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 stopped coming up, Coyner went to check on Thomas. He would find him slumped over and breathing heavily. When he could not rouse his fellow worker, he went to get help. Unfortunately, by the time help arrived, Thomas would be dead. The Examiner reports that his death was due to heart failure. Many friends mourned the death of the man who was described as a “good citizen and a man whom everybody liked and admired.” Not all accidents were mining related. In the winter of 1906, Ed Nyhart was hauling hay when one of the boards broke on his wagon. Ed said he got lucky to only have suffered an injured arm. On an occasion or two, a wild animal would wander into town and create a stir. The good times also flowed freely through the camp, like when a Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz fishing party returned from the Big Hole with a load full of trout. Or, when the local hunters came home with 13 fine deer. Many dances and wedding took place. A win from the baseball team caused all to cheer. A 15-11 win over the Dillonites in the summer of 1904 made for a pleasant afternoon. As the social scene also started to boom, Mrs. Emma Stanfield saw the need to organize a Whist Club. On November 15th of 1903, she did just that. After drafting rules and regulations and electing officers, the “Farlin Whist Club” was born. At meetings, members would enjoy a few rounds of the trick-taking card game and then enjoy some music and dancing. The hostess would then serve delicious refreshments before the evening came to an end. Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz A building boom took place in 1904. The camp would eventually grow to house miners’ cabins, stores, a school, a butcher shop, a smelter and a post office that opened in 1905 with Gertrude Black serving as the postmaster. Mrs. Willoughky led the Farlin Choir that provided many hours of entertainment at various gatherings. A visit from the stork always brought joy to the camp. The name “Farlin” was chosen to honor O.D. and W.L. Farlin who discovered a claim in the 1860s. Although it was J.A. Kline who found rich ores here even before that. It would take several years for the Farlin brothers to start working the area. Progress was slow at first with a small boost arriving with the Utah and Northern tracks being laid to Dillon in the early 1880s. The mining camp really took off at the Photo by Jolene Ewert-Hintz
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