HENRY A. WARD AND THE Ward was a well known geologist and geology at , he was so dedi- MIDAS MINING COMPANY, naturalist. He scoured the globe for such eso- cated to that one subject that he neglected all MONTANA TERRITORY, 1865-1869 teric things as bat's hair, porpoise blood, of his other studies, so with failing grades, he human skeletons, mastodon bones, fossils, fish dropped out of school to become a clel k in his by Rzchnrd 0 Rets~rn scorpions, and tarantulas. He created the uncle's insurance office. It wa.; a job with little On January 4, 1848, gold was discov- largest and finest collection of meteorites in future and of absolutely no interest to young ered at Coloma, California, 60 miles east of the world. In his search for treasures, he Henry. Finally in 1863, he was enrolled in Sutter's Fort. It was the beginning of the great braved remote jungles and deserts, met poten- Temple Hill Academy where he applied him- gold rush in America. Hordes of Americans self to achieve a more fully rounded education left their humdrum lives in the great rush to while still pursuing his all-con~uminginterest, capitalize personally on the discovery. The mineralogy. Then, , the rush was well underway by the end of 1849. renowned professor of natural sciences at In 1850, there were enough people in the ter- , discovered the budding ritory of California to make it a state. The genius in Henry Ward and started the boy on Pikes Peak gold rush in 1859 opened his road to fame at Harvard. Soon after, in Colorado to settlement. And in the years that 1854, Ward found himself in attending followed, it spread to Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, the School of Mines, the greatest school of Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, mining technology in the world. So, what way and Wyoming with varying degrees of success more natural than to enlist Henry Ward, who for prospectors and mining companies. had been trained as a mining engineer at the best school anywhere, to study the Montana In a new book, The Mecl'~anicsof Territory and discover land s~~itablefor acqui- Optzmzrm: Mznzng Companies, ~cl'~nolo~,and sition and the establishment of a mining com-

t!?d 'YtOf 5$+;;;: GCO/C? 13,J7, ~"f072t~2~fiEn ito?~, pzny 1864-1868, author Jeffrey J. Safford writes, Henry A. Ward at age 29 years. Two years ''When the richest gold strike ever made in Later he was the superintendent of the Midas Because Ward wanted to consult some Mining Company in Montana Territory. Montana, some say in the United States, took geologists in San Francisco, he chose to travel place on May 26, 1863, in Alder Gulch-15 to Montana by steamship from miles of mountain gulch and streambed situat- tates and savage chieftains, rode camels across City, cross the Isthmus of Panama by rail, sail ed on the we\t side of the Madison and vast deserts, and crossed the Andes before aboard another ship to San Francisco, and Jefferson River divide in southwestern there were railroads. So, when he agreed to finally ride a stagecoach to Montana. Ward Montana-it was only a matter of time before check out the mining claims, he also had in arrived in the Montana goldfields at the age of the surrounding terraln would receive the mind an opportunity to acquire specimens of 31 in June 1865. As for Sperry's holdings, same kind of frenzied attention. The extraordi- western wildlife. Ward determined that they were pretty much nai y values extracted from Alder Gulch, an valueless. But concerning his reaction to a par- estimated $30 to $40 million in 1863-1864, Rocks, fossils, and shells fascinated ticular area known as the Hot Spring District, produced a stampede of thousands of gold Henry Ward from early youth. When he was author Safford supplies a Ward quote: MA pret- hunters who, in the words of one observer, three years old, he found a pebble of gneiss ty thorough examination of the several gold were so plentiful-like 'bees around a hornblende on the Ward property on Gibbs producing regions satisfied me that the lodes hive'-as to appear hopelessly in 'each other's Street in Rochester. It was only about four of Hot Spring District were, in point of rich- / way."' inches long, but its glistening surface was ness and superior facilities for working, marked by a checkerboard of black lines, like a unequaled by those of any other part of the The Montana gold rush did not escape Scotch plaid. He preserved the pebble careful- Territory." the attention of Rochesterians. One of them, ly and finally it became part of the collection Moses A4. Sperry, purchased several mineral of geological specimens that became