The Fort Peck press., 1936-04-09

Dick Finnigan and Jim Flanagan
two Antrim, Ireland, men, cousins o
"Bummer' Dan of the Vigilante day
In Virginia City, spent their first Mon
tana Christmas in Butte in 1870 and hac
an experience that neither ever neglect
ed to tell about if the opportunity pre-
sented itself.
Finnigan and Flanagan came to
Montana together, left the territory
together, went to Colorado together
and although they had been separated
for several years both participated IN
the gold rush to Cripple creek. They
later died in Denver.
Dick and Jim were too young to
come to America in time for the Alder
Gulch rush but they listened, pop-eyed,
at nome as their respective parents
read the occasional letter or repeated
the reports that filtered in about the
vast fortunes that were being made in
the gold diggings' in America.
They reached the United States by
way of Castle Garden in 1869 but it
took them many months to find their
way across the continent to st. Louis
and up the river by boat to Montana.
Then came the long trek behind bull
teams to Alder Gulch-which had
passed its zenith and had nothing to
offer but days pay to the young emf
grants. Finnigan and Flanagan didn't
come to America to work for wages.
They came to strike a pot of gold with
which they could return to Ireland.
They learned that, while the placer
days in Butte were reported to be draw
ing to a close, the ground of this dis
trict, unlike that of Alder Gulch, was,
much of it, still open to location. So
they "histed their blankets" as Fin
nigan used to put it, and struck out
for the Butte district.
.,sxor L0-0 4IoTy i'm yoandinEa1ry NYsO !
ceeded to get their bearings, with the
result that they built themselves a lit
tie cabin at the head of Missoula
gulch. 1t was in the late fall and
Christmas was not far away-but the
fortune they expected to reap from
panning gold was still in the offing.
Christmas is just three days away"
Flanagan remarked one evening as
he returned from the little huddle of
Shacks that later grew into the pres
ent city of Butte. "HoW do you knoW?"'
Finnigan challenged. SIS it that you
have been keeping account of the days
since we left Alder Gulch? Sure you
haven't seen an almanac for a month";"
"a man downtown told me-" Flan-
nagan replied. HE gets a newspaper
an a letter now and then at this place
called Silver Bow. The paper comes
from a town called Sheecargo I believe.
Anyway he said Christmas was only
three days away"
AN no gold to send home to the
folks to gladden. their hearts at Christ
mas time" said Finnigan gloomily.
st am beginning to think that the
stories we used to hear in Ireland
about the money that was being made
in the mines was a lot of lies. I'm
afeared Jim that we will die as poor
we came"
what HARM" said Jim.
IF I had a drink of whisky, now"
said Finnigan, It wouldn't be afraid
of catching cold" ]
IT got plenty of that" Flanagan an
swered, and pulled a quart out of his
jacket pocket. "Where did you get
it?" Finnigan inquired, picking up a
tin cup and preparing to pour him.
self a drink. Down town. Jim an
swered. And I'll go ball." Dick said,
shat you spent all the dust we have
washed so far for that bottle. But :
what harm? Christmas, as you say, is
only three days away and we will need
a drop of the crature to remind us of
old times" !
""Tisn't whisky I need to remind me '
of home at Christmas" Jim said, "but {
a nice fat goose stuffed to the neck !
with bread and raisinS and some fine
rich gravy-and-"
Shut up.' rOared Dick. edo Won want !