Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-06-15
(By MRS. NJ. L. PLAssMANN)


TtHE name of Alfred NJ. Esler is still q
familiar one in Montana, his adopted
a state in the long years intervening
between 1868 and his death in 1900. He
was also well known in neighboring
states, especially in mining circles, as
from the very beginning of his residence
here, and to the end OF his life, he was
a miner.
In the east, when Montana was young.
the prevailing opinion seemed to be that
those who lived here, if not indigenous.
had drifted over the border Of some faI
western territory. This was true of a
large number, but there were here from
the very beginning natives of the orig
inal 10 colonies. or from across the in
%tervening stretch of salt water in Eu-
rope, n these never forgot the civiliza-
ton they had left, when they responded
to the invitation to go west, young
man."
Alfred M. Esler's birthplace was in
Carthage, Jefferson county, New York,
and he had already taken to himself q
wife when he decided or the great ad-
venture. In 1864, together with his
young wife, his brother-in-law and wife.
he started for Montana with the regula-
ton pioneer outfit of covered wagons
drawn by oxen. Five months were con-
pohiI0 W ehC JOQiAiCy CAoAC tlC llttlC
party arrived at Bannack, where a divi-
sion was made of possessions, Mr.. Esler
taking as his share two yoke Of oxen.
which he Immediately traded for q placer
claim, and his future vocation was set
tied.
How profitable the claim he acquired
proved to be, / do not know; 1t certainly
was not SO profitable that it insured a
living. as only by keeping boarders, and
collecting the fees he received as a JUS
tice of the peace, to which office he was
appointed by Governor Edgerton. was be
able to make both ends meet.
In the spring following-as 1 recall it
his wife died in childbirth and the baby
persisted while on the way east. and be-
fore Salt Lake was reached. Its grave
was in the mountains, where its father
first learned of its death when he acct
dentally came across the board that
marked its last resting place. a pitiful
little mound Of earth. He was travelling
with us at the time, in the autumn Of
1865, taking a wagon load of quartz to
be smelted, and which he accompanied
to Swansea, Wales.
MIR. Esler discovered the first quartz
mine in Madison county, which he named
the Legal Tender Possibly the quartz
he tool to Wales was from that mine.
L am not sure, no. IL JnlS was JIe lTbb
silver mine in the territory, which 1t is
said he discovered. However that may
be, the smelted quartz proved to be very
rich and enabled him, on his return to
the United States. to organize q mining
company. of which he sold three-quarters
of the stock. Silver mines were valuable
in those days of a double money stand
ard.
In 1866 Mr.. Esler returned to Montana,
resumed his prospecting and mining, n
persuaded Samuel Hauser-afterwards
Governor Hauser-to build a smelter of
200 tons capacity. For this purpose he
gave $4,000. Later he built two more
slnelters and a refinery.
Like most miners Of that period, he did
not conhne his activities to any one sec
ton. He went to Butte and helped to
develop the Parrot mine there. The Occur
d'Alene then demanded his attention n
1t is claimed he did more than any n
else to open up this district.
Mining, in its every stage was and is a
gamble, with greater fascination than can
be derived from any other game of
chance. The prospector, perhaps with
nothing more than his blankets; the
necessary tools. and possibly a grub stake
for which he is to pay by sharing his
discovery-if he makes one-goes out
into the wilderness, where he frequently
lives alone in tent or cabin; works hard