the prop- Ward's enthusiasm for the possibilities of claims in Montana and offered some of his erty of the . the Hot Spring District caused him to write a holdings for sale. In May 1865, potential buy- letter to Hiram Sibley, requesting financial sup- ers asked Henry Augustus Ward (1834-1906), Henry's attraction to geology found no port, specifically $20,000 to $1 00,000, to form who had been trained as a mining engineer, to support from his family. His mother wanted a mining venture. Sibley, the founder of travel to Montana to evaluate the claims, and him to be a clergyman; his father deserted the Western Union Telegraph Compan): was the Sperry agreed to pay his expenses. family altogether. Although he briefly studied wealthiest person in Rochester, but Sibley didn't receive the letter . It required deep tal railroad wasn't completed until 1869, and because he was vaca- IS that required tim- by that time the Midas mill had closed for tioning in Germany. ber~ng.1 he collected rocks had good, having commenced operations on Instead, the letter was to be hauled to a steam-or November 15, 1867. intercepted by \XJard's water-powered mill where the uncle, Judge Samuel stone was crushed, separated, Although the Midas mill was the finest Lee Selden, who was a in Montana and was, major shareholder in as Safford points out, Western Union. "by far the most sig- nificant company to Judge Selden commence work in became an enthusiastic the area," it had supporter of Ward's unbelievable compe- mining-company idea, tition. One of the as did George many mills operating Huntington Mumford, in the area was the a prominent Rochester Seneca Falls Gold attorney, who was also Judge Samuel Lee Selden Mining Company of active in community was the chief supporter of Seneca Falls, New Wardi Midas Mining Company. affairs, an officer of sever- York. Safford writes, al banks, and helped to "Wlthin it were 15 stamps in addition to tables, blankets, rit- il boulder that Heny Wardfound zn Georgzan Bay, Canada, szts fles, sluices, two arras- atop Ward; monument zn Sectton G, Mount Hope Cemetey tras, a crugher, and a Photo by Frank A Gzllespze settler. A 60-horse- power engine operat- ed the stamps." (An arrastra was an early Mexican device used to crush ore-a heavy stone dragged around a circular ?tone bed by mules, horses, wate~wllcci,or ol;l~~~ULIL iil power. It was the most primitive invention for crushing quartz.)

Ward had high standards for his mill. He built a company town consisting of five ------buildings, which was called "Midasburg." Geor~eHz~ntzngton Mumford was a Included were comfortable workers' quarters, prrnczpal trustee of the Mzdas A4znzng Company. EPITAPH finance the start of Western Union Telegraph Pz/bhihedqf~nrf~r~411 the Fri~~d-of Company. Selden, Mumford, and several other Moznt Hop? Cmtteg/,Rorh~stei; trustees collectively invested $100,000 and Nezu York f4620, n nor.pojj member invited others to buy shares at $10 each to o~~~~infro~~~~~d~din1980. raise a required additional $100,000, enabling @ 2006 The Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery the formation and operation of the Midas Rzchard 0. Reisem, Editor Mining Company. Judge Samuel Lee Seldenj tombstone in Section G, ]an W/yland,Associate Editor Mount Hope Cemetery. Photo by Frank A. Gillespie. Frank A. Gillespie, Photofrapher-. After that, very little went smoothly. Dan Malczewski, Art Director Author Safford unfolds a fascinating tale of and amalgamated to mercury before releasing Lucille Malczezuski, Editorial Assistant mining tribulations. Prospectors mined the the precious gold. Basic annual membership is $20. Call (585) surface of the earth, such as streambeds and 461-3494for a fief pocket guide to Mount Hope Cemetev and a membership applica- gulches. But hard-rock mining that involved The mills require amping, tion. See 0111. rolorfil and informative web excavation of veins of gold-bearing ore was far crushing, and separating equipment, most of pa'q-e: u~zuw$mh.org more complex, difficult, and costly. And it was which had to be manufactured thousands of the huge, potential profit from hard-rock min- miles away and then transported on waterways ing that the Midas Mining Company planned or primitive overland trails; the transcontinen- far superior to the ramshackle facilities at reach even furth as an internationally THE MIDAS MILL AS DESCRIBED BY other mills and mining camps. Midasburg also famous person. THE MONTANA POST, NOVEMBER 16, had the finest milling equipment rhat money 1867 could buy in those days, while competitive Ward's far tended to the general mills operated on inferior