P a g e 2 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r in the creek several times and at one place we got a color. Near the bank of the creek at the foot of the mountain, we sunk a hole about five feet deep and found ten cents in fine gold, to the pan of gravel. This convinced us that there were rich gold mines in that vicinity, but as we had no tools or provisions we could not do much prospecting. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz It was almost sundown; we built a fire, cooked our supper, which consisted of nice speckled trout, which we roasted and then sprinkled with ashes in lieu of salt; and creek water. After supper we sat around the campfire discussing the situation until dark. We were entirely out of provisions and had been living on meat straight without salt for several months, so it was finally decided to stick to our original plan- kill and dry meat enough to last us to Fort Bridger and then buy supplies and return and prospect for mines. The Blackfeet Indians were very troublesome and horse-stealing parties lurked everywhere. We selected a dense patch of willows near the creek and when it had become quite dark extinguished the fire and quietly led our horses into the center of the willows. Here each one selected the softest spot that he could find, rolled up in his blanket and went to sleep, leaving one man, gun in hand, to watch over the horses and ourselves. The guard was relieved every two hours. This prospect hole dug by us was the first prospecting for gold done in Montana and this is the account of the first real discovery of gold within the state. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz We killed and dried meat and went to Fort Bridger but failed to get the things necessary to mine with and we did not get back to Montana until 1860 and did not get our sluice boxes in operation on Gold Creek until May 7, 1862. Our letters to my brother, Thomas, who was in Colorado, were the means of starting a large party of prospectors from that country to Montana. -The Dillon Examiner, March 23, 1921, Accessed via www.montananewspapers.org
3 Publizr Home