Coloma: Another Mining Dream and surrounding Camps

                                     Copied from hand drawn map in Wolle , "Montana Pay Dirt"

 Located about two miles from Garnet, the Coloma area was still being mined, when I researched it in the early 2000’s. The Fessler family owned claims at Coloma and continued to hold their inheritance. “Names on the face of Montana” spells the name Coloma, other literature I have found spells the name Colomo and Colma. The mining camp had a post office open in 1895 with Anna Richards as postmaster. The last year the post office operated was 1908. In 2010 the University of Montana, Archeology Department in Missoula was involved in an exploratory dig on Myrna Fessler Leipheimer’s claims and had many historical artifacts in their possession. Professor Timmons was the archeologist involved in the dig. 

Wolle, in “Montana Pay Dirt”, states she gleaned her information about Coloma from J.T. Pardee’s U.S. Geological Survey reports created in 1917 and 1918. The Granite County Map dated March 1987 shows Colomo, the Mammoth mine and Colomo cemetery in Powell county, but it is located within two miles of the Garnet ghost town, so was usually discussed in the newspapers of Granite county. Wolle stated “Several mines were located in 1886 along the main divide on Elk Creek two miles southwest of Garnet, and these have been worked sporadically, producing in aggregate $40,000 to $50,000 in gold. The camp of Coloma was liveliest at the turn of the century, while the Mammoth and Comet mines were in operation, and an estimated $200,000 was taken from the Mammoth property. Since then, the camp has been virtually deserted. 

Development of the Comet mine, …in 1905, by the Quantock Mining and Milling Company, resulted in small returns of gold. In 1916 a tunnel was bored to crosscut the Mammoth and other veins…. (and) in recent years most of the claims had been tied up in litigation (1951).The Pearl on the divide between Deep Creek and Bilk Gulch was reported to produce $20,000 in gold and copper.” 

Fifer, in “Montana Mining Ghost Towns” states that in the Coloma district, placer discoveries created a major rush in 1865, on Bivins Gulch and Elk Creek which caused the creation of Coloma, Reynolds, Springtown and Yreka mining camps. This reference states no more than $100,000 of free gold was mined, even though they had a ten and twenty stamp mill at Coloma. 

I found references referring to mines in Coloma on October 30, 1895, in the Philipsburg Mail copied from the Missoulian stating C.C. Eckert and E. Simpson had returned to Missoula last week from the Mammoth Mining Company property in Coloma. “They found the property all there and everything in good condition so far as the real and personal property is concerned. As yet Mr. Parker, who was to have been in Deer Lodge yesterday to adjust some claims against the company has not yet been heard from, but it is expected, that the claims will receive the proper attention and be disposed of in a few days.” 

 From 1930-1941, August Erickson was in the Garnet area and in his diary speaks frequently of working at Coloma, especially the Mammoth claims. I found earlier references to the Mammoth Mine on September 22, 1905 when the Drummond Call carried an article that identified the claim with a work force of about 20 men under the able management of Major R.L. Hornbrook. Development work was being done and the property was expected to put thirty men to work when the mill was opened. In that same issue was an article detailing that J.W. Moss the well known store keeper of Coloma was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Eastey and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Askman of Garnet to Lake Placid, in the upper Blackfoot country, on a hunting and fishing trip. 

The September 22, 1905 Call, stated the development work was being supervised by Mr. H. Salisbury. The group was comprised of 14 mining claims and owned by Philadelphia capitalists with Mr. H. Sieble Jr. the president. The development work consisted of an incline shaft bored to the 400 foot level. There were main levels at the 200 foot and 400 foot levels with development being carried at both of these levels. They were running a cross cut in the direction of the Mammoth mine (which belonged to the group) that would be 800 feet to reach the lead in the Miner’s Dream, believed to be one of the best claims. This would also assist exposing the lead in the Grouse, another promising claim of the group. There was a Huntington mill on the property that would handle between 15 and 20 tons of ore a day. 

September 29, 1905, the Call announced “several good properties around Coloma: the Clemantha, Cato, Crystal Springs, Valley” and others discussed below.

