The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-05-07

"Old Man Watson" was a carpen-l
ter by trade, but during idle times
was always scratching about the
hills, though with little luck, usually.
he spent most of his time in and
around Argenta where the country
had been prOspected pretty thorough
ly for many years. Watson cOntin-
ued searching and finally struck off
over the hills n spring into new
country around the foot of "Old
Badly" where it was claimed there
was little or no showing of mineral.
He came to town occasionally for
supplies, kept his mouth closed and
disappeared into the hills again.
Late in the fall he appeared, went
to the county seat, recorded some
claims he had taken up and Incl
dentally deposited over $1,000 dol
lars worth of gold dust which he had
taken from his claims alone and by
the crudest methods.
OF course there was a rush to
WastOn's diggings the next spring,
but the newcomers found little for
their trouble. Watson continued
mining there for several seasons, and
it was stated that he took out several
thousand dollars altogether, enough
anyway to keep him comfortably in
his old age. 1t vas just a little plac-
er bar of exceeding richness which
had escaped the notice of prOspec-
tors for years.
The LOuglin brothers owned a sa-
loon in Argenta, and while Dan Oper-
ated the business, Henry prOdded
around the hills more or less. He
had been fairly successful and had
sold interests in different claims for
a few hundred dollars, some of which
developed into fairly profitable ven
lures for the purchasers. Like Wat
son, he had also got it into his head
that there might be mineral farther
up into the mountains, though no
lprOspectOrs had ever found much in
dicatiOns of it so far. Several miles
lOutside the supposed mineral belt he
stumbled upon a piece of "float" one
day which looked mighty good. He
secured an assay that demonstrated
it was very rich in both gold and
silver.
Henry then set himself to work in
earnest to find the lead. 1t took him
some two years to do it, but il
paid, for after uDcOvering it, he took
out Ore enough to pay for extensive
development and then sold the claim
for $4,000. Strange to say, there
have been NJ other leads Of value
found in that immediate vicinity.
Lawrence A. Brown, in the early
eighties, bought a claim known az
the ''New Departure" located a few
miles east of the 8luewing district
near Bannack, paying $4,000 fol
what his wise neighbOrs considered {
lemon" It was practically his en-
tire capital invested in a claim of un
known value, for there was no orr
in sight. Also it was in limeston'
formation where ore, if any, is usual
lly in pockets and when exhausted
often leave no indications or seams
Ito follow in search Of more. Mr.
Brown was possessed of unbOundet
faith, coupled with logged persist
ence, and worked away alone at hi
claim for weary years, often at thu
very end of his resources. Finally h
found a body Of ore and succeeded II
developing One of the noted mines o
the state.
Mr.. Brown was a man Of generOu
impulses, sterling integrity and 10y
al to his friends. When fortune ia
vOred him he did not forget thos.
who helped during his days Of ad
versity. Some Of the men who ha,
worked for him during the days o
early development Of his mine fount
that he had been generous with then
in his win. His death occurred sev
eral years ago.
AS a specimen Of his forbeerance
Jimmy Quinn, a c~rack-brained