1927 — Rest Comes for the Weary

Idaho Recorder, January 7, 1927

Treat Coming for Recorder Readers

Idaho Recorder, February 11, 1926

When the minions of Jove brought from beneath ocean depths the caldrons of mouton rock to forge this chain of the Rockies it was a huge contract fearfully and wonderfully executed. This smelting process in earth formation separated the gold from the dros, free gold collecting in quartz veins approximately near the surface, base or complex ore at greater depth and more permanent in character.

Glacial action in many places crushed the the quartz veins. This operation was followed by numerous volumes of water forcing placer gold to collect on bed rock, placer bars and sedimentary deposits. If prophecy if fulfilled another chaotic upheaval will undo this work, leaving a level plain or land submerged. This is not our job and for the nonce we will follow the trail of the prospector from the Pacific to the Rockies when the long trek of the gold seeker began. Another '49 discovery or a Comstock was the goal of every prospector. 

“55 Years—Come April” high lights in local mining circles, included the fabulous output of placer gold in Leesburg and the sale of the York placers in Gibbonsville, to an English syndicate for two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars ($225,000.) The purchase price in full was forwarded from London in two payments.

First Prospectors Visit

“In the early ’80’s two prospectors from Leesburg crossed the mountains to a point on the Salmon River, which was named Shoup in honor of Col. George L. Shoup. On the present location of the Brittanic mine they found remains of a white man and his horse, gruesome proof that another prospector had preceded them. A remnant band of Sheepeater Indians were camped near and it was believed that they had killed him for plunder, as they could find no remains of a prospector’s outfit.

Within four years from this time one 5-stamp mill and four 10-stamps were operating in and near Shoup.

The highest grade of ore was found in the Ready Cash, one of the Pine creek group for one season, averaged $80.00 per ton on the plates in a five stamp mill owned and operated by E.S. Suydam.

No reliable test has been made on Brittanic ore. The constant output for several years at Kentuck and Grunter mines averaged $15.00 per ton. W. E. Taylor operating the Monolith under a lease, averaged $25.00 a ton on the plates in the Kentuck mill.

Mineral Hill district is nearing the dawn of a new era in mining development. Modern methods of reduction will take the place of free milling plants and scores of new now undiscovered will be operating on a producing basis.

Near the summit between Beaver creek and the Salmon river is a group of patented claims owned by the Gilbreath brothers. This proposition alone will guarantee tonnage for a smelter.

The latest strike in the complex of ore is located about a mile and a half from the Shoup post office. In the opinion of practical mining men who have examined this property it is the richest and largest body of base ore uncovered in recent years. Development consists of an 800 foot tunnel, the entire work having been done by the owner, Michael Can. 

Ulysses Name by Chas. Crandal

In the fall of ’96, B.F. Ibach left Shoup on a hunting trip, crossed the hills to Indian creek, the present location of Ulysses, so named a year later by Charles Crandall in honor of his home town in Pennsylvania. In the same year Dan Murphy located the Coxie group joining the Kittie Burton on the north. W. W. Smith procured a half interest, N. O. Marsing made a milling test for them that averaged $25.00 a ton milled at the arrastra. Before Murphy’s death, he deeded this property, his half interest, to W. W. Smith.

Ibach put up a 3-stamp prospecting mill at the Kittie Burton but not being equipped with a rock crusher, results did not give a fair rating. Another test was made by making a long haul to the Marsing arrastra, averaging $70. per ton. Ibach sold to Nichols, Sterns and Markham, a New York company, for $15,000.00.

New York Co., Buys Property

Previous to this sale, Marsing and Pilling had located the Lily group and their out put averaged $20.00 a ton. Having the advantage of a short haul and doing the most of their own mining, this was substantial revenue at small expense.

Charles Crandall discovered and located the Ulysses mine in February of ’97 and a few months later sold to E.S. Suydam and Suydam sold to the New York company for $15,000.00. This company put up a 5-stamp mill on the hill at the the mine.

For the lack of water this was found to be impracticable and milling at the mine was abandoned. The New York company now owned both mines. The Ulysses on the East side of the creek at an elevation of about 1000 feet and on the west the Kittie Burton at nearly the same elevation.

A mill on the creek between the two mines was the only feasible plan the company figured. Expenses mounted, four miles of road to build to the river, the greater part through a creek bottom, the road to each made by a circuitous route over boulders and rock piles of unknown depth, this merely preceding the main work of equipment. As they figured, hesitated, pondered, prospective buyers entered the field, among them a representative of Michigan Copper mining operatives.

These people sent in a mines school student to make a report (post-graduate work) on the property, potential values were alluring and they accepted the report, organized the Kittie Burton Gold Mining company, bought of the New York company, the Kittie Burton mine for $40,000.00, the Ulysses for $70,000.00.