The September 29, 1905, Call news paper stated that Mr. James Parker, of New York, the principal owner of the Mammoth Mine was “in camp briefly this week.” Ike Warner had a contract to furnish five hundred cords of wood for the Mammoth Mine, and had ten men cutting wood. 

Above these articles was a full column detailing the Mammoth Mine: “The Mammoth Mine…is the most developed of the Coloma properties, and has quite a history. In a general way, it may be stated that it was first opened by an incline shaft, about 350 feet deep. From this there were large quantities of high grade ore extracted most of which was oxidized ore, of which there is still a goodly quantity left in the mine. Later, at a point of about 400 feet from the incline shaft, a new shaft was sunk vertically, a distance of 270 feet, in the contact between the lime and the granite. From these two levels were run one at a depth of 150 feet, and the other from the bottom of the shaft. From the 150 foot level there have been taken out large quantities of high grade sulphide ore, and there is now exposed in this same level several thousand cubic feet of ore of the same rich character… The property now belongs to the New York-Montana Gold Mining Company, and is under the management of Col. L.C. Parker, of Deer Lodge. Under his efficient management the lower level has been advanced about 500 feet and an intermediate level has been run between the upper and lower levels. Most of the intermediate level which is about 200 feet in length, is in fine ore and the bodies are large. Altogether there is about 2,000 feet of levels, all of which are connected through upraises. There are thousands of tons of ore exposed, much of it of good shipping value, and if the ten stamp mill …was in commission, there is enough ore uncovered to keep it running for two years. The mine is well equipped with machinery, having a commodious shaft house, a large gallows frame built of 14 X 18 timbers, a cage is used for all hoisting; there is a 60 and a 25 horse power boiler; a 35 horse power engine; an Ingersoll air compressor, by which the drills are operated, and which also furnishes the miners with fresh air. There are at present 13 men employed, but when the mill is placed in commission, ..this force will be more than doubled.” 

The majority of the Call newspaper was dedicated to the mines and had lengthy articles about all the work being done. I do not know who the writer was, but he obviously had an interest in the mines as each article detailed in depth the mining processes being carried out. A new lease was being granted to Al Lawery (sic) and Nick Thienes for the Nancy Hanks in October 1905 and Messrs. C.D. and Dan McPherson and Dan McIntosh, who had a bond and lease on the Daisy group of claims, “lying between Garnet and Top O’ Deep, have opened up a strong lead ...and claim to have 18 inches of good shipping ore. The Daisy Group, which consists of the Goodwin, Goodenough and Daisy claims belong to the Spenceley brothers, and is one of the well known properties of the Garnet district. There were about forty tons of ore in the bins of the Daisy and this ore has been reduced to about twenty-five tons by screening, and will be shipped now….Only three men are working at the present time, but it is understood that this number will be increased in the near future, and if the lead just opened up holds out, the Daisy group will soon be ranked with the regular shippers of the district.” 

Fred Askman and Dave Blackie had shipped a car of ore from their lease on the Crescent and netted a “goodly sum.” J.D. Sullivan and T. Kearns shipped sixty tons of ore from the Robert Emmet mine to Washoe sampling at Butte. The “ore was a very good grade.” Messrs. Dalberg, Nevlin and Harrington, lessees on the Red Cloud, were ready to ship sixty tons of ore to Butte and Charles Boggs (sic) had given up his lease on the San Jose. He was going to join McPherson “in working the Little Dandy during the winter.” 

By 1907 a new mining company had been formed named the Butte-Coloma Gold Mining Company with capitalization of $1,000,000 and the par value of one dollar per share. William Bailey employed by W.A. Clarke is the Company President. With a new infusion of money the mining dreams continued.

A Tough Hombre: Sam Clark

 

The March 15, 1925, Philipsburg Mail carried the story: Sheriff has leg amputated “Sheriff Sam B. Clark had his right leg amputated below the knee last Saturday morning at Dr. Knight’s hospital. The operation was performed by Dr. Knight. He was assisted by Dr. E.G. Wilcox of Drummond, Mrs. Veda Yenter, a nurse, and A. Price Townsend. 

