Glacier County chief., 1940-03-15
By JEAN MOORE


There are many who insist that
luck is the prospector's biggest as
set and in the case of Thomas
Cruise perhaps luck represented his
only asset, for few were less pre-
pared to delye into the mysteries
of mining than he when he made
his famous discovery of the Drum
lummon mine.
But short time from Ireland, the
land of his birth, and unable to read
or write, Thomas seemed indeed poorly
equipped to make his way in the world.
Why he decided to find his fortune
in the ground, no one knew and why
he chose to search for it where he did,
remained another mystery.
His greatest possessions consisted OF
an untiring determination and con-
fidence in his ability to strike it rich,
despite his ineXperience in the mining
game A grubstake, he decided. was
his first real need to start him on
his great adventure.
GrubStakeS were not too hard to get
in those days as gambling was part
of the game and there was usually
someone willing to take a chance on
the price of a sack of flour and a few
pounds of bacon and beans in the hope
that it would be returned to him In
the shape Of a partnership in pay
dirt However, grubStake after grub
stake with nothing in return for 1t
was a different matter; and as time
went on. and Thomas failed to make
good. it became harder and harder Tor
him to obtain even a small grubStaKe:
He became the butt OF the miners
foxes. but not needing them, he con-
tinued to brag about the fortune ne
would make. He was destined to become
lust another proSpector, sinking MS
hopes in the ground-or so others
thoIght-everyone that is, but Thorn
as. If at any time his hopes leSSened,
he certainly showed no evidence OF IT,
He was finally forced to believe,
though, that no more grubstakeS were
to be forthcoming, and had almost
decided that he would have TO secure
a job in order to pay Tor MS pacoll
and beans, when a Woman--perhaps
out of pity for him, or perhaps be-
cause she still had little faith in
him-gave him his last gruoStaKe
Thomas no longer needed to ask Tor
favors now, for he had at last come
to the end of the rainbow and tound
the proverbial pot. of ,gold" hidden
ize in his discovery of the Drumlum-
mon mine.
No Longer Irish Tommy"
With the discovery of the Drum.
lummon mine. Thomas suddenly iouno
himself occupying an entirely dif1er-
ent social position than formerly. NO
longer was he Irish Tommy, pun
"Mr. Cruise" and among. those VINO
had so mercilessly ridiculed him., he
now found some of his most ardent
admirers: for beneath his husky brogue
and rough ways, they discovered
shrewd mind and a warm heart.
Thomas Cruse's strike was Responsible
for the new mining camp that lol-
lowed and he christened It .Marys-
vile" in honor OF the INST Ihree
"Marys" to arrive there.
Like the majority of the early min
ing towns, Marysville became popu-
lated almost over night. The magic
cry of gold" was echoed through tne
country and was answered by men OF
all trades. Writers abandoned their
ink pots, carpenters EXCHANGED IhGlr
rulers and planes for picks and shoVeiS,
and lawyers deserted the courtroom IN
their mad rush for Marysville to join
in the search for the precious metal
And in their walks came the Chinese
those adventurous little yellow men
who have always followed on the iran
of each gold strike, planting their gar
dens where white men were unapie 70
do so. and setting up their nevilapl IDLY
laundries, asking exorbitant prices ana
Getting them, from miners who. mad
no time to wash their own shirts.
Thomas Cruise established bank
at Marysville, married and had one
child, a daughter, Mamie. During the
time that he operated the Orunlluln
mon, it is estimated to nave proouceo
sl44 ,539. He sold it to an English syn
dicafe for 81 GOO. 900. retaining a one
sixth interest in it. He later resided IN
Helena where he maintained peaull-
full home until his death.
Fortunes were made and loSt over
night in Marysville. While many re-
tired from their labors; tneIt Mete
MANY who continued to hunt through
the years for a golden treasure, always
confident that soon their labors would
he rewarded Several have fingered on
and are now quite content to rellve, In
their memories those exciting old days
when each new day promised new
excitement. -,,-o ror,
resented in this early day Marysvllle
learned men mixed with illiterate for
eio1,ers and the honest with the not
soehonest, Here, at least, all men were
considered equal, and 1t was an IN
written law that no man was 10 con-
slider himself superior to MS 1elio"
workers.
Camp Grew Rapidly
Marvsville grew and proSpered until
its inhabitants numbered 5000. Log
cabins soon gave way to frame and
rock buildings. A large school was bullt
and nine teachers employed. Many
store buildings were erected along with
the ever-popular saloons. Republican
and democratic papers furnished the
miners with the latest news and four
churches welcomed the population on
SUNDAYS. Marysville was indeed on the
map. With its growth came prosperity
to farmers in the surrounding valleys,
who found it a likely place to dispose
of their farm products. Horses were
much in demand, as they began to re-
place the slow moving OK teams.
Many exciting events took place in