An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 136

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Montana > An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 136

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There were several private banks and bank- ing offices, which might be called minor insti- tutions, that held sway during these early days, only one of which remained permanent, being that of Messrs. L. H. Hershfeld & Brother, which ultimately merged in, and proved the foundation of, the Merchants' National Bank, in 1882. Up to this time it is to be noticed

awakened by heavy footsteps stealthily approaching him; he arose on his elbow, elntched his revolver and asked what was wanted, and the approaching man quietly with- drew. Mr. Farlin imagined that an effort was being made to put him out of the way.

The following day the party broke camp and traveled until they arrived at the south fork of the Yellowstone, where they found that their leader knew nothing of the country. They held a meeting and appointed Ed Sanders as the leader. George IIilderman, the old guide, tried to ignore this action, packed up and said, "Come on, boys," going up the canon, thinking the rest wonld follow; but only one went with him, a mau named Ritchie, a flour dealer. The rest were consulting what to do to get new supplies with which to pass over to the Big Horn conu- try. They waited until the next morning and then went to the ferry for supplies. Proceeding, they crossed over the head of the Yellowstone river and secured some pros- pects: and the word went to Bannack that they had struck gold; and companies followed them. Among them was De Laey, and he discovered the Fire-Hole basin, and they followed the Gallatin valley and went to Virginia City,

that from 1866 there had been no successful national bank organized, excepting the First. During the year 1882 L. H. Hershfeld & Brother nationalized under the name of the Merchants' National Bank, with a capital of $150,000.

The Montana National Bank was organized with a capital of $250,000, and the Second Na- tional Bank with a capital of $75,000.

The presiding spirits or leading geniuses of these several banks in 1882 were: ex-Governor S. T. Hauser, of the First National Bank; Col. C. A. Broadwater, of the Montana National Bank; L. H. Hershfeld, of the Merchants' Na- tional Bank; and E. D. Edgerton, of the Sec- ond National Bank.

These banks were respectively capitalized: $500,000 for the First National; $250,000 for the Montana National; $150,000 for the Mer- chants' National; and $75,000 for the Second National, with relatively large surpluses and undivided profits.

Later on Thomas Cruse organized, and be- came the principal stockholder of, the Crnse Savings Bank, which was organized under the

while Mr. Farlin's company came down the Yellowstone and descended to Yellowstone lake. A few days afterward they struck the upper falls, and from this point went east to strike the mountains in order to prospect them. They reached a creek which they named Stampede, because their horses were stampeded there by the Crow Indians; but the Crows ran away and left some of their articles in the camp. Then the company turned down the creek until they reached the canon of the Yellow- stone Having a cross-cut saw with them which was diffi- cult of transportation, they cached it; and it was found by the Indians, who made arrow-heads of it, as was proved by pieces afterward found.

Proceeding until they reached the upper mountains, they found numerous parks of grass and groves, and an abundance of mountain sheep and black-tailed deer. From this point they went in an easterly direction and came to a river leading down the mountains, which they followed down and ascertained it to be Clark's fork. At the head of this they got some ore. This point is now known as Cook City. Proceeding still further down the stream, they had numerous scrapes with bears. A day's

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laws of the State with a capital of $100,000, Cruse acting as president. The Montana Sav- ings Bank, the leading spirit of which was J. Tucker, who acted as its cashier, was also or- ganized, with a capital of $100,000, among the prominent men of the stockholders being the Lombards, of Boston. Still later, and in the year 1890, the Helena National Bank was or- ganized with 8500,000 capital, and the Ameri- can National Bank with $200,000 capital.

In 1893, by reason of changes and increased capital, the respective banks in Helena stood as follows, being, in number, seven national banks and two savings banks: The First National, with practically the same officers and a capital of $500,000 and surplus of over $700,000. The Montana National, with T. A. Marlow as pres- ident and A. L. Smith as cashier, with a capital of $500,000 and a $250,000 surplus. The Merchants' National, with $350,000 capital, and abont an equal amount of surplus,-the Messrs. Hershfeld being respectively president and cash- ier. The Helena National, with 8500,000 cap- ital, and E. D. Edgerton president and F. Baird cashier,-that bank having consolidated with

journey below this they crossed Prior's Fork and camped on the river, on the north side. IIere they saw vast herds of buffalo.