Sheriff Clark broke several bones in his ankle a few years ago and it was apparently well until about two years ago when he injured it again while searching the hills for a trace of two lost children. His leg became gradually more infected and was endangering Mr. Clark’s health and recently his physician advised him to have the leg amputated. Mr. Clark stood the operation in fine shape and is now getting along nicely and it is believed that he will be able to receive visitors some time next week.” 

I know something of this story because A. Price Townsend always helped my Bentz grandparents with the summer haying. After supper Price would tell us kids stories and the story about amputating sheriff Clark’s leg was one of them. When I worked at the hospital in 1958 Doris Kemper, the Registered Nurse, administered ether to the surgical patients but apparently in the 1920’s alcohol was the chosen anesthetic. Price described sitting on Sam’s pelvis with his legs straddled over him on the surgical table. After putting a wedge between Sam’s teeth, Price would pour whiskey down his throat every time Sam tried to move while the two doctors sawed away on his leg. 

Sam was born to Sam M and Elizabeth Brown Clark in Warrensburg, Illinois on August 12, 1855 and married Molly E. Fults on July 3,1877. The 1870 Federal census lists him in Post Oak, Missouri and the 1880 census lists him in Pioneer City, Montana. In 1900 the census shows him working at the Sunrise Mine and in 1910, they were living in Philipsburg. Molly’s obituary states she arrived in Montana in 1881 and Philipsburg in 1882, where she remained until her death on May 20, 1932. They had a son Ernest B. shortly after arriving in Philipsburg and he died in 1915 at Thompson Falls while employed by the U.S. Forest Service. 

Sam worked as a laborer and miner most of his life but was interested in Law Enforcement and ran for sheriff of Granite County in 1912 with 318 votes to Dan McLeod’s 353 and Frank Morse’s 211 votes. Dan McLeod beat him again in 1914. In 1916, F. Burks was elected to the office. 

Sam began serving as Undersheriff, in 1922, during the moonshine era. He finally won the sheriff election in 1924, with C.A. Metcalf serving as Undersheriff for a period and then E. J. Muchmore. Harry Holland (from Drummond) and Freeman Tinklepaugh served as Deputies. Sam served through 1928 when “Gus” McDonald took over the office until he resigned in 1942 to serve in World War II. 

During the time serving as Sheriff, is when his leg was injured and after the surgery he was in less than prime condition until catching the influenza in late 1931. After two weeks of illness Sam died from Coronary Sclerosis and thrombosis on January 11, 1931 at the age of 76. Molly died four months later and they are buried next to each other in the Philipsburg cemetery. The pallbearers were the same for both funerals: S.R. Seelos, C.A. Metcalf, F.A. Tinklepaugh, A.J. McDougal, Charles McDonald and W.E. Metcalf.

Whitesides Property and Legal Issues

 

 The August 29, 1889 Philipsburg Mail in a column titled “Bearmouth Notes” stated: “The home of Andrew Whitesides, who resides about two-and-a-half miles west of Bearmouth is the pride of the section,… and anyone who has visited it will tell you there is nothing like it in Montana... The ranch is abundantly supplied with clear, cold water from Harvey Creek, which can be applied to any part of the farm when ever required. The dwelling is one of those old fashioned, comfortable log houses of western style, but with many modern improvements and additions and the roofs of which are almost completely covered with hop vines. A stream of the purest water runs through the yard and the whole place is completely surrounded by lofty shade trees, which have grown from the seeds planted by Mr. Whitesides some twenty years ago. Over forty acres of beautiful farm are devoted to garden purposes and produces almost anything that grows in temperate countries. At present the apple trees are so loaded with fruit that it is necessary to prop them up and the vegetables are so abundant, that what would be a surprise to some tables in many places, are being fed to the stock instead of grain…” 

An article June 20, 1904, concerning Whitesides was headlined “Whitesides Wins His Suit” with history of the lawsuit and the verdict: “In the district Court Monday evening Judge Napton announced his decision in the case of A.J. Whitesides vs E.B. Weirick et al, which was tried here during the September term of court. …The issue involved the title to and possession of the Whitesides ranch at the mouth of Harvey creek near Bearmouth. The case was called for trial October 1, 1903, and occupied the attention of the district court for three days. After hearing the evidence the court took the matter under advisement, and the decision was announced Monday evening. 