Their equipment included a 30-stamp mill, the most complete plant of its class in this district, an aerial tram 1,000 feet in length to the Ulysses, a two bucket tram to the Kittie, electric light plant, water power, telephone lines, road, saw mill, dwelling houses, store and warehouse. The initial cost of mines and equipment aggregated $210,000.00.

The mill, on completion, operated continuously and until the main bodies of free milling ore were exhausted. The Kittie Burton Gold Mining company was a dividend producer. The high-test rate of out put per month (W. E. Taylor, amalgamator) was $30,000.00. As reliably stated by those in possession of the records when made this company received returns amounting to $1,000,000.00 in gold on their investment. In addition various amounts were taken out by leasers.

Leasers

Frank Mason, Charles South and N. O. Marsing held the first lease, the following worked in par: W. W. Smith and George Leabo; Dan Ross and Theo Ketchum; William Northrum and Francis Cowel; Dick Williams and P. J. Barton. 

In connection with the mill, R.E. Wickham installed a cyanide plant and at different periods operated two leases, treating concentrates by a method he had worked out that succeeded where the company absolutely failed. His returns from the mine amounted to several thousand dollars on each lease.

First S.S. Established

Throughout administration of the Michigan company it was a matter of frequent comment that his was a model community, complete elimination of “holier than thou” attitude gave place to mutual good will and universal congeniality.

The first social organization was a Sunday school under the direction of Mrs. Theo Ketchum and Mrs. Margaret Mahaffey. As proof that their work was appreciated they were supported by the community in full. On one Sunday meeting to convene a session at the usual hour, there were greeted only by space and silence. Inquiry developed the fact that Jerry Bartel, the meat or beef contractor, was slaughtering several hogs about two miles from camp and every youngster old enough to walk was in attendance at this scene of gore.

Several years later, the Michigan company, having retired and a new management holding forth, a second Sunday school was organized and conducted by Mrs. Blanch Buster, Mrs. Glennon and Mrs. W. H. Buchanan.

Clergyman Visits Camp

It was a bitter cold winter’s day late in December when a venerable clergyman arrived and asked permission to hold a series of religious meetings in one of our vacant buildings. This was granted and four to five evenings a week, Sunday included, his audience, with but two or three exceptions, numbered the entire population.

Literally, his bible in his hand, his discourse was applied to sect, crew and people in a manner that was a revelation to his hearers. Discussion was rife, bibles were in demand. From a bible standpoint it was the most studious, interesting and educational season the camp had ever experienced.

At the close of one of the evening services, the speaker was requested to organize a Sunday school. He replied that he would put the matter to a vote and on three successive evenings a vote was taken with the same result, only two objecting. Arrangements were made to open number three without delay. Then “Rome howled”, nothing daunted and a third Sunday school was established by the only authorized clergyman visiting Ulysses before or since.

If memory recalls correctly this was a Sabbath school, a distinguishing meaning relating to Sunday. This Sabbath school was left under the direction of Mrs. Rena Buster, Mrs. Alta Barton and Mrs. J. W. Elliott, and they continued to work until the camp was to a large extent abandoned. 

Well, isn’t that something—my picture in the paper, and half the caption about Bill’s sterling honesty. I clipped it anyway. My granddaughters will get a laugh when they see how a “pioneer resident” apparently needs a man’s reputation to stand her up in print.[1]

In April, Billy had to clear a slide on the road and billed the county for few days of labor[2] and a little news from our Burg made it into the paper.

Idaho Recorder, April 29, 1927

ULYSSES

Woodticks, yellow jackets and ground hogs busily at work are sure indications that spring is here.

Mr. and Mrs. Neal Poyner were visitors in Salmon over the week end.

Charles Cubitt spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Taylor and reports plenty of snow up that way.

The ranger station at Indianola is being kalsomined[3] this week, which with a new foundation, makes the house greatly improved.

M. A. Fletcher was a caller at the Charles Goddard home Saturday evening.

Frank Bradley is the possessor of a fine, new Chevrolet touring car.

The forest service is building a fence at the lower end of Dead Water which will be of considerable benefit to the sheep men.

I woke up one morning with my granddaughter Edna Barton on my mind, and hadn’t yet heard from Ethel or Theo, nor Edna for that matter. After the eggs were collected and the chickens fed, I brewed a pot of coffee, collected my thoughts and downriver gossip then sat down to write her.

Spring 1927

Dear Edna;

Under separate cover when I sent the letters to Ethel I also mailed two pamphlets. In yours of the 8th instance you do not mention them and I am not a little interested to know if she has received them.

