Page 4
The JACKSONVILLE MINER
Friday, June 20, 1934
A ever met Bob Ford and I said 1 like me, had prospected tn every
having been in there that year,
We have known a great many
ub
had not She said. "This is Bob's i new mining camp in Uie Rocky
and it was then late August. Fish­ men: good, bad and Indifferent,
girl," and introduced me. Then she mountains, as well as in some
ing at the outlet was fine, and we
' said. "Annie, tell Bob to come in a other places As a seeker for hid­
soon had several for the coming during our more or less worthless
i minute betore he goes, will you .’" den riches he knew his stuff all
meals, Next morning, while we Ufe, but Alex will always stand
So in a little while Bob came in right and had made several dis­
were eating fish with one hand and out in our memory us u most mag­
' j and I was introduced to him. The coveries of value, though none that To the Editor:
fighting off tallow birds with the nificent man among men. That wv
In refutation of the recently other, a bear oatue down to
: minute I grasped his hand I knew had caused him to be enrolled with
the knew him and enjoyed his warm
the 81000
he was a dope fiend. His hand the top-notchers of mining fame j published assertion that
fringe of the timber to see what it friendship will ulways be to us a
shook like he had the palsey.
up to that time. It waa he who had nugget on exhibition in Medford was all about Our saddle pumas grout joy Alex allowed us to go un
(Continued from page on«')
is the largest aver found in south­
without giving up our Winchester«
Next time I saw him, about a found and opened up the apparent­ ern Oregon, permit me to call your hail been hobbled and turned loose
to take her note. Just a loan be­
ly rich ground at Bonanza, from
down the meadow. The horses and we made it back to camp that
dozen
of
us
had
come
to
Trinidad
tween friends, he explained, but
which he received a few thousand attention to a lump of pure gold, smelled boar and were gone like a night.
cautioned her to be sure and se- some weeks later and were danc-
weighing 17 pounds (not. ounces),
dollars before it petered out.
flash, running Ln the hobbles as if
cure the deed before she paid over . mg and drinking in the dance hall,
found at the forks of Althouse
when Bob happened to come in. Prowling around on the upper Rio creek nbove Ttgertown in the ear­ they weren't there, and soon dis­
the money.
Those days there was a long song Grande river and its tributaries, ly fifties, and valued at over 84000. appeared in the direction of our
Riding down the road he con­
about the death of Jesse James he ran onto two Swedes running at the commonly accepted figure camp. There was nothing to do but
cealed himself in somé woods ' going
the rounds and every little a tunnel un a ledge of amethyst of 8240 per pound for this metal finish eating, for it looked like a j
where he could see the hard-heart­
while a reference was made to spar, a formation closely resem­ in those days. This can be verified lung, long trail a-winding down
ed blood sucker pass on his way
"that dirty little coward, who shot bling quartz, and often mistaken by any of surviving old-timers of the line. Very luckily fur us, the
o the widow's bouse where, much
Captain Howard, and laid Jesse for such by new beginners. These Josephine county. Also a full and )>unies run right Into the ranger
o ills surprise and chagrin the
James in his grave." And the ut­ Swedes had not the slightest idea complete account of the finding of coming up the trail and he caught
.oney was ready for him. Waiting
most contempt was laid on the of what they were trying to do; this small fortune can be found tn them for us. He was looking for
.tiently until the fellow had re­
words,
"dirty little coward," as it were simply digging because they the columns of the mammoth New a horsethief who had very, veiy
vived his 8800 and was on his
was sung. Seeing Bob enter, we all thought the stuff was pretty, as Year's edition of the Grants l’ase recently stolen his best saddle­
ood back. Jesse met him. relieved
horse. It just happened that a few
in unison began singing this song. indeed it is, much of it being of a Courier of 1828.
