The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-06-17
"WESTLAND TRAILS"
All rights reserved
(By H. c. REAGAN
CHAPTER TWO
ON THE SALTWATER

The New World Mining District
was the title given to the country over
which Horn Miller and Yankee Jim
had prospected in later years 1t had
come under the Government Forest
Reserve, and thirty-five hundred min
eral claims had been filed on by those
who had gone into that country. The
Saltwater River flows down the west
slope of the Divide and has as its
source a beautiful lake which is en-
closed by high side walls, and which
without doubt was the crater of an
extinct volcano, the only outlet is at
the point where the Saltwater has its
source. This lake has the very common
name of Goose Lake, and lies at an
elevation of over nine thousand seven
hundred and fifty feet above the sea.
In all probability it obtained its name
from the large number of wild geese
that swim its surface and feed during
their flights across this country.
The water of this lake is clear as
crystal, the shade varying with the
depth, and filled with mountain trout,
a fsherman's paradise. The Still
water, in its course down to the low
country leaps and dashes over rocky
cliffs, swirls and eddys through deep
cuts and canyons. Its banks below the
lake are lined with fine timber as fan
as the eye could see. After emerginr
from the high country it enters the
lower country and, flowing quietly
through a rich agricultural section
its waters were destined to play a part
in the development of the New WorlC
Mining District.
At this period the mail route tt
Cooke City was from Nye, an old min
ing camp. The trail was up the Still
water and Ross Creek, passing be
tween Crown Butte and Henderson
Mountain down into Cooke City.
One day there arrived at Nye tall
broad-shouldered young man will
keen eyes and a very broad chin, de
noting characteristic of determine
ton, and a bad man to deal with i
forced to combat. 1t was evident tina
he was man from the east. The oil
and worn register of the hotel rea
"Oliver Bard Hartz, Chicago. TIL
little town had the customary type o
men that go to make up a mining
camp, and the hotel was of the usua
structure at that time, being built 0
logs, mud-chinked walls, with one ur
per story next to the roof with outsid
stairs leading to the upper rooms. tn
bar-room, kitchen, dining-room an
family living rooms being on tn
ground floor. The hostess was sma
woman with dark features, dragged
out appearance and the mother of tiv
children, one in arms. She was DEATH
afraid of her husband, who was
large man standing over six feet, wit
long dark hair hanging from unde
his Stetson hat, a fierce-looking mus
tache, black as coal, hooked nose an
tough smile. He was armed with tn
usual cartridge belt and two heav
six-shooters, a law unto himself.
Hartz' presence in the bar-roor
caused comments from the miners an
gamblers who frequented the hote
bar. The hotel proprietor's name wa
Pete McTavish.
"By the way, Pete," spoke up one 0
the miners, ~ wonder what that ten
derfoot is driving at out in this coun
try 1t do beat all how they do drift
i'm.
"About that time Hartz came int
the room and all eyes were turne
toward him. Then the man who mad
the remark to McTavish spoke up, ad
droccino, H,r+y.