The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-06-05


towns in the northwestern part
Of the state. Although it is now
q lumber center and Is widely
known as a tourists and hunt
ers' mecca, being located about
midway between KzliSpell and
Spokane. il owed its early ex-
istencc to the discovery Of gold,
thereby earning its place in the
category of the historic towns
OF Montana
In 1885 this scenic, heavily tim
bered mountainous country had
never been trod by the adventurous
feet of the white man, only as the
lonely traveller made his dangerous
advent by way of the Highwater
trail which then was the only high
way in the north country 1t led
from the border of civilization in
the east. westward, coming down to
the Kootenai river on the south side
of what is now known as the Leigh
gulch, where travellers forded the
Kootenai and proceeded westward
to Walla Walla, and other points on
the western frontier.
The HighWater trail connected
with what is known as Buffalo Bill
trail, the latter trail running south
ward to mines near Thompson Falls
and on to Missoula.
Finds Placer Gold
In the summer of 1885, miner,
named Tom Shearer, while on a
prospecting trip, wandered off from
these trails into the Libby creek
country and there discovered rich
placer gold
Returning to his mining camp,
situated at the mouth of Lyons
gulch on Vermillion creek, he told
his companions of his rich find.
Then, wishing to avoid stampede,
he and B. F. Howard secretly start
ed out on the Buffalo Hill trail TO
locate this placer ground Their de-
luded companions, John Leigh,
George Reider, Lawyer Burton,
Mart Corners, a packer, and jim
Eisenberg, scout, determined not
to be outdone by Howard and
Shearer, who had given them the
slip, decided to cross the range of
mountains directly, which they sup
posed separated them from the land
of gold, and thus reach the placer
ground on Libby creek prior to the
arrival of Shearer and Howard.
Thus began the race for gold in this
UNEMPLOYED northwestern corner of
the state
The party led by Jan Eisenberg
reached the summit in safety, bit on
the opposite side of the range. they
encountered a forest fire. They be-
gan their downward journey. me-
andering around the forest fire,
but when they reached the base of
the range, they were entirely at
sea as to where the placer ground
was located
They established camp and sent
out scouts day after day and at last
discovered stream, which they de-
cided to ascend.
After long weary journey they
met hunter and learned they were
at Pleasant valley, about SO miles
east of the placer ground, and re-
ceived the information that Shearer
and Howard had preceded them by
fully weeks time.
Receiving directions from the
hunter, they landed safely at the
coveted placer ground, II days af-
ter their departure from Vermillion
creek The party staked out their
claims, erected cabins, about 20
miles up Libby creek from the pres
ent city
In 1887 the town had grown to
such a size that George Good es-
tablished grocery store and en-
ployed packtrain to pack merchan-
disc in to his establishment.
Prior to 1887 this much sought
town and placer ground was
reached by the Buffalo Bill and
Highwater trails, leaving the latter
at what is widely known as the Nc
MILAN ranch and also by trail
from the south and west by way Of
Bull river and Bull lake, thence
eastward along the Kootenai river
to its intersection with Libby creek.
Queen Of Woman"
The late Mrs. Fields, who was
for many years an honored pioneer
Of this country, was the first woman
who came into the Libby section
over the Buffalo Bill trail. Her
companions on the trail, in con-
junction with her husband paid her
every homage and later remini-
scently said of her, "She was a
queen of woman on the trail and
deserved all the attention she re-
ceived. I"
In 1887 John Leigh, member of
the first stampeding party, locator
and owner of the townsite of
Thompson Falls, and also inter
ested in the placer mines of Libby
creek, cut trail from that town
to the placer mines. This trail is
still in existence and is known as
the Thompson Falls trail. 1t follows
in a general direction the route
taken by the scout, Jan Eisenberg,
and his goldseeking followers in
their first attempt to reach the Lib
by country.
Before the advent of the Great
Northern railway, the present site
of the town OF Libby was a dense
forest, bearing no evidence of flu
ture activities, except for the fact
that it marked the confluence of
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