I found the address of the Yakima girl in the clipping. I enclosed and wrote to her receiving the reply forwarded type with this clipping and send me the original, or send me the copy and keep the clipping.

My last letter from Cal. was dated xmas. I am looking to hear from them any day. Beth's sister, Alice Chamberlain[4] lives at Sumol and wherever Beth and her mother is, a letter addressed to Sumol would always reach them.

The Post Mistress, a friend and neighbor of the family, lives just across the street from Alice's home and she is always interested enough to see that a letter never goes astray.

There is no High School at Sumol and Beth attends the Pleasanton H.S. in the next town 3 miles distant, going and coming on the local train between San. F. and Sacramento which passes through every hour. I cannot understand why she is still in H.S. Do you remember her saying when she would graduate?

I think the girl has been disappointed in her plans and feels so discouraged. She has not the ambition to write when the future looks so gloomy to her. You had better write to her, of course not mentioning that I have made any explanations to you. Send her anything referring to the girl's graduation.

The big boom everyone expected in Shoup this spring has gone glimmering, from the best information at hand, the road will not be extended and only 3 men are working on a contract at the Monolith.

We are looking for Billy from Clayton, he was here a week the first of Jan. When he went back took the mumps from Billie, he is himself again now.

They still have a case or two of scarlet fever around Salmon and last week 2 cases of black measles were reported.

It is rumored around that old Buck is going to get the CB,[5] if this proves true, work on a small scale will start here.

I sent the girls[6] the High School issue of the Recorder and would like to know if they received it. From all that I can learn you may have a professional celebrity in your family. It is the consensus of opinion that Theo has a voice worthy of development. I am not sure that the environment of Butte is conducive to the advancement of this endowment. Butte has never produced a noted singer, and the fog and smelter smoke is disastrous to a voice in training.

She is at just the age now when an immature voice can be ruined for all time by being allowed to sing anything and everything beyond her range of development. If you are to remain in Butte during your short summer vacation it might be for the best to have her with you and find for a certainty if there is material for a foundation, this will be a case of strategy and diplomacy for you, as she will not make a sound when asked to and never sings only when she thinks no one can hear her. A teacher of tact and skillful ability knowing this might not find any difficulty.

Again referring to Beth, she had set her heart on attending the U.C. at Berkeley but Pleasanton is a little place not half as large as Salmon and although it is located at the center of an immense agricultural area, it will be impossible for her to qualify there to enter U.C.

I know what a bitter disappointment this is to her and also knowing her ambitious disposition I am not surprised that she is down-hearted; write her a cheery letter using your office stationary, she will be only too glad to hear from you and will reply.

It will be better not to mention this when you write thrashing over that story contest - when I read the report - enclosed - I took it for granted that it was conducted as any other contest, beginning with No. 1 ranking the highest and 2, 3, 4 in the order of rank winning the four university scholarships, plus a cash award of $50.00.

This was what prompted me to write to Yakima. I think it will be a difficult matter to learn anything definite from an investigation some one knows who or what is under the wood pile, but that one is not going to give it away.[7]

If you read the Salmon papers you know of Eva Marsing McCracken's death. The Westfalls are moving to N. Fork (Bartles) and Mr. Marsing has the lease on the Wend Ranch.

This copy paper is furnished me gratis from the printing office otherwise I could not indulge so freely.

Do you know that moron they call a printer in the Recorder office? Mrs. Melvyn says he has been there six years, if thats the case what will he be 60 years from now? Four weeks is the length of time it takes to learn the printers trade and he can't set a stick of type correctly if he uses words of only 3 letters. She ought to clean out that shell he carries on his shoulders and fill it with sand for ballast.

I can't think of more to write with this pest on my mind. Don't say grandmother - cut it short, "Grandame".

When you write about your Aunt Edna's affairs put it on an extra sheet will explain later.

With love from Ulysses

By the time that I turned the calendar to June, my stomach no longer took to food the way it once had. A few bites and I was finished but the ache in my stomach persisted. My strength drained faster than I could put it back and a nosy neighbor sent for Alta who came up from Shoup for a few days to tend me. After a spell of two weeks I rallied. Billy was able to drive the stage for Charlie Goddard while he and his wife were away.[8]

Idaho Recorder, June 24, 1927

ULYSSES

Mr. Holmes and Mr. Castle have been working on the road up Indian creek. Also repairing the damage done by the creek in the last high water.

Mrs. Neale Poyner and Mrs. Clark McKinney are spending the week in Salmon, while their husbands are at Forney. Jean Patch is staying at the ranger station during their absence.

Quite a few of the men interested in the Kitty Burton mine have been in camp and prospects are looking brighter for this vicinity.