1 of the cash and whatever
days before we came up a mighty
Bob took several quick steps, grab­ rich purple color which, when
In
Ulis
connection,
I
will
men
­
e he had. and went on about
bed his forty-five and pulled it flawless, is used extensively for tion the fact that large amounts tough-looking fellow had run into
siness. Deeds like this served
around in front with a threatening ring settings and other jewelry or­ of Oregon gold, shipped to the San us, riding a good bay horse and
..«dear him in the hearts of
gesture and three or four of his naments. They were totally ignor­ Francisco mint during many years, leading a sorry-looking Indian
>inds who otherwise would
cronies grabbed him and led him ant of the fact that the spar in were surieptitiously credited to [K>ny with a pack. He had been
..tied him as a public enemy.
out. begging him not to start any­ which they were mining might be the California output, by the jeal­ rather inatstsnt that we trade
—-.e time before his death he
rich in silver, which in those days
horses as we also happened to be
nad apparently vanished and only thing. Pretty soon they came back commanded a good price on the ous native sons, thereby causing on some real top ponies Later on.
comes to the
in
and
said
to
us,
"You
fellows
had
considerable complaint by Oregon­ in coming back to town, we I
a very few of his moat intimate
a close call that time." "What do I market. But N. C. Creede realized ians, though to no avail.
friends knew that he was living
learned that the fellow had l>een ■
you mean we had a close call?" we the possibilities in a glance, even
Incidentally, we are asking the
quietly under the name of Captain
asked them. "Why,” they said, though this section had previously editor of this pa|>er to discover (if caught the other side of Ashland I
Toward with his wife and child in
i been examined by government
and was convicted of the theft. A .
secluded spot where he would "that was Bob Ford, the fellow geologists, who had given it as possible) and inform us of the ex­ few days later we started back for '
who
killed
Jesse
James,
and
he
act manner in which the valuaUon
.ot be liable to be molested. Bob
their opinion that the general for­
camp, going by way of the Pomous ,
of a 81000 nugget is arrived at.
Jid Charlie Ford were living with was pretty mad.”
mation
of
the
rocks
there
was
not
desert and down through the jiark j
We
said.
“
Don
’
t
we
know
it
?
which
seems
to
be
such
a
well-
Him as members of his family and
' favorable for the existence of val-
Just
tell
Bob
Ford
for
us
he
can
The desert was then untouched I
guarded secret that no one seems
“On the Hump”
were daily recipients of his hos­
I uable ores of any kind.
to really know precisely how it is by auto- -just a narrow bridle trail
pitality and kindness, in spite of go straight to hell, Tell him if he
Right there he made the Swedes accomplished. Are the number of down the middle. It just had to be
which they were simply waiting don’t like our style, to turn his
For the convenience and
their opportunity to kill him and wolf loose any time he wants.” 'All stop work and define their claim ounces appraised at the old stand­ Ben Sheldon who took the first
motoring enjoyment of
reap the reward. Being deathly of us also had belts and guns on limits, after which he located the ard value of 820.67 per ounce, or auto across that desert, someone
afraid of his ability with shooting and we watched the door for ground both ahead of them and be­ at the present selling price to local probably told him it couldn't be
Jacksonville, Ruch, Ap­
irons, they dared not tackle him awhile to see if Bob would come hind. and took a string of claims buyers of from 827.50 to 828 per done, We passed through govern -
plegate, Thompson creek
was
back
in.
but
that
was
all
there
on each side. Eventually in the ounce, or at the government fig­ meat camp during the night and |
even two against one in a gun
to
it.
Just
a
big
bluff
by
a
and Williams creek folks
<uy
made
a
dry
camp
a
bit
beyond
ure
of
835
per
ounce?
operations that ensued, the claim
fight, so waited until they could
To be worth 835, the gold must Next morning, in passing through
catch him unarmed Then one day who had a yellow streak on his of the Swedes was purchased and
................ we were stopped
r,____ by
, . '
added to the group, thus present­ assay 1000 fine. As a matter of Anna Springs,
the chance came. Jesse laid his back.
HTOF AM) HEE I'M
Though Jesse James, in his Bfe. ing a considerable area in one general Information, will say the the ranger, to discover that we
belt and guns aside and, mounting
had perpetrated numberless crimes compact mass, that in time proved Applegate gold In this vicinity will had no permits to bring firearms
a step-ladder, proceeded to hang a
We Know You'll Like This
picture on the wall. Trembling against the law, Bob Ford's meth­ to be the richest silver producer run about 845 fine and commands into the park. Nothing to do but
New UNION Product
with fright, these two assassins od of bumping him off by shooting in the west The first claim wits 828 per ounce. Will be pleased if to go back and talk to the super­
him
in
the
back
failed
signally
of
named the Amethyst and when the answer to the aforesaid secret intendent. This was our first meet­
fired bullet after bullet into his
back as he stood on the ladder too making a hit with westerners, and Creede saw the one next to it, he can be unearthed by our wide- ing with one of the very finest
Summit Service Station
far from his guns to reach them. they lost no chance to let him exclaimed, "Holy Moses." and it awake editor and passed on to us men we have ever known, Alex
was named that. Having bit off a through the clumns of The Miner. Sparrow,
Some months later, smarting be­ know they disproved of him.
