The Camden Journal

Thirty Millions of Gold
The Wealth that has been extracted from Alder Gulch, Montana.

In the spring of 1863 a party of five miners from Bannack took the trail for the Yellowstone and Big Horn country, which for some time had been supposed to be rich in gold. Shortly after crossing the Madison on their way eastward they encountered Indians, and were driven back across the spur west of the Madison into the valley of the Stinking Water. Following down this stream toward its junction with the Jefferson, they camped over night at the mouth of a narrow gorge coming from the East. As usual they prospected its bed, and to their intense gratification found exceedingly rich prospects. Stimulated by success they pushed explorations next morning still further, and before the day was over had satisfied themselves that the new creek was richer than any yet found in the Territory. This was Alder Gulch, which proved the most productive mountain gorge for its length that has probably ever been found in any part of the world, and whose history, if it could be written, would present, perhaps, the wildest scenes of dissipation and lawlessness that could be found.

The Fairweather party, the discoverers, immediately located and staked out the richest ground they could find, and began washing, meeting with unprecedented success. For a time the discovery was kept a secret, but ultimately provisions had to be bought, and the trip made to Bannack for these resulted in the publication of the news. Instantly there was a tremendous rush to Alder. The gulch was invaded by the wildest and most unthrifty of the pioneers of those days. Prospecting disclosed the fact that it was rich from end to end, from the base of old Baldy at its head far down into the valley of the Stinking Water. Every foot of the ground was taken up, and much was claimed twice and three times, a circumstance which instantly necessitated a large graveyard and a coroner. With hardly an exception, every claim in the canyon became almost immediately highly profitable. In twelve months a population of 15,000 had congregated there, and five miniature cities had sprang to life. During the summer of 1863 over six million dollars in dust, a yield almost incredible, had been taken from the bed of the creek, and in the spring of the following year the population had increased through immigration from all parts of the United States, both East and West, to nearly 20,000. Many claims yielded to their owners $100,000, and several doubled that amount. It can be easily imagined how wild must have been the days on that rugged stream where fortunes were so plentiful, and where every attraction which the senses could call for was placed within reach of the miners suddenly raised to affluence. The flush times at Washoe were child's play to these Alder Gulch days.

Of the five settlements strung along the narrow seventeen miles of the creek, Virginia, being the most centrally located, was the most prominent, and is today the only one inhabited. It is pleasantly located on the east bank of the creek, and for a number of years was the capital of the Territory. During the four years succeeding its discovery, this canyon yielded the enormous amount of $35,000,000.

The Fairweather party, who discovered the gulch, realized immensely from their claims, and threw away their gold in all forms of excess and dissipation, as was customary among the pioneers. William Fairweather, the leader of the party, a character in our national history, not unlike Comstock, the discoverer of the famous mines in Nevada, died, like the latter, in abject poverty, with few friends, and with scarce a shelter over his head. In both cases the discoverer was forgotten or lost in the fame of his discovery.