P a g e 8 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 July 21, 1865. Friday. Camp near Helena, Montana. We left camp near Virginia City last Friday the 14th and arrived at this camp Tuesday the 18th. We found most of the road good, but several bad hills, no sand. Paid to cross Jefferson's Fork at the ferry, $1.00. And the toll gate eight miles from here $2.00 in gold or $2.20 in greenbacks. Found this quite a thriving little mining town of near the population of Virginia City, and I think a more business place. It is located on what is called Last Chance Gulch. This gulch and many others near here are being worked their entire length, but no ground on them but what is claimed by someone, and if for sale at all at enormous prices. The prices are for new comers to pay. They call us "Pilgrims" and I am told that in many cases large figures are paid for claims that the purchaser fails to get anything out of them. These diggings are what miners call "spotted"; that is, one claim may be good and the adjoining one worth nothing. They told me of an old man who gave $18,000 for three claims and got nothing at all out of them. We here met Mr. Lisher, attorney of Mexico, and also Mrs. Lockinger, Rucker, Deport and Hawkins of Sturgeon, Mo.- From the diary of Benjamin Ross Cauthorn telling of his journey by wagon train from Missouri to Montana and on to Oregon. Accessed via http://overlandtrails.lib.byu.edu/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE GHOST TOWNS AND HISTORY OF MONTANA NEWSLETTER! My/Donor Information: Renewal? Y/N Send a Gift to: NAME____________________________________ NAME___________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ CITY______________________________________ CITY_____________________________________ STATE__________________ZIP________________STATE_________________ ZIP________________ Yearly subscriptions are $19.95 (published monthly). Please make checks payable to Ghost Towns & History of MT, LLC and send with this clipping to P.O. Box 126, Warm Springs, MT 59756
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