From Trinidad. Bob went to Las much larger chew than the ave­
J. C. REYNOLDS
neath the outspoken contempt of
the whole country, Charlie killed Vegas, where he opened a saloon, rage prospector could handle. Applegate, Oregon.
himself. Bob came west, where he and it was there I ran into him a Creede enlisted the backing of
managed to find a few friends of second time. It appears that the Dave Moffat, the promoter of the
his own ilk. though thoroughly de­ bank in Las Vegas was situated famous ''Moffat railroad" at a
directly across' the street from later date, a man who had made
spised by the country at large.
Bob's saloon. One day the bank his millions by backing prospect­
I was talking to Mary Pease, the
proprietor of a dance hall In Trini­ people became aware there was ors and playing square with them,
some tunneling being done under and who always was willing to
dad, Colorado, one afternoon, when
a rather pretty girl came in and their building. Quietly making an take a chance on anything that
borrowed a dollar from Mary, say­ investigation, they discovered that looked good in the mining game.
ing that Bob was going uptown for a tunnel had been driven from the When Moffat saw what Creede had ------------By XIT
awhile. Mary asked me if I had basement of Bob’s place to a point uncovered he proceeded to get
beneath the bank. Raising a posse, busy at onee
The forest service has. within
they descended into Bob's cellar
the last year, opened up to the
The
venture
paid
well
from
the
and surrounded the mouth of the
people of southern Oregon some of
opening. After some time a man first. Creede retained a fourth in­
the finest hunUng and fishing
terest
in
the
property
and
in
a
few
We give MORE
came running out and tried to es­
country to be found anywhere on
cape. paying no attention to their months his dividends amounted to the coast. The new
than just a per­
road, now in
efforts to halt him. So several of $5000 per week. Later, when the
the final stages of construction
mines
were
working
at
full
capa
­
manent! Our Ar­
them shot at him and he fell dead.
which leads from the Crater Lake
Bob swore by everything good and city. Creede's income was in excess
tists will also
highway
and
heads
for
Diamond
holy that he knew nothing of what of $5000 per day. In the course of
lake, will be a very beautiful piece
time
be
sold
out
'entirely
and
re
­
create a new coiffure that will be DIS-
had been going on. but as the tun­
of work, with long, broad at reach­
nel had been started from his tired frain work with a half mil-
es. gentle curves and grades It
TINCTIVELY YOURS ... a dip and a
basement, it caused so much sus- lion doKars, going to California
follows the river mostly, coming
picion to fasten on him that he with the intenUon of taking life
swirl
and arrange your hair in a clever,
out in the old Beaver dam mead­
was given 24 hours to leave town, easy as long as he lived. What
ows near the lake. The present
different way to flatter YOU! You will be
I arrived in Las Vegas the very happened there is hard to believe
of a man as intelligent, practical cutoff road from the highway isn't
day that Bob left.
delighted with the rare individuality of
at all bad, but no comparison to
From there Bob went to Denver, and seasoned as he was
the
new
one.
It
was
only
about
a
your
Personality Wave . . . and with its
In fact, I positively refused to
Colorado. Strutting into the swell
dozen years ago that the writer
Windsor hotel with his big cowboy believe it, until it had been proven
modest price.
and a friend were camped at
hat on the back of his head, he to me. Someway he became enam­
Crater
Lake,
riding
herd
on
a
wheeled the registration book ored of a 13-year-old girl and be­ bunch of cattle: Never having seen
around and wrote BOB FORD in cause he could not win her, com­ Diamond lake, one morning we
large letters all over the page. The mitted suicide. And that was the threw some blankets and grub on
clerk was watching him curiously last of N. C. Creede, who it would a pack pony and started off up the
The best European and American methods have been
and immediately spun the book seem had everything he wanted to old John Day military road. To
AT ALL THESE
combined to make thia unusual wave ... so popular
back to see what had been writ­ make life agreeable.
those who now drive this same
NEW CONVENIENCES
among smart women Shampoo and
ten. As soon as he saw the name
However, that is the history of road in safety, comfort and speed,
finger wave included............. ..............
