Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-02-29


two Antrim, Ireland, men, cousins o.
@Bummer" Dan Of the Vigilante day
in Virginia City spent their first Mon.
fana Christmas In Butte in 1870 ana nae
an experience that neither ever neglect
ed to tell about II the opportunity pre-
sented itself.
Finnigan and Flanagan came e
Montana together, left the territory
focefher. went to Colorado together
and although they had been separated
for several years both participated 10
the gold rush to Cripple creek. Aney
later died in Denver.
Dick and Jim were too young TO
come to America in time for tine Alue1
C5,lich rush but they listened, pop-eyeo,
at home as their respective parents
read the occasional letter or repeated
the reports that filtered IN about the
vast fortunes that were neing . I'Soe I"
They reached the United States by
way Of Castle Garden in 1853 but IL
took them many months to 1ino tner
wav across the continent to st. Louis
and lIp the river by boat to Montana,
Then came the long trek benlnd pull
teams to Alder Gulch-Wnicn mao
passed its zenith and had nothing 20
offer but DAVIS pay TO the young emil
grants. Finnigan and Flanagan DIDN'T
come TO America to work for wages.
They came to strike q pot Of gold with
which they could return TO Ireland.
They learned that, while the placer
DAYS IN Butte were reported 10 De draw
ing to a close, the ground OF LIS uas-
much of it, still open to location. so
they shisted their blankets, as FIN
nfgan used to put it, and struck out
for the Butte district.
Arriving here they Immediately pro
ceeded to get their bearings. with gne
result that they built themselves Ut
tie cabin at the head Of MISSOURI
0Tilch, III was in the late fall and
Christmas was not far away-but the
fortune they expected to reap from
banning gold was still in the offing.
"Christmas is Just three days away
remarked one evening as
ne returned from the little huddle OF :
shacks that later grew INTO o., the E., pres pres,
FinniRan challenged. els it that you
have been keeping account OF the days {
since we left Alder Gulch? Sure you I
haven't seen an almanac for q montn. l
"a man downtown told me-" Fian-
1agan replied. HE gets q newspaper {
M a letter now and then at this place
saIled Silver Bow. The paper comes 8
Anyway he said Christmas was only
aAn' no gold to send home to the
olks 20 gladden. their hearts at CHRIST Q
mas time" said Finnigan gloomily. /
I am beginning to think that the 5
tories we used to hear In Ireland Z
bout the money that was being made r
a the mines was a lot of lies. I'm
feared Jim that we viii die as poor K
S we came" v
what harm" said Jim. I,
eff I had a drink of whisky, now, d
aid Finnigan, II wouldn't be afraid
Z catching cold.' p
IT got plenty of that" Flanagan an IL
vered, and pulled q quart out OF ms 81
acket pocket. Where did you get
2" Ffnnigan inquired, picking up 2,
n cup and preparing to pour him e
III drink. Down town" Jim an h
Eered. "And I'll go bail" Dick said, II
hat you spent all the dust we have Il
ashed so far for that bottle. But Oh
hat harm? Christmas, as you say, Is bt
lly three days away and we VIII need 81
drop Of the crature to remind us OF
d times"
" -TisnT whisky need to remind me
home at Christmas" Jim said, but
nice fat goose stuffed to the neck W
til bread and raisins and some fine CO
IN gravy-and-" H
Shut up, reared Dick, do you want tn
drive me NADINE that has been tx
i'm ON beans and bacon for three st
onths past--with stories about eatin' ne
ose. Man I'd commit highway robbery nc
st for q chicken" ra
NO chicken cackles nearer this place II
an Salt Lake" Jim replied. no
$50 there will be no chicken. The tn
neTicanS set q lot of store by turkey We
, their holiday meals. They say that ac
keys are wild In America. If we were
I'd hunters, now, and knew about
keys-surely they are not all killed
out here in the mountatnS-we
ght have some relief from beans and no
con at Christmas" la
Dick had been helping himself hber- on
? to the bottle. Jim decided to have ass
share and picked up his tin cup "
] poured himself a generous drink. OF
he was helping himself TO second NC
nix a shadow fell across the door r1f
?. A blanketed Indian stood there val
ore him, tall and dignified but with MO
,ovetous look In his glistening eyes TAX
he gazed at the bottle
'inntgan and Flanagan had met
ians around Bannack. They were ''flC
novelty. Likewise they knew Of their the
illnesses. Jim's eyes rested on the 70
X IN q careless manner and then rieI