Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-08-31

straight for camp And so the guIch
became known as Last Chance before
the discovery was made.
They reached the right spot one af-
ternoon On or about July IS, and made
their camp on what is now the bs,s sIrsssas.
center Of Helena. That evening they
put two good holes down to bed rock.
one on each side Of the creek When
bed rock was reached the hole on the
north side was found to prospect well
Several flat pieces Of gold that would
weigh half a dollar we're taken out.
There was no mistake about it. the
little nuggets fell into the ringing pan
with music peculiarly their own, q
sound grateful to the ears Of the four
wanderers. The gravel prospected to
the top Of the ground, and they were
experienced enough to know that &C last
the Goddess Of Fortune had smiled on
them. Long into the night they sat
around the camp fire, too excited over
their find to turn in Within each
bosom had bloomed the hope of making
a stake, and Of seeing friends and
kindred again, and when they slept
1t was to dream Of civilization and OF
enjoying good square meal. Last
Chance guich, which was to enrich
many miners, had been discovered"
AAAE ACWc VI 3AAG 6bA4AE tAANE1C4
abroad quickly, and in few DAYS
several hundred miners were at the
scene Of the discovery. The first min
ers' meeting was held July 20, seven
days after discovery. The gulch was
officially chriStened Last Chance. At
this meeting claims were limited TO 200
feet UP and down the gulch, from sum-
NIT TO summit. Miners were allowed to
hold one claim by presumption and one
by purchase, and each member Of the
discovery party were allowed to hold,
IN addition to 200 feet by presumption,
100 feet as discovery claim, and had
prior rights as regards the use Of guIch
water
The first cabin was erected In the
middle Of September of that year, 1864,
the second cabin was built above It by
Robert Stanley and the third by q. j.
Wood, on the present site Of the Cans
81 Klein mercantile house. BY October
there were five cabins in the new
camp
About this time Captain James L.
Fisk's first Minnesota expedition ar
rived in Last Chance gulch; also the
expedition In charge Of Captain Holmes,
and a number of the members Of both
expeditions elected to remain In the
new camp. AT the first election, held
in October, 1854. 200 votes we're cast
and about this time three commission
ers were empowered by the miners IN
meeting to lay out the town and adopt
rules for the resumption Of lots and
During the winter follow
ing discovery lis cabins we're erected
ID Last Chance gulch. and Ia February,
1865, SCOTS addition TO the town plat
was surveyed east of Main and north
Of Broadway streets.
A second miners meeting was held
On October 30 for the purpose OF Or
ganizing the town. After the appoint
ment of the commissioners the meeting
considered name for the new mining
The nght-hearted DISPOSE
ions Of those In attendance was ev1-
denced by some Of the suggestions.
Squashtown, Tomahawk,
romah and other mirth provoking
names were suggested. John 6ugnner-
Vile suggested the name Of Helena,
and this name and Tomah went before
he meeting for decision, Helena WIN
ling by two votes, otherwise the name
If the capital Of Montana would have
been Tomah.
of the discoveries, John Cowan. af-
er realizing q small fortune from his
placer claims, went TO Georgia, the
tate Of his nativity, and afterwards
pioneered in the Black Hills -. j. MIL
ct, WHO uaQ Deem a ul1tlcf III OaA4IOIlA1h
n 1849, also went south, and when last
leard of was In Alabama, while John
,rab sold his interests IN Last Chance
for 8 time on Nelson gllch
Without much success and q year OF
wo later returned TO his home In the
asst.
The early commissioners Of Helena
we're given wide latitude. They were
,iven carte blanche In the making OF
avs, and all disputes regarding proper
Y rights were to be referred 10 them
or settlement.
Sommerville, who was responsible for
he christening Of Helena, was tall,
ovial fr0ntiersman. who had brought
is wife from Minnesota with him.
When Montana became territory and
he various counties were organized.
Governor Edgerton appointed him
irst treasurer OF EdgertOn (nOw Lewis
nd Clark county. In suggesting the
anne, Sommerville said IL meant 8
lace far in the interior Of the country,
nd his home town, s'the best county
eat, in the best county, In the best
tate, was named Helena, and Som
lerville, perhaps because he had q
ice way Of putting things to crowd,
ad his way He returned to his home
4 Helena, MINI, to spend the rest Of
is life.