Bob Ford he called a couple of the mining in the west. Nine out of that old road would certainly seem
The greatest achievement in home
hotel attaches and said. "Throw every K) wen who have struck the like a nightmare. Impossible for
refrigeration hiitorvi Streamline
beauty! SHELVADOR—shelves
that son of a------------- out in the big bonanzas have lived only a even wagons; long disused, over­
in the door for small food items—
short time afterward. So appar­ grown with thick brush, and with
street. We don't need his trade."
increases "usable" capacity 50%.
When Creede. Colo., was estab­ ently Creede was no exception to down timber across it, rocky and
SHELVATRAY—a handy place
41-48 SOUTH CENTRAL—MEDFORD
lished, Bob went there and started the rule.
to set things and a tray for carrying
badly cut by heavy rains. Reached
in the saloon business, with a
them. SHELVABASKET — for
the lake that night, after fighting
dance hall attachment. And it was
Sreens, cabbages, carrots and the
"People who spend half a day our way through a lot of slickleaf
like. STORABIN—for potatoes,
reported he was making a lot of saving a dime probably are plac­ that the previous snows had beat­
onions and other bulk items.
money. It so happened I was liv­ ing about the correct valuation on en down.
Many other features too numerous
ing
only eight miles from Creede their time,” says The Jacksonville
There were at that time just two
to mention. Com« in and see iti
when Bob was killed. A fellow Miner. Which reminds us that Olin buildings at the lake, a rangers’
named Kelly walked into the danae Miller spends a whole day every cabin at the south end, and a sort
Crosley Electric Refrigerators
Cool Drinks—Good Eats—Fountain Service
hall with a shotgun and called to day in not even earning a dime.— of fish hatchery at the outlet.
•re Priced et
Home Drug Remedies
Bob, "Lookout, Bob. I’m going to Weston Leader.
There were no signs of anyone
shoot,” and discharged a load of
buckshot into him at close range.
Bob died instantly. Kelly was tried
and sentenced to a,long term in
•nd up
the pen, but was pardoned out in
All Combined With Courteous Service
a couple of years and I have never
Del i Vered—Iosta fled
heard
of
him
since.
And
that
was
PHONE 162
One Year Free Service
the end of "the dirty little coward,
who shot Captain Howard, and
laid Jesse James in his grave.”
N. C. Creede, after whom the
town of Creede, Colo., was named
and where Bob Ford ended his
career, was a man very similar to
Good Housekeeping
myself in many ways. He was
JnsJHte
about my size, build and age and,
&
$4000 Nugget W
Largest of Southern
Oregon, Says Miner
DIRTY COWARD
WHO SHOT JESSE
JAMES LAID LOW
UNION
76
with Tetraethyl
Summit Service
M
edford
avericks
LOOK
Wear a Coiffure
that REFLECTS
YOUR
PERSONALITY!
Phone 363 for Your
Appointment
MURRAY’S BEAUTY SHOP
--------•--------
THE NUGGET CONFECTIONERY
•10422
I'CE CREAM
MAGAZINES—NEWSPAPERS
Barber Shop and Pool Room
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LADIES’
HAIR­
CUTTING
BY
APPOINT­
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HARDWARE
181 WEST MAIN
j
PIIONE 87
EROS LEY
Permanent Waving
TRl-SHELVADOR
BOWMAN’S
T
A Specialty
Barber Shop and Beauty Parlor
18 South Central, Medford
Makes it a PICNIC
and the Picky Picnic Planner
Makes It
SNIDER’S ICE CREAM
SNIDER DAIRY AND PRODUCE COMPANY
Makes humps in the best of
suits, sooner or later. Elbow
bulges come also.
Try sending your suit to us—
we’ll remove the humps and
bulges with the famous form­
pressing service.
PANTORIUM DYE WORKS
PHONE 244—MEDFORD