident of Wickenburg
for 40 years passed out on July 29,
1924. Sam had been failing for
over a year and when he appeared
among the Pioneers at their celebra-
ton in Phoenix, despite his decrepit
condition, sang "The Brindle Steer"
with a spirit as young as when the
writer knew him in the Black Hills
in 1875 Beloved by all who knew
him, of jolly and uncomplaining ma
ture, poor old Sam lived the strenH'
Gus life of miner on his claims
eight miles from Wickenburg. What
remained of him we took to the little
cemetery over the hill at a. m. on
Thursday morning. While he sleeps
there in tranquility thousand souls
who knew him in this life can pause
a moment and wonder how soon that
six feet Of earth which pays all debts
removes all worry and earthly anxi-
ETY., will cover them and bury the
past In the eternal hereafter neither
wealth nor station will cut any figure
with old st. Peter. If we come with
the genial generosity and liberality
of thought and action that Sam F.
Powell possessed the golden gates
must surely swing ajar For Sam was
a jolly good fellow all his life thru.
Rest, old timer; we only hope to
find and know you in the great here
after.
Dill C4nort Of tho prnSnNtt Cnnrinr