machinery that populace, espec~ incident in 1885. abstract andphoto !f the inill ruins often broke down or His name was broad- by Je& J. Saffonvd was inadequate for the cast by newspapers difficult task. throughout the In the fall of 1867, William Y. Lovell, world in a story that Virginia City probate judge, lawyer, and erst- The reader will involved the P. T. while assayer, undertook several tours of the certainly admire Henry Barnum Circus and Hot Spring District for the Montana Post. On A. Ward for his insis- the largest elephant November 16, the Post published the account tence on doing things in captivity, Jumbo. of his visit to the Midas Mining Company's right and for his hon- Barnum bought the mill and grounds near Sterling. Lovell was esty and integrity in a giant animal from a clearly enthralled with what he saw, and he community of London zoo and provides a vibrant and colorful testament to unscrupulous operators. toured it across his era's growing fascination and reverence for And you definitely feel America with his cir- science and technology. The following abstract sorry for him when a cus. During a trip to offers as comprehensive a description of a competing mine super- Canada, the circus Montana milling enterprise as exists for the intendent usurps a par- train stopped to 1860s. ticularly rich portion of allow Jumbo and a land where Ward has George Huntzngton Mumford monument zn Sectzon young "The foundation of the Mida~mill was legitimate mining rights Mount Hope Cemetery Photo by Frank A Gzllespte take a walk along the laid in the midst of huge rocks that formed a and then spouts scan- tracks. Another train narrow canyon on the Hot Spring Creek. A dalous lies about Ward. approached on the hill of decomposed granite was cut away, and adjoining track, and large boulders had to be removed to make \When the Midas Jumbo, believing space for it. The excavation was continued mill began operation, I that the other train above in the hill until a spacious yard was 1 18 tonr of quartz ore was a menace to the obtained for the reception of the quartz and nrere cru~hed,but nc.t a young elephant, wood for the engine. P'~c\ingtli~ough rhi\, the s~ngleton yielded charged the locomo- road descends into the nook or flat on Pony expected results. In tive and was struck Gulch, where are congregared the houses and order to meet expenses, and killed. Barnum workshops that make, with the mill, the little a ton of ore at Ward's contacted Ward to but romantic village of Midasburgh. We were mill had to yield at least have the animal pre- reminded by the arrangements of the huild- $24 worth of gold, and ~ared,stuffed, and ings, from the symmetry displayed, of one of Ward's original produc- mounted by Ward's our military barracks at frontier posts, and tivity estimates were Natural Science their walls resplendent with whitewash. Had it many times that. The Establishment in not been for the clatter of ten stamps rattling next 300 tons of ore Rochester, New in our ears, we should have concluded that the York, which special- res~~ltedin gold worth 1 whole had recently been constructed by some I $1,561, or $5 per ton. A' I , ized in taxidermy as government officer. Here in this retired spot, well as geology. It . . . busy men are seen running to and fro, As the disap- was the largest and with all the bustle and clamor of earnest work. pointing results persist- most complex taxi- Shifts of miners go out to the various mines of Hen71A. Ward at age 70 years. I ed and yields failed to dermy project of all the company; trains of ox teams are unloading improve, despite heroic time. the supplies of wood and mining timbers; oth- efforts, I even started to have sympathy for the ers are repairing tools and wagons, and the investors, however distasteful their greed in the One day Ward was crossing a clear ring of the anvil is only silenced by the face of their enormous wealth. I was particu- street in Buffalo-preoccupied, as he so often clatter of stamps or the shrill whistle of the larly sorry for Henry A. Ward, who as a youth was, by reading a book as he walked-and was engine. Here, too, are teams that have made had such a difficult time finding a place for hit and killed by that newfangled horseless the ascent to the mines far up the mountain himself in society and had failed at other occu- carriage, the automobile. He was 72 years old. side unloading the ore to be crushed and treat- pations. In Montana, although he did every- ed for its treasure. thing right where he had the power to do right, he failed again. But as we know from "Here, too, we find the Lodging Houlse