The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1928-09-07
MONUMENT MARKS SPOT WHERE
GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN 1868

-
May 2, when down upon the Vel
lowstone, they found themselves
in a country which was alive with
Indians who proceeded to take
from the white men all their pos
sessions except their firearms. >
Crossing again to the Gallatin
and then to the Madison they
went up that river until they came
close to Wigwam creek. The ap-
pearance of it's canyon. jutting
into the great valley as it does and
the general typographical features
of the country convinced them
that they would not get back to
Bannack that way. P~erceiving a
pass in the mountains to their
right they concluded to pursue
that and after climbing to it's sum-
nit discovered themselves in a
highly scenic region, dotted with
beautiful lakes. Being now out of
food they found themselves in a
game country. They stopped to
kill an elk, and during the after
noon, by easy stages, descended to
the valley of Alder gulch, at the
point where the rimrocks come
closest together. = =
The Great Gold Discovery
"The date was May &c, 1863. AT
ter striking camp Cover, Hughes,
Sweeney and Rodgers went up
the stream to prospect. Fair
weather went across to the bar
upon which we stand to- find a
place to stake out the horses.
When he came back he said to ]
There is a piece of rim
'ock sticking out of the bar over
here; get the tools and we will {
% and prospect it. They did so. a
filled the gold pan. t
Now CO. he said to Edgar, and b
Tash that pan and see if you can c
ct enough to buy some tobacco n
hen we get to town This Edgar a
id and while panning Fairweath- a
+ sang out, 4 have found a scad,'
meaning a nugget and Edgar
lid, IF you have n I have a n
lndred.' Fairweather's nugget ii
S2.40. From the nugget al
Id the panning they had $3.50. W
hen the rest of the party came tn
Fairweather and Edgar had W.
2.30. The next morning they on
nned again, and so rich was the
ound that it yielded even by this de
lde method approximately $3.50. so
Realizing that they had made Ju
discovery of surprising richness &c
~ went to Bannack, rs miles Hi
lance, as rapidly as conditions far
uld permit, agreeing solemnly tax
It no one would tell the news of 6
: great discovery. But it was me
to obtain a grubstake in sht
Ter that they might return to the DIRE
Lch which Henry Edgar had ban
ned Alder. The merchants of one
mack were skeptical. They thii
| S|ruDSIdh0u 100 mduy parties Ter
hout result. Failure seemed to pro
re them in the face, but finally ="
thaniel J. Davis, for so many guI
lrs a respected citizen of Vir- 900
ia City and county clerk of upC
olson county, furnished them and
necessary provisions. The ran
men started out. Some miles pla,
of Bannack, as they were de- -"
the long plain which cha
DIS to the Beaverhead river, tivi
y looked back, and the whole TOLD
IN of Bannack seemed to be fol flo1
ing them. The fact was that cou
n discoverer had told an init bea
te friend, who promised not to kin
/, of the great find. nea
Then the Big Gold Rush gre;
You know the familiar story of Ind
great gold rush to Alder gulch tral
v people came in hundreds, in can
ry sort of conveyance, propell- and
by horses or mules or oxen; on A
,eback or on foot. Prospec- "r
s, miners from other camps. dow