Blackfoot City, once called American Switzerland, proved to be a flop as permanent mining camp of early days

In our Nov. 26 issue, we looked at the murder of John Smoot, a man from Blackfoot city murdered in McClellan Gulch on Christmas eve, 1867. Blackfoot City is often referenced in the stories of Lincoln's early days, but we realized that not many people today may know much about it. It was an important hub for miners en route the the Upper Blackfoot, but by the turn of the 20th century, it had effectively faded from Montana's history. This story appeared in the Melstone Messenger in 1938, looking at the community and its decline.

It looks well, has a good slate bed and plenty of water but I see no big prospects. It is said there is no gold in its bars and from all I've heard and seen my conclusions are strictly against Ophir gulch ever being a first rate gulch." So wrote a correspondent of Blackfoot City to the Denver News in 1865. To this report was added, "I have yet to see a spotted diggings in which is found much more than hard work, disappointment and a waste of time."

In direct contrast to this, however, was the opinion of an enthused prospector, who at the same time was quoted as saying: "Blackfoot City will soon be unsurpassed as a mining town. Everything is in its favor for here is indeed a miner's paradise. The finest grass grown is in this valley. Horses can travel on it as well as on grain. Even freezing weather cannot harm it and stock can come out of the winter fat and strong. This country is full of game."

"Mountain buffalo, bison, elk, black and brown bears, black and white tailed deer, prairie chickens, grouse, and quail abide here in great numbers. The town lies at the base of an abruptly wooded mountain on a level table land, admirably calculated for a large and permanent city with every facility for fuel and water at hand. A solid and substantial fortune awaits any man of energy who plants his stake here and no more important service can be rendered to the community than the erection of a big town at a point where heavy goods can be brought in by water, avoiding the weary journey and casualties of a pilgrimage across plains. Let no man say there is not gold here, for the ground is full of it and indeed the grass roots are heavy with it, while the bars are lined with nuggets."

CONDEMNED AS "FIZZLE" Still another report stated: "Ophir gulch has fizzled, or at least a large portion of it. It is said that ground between the mouth of Dry gulch and Pence and Co.'s discovery is good but there is nothing certain with regard to it and the whole thing is looked upon as a failure. There would be less of such work if filing recorders were disposed of when there would be no particular object for parties to raise stampedes at least to such extensive gulches."

Several months later the first correspondent who was so skeptical concerning "spotted gulches," reversed his opinion by saying, "I remember being rather sleepily argumentative on the subject of 'spotted diggings' in my last communication, and I averred that I disbelieved as a rule in 'spotted gulches.' One exception, however, I must admit and that is where a slate bed pitches, it frequently happens that it is worn so smooth by the action of water that no gold will lie in it. In this case, the gold will be found at the bottom of the incline. Blackfoot country or Ophir gulch is one of these exceptions and as for its scenery, it is a true American Switzerland."

It was not long after pay dirt had been discovered that Blackfoot City became a real mining town. It consisted of one long and very wide main street and another range of mountains on the west. Cross streets connected the two. Although it grew rapidly, yet the very richness of its surroundings was a threat to its permanent population, as miners were likely to stampede at any time, perhaps packing their frying and gold pans late at night, prior to an early morning's move to some new discovery, although Blackfoot proper continued to be the commercial center.

Blackfoot City was regularly laid out in lots, 40 by 112 feet house lots selling for $125 each, and corner lots for $50. During its first year it boasted among its population seven good traders, two blacksmiths, two doctors, a combined carpenter and coffin maker, a Chinese laundryman and several liquor dealers, as whisky was considered a staple comparing in importance with flour, bacon and beans. Prices were high. but not as high as in many other camps.

THE CHIEF COMMODITIES: Whisky, candles, flour and heavy boots headed the list for selling value. Freighting charges were at first exorbitant, but decreased considerably with competition. A customer, who in answer to his question as to why he should pay 40 cents for a small needle received as an answer that he was paying nothing at all for the needle, just for freight.

Classed as in Blackfoot City territory, were many gulches and bars. Some of the more important ones were the famous Carpenter's bar, located about two miles from Blackfoot City in a rolling prairie enclosed by mountains and hills. Washington gulch, about 12 miles from Blackfoot City; Jefferson gulch, three miles west of Washington; Madison gulch, two miles west of Jefferson; Crevice gulch, located on the north side of the Blackfoot range and heading opposite Jefferson; McClellan gulch headed opposite Washington and received Crevice as a tributary. Within two or three miles of Blackfoot City were Prairie, Ohio, Buckeye, Illinois and New Hampshire gulches and nearby were Jefferson, California, Nevada, McClellan, Crevice, Lincoln, Keep Cool and Poor Man's gulches. Eureka and Tiger were also a short distance from the town and farther off was Snowshoe gulch.

