Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-05-30

woodchoppers had been killed there by
Indians only a few days before. For
~tunately all the passengers reached
Benton safely except one young man
who died from eating toadstools, which
he mistoOk for mushrooms, that he in
sisted upon eating though warned
against eating it by Mr.. Rumley.
From Fort Benton the family took
passage to Helena, already a populouS
and thriving center Of mining industry
and from its favorable and central To-
ginia City, fast becoming the business
center Of Montana, which, by act Of
congress, while the family vas en- route,
had been created a separate territory,
with its first capital in Bannack. The
writer we'll remembers the sensation in
social circles caused by the arrival OF
the Rumley family and the first ap-
pearance of Mrs. Rumley and her
daughters at the little log Methodist
church, on Cutler street, Over which
Rev. A. M. Hough, a brother-in-law Of
Jay Gould, had recently become pas
tor. Thenceforth no social entertain
ment was complete without some mem
Der OF the Rumley family. No better
residence for the family could be found
at first than a little log cabin rented
from Uncle John Thorburn,' who all
the early settlers Of Helena will dis
tinctly remember. Mr. Rumley was not
long in finding profitable employment
as an assayer. The discovery of quartz
mines in Trout creek, created a won
derful craze during the summer Of
1865, to invest in the mines OF that
district. One restaurant proprietor IN
Helena was SO infatuated by these dis
coveries that he borrowed money at the
rate OF ! per cent a day to invest IN
the Trout creek mines. Mr.. Rumley
made much money by assaying these
Trout creek ores, but lost it by invest
ments in the mines, which by mill pro-
cess we're found soon to be Improbable
to work. But business was brisk, new
placers were found in every direction
and were being worked while other
prospectors were hunting for the quartz
veins as the goose that had laid the
golden egg. MI. Rumley was soon able
to locate his family in more comfort
able quarters, a house OF his own or
Bridge, now State street, opposite the
Reirig store.
Prices were phenomenal, furniture
was mostly home made and high priced
MIR. Rumley brought to Helena the frs
Regulator clock, and in 1886 brought
the first piano at a cost of $500 in gold
A list of prices pail for table supplies
in those early days would astonlsh ano
appall a h~ousekeeper of the present day
and they were in gold dust, cash down
Greenbacks were at so per cent dis
count, when taken at all. In the spring
Of 1865, flour for q short time was 81
per pound. Before steamboats, coulc
reach Fort Benton or freight train!
could come from Salt Lake in the
spring, there was generally a short sup
ply of some very necessary articles ant
then prices rose to dizzy heights. Blu
the people used less, and appreciated
what they got more, SO that the average
was maintained. In 1872 Mr.. Rumley
! built a smelter for Bohm and compan,
!, at Argenta, and afterWard superlntend'
ed it. Following this he superintendet
} the erection and running of a smeltel
| in Helena during its brief and profit
able existence.
I When the general government es
tablished an assay office in Helena, a
r the request of many prominent men 0
S both parties, and with the approval 0
all, Mr.. Rumley was selected as super
2 intendent, and continued IN charge 10
several years, receiving SPECIAL ON
l mendation from the head OF the de
e partment at Washington. A subsequent
change of administration gave the Pc
sition to another, In days preceding III
enactment of the civil service law.
During Cleveland's administration, mi
I Rumley secured a position IN II ASA,
4 Office, which he held until his death.