Summed up briefly the case is as follows: In 1894 the Montana National Bank of Helena, brought suit against A.J. Whitesides and his wife to foreclose a mortgage and the ranch was sold. Before expiration of the time allowed for redemption, on August 4, 1894, Mr. Whitesides got the Lannen brothers to advance $3,400 to redeem the property, with the agreement that the sheriff should make the deed to Lannen brothers to secure repayment of the money advanced, on April 4, 1900, Lannen brothers to have use of the ranch and cultivate the same for the interest on the money loaned. On April 18, 1900, the money was repaid, $2500 being raised by mortgaging the property to the State Savings Bank of Butte, by Whitesides and his wife. Lannen brothers instead of conveying the property back to Whitesides, conveyed the same to Mr. and Mrs. Julius Herman, Mrs. Herman being Whitesides daughter. Later Mr. and Mrs. Herman conveyed the homestead and some railroad land, one-half of which railroad land was claimed by Whitesides, to Morris and Forsyth for a consideration of $12,500. This was November 1902. Whitesides, the plaintiff, claims the transaction to have been a mortgage, and that all purchasers had notice that it was such. He sued to have the deeds cancelled from Lannen brothers to Herman and successors in interest, and for the possession of the property and for rents and profit. The defendants claimed to be purchasers without notice of Whitesides equities, and also that Whitesides failed to pay on April 1, 1900, and according to the agreement between Whitesides and Lannen brothers, that the transaction in 1894 was a sale from Whitesides and wife to Lannen brothers with an option from Lannen brothers to Whitesides and wife to re-purchase on April 1, 1900. Having failed to do so on the date named, it was claimed by the defense the option was forfeited. 

Judge Napton based his decision on fifteen separate findings of fact, and on the following conclusions of law: First—that the agreement date, August 4, 1894, between plaintiff and the Lannen’s was a mortgage. Second—that the sum was paid on April 18, 1900. Third—that the defendants had knowledge of the same. Fourth—that the plaintiff is the owner of and entitled to the possession of the lands described in the complaint as the homestead. Fifth—that the plaintiff is the owner and entitled to one-half of the land jointly with the defendants, described in the complaint as the railroad lands. 

Obviously this was not the end of the issue. The June 9, 1905 Mail carried the following article under the court notes: Whitesides vs Weirick et al., motion for new trial was argued by counsel and taken under advisement by the court.” Research failed to discover any conclusion of the court.

Bearmouth and Weaver Archeological History

 

A couple of years ago I wrote about the Fred Burr archeological dig and planned to write about some of the other research in the area but got off topic. The recent death notice of Joan Weaver reminded me that a fair amount of archival findings were present on the original George D. Weaver ranch in the Bearmouth district. 

The Master Thesis of Patricia Flint written in 1977 and on record at the University of Montana details geological and aboriginal history of the Clark Fork Canyon around the hot springs located near Nimrod and Bonita close to Bear Gulch which became known as Bear Mouth. Nimrod and Bonita were railroad designations and most of the landmarks are no longer visible. Flint states that ethnohistoric evidence indicates multi-tribal use of the Bearmouth area. The Semte’use were probably the earliest identifiable inhabitants and left most of the identified prehistoric remains. They inhabited the area before the introduction of the horse circa 1730 and used the area on a regular basis of the exclusion of most other tribes, until they were almost exterminated and merged with Pend de Oreille tribes. I have discussed the location and history of this tribe in articles that were not published in the Philipsburg Mail, but are online at Granitecountyhistory.blogspot.com for anyone interested in more detail. 

Numerous archeological digs are recorded on both sides of the canyon from this area as indicated by the state recording and designation of numerical identification. The Bearmouth pictographs are numbered 24GN1001; Medicine Tree Hill 24GN63; Tyler Creek 24GN2; Old School House Site 24GN115; Camel Slough Occupation Site 24GN116; Antelope Creek Occupation Site 24GN117; Talus Slide Burial 24GN64; Weaver Site 24GN3; Little Bear Creek 24GN4 and these studies cover research from the 1950’s forward. In Patricia’s Master Thesis she drew pen and ink drawings to record the artifacts discovered at the various sites but did not draw any of the pictographs. When Patricia did a presentation for The Granite County Historical Society in 2015 she had made cast replicas of some of the flint and faunal tools that had been recorded at these sites. By that time, Patricia had earned her Doctorate and was busy working in the Mesa Verde area in the Four Corners region. I was privileged to have a long conversation with her while we wandered the Flint quarry at the “Eye Brow site” near Henderson Gulch in the Flint Creek Valley. 