Carpenter's bar was a bonanza in its own right. Its wealth was incredible. Here gold was deposited over a 20 - square -mile surface. A belt of leads on the north side of this auriferous range ran to Snowshoe gulch and it was from these mainly that the gold was deposited. In order to obtain the gold, the miners found it necessary to simply wash away the surface of the country, a continuous and tiring job which consisted of digging and then shoveling into the sluice boxes. The bed rock appeared to be from two feet six inches, to four feet from the surface, pay dirt being found everywhere through the dirt. Men worked night and day on Carpenter's bar, were al- ways on guard against claim jumpers and declined to give out information concerning their claims.

Snowshoe and Deadwood gulches ran from the base to the summit of the mountains with a belt of auriferous leads connecting them with the town of Blackfoot. A party sinking a prospect hole in Deadwood dug directly down to a $3,000 nugget. In this vicinity was located an unusually rich lode.

USED GOLD HANDBALL The gold found in all of the western diggings was coarse at the upper part of the gulches, gradually becoming finer when near the mouth. Nuggets were reported to have been as common as gold dust in Blackfoot territory. At Pence's Discovery, a group of miners, when playing handball, substituted a nugget weighing $11,880 for a ball. California gulch, once entirely abandoned, was held to be one of the richest gulches in Montana. Of lesser importance but classified as "good diggings" were the Bailey, Hero, Eliza Smith, Homer Dick Mason, Blucher and the Phil Sheridan. In these were an immense amount of quartz.

Small towns sprang up at many of the bars and gulches for the accommodation of miners, who found it too inconvenient to ride in to Blackfoot City as often as they needed supplies. There were many stores, some in small lean-tos and some simply set up in the brush. One of the smallest, but most flourishing, businesses was "Whisky Keg Store," located at McClellan gulch. As the name implied, the store itself was nothing more than a large whisky keg from which supplies were handed out as customers demanded them.

Blackfoot residents possessed a deep loyalty to their gulch or bar in which their claims were located. A miner of Poor Man's gulch in describing his fellow workers said, "Poor Man's gulch Is full of real prospectors, not green puny men from the states, but stout, hard working men, mostly of middle age who have served long apprenticeships; men who work more and swear less than our eastern frontier men and a great majority are very strong for the union."

A clannish spirit existed between the so-called Pikes Peakers and the Californians. Reported a miner from Jefferson gulch, "A Californian is broad shouldered, bronzed, and exceedingly intelligent looking and God- like in appearance." Needless to say, the describer was a Californian.

AN INDIAN MASSACRE As in other mining towns, Blackfoot occasionally experienced troubles with the Indians, the first and probably the most serious, occurring on June 25, 1865, when Captain Burns, Frank Angevine, John Alley, the Kings brothers and several others whose names are unknown, were attacked and killed by Indians who resented the white men using too much timber and wild game. A meeting of citizens was called with Judge Brond presiding. In a war speech, he declared it necessary for the governor to declare martial war throughout the territory for 30 days and that all able bodied men fight the disturbers of peace. Remarks were made by Judge Parrott and Colonel Bagg, the latter reading resolutions which were adopted by the meeting, petitioning men to raise companies and fight the Indians to the death. The following Monday and Wednesday rumors were afloat of prospectors being found dead and that freight lines were corralled by Indians who were camped in large numbers along the side of Sun river. Orders were immediately dispatched by the governor to organize a force of 500 men to dispel the Indians. This seemed to discourage the Indians who evidently considered theirs a lost cause and disbanded.

An old miner, while prospecting at the foot of Washington gulch, was surprised to discover that he had struck not gold but coal. He was immediately offered $4 a bushel for it by a blacksmith.

Although Blackfoot miners were as a general rule an easy going lot, not given to judging each other too readily, their code of justice demanded quick punishment for anyone proven guilty of two crimes, the first being murder, the second sluice robbing. Sluice robbing came second in importance to murder only and small mercy was shown anyone guilty of such a crime. The first robbery occurred in 1861 when the miners of McDonald and Co. on Carpenters bar, having their suspicions aroused by finding the riffles out of one of their sluice boxes on their return from an evening meal, set a trap for the culprit.

The following evening at the usual hour, the water was turned off and the men left the claim apparently to partake of their evening meal, carrying their lights with them so as not to arouse suspicion. They secreted themselves, however, and soon noticed a man stealthily approaching the boxes which he hurriedly examined, until he reached the upper riffle.