history, he emerged from this experience to with bunk room kitchen and dining hall for the miners and employees of the company, tion of this great labor-saving and valuable it passes under them. The pulp as it leaves the three large wore houses filled with provisions machine. The three sets of battery timbers, tables is discharged . . . into one of 'Hendys and mining stores, a blacksmith shop, and car- huge in proportion and beautifully finished, Concentrators', of which there are three in penter shop for repairs, a powder house on the stand free and clear in the middle of the room, operation. This invention is in great repute in bank, away from danger of sparks and explo- reaching upward like an arch of triumph California for separating the light sand of the sion, a fine large barn with comfortable stables toward the roof above. The polished stems of pulp from the heavier portions, which last for horses and corral with its cows and stacks the 15 stamps, each tipped with shining brass, retain the gold not already caught in the tables of hay. . . . the guides of varnished oak, the latches also of above. They are shallow pans of iron, five feet hardwood with their pendant handles, the in diameter, to which is given a short shaking "The main feature of interest . . . is the rugged surfaces and massive elegance of the motion as the pulp is fed into them. The mill itself, which, with the engine house is a cross girts give the whole the appearance of lighter parts pass away through the discharge, double building of rough-dressed granite 70 which strange to say, is in the center while feet long and 66 feet wide. It is so abutted the heavier sands collect around the edge against the hillside that the eaves of the in a depression made to receive them. This front end came nearly to the ground, while heavy portion is drawn off as often as at the lower end, the building is three sto- desired into three tanks below. Below these ries high. The fall from the level of the yard tanks is another descent of four feet and above to the bottom of the tail race at the on the platform at its foot are the lower end of the mill is 28 feet. A great machines for grinding and amalgamating point in economy and convenience of the concentrated pulp. Of these, we working is thus gained by letting gravity observed three. They are the famous assist the quartz in its passage through the 'Wheeler Pans', so extensively used in mill. The quartz teams, as they enter the California and Nevada, and as far as is upper yard, pass first over a large platform known, the first that have been used in scale and weigh their loads, after which Montana. They are each charged every they deliver it through the upper windows four hours with about 350 pounds of the of the mill, of which there are three corre- concentrated pulp which undergoes in sponding to the batteries below. On enter- them a severe grinding, reducing the pulp ing the building, one's attention is first to the fineness of flour. On the lowest attracted bv its spaciousness. On every side floor ten feet below this are other of the machinery we find ample room for free machines in which thc larc contcilrs c!' ..!:,: The ruins of the stone buildings of the Midas Mining access to every part. . . . Symmetry and sim- pans are still further treated by settling and the Company village called "Midasburg" near Sterling, plicity have been most surprisingly reconciled Montana. Photo by Jefiey Saffod final collection of the amalgam is effected. with the necessary adaptations of continuous Passing through the lower wall of the mill are varied machinery . . . each part is perfect and some grand church organ. The batteries seem two sluices, one of which takes off the sul- the best of its kind. The abundance of win- a marvel of solidity, the battery blocks sinking phurets to an underground tank where they dows secures the maximum of light. . . . Steam I2 feet into the solid granite below. Upon are safely stored for some second treatment, pipes are secured along the walls for keeping these blocks sit the mortars, which are iron the other takes away the tailings, the sluice the building warm, and others for conducting castings in single piece of 2200 pounds each, going through a tunnel six feet high and over water, both hot or cold to either point where standing above three feet high. Their solid 70 feet long to its discharge in the creek needed. Each piece of woodwork or of iron structure renders them secure against all leak- below, after having been subject to strict . . . is painted for protection and ornament. ages, the trouble and pest of all mill-men, examination