Next morning they passed down and camped where Livingston now is. They noticed that the Snake Indians were showing camp fires, and at 12 o'clock at night they were attacked. The Indians fired a volley from rifles and muskets at them from the bluff, the horses stampeded and one man was wounded. The white party jumped up, seized their arms and without thinking to put out their fires were discussing what to do when a secoud volley of balls passed over their heads. Then they put their fires out, fell back a little and lay down in the grass and sage- brush, not knowing the number of the Indians. They lay there until the dawn of day, aud, seeing their inde fensible position, they packed six horses that had not got away, with supplies and the blankets, and followed down the river to the point where it receded from the bluff, the Indians following down on the bank. The prospectors stopped at a large tree that had blown down, which would have served as a breastwork. A detachment of Indians came off from the bluff through a little canon. As soon

the Second National during the season. The American National, with $200,000 capital,- both the latter banks having reasonable sur- pluses. The Montana National Bank was or- ganized by Col. C. A. Broadwater, who acted as president, and E. Sharpe, of Indianapolis, who acted as cashier, and was followed by L. G. Phelps, and subsequently by A. L. Smith, the presidency having fallen upon T. A. Mar- low. The American National Bank was organ- ized by Senator T. C. Power, who acted as president, and A. C. Johnson as cashier, with George F. Cope as assistant cashier.

These banks collectively represent $2,125,- 000 capital, with nearly an equal amount of surplus and undivided profits; while their de- posits represent abont $7,500,000.

When we consider that Helena only has a population of twelve to fifteen thousand people, we are prepared to say that no other town in the United States has the same representation per capita of banking capital, banking surplus or banking deposits.

It is true that the strain of the past twelve months has told somewhat upon the general

as Mr. Farlin's party had halted, Ed Sanders, Pat Gaffey and Mr. Farlin pulled the packs from off their horses and on they went after the redskins. Mr. Farlin's riflle, a sixteen-shooter, had become wet and he could not use it; so he had only his revolver, and the others had both guns and pistols. The Indians had made the canon, and for fear of being ambushed they decided not to follow but rather to go back after the horses at the old camp; and sure enough found the horses, and were getting off from a little island when the Indians came upon the bank. When Mr. Farlin and his comrades had gone about 350 yards from the bank they halted, and the Indians began to come down the canon. Mr. Farlin made one shot, which however did not reach them, and then he ran his horse out toward the Indians, to a point within eighty feet of them, the chief of whom was standing with gun in hand looking at Mr. Farlin as if in amazement. Mr. Farlin then raised his revolver pistol and shot him through the body and he fell dead. The other Indians, who were behind the chief, then came on, and Mr. Farlin dropped his pistol on the nearest one and he also fell in his tracks; then pulled on another, but this one didn't

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business of these respective banks, and still the clearing-house balances show that, as compared with other western towns and cities, the de- crease is far below the average of the Pacific coast towns; and, while several changes have been made and two of the larger banks were closed for a brief period, owing to the inability to realize on assets so far removed from com- inercial centers, it is clearly shown that in 1894 the presentation of the banks of Helena as com- pared with other sections of the country, par-

ticularly the Northwestern country, is quite as good as the presentation of 1892; and it is only fair to say that we have withstood the effects of the recent financial disturbance in better pro- portion, and have recovered more rapidly, and are in better condition than any other section of the country, situated at all similarly,-that is to say, any section of the country west of the Mis- sissippi river.

E. D. EDGERTON, P't Helena Nat'l.

August 15, 1894.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

MONTANA MINING-BURIED TREASURES-THE MARVELOUS WEALTH OF MONTANA -HIER COUNTIES IN ORDER -EACH COUNTY A KINGDOM RICHER THAN WAS SOLOMON'S.

BY DR. G. C. SWALLOW.

BEAVER HEAD COUNTY.

IIIS county was the theater of some of the earliest and most hazardons mining oper- ations in Montana,-not as hazardous on account of the uncertainties of mining products as from the depredations of thieving Indians, and of the marauding and robbing "road agents," and the cost and risk of trans- portation. While the little band of pioneer miners were a thousand miles away from friends and the protecting arm of the Government, and under scant civil authorities improvised for temporary use, nearly all of which were in the

hands of desperadoes, combined with all the bad ' as against all honest workers and producers, these miners had a sharp struggle for life and food as well as for gold. All old-timers feel a thrill of manly pride in that triumph of fearless and quick justice which made Montana mining possible, when they recall the wild and danger- ous adventures that marked the early history of Bannack and the surrounding camps.