When he had taken up the riffle, leaving no doubt as to his thieving intentions, McDonald took aim and fired, after which he called out "stand still." The robber disregarded the warning and fled. That same evening Dr. Glick was aroused from his sleep to dress the gunshot wounds of a man who informed the doctor that if he wished to keep his good health it was advisable for him not to mention the visit. It was thought that the wounded man had been accompanied by friends who waited outside. He was never again seen in Blackfoot territory.

The Dodson murder case received widespread publicity and excited the miners to a frenzy. No stone was left unturned until the murderers were caught and had given their lives as forfeit for the one they had so callously taken. The murdered man was a victim of his own sons, who having been just released from prison through the pleading of their father, shot and killed him for the gold dust which they thought he had hidden.

To balance their hard work Blackfoot citizens required some form of amusement and it was often originated on the spur of the moment. The miners natural gambling instincts often created much of their fun. Even a dog fight was not passed up, but instead would draw a sizeable crowd with bets ranging from $1 to $300. The California Minstrels found Blackfoot City a promising place and played to good audiences; not because of any particular ability on their part but because Its residents welcomed any outside entertainment. On July 4, 1865, a congenial fellow with the name of Hugh Happy, his patriotism fired by the Fourth of July celebration and several drinks of firewater, was dismayed when he was unable to see a single flag floating anywhere and went around to find the reason for it.

PUTS ON PARADE He was informed that the town did not boast a flag. It was noon by the time he ended his pilgrimage at which time he bought material and within an hour's time the Stars and Stripes floated proudly in the breeze. Not content with merely decorating the town, Mr. Happy also secured a spring wagon which he decorated magnificently. He had four horses attached to it and mounted the seat with the driver. Then, accompanied by the California Minstrels and their band and waving a banner 15 feet in length, they paraded the streets while treating the citizens to many patriotic airs. From Blackfoot City they continued on to Carpenter's bar where the same performance was repeated.

When winter weather made it necessary for many prospectors to discontinue work until spring, Deer Lodge City offered itself as a refuge from winter solitude and became a favored winter resort. Here around pot bellied stoves, miners swapped yarns and drew up plans for future use.

It was to Deer Lodge City also that Blackfoot miners went with any troubles requiring legal hearing and a court decision. A trial was considered good excitement and always drew a large crowd. An interesting case involving a Blackfoot defendant concerned a lady who was sojourning for awhile at Blackfoot City. During her visit, the Prairie diggings were discovered. One portion of these diggings proved to be exceedingly rich, while the other portion was equally worthless. The visiting lady had an acquaintance, who had secured a claim, but soon found it to be valueless and so told her to palm it off on one of the boys. Taking him at his word she looked around and discovered a likely victim, whom she told all about the rich discovery of which she was part owner. Soon the miner wanted a claim and the lady, simply because she wished to do him a favor, was willing to sell him one. Inviting him to go with her to prospect the ground, the miner was in the act of washing a pan of dirt when the lady was attracted by a very pretty bird and called the miners' attention to it. While they were both gazing at the small creature, the lady dropped some gold into the pan. The miner, convinced he had a good prospect, struck a bargain and the convincing lady friend pocketed $700 for worthless land which, was not even hers. The miner soon discovered that he had been taken in and obtained a writ of attachment for the recovery of the amount. For some time following this suit, the miner found himself the butt of many jokes because of his unpleasant experience.

ITS DECLINE RAPID Quite as sudden as its rise, was the decline of Blackfoot City. Where once stood this famous mining town, only a few log cabins have survived the years. In these live present day prospectors, who still have hopes of striking it rich in some place overlooked by the original treasure seekers. When not working their claims, these prospectors occupy their time by panning and screening the dirt over which, at one time, rested the buildings of business houses. Their efforts are reward- ed by gold dust lost in the weighing process of years ago or an old coin. Among the ruins also have been found old pottery, ox shoes, gold pans, and recently an old opium pipe was unearthed. These things are sold by the finders to curio and antique shops.

Some of the early-day miners decided to exchange their picks and shovels for plows and used their stake for a start in cattle or sheep. Others not so fortunate in Blackfoot territory, joined stampedes to greener pastures, while some who were able to retire sought warmer climates for their permanent homes.

Gone now is the Blackfoot City of years ago with its exciting gold boom days. Nature is slowly claiming her own, although for years to come the scarred hillsides will testify to the wild scramble for gold. That there is still faith in Blackfoot territory, is proven by a mill, beside the road, an occasional sluice box along the river or a newly dug prospect hole. Perhaps, who knows, the echo of miners' picks will once more resound through the bars and gulches of Blackfoot and where once slow moving ox- teams wended their way, swift modern-day trucks will mock yesterday's mode of travel. But should Blackfoot refuse to ever yield another ounce of gold, she will still hold a place of honor in the mining history of Montana.

Accessed via: http://www.montananewspapers.org