W. W. Smith has been in Salmon for a few days.

Davy Davies was a passenger on the stage from Salmon to Sage creek last Saturday. He is just back from Dillon, where he spent the winter.

Mr. and Mrs. Hershey and family of Montana, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hoyt were visitors in Ulysses Sunday.

Mrs. W. E. Taylor is recovering from her recent illness and is now able to be up.

Early July, Billy and Alta insisted I move into Shoup, and I didn’t have any fight left in me to argue. Alta said she would put the boys in the boarding house and I’d have a room all to myself, the house quiet. I knew I wouldn’t be back to Ulysses, so I spent my last night burning old things I’d been hanging onto—things that meant nothing to anyone and things I’d written only for me. The chimney worked hard that night and the neighbors said they saw the glow and drifting ash. The next day they gave Billy a hand driving my bed to Shoup. By afternoon I was settled into clean sheets. Billy joined the boys in the boarding house.

The doctor came on the seventh and left me morphine and laudanum to ease the pain. Friends came by to give Alta a spell, and I’d joke with them, insisting that Alta was poisoning me.

Toward month’s end, I knew my time was coming. So did Alta, who’d been sitting at my bedside day and night. I told her and Billy that I must see Ed. When the last moments came, I called Alta close and murmured, “I must tell Ed….”

Cradled in Alta’s arms, I took my last breath.[9]

Idaho Recorder, July 29, 1927

Mrs. William E. Taylor

One more old time resident of this county has answered the summons of the dread messenger. Mrs. Wm. E. Taylor of Ulysses departed this life last Sunday at the home of her daughter Mrs. Alta Barton, Shoup. The body was brought to Salmon where the funeral was held at 4: O'clock Tuesday by Rev. George R. Archer at the W.C. Doebler Mortuary and interment in the City Cemetery.

Deceased had come to Lemhi County 43 years ago to teach school. She was married to Mr. Callahan. To them were born two children Ed Callahan and Alta, Mrs. Barton, the former residing in Pearl, Idaho and the latter in Shoup.

She was subsequently married to Wm. E. Taylor, the well known amalgamator and quartz miller. They lived for seven years at Ulysses and for many years in the mining camps of the lower Salmon and on a ranch on Pine Creek.

Mrs. Taylor was educated, refined, a great reader, always versed in topics of national and state affairs. She is survived by her husband, a daughter, Mrs. Alta Barton of Shoup, two sons, Ed Callahan and Billie Taylor, a resident of Salmon.

Among those attending the funeral services from down the river were Mrs. Alta Barton and 2 daughters, Julia and Ethel, Mr. and Mrs. Rackham, Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Hibbs, Pat Kane, Mrs. Charles Twining, and daughter Flora, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haynes and C.E. Van Ness.

The deceased is also survived by a venerable mother and a sister living in Oakland, Calif., but these and the son, Edward Callahan, were unable to come to the funeral.

NOTES

[1] The caption’s use of “widow Callahan” follows an older convention in which a woman was sometimes described as a widow upon the death of a former husband, even if they had long been divorced. In the early 20th century, this avoided the social stigma still attached to divorce and signaled a final severing of the marriage. Annie's identity is partly framed through her marriage to W. E. Taylor and his reputation as “known throughout the country for his honesty.” Such framing reflected common journalistic practice of the era, where a woman’s public standing was often reinforced—or even defined—by the character and accomplishments of her husband, regardless of her own record.

[2] Idaho Recorder, April 22, 1927

[3] “Kalsomine” (also spelled calcimine or calsomine) was a common, inexpensive wall finish made from lime or chalk, water and glue. It was brushed onto plaster walls and ceilings as a kind of whitewash, sometimes tinted in pastel colors. Favored in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for its low cost and ease of application, it brightened and disinfected rooms but was not durable—rubbing or washing would cause it to streak or powder off. By mid-century it had largely been replaced by modern paints.

[4] Alice is Edna (Graves) Chamberlin’s eldest daughter married to John Trimingham.

[5] C.B. stands for the Clipper Bullion mine.

[6] The girls, is probably referring to Theo and Julia Barton who may be living with their father, Peter Barton and attending High School in Butte.

[7] Annie wrote to “Yakima” about the contest. The contest was offering university scholarships and a cash prize, and that Annie was urging all of her granddaughters to enter it. Annie suspected irregularities in the contest writing, “some one knows who or what is under the wood pile, but that one is not going to give it away.”

[8] Idaho Recorder, June 10, 1927

[9] Annie Crie Graves Callahan Taylor died on July 24, 1927. The story of her last days are contained in her death certificate and family lore passed down by Alta’s and Ed Callahan's children.