Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-10-26
California Joe Early Miner Vas Active in Virginia City Region
nv GRACE STONE COATEsl

OF treasure reached naineRs In CAL
ffornia, Idaho, Oregon, IS wen as the
tenderfeet OF the east. They reach
ed the ears Of one Moses =. Mhluer
at Mount Idaho, q pioneer settlement
Of Idaho that was officially removed
from postal rolls ~ years ago.
Miner had been laid up all winter
from a savage fight with a mountain
lion. He had gone deer hunting with
borrowed dog, and the dog had started
I'D q cougar cub. Miner chased the
cub and caught it, and was carrying it
by the back Of the neck when the
mother cougar jumped on his back from
the concealing branches Of a tree. IN
der the impact Of her leap Miner drop
ped cub and rifle, and was left with
only his hunting knife to meet the at
tack of a 2O0-pound cat Fortunately
Miner wore a heavy Overcoat. Strik-
ing backward over his shoulder with
the knife he was at serious diSadyan-
tage, and was terribly mauled and Bit
ten before he succeeded in landing a
mortal wound. He was in bed all win
ter, but by spring was fairly recovered,
and In summer struck out for the mines
Of Alder gulch.
Virginia City was wild. That was the
summer Arnett and Spillman met their
deaths-Wi Arnett with load Of
buckshot In the chest delivered by one
Bull of Elk City, as Arnett sat deal
ing monte" In a saloon. Arnett had
been involved in stealing horses. He
was buried with the monte cards
clenched in his stiffened hand; and |
Spillman was hanged, In accordance
with Vigilante findings, for his share
in the DEMONSTRATING, and buried beside
Arnett.
The camp was wild, but Miner was
accustomed to excitment. He had been
on the frontier since he was IA; at Fort
Laramie, Wyo, at IS, already an ex-
perienced mountain man and trapper,
and soon to be gaped at as rifle shot
extraordinary and terror to Indian
hostiles He joined party OF trap
pers headed for the Yellowstone coun-
try under Jim Baker, and so made his
entrance into what was to become Mon
tana territory. This was in 1874.
The party expected to traffic with
friendly Indians. but ran into a war
party Of Blackfeet. Their best strategy
was surprise attack, and in this they
were successful, killing IA Of the Black
feet Indians. Before the day was over
Miner had killed three warriors in his
first Indian fight, and jim Baker was
predicting a great future for the lad.
1t was almost 20 years before he set
foot on Montana soil again, and In
those years he had adventures that
brought him in contact with all the
notableS of the west-,Jim Bridger. Kit
Carson, Beckwourth, Phil Sheridan. He
trapped and hunted and fought Indians
IN Wyoming, killed Mexicans on the
southwest border, proSpected and made
] fortune in California, and wandered
IN to Oregon. In Oregon he met Phil
Sheridan stationed at an army post,
and contracted with him to furnish
wood for the post. Sheridan wanted
MIN to renew the contract, but the life
was too tame for Miner. He went on;
and when next he met Phil Sheridan
ten years later, Sheridan was COM
mander Of the United States army and '
Miner was California joe" chief Of !
scouts for Custer. :
The name California Joe" dated Z
from his experience in Virginia City. !
That name has been chosen as the title
II book in which Miners grandson y
ellis the story. Miner had gone to town I
10 report having killed three claim O
jumpers Returning to camp: ga few {
miles out Of Virginia City he met four O
men on their way to town, and as they n
halted on the trail to exchange greet F
lngs, one of them asked his name. F
they might be friends Of the il
claim jumpers, Nose replied, My name k
IS joe What part Of the country are v
you from?' asked another. California b
where you find real gold Nose replied.
So your name in joe, and you're from a,
California, are you? Well, Wen just call n
you California joe" and California :,
Toe he, remained for the rest of his life. Il
Many acquaintance Of his later years K
new him by no other name. ii
From Miners first days In Virginia
City he had to defend his rights. The y,
yigilantes were newly organized, and :.
Inevitably the organization included =
ome DULLES who abused their power. -
)ne of these, a big arrogant Irishman, =
)egan to infringe on the newcomers
lights and try to intimidate him. Mil ~
Ter warned him and threatened to kill -
i'm. He expected all the mans friends g.
o be on his trail, but a saloon-keeper =.
Iiped up with an offer Of two gallons - -
( whiskey If Miner would kill the =
nan. Miner did, and got the whiskey, -,
t least got one gallon. which he said ~ -
yas all the job was worth. Neverthe- "
ess, inspite of the fact that the dead +,
nan had been a public nuisance, and =,
ven his followers were glad he was out a. a.
I the way, the Vigilante committee -
anne within one vote Of convicting Mil =,
Ter of murder. -,
Miner spent the winter at camp, and ~
d the spring of 1854 started out alone =.
He located two rich claims ~ -.
5 miles from Virginia City, staked Ds
hem. had them recorded. He built a a.
abin and began to wash gold. He took u
ut over $4,000 before his provisions 10
egan to run low. Posting notice OF po
iscovery and ownership he went back az
D Virginia City for supplies. He spent
nree days with his friend, Harry Pear W.
on, the saloon keeper who had paid 81
be promised gallon Of whiskey for his m
lork on the bully, loaded up two pack W.
aules with grub, and went back to find M
is claim jumped. ~
Confident in his absence, the claim Cn
Impers were inside the cabin prepar- OF
~ meal, and had left their guns m
Inside against a tree. Miner knew Oh
ne desperate character of bad men SD
nd took no chances. When one Of the
len made lunge toward him, he fir te
4, killing him. He shot again. and 70
he second fell The third ran. and ga
Timer followed him up blind canyon, 70
Hing him as he turned at bay. SO no