throughout its course. making a receptacle for the quartz from the "The disposition of the machinery, etc, crusher, which is shoveled into them while it is "(The mill also contains) an assay office in the mill may be stated as follows: across the pounded, pummeled and crushed to a powder fitted with furnace, sink, balances, and appli- upper end of the building is a high, raised by the great stamps weighing 680 pounds, ances for reducing and assaying the gold, while floor 62 feet long and 13 feet wide, which each of which fall upon it almost 70 times in a . . . a third room still above is occupied as a receives the quartz as it falls from the windows minute, with a stream of hot water running dormitory by the amalgamators who can, from dbove. This floor will hold 200 tons of rock of steadily into either end of each mortar which its window, take in the entire mill room at a one kind, or there can be three large piles of greatly facilitates amalgamation. glance. different ores separate upon it. On the edge of this upper floor and facing the batteries is set a "On the next platform below are the "The engine room is by the side of the large-si7ed 'Blake Crusher' into which the copper plates on tables of the usual construc- mill, and separated from it by a dividing wall quartz is fed and crushed by its weanless jaws, tion, except that across each one are two paral- as substantial as if they were two distinct falling as pebbles and gravel upon the feeding lel depressions or copper-lined troughs, fur- buildings. The engine is . . . of 80 horsepower, floor five feet below and dividing in front of nished with revolving horizontal cylinders, made at the Washington Iron Works at the mortars. The practical working of this armed with wire blades for striking the pulp Newburgh, New York, and furnished with the crusher at the Midas mill sustains the reputa- and forcing it through a bath of quicksilver as latest and to us, some novel improvements. The fly wheel weighing 4,300 pounds is 10 The book can be purchased through cated until September 9, 1880, over fifty pears feet in diameter. The boiler is 17 feet long and bookstores, online, or directly from the pub- later. Although it is possible that Rathbun's has 68 flues of 3 inches in diameter. The lisher. It is a hardcover book with black-and- remains were removed to this location, it is engine works with perfect smoothness and white photographs. ISBN: 0-87081-782-5. unlikely for several reasons. First, the fact that runs the machinery with less than 40 pounds Title: The Mechanics of Optimism.Author: he died fighting a fire suggests that it was a of steam . . . from 25 to 30 tons of the hardest Jeffrey J. Safford. rather gruesome end, possibly mutilating his quartz can be crushed in 24 hours or over two body in some way, which research proved to tons to the stamp, which is the result never To place an order with the publisher, be true. Also, in that era it is quite possible obtained or approximated to in our Territory call 800-627-7377. Or send an order to that no casket was provided to preserve the that we know of." University Press of Colorado, 4100 28th remains. So it can be assumed that the mdrker Avenue N.W., Norman, OK 73069-8218. stands under the stern and ever watchful glare When Henry Ward read this article in of the Firemen's monument simply as a the Montana Post of November 16, 1867, he The book is priced at $34.95 plus $4.50 reminder of the sacrifice of one man long ago. found a few items he desired to correct. One for shipping and handling. Mastercard, Visa, It is interesting that the inscription is almost reduced the stamp falls to 65 per minute; and American Express credit cards are accept- entirely in capital letters. Only the "n" is low- another noted that the drop of the stamps was ed. ercase. This could simply be the carver's pref- 8 112 inches, rather than the conventional 10 erence, or perhaps it was commissioned to inches. THE FIERY DEATH BUYING THE BOOK OF THOMAS RATHBUN

by Matt Merriman editedfor the Epitaph by Jan Wyland photos by Frank A. Gillespie

Soldiers, police officers, and firefight- THOMAS M RATHBUN ers-the "real" heroes who risk their lives Fi001C & LADDER CO No 1 every day to keep us safe-have long been DECEMBER 21, 1827 regarded with great respect and admiration. The first official Rochester firefighter to lose FIRST ROCHESTER FIREmAn his life in the line of duty was a young man YILLED In THE LlnE OF DUTY named Thomas M. Rathbun. Today, one of the only reminders of his honorable death is a relatively plain marker in the Firemen's plot in Section BB of Mount Hope Cemetery.