Nothing in history can surpass the cool cour- age and sturdy resolution with which these pio- neer miners conquered and punished the thiev- ing and scalping Indians, and the celerity and

drop, as the cylinder of the revolver had passed too far, so that the ball was crushed in passing out. From the camp they saw the shooting, and Reese, Smith and Allen came to his assistance, and the Indians got away.

Returning to camp, the prospectors got breakfast, and moved on up the river, but never saw the horses again They traveled all day and could see the Indians skulking at a distance; so they traveled after night set in in order

to escape them. The ground was covered with prickly pears, and some of the men, having only moccasins, suf- fered intolerably; afterward it required hours to get out all the prickles.

On arriving at Gallatin, where they found a few cabins, they camped. Hearing then of Alder Gulch, they pro- ceeded thither and located good claims. A little later the Butte discoveries were made, and Mr. Farlin and Ed San-

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precision with which they captured a score or more of the marauding " road agents " and their confederate official robbers, all combined to kill and steal, and the quick and unerring justice with which the guilty were executed or banished from the little camps in this vast wilderness. These adventures of our pioneer miners will ever form the most interesting and instructive chap- ter. The pioncer citizens of Bannack still point with pride to the humble capital of the budding mountain State, and to the more commodious and substantial pioneer courthouse erected by Beaver Head county. But for once eastward was the march of empire, and Virginia City be- came the capital of Montana, and Dillon the seat of Beaver Head county. But Bannack is none the less historical, and hier reviving min- ing industries will restore and keep up her early prosperity.

The placers of the Grasshopper at Bannack, once so productive, are still worked. Pioneer, Excelsior, South Side, Golden Leaf, and other placers still have rich gravels. Productive placers also exist high up the Grasshopper, on Dice creek and at French Bar. The Pioneer is

ders came over and camped at the foot of Parrot Hill, in the fall of 1864. Allisou Humphrey was the first discov- erer, and in the meantime Cogswell and party discovered gold at Silver Bow; and the first claim was located by P. Darce, James Stuart, Caleb Irvin and Major Galen. In the autumn of 1863, at the Deer Lodge claim, the Porter brothers had put up a cabin, and also Jo Bowers. At Butte Messrs. Farlin and Sanders erected the fourth cabin there, and Mr. Farlin located a number of valuable claims, being the first to exhibit gold in the camp; it came from the Blue Wing. A grove of timber was near, and pro- curing a whipsaw they sawed out the first lumber in the camp; and Mr. Farlin hauled the logs and sold the lumber.

But, hearing soon after this, of a little gold being found in Gopher Gulch, in February he quit whipsawing and went there and located Blackfoot City and 160 acres of land. He followed mining there until the ensning au- tumn, then returning to Butte with a few hundred dol- lars. In the summer of 1866 he located a number of claims west of what is now known as the Trivonia, and he also discovered the value of Gray Rock, and discovered also the Anglo-Saxon, the Trivonia and the La Plata; but

now worked at the rate of 1,000 cubic yards a day by water pumped from the Grasshopper to the height of seventy-five feet.

Quartz mining followed close upon the heels of the placers. Gold, silver and copper veins were discovered and recorded in large numbers and at various points in Beaver Head county; and the pioneer mill was erected on the Grass- hopper near Bannack, and the pioneer smelter on the Rattlesnake at Argenta. This mill, with its wooden stamps shod with wagon tires, worked the free gold quartz from the mines in the Bannack district, and the St. Louis Smelt- ing furnace ran out the argentiferous galena at Argenta into base bullion, which their cupel furnace reduced to disks of pure silver as large as new moons. As these broad disks of white metal were displayel in the bank windows of Eastern cities, the fame of Golconda and El Dorado paled before the rising glories of Argenta.

Still this successful mining did not pay. The high price of labor and all neede I supplies, the cost of separating the worthless lead, and the enormous expense of shipping the silver by the

he did not make known his discoveries until the law passed providing for the re-location of 600x 1,500 feet; he then located various claims.