The Weaver site was first reported by the Hell Gate survey in 1954 when a basalt knife, flint scraper, eight basalt flakes and a flint chip were discovered. These were located on the George D. Weaver Ranch property. George was born in Glostershire, England on April 23, 1956 and immigrated to Canada at the age of fifteen. At sixteen he moved to Nevada to live with an uncle and began his mining ventures. In 1876 he travelled on foot from Corrine, Utah to Deer Lodge, Montana. He was involved in mining at Gold Creek and Bear Gulch plus worked for the Hope Mining Company, Black Pine and Combination. In 1908 he ”bought a splendid ranch near Bearmouth and engaged in the cattle business”, until 18 years before his death when he sold his cattle and became a sheep rancher. 

The 1910 Federal Census shows George at the age of 52 with wife Emily age 48, sons: G. Maurice 12, James 14, C. Gregory 11, and Harry 9. George was serving his sixth term as a Granite County Commissioner, when his death came after a long illness, at his home four miles below Bearmouth on December 28 1927. Survivors were his wife and four sons: G. Maurice of Philipsburg, James and C. Gregory of Bearmouth and Harry of Philipsburg; one brother James P. of Hall and two sisters: Mrs. Charles Quinney of Pendleton and Mrs. Herbert Margaret of Buenos Aires; five grandchildren; six nephews and four nieces. Services were performed by the Philipsburg Masons and he was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Because of the need to keep the archeological sites from being destroyed by artifact seekers I have been careful to not describe exact locations. Many early sites were not as fortunate as the Fred Burr Site to be able to catalogue and make the findings available to the public to view. Please take advantage of the display at the Granite County Museum if you are interested in the artifacts that are representative of the Semte’use and other Salish and Nez Perce tribes.

A Mining Camp named Beartown

 

Bedrock was seventy feet below the surface and the streak of placer gold very narrow when the strike was discovered in Bear Gulch. The miners sank shafts and hoisted the dirt up to the surface where it was sluiced. This operation could only happen when there was water running from the melting snow in the high mountains, so the mining season was short. The miners tried to regulate the water flow by building reservoirs. The water was released a certain amount of hours per day. According to Wolle in “Montana Pay Dirt”, only two men amassed a fortune from the area. “Tom Keenan recovered $17,000 from his ground by drifting, during the season of 1867, and Tom Hennessy, having amassed $25,000, went to Alaska and retired.” The total amount mined from the gulch is said to be $1,000,000 in gold and silver between 1866-67 and 30 million by 1893. 

The gulch is just wide enough for the road and creek to run through it at the point where the camp was established, so people had to bury their dead up on the mountain side. It is said that only seven bodies were actually buried there because when the rains came or snow melted the bodies rolled down the mountainside. Two of the bodies buried there were said to be children and one a Chinese. I found references that Beartown bodies were reburied at Valley View cemetery near New Chicago.. The camp was a total of 450 feet wide and a quarter mile long and platted for four blocks, but miners paid no heed to the plat. “…with most of the buildings jammed against the hill on one side of its main street. Aside from dugouts and tents, it contained 17 saloons, several blacksmith shops, a brewery, livery stable, jail, slaughter house, drugstore, restaurant, Ball’s Hall, Abascal’s Generals Store and Gee Lee’s wash house.” Each miner built his cabin on his mining claim so they were spaced at 200 foot intervals above and below the town. 

