Letter from Gus Bremer
Walker Arizona,
Feb 8, 1930
Dear friend Jim,
Hello you old sidewinder. I have been thinking of writing for a long time, but left my baggage in Butte with your humble address enclosed so I was compelled to keep mum.
Just received my things yesterday, so here is the result. I had quite a time after I left you in Sheridan. Landed in Butte with half the sails set. But as the squall increased of soon was sailing before the wind with everything set.
Well as you well know any blow will blow over. So when I got my bearings, I went to Yellowstone Park and went to work on a government highway. Got a job as a stone mason building culverts at 80cents per hour. So I done fairly well.
From there I dropped down into Idaho and took in the spared harvest. Then I got a silly notion, although I should call it crazy, to panhandle on the highway down to Arizona. Everything went fine until I got to Las Vegas, New Mexico. From there all through Southern New Mexico I had to hike - on account of every highway bridge being washed out.
Well after any amount of hardship, I finally got to Phoenix. From there I come out here to Walker, only 15 miles.
Have been here since 1st December. Got a contract on a drift on the 12 hundred level of the Sheldon Mine and making good. Still got 300 feet to go. That will keep me until the middle of the year then I am heading north again.
Will do some prospecting for placement gold between Butte and Helena. Feel it in my bones it will pan out alright.
The Famous Buck Creek diggings we were working in at Sheridan closed down owing 3500 dollars to the store - besides not paying the wages to the old timers. Oh! Faithful. I love you got your wages in hardware.
Well Jim how is tricks? So the kids behaving? Don’t be too hard boiled with them. Remember you was a kid once. Ha, ha, ha.
Whenever convenient sit down and write me a long letter and let me know you future intentions.
Yours as ever, Gus Bremer Address: Walker Arizona via Prescott
Showing posts with label Prospecting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prospecting. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
26 James Edson Stermer Prospecting in Montana
From Log book:
July 6, 1929
Went prospecting with Gus Bremer tonight after work. We will go prospecting for a pocket in the future. Gus is an American born Swede and a real man. It is a compliment to be taken into the confidence of an old prospector like him. We circled the hills and found a likely spot to look for a pocket.
Look carefully to see Gus standing among the weeds on the left side of the photo
July 7, 1929
Have been here exactly two weeks today. And a most miserable day it was. Rain and cold all the time. It snowed up on the mountain tops. They look most beautiful in their white blanket glistening in the light of a July sun. It is so cold that we had to have a fire in the stove to make the bunk house comfortable.
July 8, 1929
Talk about weary. We certainly did have to work today. We worked overtime tonight in moving the granite forward and it was hard labor. The water is beginning to give out. Work will last about three more weeks.
July 9, 1929
The weather looked so stormy this evening that we could not go prospecting. But there will be many more nights to go prospecting. Received a letter from Florence today. She realizes that I have gone out of her life as a lover.
July 10, 1929
We are sweeping the bed rock now. Have cleared quite a space. We must pick up every small stone. Smashed my finger today. Scotty, the graveyard shift foreman asked me if I had his characteristic in the book I have in my mind all I wish to know about him. Went pocket prospecting this evening. Did not find even a color. We climbed over the hills. I carried the pail of water.
July 11, 1929
Gus was too tired to go climbing over the hills tonight to go pocket hunting. We had to work hard all day chopping down trees, etc.
July 6, 1929
Went prospecting with Gus Bremer tonight after work. We will go prospecting for a pocket in the future. Gus is an American born Swede and a real man. It is a compliment to be taken into the confidence of an old prospector like him. We circled the hills and found a likely spot to look for a pocket.
Look carefully to see Gus standing among the weeds on the left side of the photo
July 7, 1929
Have been here exactly two weeks today. And a most miserable day it was. Rain and cold all the time. It snowed up on the mountain tops. They look most beautiful in their white blanket glistening in the light of a July sun. It is so cold that we had to have a fire in the stove to make the bunk house comfortable.
July 8, 1929
Talk about weary. We certainly did have to work today. We worked overtime tonight in moving the granite forward and it was hard labor. The water is beginning to give out. Work will last about three more weeks.
July 9, 1929
The weather looked so stormy this evening that we could not go prospecting. But there will be many more nights to go prospecting. Received a letter from Florence today. She realizes that I have gone out of her life as a lover.
July 10, 1929
We are sweeping the bed rock now. Have cleared quite a space. We must pick up every small stone. Smashed my finger today. Scotty, the graveyard shift foreman asked me if I had his characteristic in the book I have in my mind all I wish to know about him. Went pocket prospecting this evening. Did not find even a color. We climbed over the hills. I carried the pail of water.
July 11, 1929
Gus was too tired to go climbing over the hills tonight to go pocket hunting. We had to work hard all day chopping down trees, etc.
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