He had 350 acres of the old Butte town in one block, and he assisted others in locating valuable claims. In June, 1875, he began the erection of the Dexter ten-stamp mill, which had five reverberating roasters. The silver mine there yielded sixteen per cent goldl. He ran this mill about nine years. It was located three-fourths of a mile southwest of the corner of Broadway and Main street, and from it a large amount of treasure has been taken. He is now operating the Tzarina, having fifty acres in the group. It is eighteen per cent gold, count- ing silver at eighty-two cents; but, counting silver at sixty-three cents, it is forty per cent gold; and theore has more than doubled iu value as it goes down; and should silver increase in value-which it is certain to do-it will yield large returns and furnish employment to many miners.

Mr. Farlin is now writing upon scientific questions, being a man of rare intelligence and an extraordinary amount of experience and close observation. It is hoped

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overland coaches, beset, as they were, by " road agents " and hostile Indians, largely overbal- anced the value of the silver produced. But numerous mines have been discovered at Ar- genta- Some liave furnished large quantities of good ores; three smelters have followed the pioneer smelting and cupel furnace, and yet the heavy freight on fuel and base bullion con- sumes too much of the profits. Bat still the owners of the hundred mines in this old camp are hopefully working and waiting for the loco- motive to bring them cheap coke and coal and to take away the train-loads of bullion they could easily produce every week. Meanwhile the miners delve and rest. The furnaces and mills have a sort of spismodic life; sometimes they glow with the melting ores, sometimes they take a long, hopeless sleep. Silver is down, and Argenta must wait the better market for the white metal. Her hundred mines must rest and their timbers decay. Her furnaces will scarcely glow with the flowing metal until sil- ver becomes a " precious metal " once more.

But gold became the principal attraction to the pioneer miners, as it is likely to be to the ante-mortem miners of these memorable '90s.

that he may live to complete his works. He is endowed with a remarkably good memory, being able to call to mind a few experiences he had as far back as when he was but two years of age. During his pioneer life in Montana he was a mau of great courage, absolutely know- ing no fear. He is now a quiet, peaceable and pleasant gentleman, enjoying the high respect of the best pion- eers of Montana.

HON. CONRAD KOHRS, of Deer Lodge, Montana, is a pioneer of 1862, and one of the most prominent cattle men of the State. As such he is entitled to more than a passing mention on the pages of this work, and a sketch of his life will be read with interest by many.

Mr. Kohrs was born in Holstein, Germany, August 5, 1835, son of Carston Kohrs, a native of Hanover, and a farmer and distiller by occupation. Carston Kohrs died when his son Conrad was seven months old, so that the latter never knew a father's care.

In his native town young Kohrs received his educa- tion. When he was fifteen years of age he went to sea

Still the miners of Bannack are full of courage and hope. They are surrounded by numerous mines. On the Grasshopper near the city are the Golden-Leaf, Washington, Pioneer, Wal- lace, French, Empire, Montana, Excelsior, June- tion, Silver Arrow and many others. The Wight mill was erected long ago to work the ore of this district. This mill is now silent, and the Golden-Leaf mill is busy with its ten stamps and two amalgamating pans on the ores of the Golden-Leaf. The Golden-Leaf is a rich mine, well worked for profit and safety. Every part is dry and well supplied with pure air. The wall rock is limestone intersected with syenite and trap-rock, and the ore is rich and abundant.

The Elkhorn district has a large number of promising mines. Some of them well proved up as true veins carrying silver, gold, copper and lead. The Magnet Group, the Lake Creek Group, the Lost Cloud District, the Bald Mountain mines, the Comet Mountain mines, the Dice Creek mines, arastra and mill, are all worked with varying success. The fall in sil- ver has taken the prosperity out of many of these districts.

and for four years his life was that of a sailor, his chief ports being those of South America. In 1854 he made his way to Iowa. Then for a time he was on the river, rafting and flatboating. Later he joined his brother in the buchering business, and continued thus occupied up to 1856, at which time he made the voyage to California, via the isthmus of Panama, and engaged in mining in Siskiyou county. In 1858 the Fraser river excitement drew him to that place, and while there he made an aver- age of $14 per day. Late in the fall of that year he re- turned to California, where he remained until 1861, en- gaged in different mining enterprises, in which he lost nearly all his money. He then went East, and in the spring of 1862 started for Montana, landing in Deer Lodge valley after a journey attended with many diffi- culties. Here he prospected and mined until the dis- covery of gold at Bannack, when he went there and was employed in the butchering business by "Hank" Craw- ford, at $25 per month. In June, 1863, he went to Alder Gulch and secured similar employment, and later opened