Mike Flynn was a resident and prior to his death, partner’s promised to see that he had a decent Christian burial in Deer Lodge. When Mike died, during the winter of 1870, his body was rolled into a blanket and slung over a packhorse and a number of miners accompanied the body down the hill. When they arrived at Bearmouth part of the group found timber to build a coffin and the others went to Baron O’Keefe’s to borrow a wagon and a harness to put on two of the horses. Since the horses were not harness broken the going was not easy and it was late the next evening by the time they reached Pioneer Bar, where they stopped for a drink. Realizing that Flynn had not had a wake they arranged one, including candles and the coffin set on two beer kegs. By the time the wake was over many of the miners were passed out. 

Late in the day two of the miners rode on to Deer Lodge to arrange for a priest and dig the grave. It was almost dark by the time the rest of the party arrived in Deer Lodge. They quickly realized when they looked into the wagon that the coffin was missing. Apparently, the wagon hitting the horses hind legs as they came down a hill into the creek had caused the horses to bolt. The priest decided that everyone should spend the night in Deer Lodge and go looking for Mike’s body in the morning. It took some searching before the body was found as the coffin was standing on end in the creek bed. After the water was drained from coffin it was taken on to Deer Lodge cemetery where a Christian burial was performed. 

Beartown boomed during 1865 to 1869. 

Many left in 1870 believing that the gulch was worked out. But Joseph Abascal, his partner LaForcade and other hardy miners remained and continued to pan out the gold. Abascal was a Spaniard and LaForcade was a Frenchman, and neither spoke the others language so their ledgers were not readable to the other partner. By the mid 1870’s miners began returning with their families. Abascal was married to William A. Clark’s sister and Clark started out his career as a peddler traveling to Abascal’s store whenever he came to Bear. According to Wolle, Mary Pardee stated the major establishment was Pelletiers saloon. 

The only known law was an Irishman named McElroy who was sworn in as a justice of the peace by common consent, when the community found out that he knew legal terms. Being tongue tied when sober the person’s pressing charges made sure McElroy was drunk before they presented their case.

Nine Lives: Thomas McGuire

 

The January 25th Philipsburg Mail had an article in “From the Archives” that reminded me I had written about that same story in “Mettle of Granite County Book Three”. The article described a saloon fight in Garnet on January 1899 that resulted in serious stabbing wounds to Thomas McGuire. Mike and John Lavelle, Dan McPherson and Joe Irwin had all been arrested and were housed in the Philipsburg jail and the news stated “there was no hope in any chance of recovery for the stabbing victim.” 

Research at that time failed to find any follow-up or obituary for Thomas McGuire. Since the time, Book Three was published many avenues of online research has become available so I set out searching for what happened to Thomas and the men jailed. The following is what I found: The men accused were tried in District Court and acquitted, because it was shown that McGuire was “a quarrelsome man and always hunting for trouble.”

The Philipsburg Mail May 24, 1901, continued with the following story. “He (McGuire) had no doubt not profited by his experience in 1899 and continued his search for trouble until he again found it. There is very little sympathy for him this time, and it is generally accepted that Bumbaugh was justified in shooting his assailant. L.R. Bumbaugh of Garnet last Saturday afternoon shot and seriously wounded Thomas H. McGuire…of the Bear Gulch metropolis. Mr. Bunbaugh had for some time been in charge of the Mussigbrod mill at Garnet and several parties who had been discharged laid the blame for this on Mr. Bumbaugh and harbored a grievance against him on that account. Among those parties was Tom McGuire, who had the reputation of being a bad man. For this and other reasons Mr. Bumbaugh always carried a revolver when alone or at work at the mill at night. The night before the shooting, there was a dance at Garnet and McGuire, with others, celebrated the event by staying up all night and drinking, and this celebration continued well into the day—Saturday. About 3 o’clock that afternoon while Bumbaugh went after his lunch bucket prepatory to going on shift he was met on the street by McGuire and several others. McGuire was sporting for a fight and without much ceremony pitched in on Bumbaugh. He struck him and then clinched and was getting a strangle hold on him when Bumbaugh managed to get out his gun and fired. The ball entered McGuire in the breast and ranging upward lodged in the shoulder. Mr. Bumbaugh gave himself up to Constable Elkins and was brought to Philipsburg the same evening. He is now at the county jail awaiting a hearing.” 

