Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-06-21

frightful manner. He was engaged in
boring holes in logs with a large,
steam-driven auger. Richmond always
wore a long coat, which tapped about
his body like a sheet in the wind. In
some manner the coat became en-
tangled with the auger. No one was
near to hear his cry for help, and
the terrible instrument Of death kept
turning, ever drawing him on, until
his body was bent, twisted and crushed
into a lifeleSs, bleeding mass.
Marion mccarthy, who has place
In the diary Of Bishop futile, was
the elder son of a large family. They
worked the placer mines in 1867. He
was about n years Of age. very &C.
centric and extremely visionary, and
sort Of a religious zealot. He was moody
and taciturn and at intervals given
to outburstS of great anger and re-
ligious excitement.
Once in the summer of 1867, boy
was with him. His peculiar actions and
conversation interested and fascinated
the boy. One day he suggested they
take a trip over to Browns creek,
some three or four miles distant and
south Of Nevada City.
This locality Is quite rough, with
deep ravines and rocky cliffs. They
were standing upon the edge OF a
ravine when he began to quote scrip
ture and shout in a wild, roaring voice,
and then, muttering something about
Sacrifice" grabbed the boy around the
waist and attempted to throw him
over the cliff. The boy was wearing
a coat several sizes too large, like all
boys In those rough days, and In the
struggle he slipped out of the garment
and ran like jackrabbit for home.
Soon after McCarty disappeared.
The freaks of fortune and the whirl
igig of fate of the prospector are often
and truly amazing, and no
one ever met the like of that which
happened to wandering Marion NC
Carly. He was next heard of in Colo |
RADIO, with his grub and blankets, pick,
shovel and pan, ever on the search
for gold. While travelling one day along |
an old, abandoned and nearly obliter-
ated trail on the side of a mountain,
ne suddenly threw down his pack and |
to dig in the middle OF
the patch.
There seemed to be no reason, as
surface indications bore no evidence of |
mineral Of any nature. However, with |
a few strokes of the pick there popped |
into view a small piece of float thickly
Sprinkled with native gold. AT the |
depth of a few feet he uncovered a |
swo-foot ledge carrying immense val
les in gold. He carefully covered up /
his bonanza, then Staked and recorded.
When he resumed work the vein grew
wider and richer and soon attracted
capital. He was influenced by sharp
practice, no doubt, to sell for $4,000,
he buyers realizing big fortune from
he mine. Verify fate has many twist
ngs and turnings, and Of unfathom-
lble meaning.
In those days the miners were like
yroWnup boys and hungered for any
lind of amusement and nothing was
90 great, or small, Of whatever ma
5ure, of which they did not take adj
If there are stin living any old
liners who were in Nevada City in
1867 they will no doubt recall the fol-
lowing incident in relation to one
who owned a grocery and
clothing store. This Scroggings was of
bulldog physiognomy, dirty red hair
md little red evil eyes, beetling brows
md pock-marked face.
White women, even at that late
period, were few and at a premium,
md ScroggingS, who was along in years,
md single life becoming tireSome and
and having for some time
endeavored to attach a
lelpmate, finally, in desperation, mar
led a young and handsome Bannack
quaW. The ceremony was performed
" rough old justice of the peace,
Who, when he pronounced them man
md wife, said:
Here stands a white man and squaw,
Married under the white mans law,
Jp the hill and down the level,
Kiss your wife, you ugly DEVIL"
This was too rich a thing for the
Joys to pass up, so they concluded to
i've the bride and groom charivari.
This one was somewhat original and
,ut of the ordinary. A requisition for
in cans and cowbells soon had all |
he kids that could be rounded up
lilariously at work, while in the mean
ime huge fiddle was constructed in
he shape of a trough some 20 feet |
n length and feet In depth. LariatS,
tipped In resin, were tightly drawn |
,ver this cavern. A sapling pole is |
eet long served as a bow which was
trung with strands Of rope similarly |
Tipped IN hot resin.
aaise UnearthIy Racket