Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-02-27

In pioneer annals there Is one
story that is seldom published. IL
has been forgotten almost, and
might have been lost 90 history
but for a chance circumstance. At
the time Of its happening il was q
grim tragedy. 1t has been s0ftened
by time until now it is told with
chuckIes. There were but two men
who could tell the story clearly, for
IL happened before Mr.. Noistead
and his act were ever heard or
dreamed of. One of these men was
Henry Bose, resident and one OF
the earliest settlers OF the Flathead
valley, who attended the conveu-
ton Of Montana Pioneers held at
Butte more than q dozen years ago.
His sense Of humOr and his sense
Of drama were vivid and at the
time an explanation of his eternal
youth"
at was In Bear Gulch in the winter
Of 10. At that time there were no wag-
on roads, only trails, but Bear Town
was a prosperous mining camp, cutting
straight across as we did, in the neigh
borhood Of IS miles from Deer Lodge.
We were drifting and hosting pay dirt
to wash in the spring; and the diggin's
were deep.
Mike Flynn-we called him Micky
Finn-lived the third claim below US
and in the winter he got sick. We Wis
tied him several times and finally
Micky died.
''AGicky was a good Christian and his
partner had promised him that he
would bury him in consecrated ground.
We miners agreed upon the advice of
Joaquin Abascal, to get our horses and
bury Micky in Deer Lodge in the con-
secrated burying ground.
I'VE started out one morning from
Micky's cabin. We had the corpse rolled
up in a blanket and thrown over an
Arapahoe pack saddle. One of the boys
led the horse that was carrying it be-
hind his own. There was quite string
Of US.
Near the mouth Of Bear creek we
found q man who had his rip-Saw set
up in the woods. Some of us stayed
there to saw enough lumber to make
a coffin for poor Micky, while some of
us went into the Bitter Root to Baron
O'Keefe to borrow an old democrat
wagon and harness. We had quite
time breaking the cayusues into har-
ness, which wasn't very strong. 1t was
made of Shaganapy. which is kind
Of Indian leather.
well, we put the corpse in the cof-
ALI dA1A HAaOCQ ~ IL L4HC Hes5Oh Al yAA~
back. Next morning when we got ready
to pull out for Deer Lodge we had
another circus gettin' the horses start
ed, but after breakfast the procession
started, those on horseback going
ahead. 1t was quite a procession. We
travelled until we got to Gold creek.
At Pioneer bar there was some ground
sluice and we found there was sa-
loon.
"As it was late IN the afternoon
some of the boys went in and had
drink. And pretty soon they went in
and had another drink. Then we con-
c1uded that as poor Micky had never
had wake we would bring him in and
hold a real irish wake. We got some
candles and brought the coffin in and
set it on two beer kegs. We took off
the lid and lighted the candles and
there was poor Aficky layin' in there
We had some real good singin' and
drinkin' all night. The boys all got
pretty tired and SO we made our beds
on the floor around the coffin. 81
I'm the morning as we had to go on,
we had a miner make us some coffee
and we started out on our journey to-
ward Deer Lodge. The boys were pretty
well worn out so that in the after
noon the storekeeper said to me and
Jim to ride on ahead and see the
priest and tell him we was comm and
to dig the grave for Micly. So the two
of us spnred up our horses and got
to Deer Lodge and saw the father and
told him to show us the place to dig the
grave. He was very kind to us and gave
us some supper. Then we dug the grave
and it was pretty dark. It took us a
while to finish and when we were done
the father came out with his casock
and his book and told us that the