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Hecla is the largest mining camp in Beaver Head. The plant of mining machinery is large and complete. The camp contains numerous mines and mining claims. Some twenty-five belong to the Hecla Company: of these the Cleopatra, Ariadne, IIecla, Lion, Trappa, Moun- tain Sheep, and Cleve are on Lion mountain, and are worked as one mine. The shafts, in- clines, tunnels, levels, and stopes made in ex- tracting the ores are very extensive, making miles of underground work. The incline on

up a butcher business of his own, remaining there until the spring of 1865, buying stock and furnishing the miners with meat. In this he was very successful.

Like all good citizens in this part of Montana at that period, Mr. Kohrs took a hand in helping rid the country of the road agents that infested it. Indeed, he had good reason to do his part in that laudable work, as he came near being waylaid and robbed by them himself. One time, in 1864, while on his way back to Deer Lodge from a trip he had taken, he camped for the night at Camp creek, six miles below where Melrose is now located. In the early morning, while looking for his horse that had strayed out of sight, he met a half-breed who was stopping on the place now owned by Hon. Joseph Brown, and who said to him, "Kohrs, I think you had better get out of here. Two of 'the boys' stopped at the house last night. They are after some one, and I think it is you." Mr. Kohrs replied that he would, if he could find his horse. The half-breed said he had seen him and would bring him up, which he did. Mr. Kohrs had $5,000 in gold dust with him, and felt anxious for the result. No sooner was the horse brought up than he mounted him and dashed away on the road toward Deer Lodge. After he had ridden about half a mile, he looked back and saw two horsemen coming after him at a fast gallop, so he gave his horse the reins, determined to outride them if possible. On he dashed like mad, casting his blanket and overcoat away in order to make the load lighter for his horse, and with the two desperadoes in hot pursuit. It was a race for life. The distance, sixty-seven miles, was made in six hours, Mr. Kohrs riding into Deer Lodge fifteen minutes before his pursuers. The road agents had a station at Deer Lodge. Later, Mr. Kohrs was with the Vigilants on their expedition to capture the highwaymen, which they succeeded in doing at Big Hole, Missoula and Deer Lodge; and among the rest, Bill Bunting, the man who kept the station at Deer Lodge, paid for his crime on the gallows.

In 1865 Mr. Kohrs came to Deer Lodge valley to live, and soon widened his business operations. He not only operated a meat market himself, but he also purchased large herds of cattle and supplied stock to the various

the Cleopatra is down over 3,000 feet, and the tunnel to this lode is 3,200 feet long. These items will give some idea of the work in this mine. The ores are crushed and separated in the 150-ton concentrator near the mines and smelted at the reduction works at Glendale. The Hecla Reduction Works at Glendale pro- duced $808,251 worth of bullion in 1890. Their concentrator near the mines at Hecla was doing good work. It is reported that this company had paid regular monthly dividends of $15,000

butchers of the mining camps. In the spring of 1865 he was the purchaser of all the cattle that were to be had in this part of the country. The following spring he bought of John F. Grant the farm on which he now resides, located three-quarters of a mile north of the city of Deer Lodge. And it was also in 1866 that he purchased his first herd of breeding cattle and began the breeding of fine stock, in which he has since been so successful. He is the pioneer in this line. His first purchase of short- horn cattle was in Illinois in 1871, and in 1880 he intro- duced the Herefords here.

Mr. Kohrs' half-brother, John N. W. Bielenberg, has been his partner in all his business enterprises. They have not only made a success of life themselves, but they have also done much to advance the interests of their State by the introduction of thoroughbred stock, both horses and cattle.

While dealing largely in stock and giving much of their attention to this business, they have still kept up their interest in mines and mining. In 1867 they built the Rock creek ditch, which is thirteen miles in length. It has a lake at its head, and it carries 3,000 inches of water. They now own all the mining ground at Pioneer, and they also own the whole of this large ditch and water supply. In short, they are running the most extensive hydraulic mining in Montana. They also own no less than 10,000 acres of land in Deer Lodge valley, near the town of Deer Lodge. On this tract they annually make 800 tons of hay.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 136

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1216