Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-09-26
DEATH CLAIMED "SK000KUM J0E", PIONEER PR0SPEGT0R,
HIDING I'M GRAVE LOCATION OF HIS LAST GOLD DISCOVERY

cept a few old associates. On a trail
he never wanted anyone, even of his
own party, to follow behind him. Men
who talked to little purpose were espe-
cially anathema to him.
In going into the mountains looking
for ore, Anderson often appeared in a
trance and would scarcely say a word
even when spoken to, according to
Mr.. ODonnell. Once in walking up a
mountain trail with a loquacious per-
son quite ignorant Of prospecting, An
derson became bored with the ques-
tons put to him and finally at a par
ticularly inapt remark Anderson said,
That question would puzzle God Him
self"
Few prospectors went into the noun
tains more thoroughly equipped than
Anderson. He always carried along a
small aSsaying outfit by which he could
crush pieces of ore and smelling 1t
by a fire. find out something about
its contents. He was always careful
of his horses and equipment as is
shown by frequent references to them
in his diaries.
His years were spent in a constant
round of mining and prospecting &C
tivities up to within the last year or
two of his life. During the years Of
1886 to 1892 for instance, his diary
shows him working various claims
around Maiden each winter and then
prospecting tours to the Little Belt,
Crazy, Absaroka and Beartooth noun
tains. Once he records that he had
crossed 81 high divides in n summer
M~isadventureS and hardships on these
trips were not uncommon. Once a
horse was nearly killed by falling in
crossing slide rocks and he spent sew
eral weeks getting it back into shape
again. At another time his packhorse
wa nearly drowned crossing the Still
water and he lost nearly all his pro-
visions and camp equipment. Shows
and rains and electrical storms often
brought discomfort and even danger.
In his later years, his time was
largely devoted to the iron which he
had located around Iron mountain on
the West Saltwater. Bailey and Bill
lings, a Billings banking firm, had long
backed his enterprises and afterwards
Bailey and O'Donnell, their successors.
The iron ore which he discovered
here is of a grade better than Missouri
ore and of much the same type as Bes-
semer ore, according to Mr.. ODonnell.
The company made quite extensive
preparations for developing the field
and took up many locations. Roads
were also built into the section. An
derson had a sheaf of romantic names
ready to christen the various claims
as they were located. However, the
iron beds still remain only a potential
source of wealth.
In connection with his work on the
iron leads, Anderson discovered a num-
Der of large gold nuggets which SET
up quite a furore Of renewed placer
mining in the district in which a group
of Frenchmen took a leading part. Ell
forts we're especially made to discover
the mother lode with little success
Anderson also took part in this
treasure hunt. During the last year OF
two Of his life in particular, he spent
much of his time in the search. Some
months before his death, he announced
to his partner that he had traced the
leads in another direction from tina
followed by the others, acting on {
theory of location of his own, and tina
he had made a discovery of SURPRISING
richness which would OutshadoW an!
gold discovery in Montana. He wanted
them TO perfect the claims before ne
made the discovery known because o.
the rush that would follow.
According to Col. Ike Allen, Ander-
son stopped at his place at Columbus