The Rathbun stone is a simple granite marker with an arched top. It bears the fire- The Rathbun cenotaph is loctrted zn t/w fighters' Maltese Cross and a few simple Fir-emcnj plot, Section BB. words: "Thomas M. Rathbun, Hook & The Mechanics of Optimism is a hardcover Ladder Co. No. 1, December 2 1, 1827. First book with black-and-white illustrations. Rochester fireman killed in the line of duty." convey a hidden meaning. Such a possibility is Nothing is said of exactly how Rathbun died, intriguing to think about. A notable exception Jeffrey Safford, professor emeritus of histo- or what sort of person he was. The back of the is the uppercase "N" in Rathbun's name, ry at Montana State University, has written a stone gives further information: "This is a which further clouds the issue. unique and interesting book about the Montana commemoration by the Rochester Firefighters gold rush with special attention to Henry Ward's Benevolent Association, Sept. 12, 1987. The inscription on the stone reflects involvement. It brings to life the many facets of Chairman: Deputy Chief Charles J. that it is a commemoration, rather than the the gold rush-the perverse nature of mineral Lamphron. President: Batt. Chief William R. actual grave, of a man who died almost 180 deposits, the hard labor, survival in a bitter cli- Benedict. years ago. Usually a gravestone is meant to mate, logistics of long-distance travel and ship- comfort those mourning the deceased, or to ping, inadequate technology for efficient mining, Mount Hope Cemetery opened in convey a sense of what the person was like. impatient greed by eastern investors, cutthroat 1838. Since Rathbun died in 1827, he was This stone was put in place long after the time competition, lawsuits and countersuits, and dis- certainly not buried here at the time of his when family and friends mourned their loss, mal failure. Rut the story so illuminates a time death. The word "commemoration" implies and little is known ofThomas Rathbun, the and place with such careful and extensive that there is no actual body at this site, an idea man. Hence this monument accomplishes nei- research that it was a pleasurable piece of that is reinforced further by the fact that the ther of the usual purposes, and the inscription American history to learn so much truth about. Firemen's Monument and plot were not dedi- may seem cold. The intention, however, was simply to honor the first in a tragically long the window above. In this way he could theo- that dominates the plot. The FRA was estab- line of heroes to make the ultimate sacrifice retically reach any floor of a burning building, lished in 1835 to coordinate fundraisers and defending the lives and property of others. no matter how high (Hook ladder). These, donations to benefit firefighters and their fam- along with the hat, the ax, and, more recently, ilies. They also organized the annual Firemen's The symbolism of the firefighter's the fire hose, were some of the items most Ball, one of Rochester's major social events Maltese Cross is based in history. During the commonly associated with firefighting. attended by prominent residents, from farmers Crusades, a hospital in Jerusalem was named and businessmen to politicians and socialites. in honor of Saint John, and the knights It was a successful way to raise money for the charged with its care and protection were department without raising taxes (b144). known as the Knights of Saint John or the - Through the years, the association has con- "Knights Hospitaller" (Symbols.. .). Though tributed greatly to the welfare of firefighters primarily caregivers, in times of need the and those close to them. knights also served as fighting men, and THIS indeed had a reputation as a powerful fighting Rochester's first official fire company, force. Often during battles, the enemy would Pioneer Hook and Ladder No. 1, was formed throw containers of highly flammable oil, fol- on November 23 of 1827, and Mr. PIlelps lowed by flaming arrows to ignite the knights Smith was unanimously declared foreman. and the ground where they fought. Many The City of Rochester chartered the company, knights put their own lives in danger to try to since the earlier volunteer fire companies were save their brethren from the fires, and in doing so intensely individualistic and territorial that so became the first "firefighters" in history. they rarely were able to work together for the The symbol of their order and the marking common good. The new company had no they used to identify each other in battle was house at first, so the carriage was kept in the the oddly shaped cross we associate with fire- courthouse yard. In just I5 years Pioneer fighters today. After the fall of Jerusalem in Hook and Ladder No. 1 became one of the 1 187, the Knights of Saint John moved their largest and most well equipped of the no less headquarters to the Mediterranean island of than six companies in Rochester, having more Malta, ~vliichremained their residence for the than fifty members, ail new equipment, and '1 The Rathbun marker was erected by the Rochester next year.;. Their symbol came to be new carriage house on Elizabeth Street 400 FireJiighters Benevolent Association. known as the Maltese Cross, after this island. (Rochester Daily Democrat, 311 711 841 2-4). Ibday, this cross is recognized as the symbol of firefighters the world over. Its eight points rep- Less than two months after its forma- resent eight values held most highly by fire- tion, on December 21, the company received men: observation, explicitness, courage, perse- word that Everard Pecl