The June 14th Mail continued the above story: “Mr. Bumbaugh’s hearing was postponed until the extent of McGuire’s injuries could be determined and since then he has entirely recovered,” McGuire declared his intentions to not press charges on Bumbaugh and in writing made an affidavit to relieve any blame toward the shooter so a hearing was scheduled for June 15th to “terminate the unfortunate affair.” 

The news article went on to say: “McGuire’s course is generally commended. It is a manly act and reflects credit upon him. It further shows he is a good man and willing to do what is right and just, but , like many of her good men, he has his faults and that evil influences at times get the best of him. He is willing to forgive and so is Mr. Bumbaugh and it is hoped they will continue to be the best of friends.” 

In 1900 McGuire was working as a teamster in Gold Creek according to the Federal Census. I then found a census from 1880 in Nebraska showing Thomas as 10 years old with his parents Michael and Alice, with an older sister and four younger brothers. Hours of research has failed to disclose any other Census data, death certificate or grave site. 

I had initially thought he may have been Stonewall McGuire’s great grandparent but cannot link any of the two families. So at this time, we still do not know if McGuire had nine lives or settled down to be a nice old man.

Flood of 1908 The Flood of 1908 Loraine Bentz Domine Granite County Historical Society In June of 1908 Drummond was the scene of a massive flood. After a three day snow, sleet and rain storm all the creeks in the area overflowed filling the canyons with many feet of water. The Northern Pacific Railroad tracks were washed out between Garrison and Drummond which blocked the main-line rail traffic for three weeks. Many Butte passengers were “marooned” in Drummond. In June of 1908 Frank Morse stated “it rained for forty days and nights”, in an account to Fan Harrington written up in the Montana Standard on July 5, 1976. Morse said: “…accompanied by Fred Maxwell, I walked from Drummond to within a few miles of Philipsburg. A train crew was working on a washed out track at six mile, and we waited for the men to finish their work then we would ride the train into town. The first morning H.A. Featherman, Lawrence Hauck, Otis Mercereau and a lineman, who was to repair the telephone lines, and myself started for Drummond on a railroad handcar. When we came to a washout one man splashed ahead through the water for a short way in order to stop the handcar if it got away from the men who were pushing it. The bridge at Drummond was washed away and there was no train service between Drummond and Philipsburg for six weeks. On the day of my wedding a few days later, water was within an inch of the floor level of the house where the ceremony was to take place. The piano which had been on saw horses and the parlor rug and furniture which had been removed in-case the room flooded were put back in place and the wedding was performed on schedule.” The June 12, 1908 Philipsburg Mail described the flood as the worst since the white man “..had set foot in this part of the state.” As bad as the damage was there was no loss of life and by June 12th the waters were receding, but fear was still present as the weather had warmed and caused the high mountain snows to start melting very fast. Flint Creek and Rock Creek were very high but the high bridges had withstood the rushing waters. Wagon roads everywhere were washed completely away, including the bridge at Stone over Flint Creek; the bridge at Jenkins ranch near Hall; at Drummond the south approach to the steel bridge across Hellgate was gone, leaving an eighty foot gap between the road and the bridge; at Bearmouth the county bridge across Hellgate was washed out which left Garnet cut off from the railroad. The only road open from Garnet on the 12th of June was the one over the mountain and Rattler gulch to Drummond. All other roads were able to be traveled on except Drummond, Stone and Bearmouth. The week after the flood started, County Commissioner John Duffy and a crew of miners went down to the pot hole (about 6 miles north of Philipsburg), and blasted out the reef of rock. They then graded a new road along the high ground so all could pass without any fear of the raging water. This flood was very similar to the one 16 years prior but the water higher and damages greater. The railroad track was washed out between Philipsburg and Drummond near the Franz ranch. The county commissioners rotated shifts at the rock reef, to keep teams from trying to cross that flooded section of road. No trains were able to travel the tracks for several weeks. The Philipsburg Mail June 5, 1908 estimated the number of travelers stranded at Drummond as 900. By June 12th the news was that everyone was doing okay for supplies in both Drummond and Philipsburg but all the train crews were idled except for the repair crews. There had been “..no mail, express or even a pound of freight for Philipsburg or Drummond and from present indications the branch line will be open for traffic at least a week before anything is moving on the main line.” A big washout was in Alex Wight’s field about 100 yards north of the bridge across Flint creek. The embankment was washed away for about twenty feet and gouged a hole ten to twenty feet deep. All in all, the tone of the day was cheerful and positive throughout the weeks of repairs detailed in the newspapers. As a result of the storm the flour supply in Drummond was exhausted and was replenished by a shipment brought from Philipsburg on a handcar. The merchants of Philipsburg ran out of sugar, ham and bacon, so these items were freighted from Anaconda by team. During all of this many head of livestock were drowned.

