The following is a continuation of the letter written by an unknown author and has a number of historical details missing or inaccurate.
“In about 1894, a Mr. West Spur, from Indiana he had T.B. the Drs. advised him to come out west and camp out in the mountains he got aquainted with Sim Shavely (Schively) and Hamp Allen. Went prospecting. Shavely (Schively) and Allen located a claim on Moose Gulch on Stoney Creek. Mr. Sput would roam the hills of Saturdays Prospecting over on quarts and Baison gulch he seen a big tree had blown down. left a hole three foot deep the gravel look good to him he told Shavley and Allen that he thought there was a good Place to Prospect. Sim told him it was no good he Prospected that gulch 20 years before.
Mr Spurs said he would try it anyway he took Pick shovel & gold pan start working it he paned out a few shovels full in one pan he got fine gold and a 25 cent nugget.
West, Shivley and Hamp Allen they went and located some Claims, located some friends in with them. Joe Parde (Pardee), John G.McLean & a blacksmith in with them. Then it leaked out several located Claims & it was called Baisen Gulch. it was rich after three seasons work they sold the Claims for several thousand dollars.
Basin and quarts Gulch creeks flow into Rock Creek 22 Miles from Phillipsburg and was discovered by a tenderfoot came to Montana for his Halth he got his heth back and went home with a few thousand dollars.
The Hope Mine was discovered in the later 60 sixties about two miles north of Phillipsburg they built the Hope Mill it was rich in silver. Then the Front (Trout) Mine discovered 2 ½ two & half Miles up gulch from Phillipsburg they built a Mill at Mine, Name the Niebhorhood Tower. Mr. Harve (Harvey) Showers was Foreman of Mine and Mill, a Mr. Tresby (Frisby) superentindent, after the Nez Perce Indians broke out in Origen General Howard took after them in 1877.
General Gibbons headed them of in Big Hole. There was several people in the Bitter Root valley joined General Howard they had a battle in Big Hole some Killed both Indains & white the indains got away they were on their way to join the Soux Nation.
General Miles cought up with them in the Bear Paw Mountains captured a lot of them a lot got away, started back for Oregon. They came over the divide over the Cadot Pass headwaters of Big Blackfoot river turned of went up elk creek & down bear gulch into Flint Creek Valley. They branched of a few went up Flint creek valley and other went up Harvey Creek. Chief Joseph Called & seen Monro Hanna on Barns Cr. 8 eight Miles from New Chicago Monro Hanna. Knew Chief Joseph in Oregon. The indains that went up Harvey Cr. down upper willow cr.& up Rock Cr. They Met Drunk Cambell on Rock Cr. He was packing met to the miners up McKay gulch they stopped Cambell ask him questions in Inglish then talk in their tongue talk among themselves what to do with him he told them he knew what they were saying he talk to them in Nesperce. he told that he was in Oregon & that had been his home for years, and named several indains he knew. They were surprised & let him go.”
The unknown author letter continues on detailing the McKay Gulch encounter and Nez Perce Jones which will be published later.
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