 In June of 1908, Drummond was the scene of a massive flood. After a three day snow, sleet and rain storm all the creeks in the area overflowed filling the canyons with many feet of water. The Northern Pacific Railroad tracks were washed out between Garrison and Drummond which blocked the main-line rail traffic for three weeks. Many Butte passengers were “marooned” in Drummond. 

In June of 1908 Frank Morse stated “it rained for forty days and nights”, in an account to Fan Harrington written up in the Montana Standard on July 5, 1976. Morse said: “…accompanied by Fred Maxwell, I walked from Drummond to within a few miles of Philipsburg. A train crew was working on a washed out track at six mile, and we waited for the men to finish their work then we would ride the train into town. The first morning H.A. Featherman, Lawrence Hauck, Otis Mercereau and a lineman, who was to repair the telephone lines, and myself started for Drummond on a railroad handcar. When we came to a washout one man splashed ahead through the water for a short way in order to stop the handcar if it got away from the men who were pushing it. The bridge at Drummond was washed away and there was no train service between Drummond and Philipsburg for six weeks. On the day of my wedding a few days later, water was within an inch of the floor level of the house where the ceremony was to take place. The piano which had been on saw horses and the parlor rug and furniture which had been removed in-case the room flooded were put back in place and the wedding was performed on schedule.” 

The June 12, 1908 Philipsburg Mail described the flood as the worst since the white man “..had set foot in this part of the state.” As bad as the damage was there was no loss of life and by June 12th the waters were receding, but fear was still present as the weather had warmed and caused the high mountain snows to start melting very fast. Flint Creek and Rock Creek were very high but the high bridges had withstood the rushing waters. Wagon roads everywhere were washed completely away, including the bridge at Stone over Flint Creek; the bridge at Jenkins ranch near Hall; at Drummond the south approach to the steel bridge across Hellgate was gone, leaving an eighty foot gap between the road and the bridge; at Bearmouth the county bridge across Hellgate was washed out which left Garnet cut off from the railroad. The only road open from Garnet on the 12th of June was the one over the mountain and Rattler gulch to Drummond. All other roads were able to be traveled on except Drummond, Stone and Bearmouth. 

The week after the flood started, County Commissioner John Duffy and a crew of miners went down to the pot hole (about 6 miles north of Philipsburg), and blasted out the reef of rock. They then graded a new road along the high ground so all could pass without any fear of the raging water. This flood was very similar to the one 16 years prior but the water higher and damages greater. The railroad track was washed out between Philipsburg and Drummond near the Franz ranch. The county commissioners rotated shifts at the rock reef, to keep teams from trying to cross that flooded section of road. No trains were able to travel the tracks for several weeks. 

The Philipsburg Mail June 5, 1908 estimated the number of travelers stranded at Drummond as 900. By June 12th the news was that everyone was doing okay for supplies in both Drummond and Philipsburg but all the train crews were idled except for the repair crews. There had been “..no mail, express or even a pound of freight for Philipsburg or Drummond and from present indications the branch line will be open for traffic at least a week before anything is moving on the main line.” A big washout was in Alex Wight’s field about 100 yards north of the bridge across Flint creek. The embankment was washed away for about twenty feet and gouged a hole ten to twenty feet deep. 

All in all, the tone of the day was cheerful and positive throughout the weeks of repairs detailed in the newspapers. As a result of the storm the flour supply in Drummond was exhausted and was replenished by a shipment brought from Philipsburg on a handcar. The merchants of Philipsburg ran out of sugar, ham and bacon, so these items were freighted from Anaconda by team. During all of this many head of livestock were drowned.