After sleeping quarters were finished, we located nearby, a place to sink the shaft.  We had nothing to guide us that mineral would be found in that place.  Snow was several feet deep everywhere.  We just took a chance and sank a shaft down 65 feet.  No sign of mineral was found.  My partner BRISBANE began to complain and was getting more discouraged every day.  He said he was not used to living like this and that he had a good home in Saginaw, Michigan; had a wife and two children.  We would both try and sing some song to try to keep from getting too lonesome when the shades of night would come.  He left and went back to Leadville and found a job as clerk in the Clarendon Hotel that had just been built, on a salary of $125.00 per month.

Prospecting to me was fine, but I had my wife and two small children depending on my earnings.  While I was prospecting, I was not earning but spending.  One day I went over to "Aley and Duns tent" to look for mail.  I received a letter that my son, Louis, had died suddenly.  He was only fourteen months old.  He was buried several weeks before I received word.  Mail was slow in those days.

While at Aleys tent I heard that men were wanted to shovel snow on a stage route and that they would pay four dollars per day and so I went to work.  I noticed that some men had goggles on, protection for their eyes.  I did not do anything to mine, thinking they were strong enough to stand the glare of the sun on glistening snow.  After a week's work my eyes began to trouble me.  I had to stay in the Spruce House for several days.  It seemed like they were full of sand.  It was hard to keep them open or shut.  Let me say I was getting a whole lot of western experience that one cannot forget.

After my eyes were strong enough I decided that I would go to the top of a very high mountain peak.  I could see a dark formation of rock that looked very much like a coal seam.  I prepared two pieces of light box board three feet long and ten inches wide.  I cut holes through them with my pocket knife so I could tie them on my boots with strong cord.  Without this protection I would sink deep in soft snow.  When I reached the steep part of the mountain I could take them off and carry them with me.  I rose early the next morning.  The sun was shining and I saw it would be a nice day.  I shuffled along on my home-made snow shoes.  I noticed several large jack rabbits would sit up and look at me, only a few feet away.  I knew I would have to keep moving to find my way to the top of the peak.  I heard the peak was 14,000 feet high.  It would take some effort to get there.

I had to walk in a gulch called "May Flower".  I notice heavy tracks in the snow going in the direction that I was going, so I took my heavy pocket knife and cut a good sized club from a fir tree.  As I moved along, the tracks turned to the right behind a large boulder.  The tracks made were larger than a man's fist and about one foot apart.  I kept on going until I reached the foot of the mountain.  I started to climb slowly.  Breathing was difficult in that high altitude.  The higher I went, the more difficult it was to breathe.  I was determined not to give up.  I rested a few minutes at a time to get my breathing more regular.  I felt strong as I was in good condition.  At last, I reached rocky ground.  Above the cliffs ahead of me was gently rising ground.  I could not see the top nor could I stand up and walk.  I got down on my hands and feet.  I could then only go thirty feet without stopping.  I was getting some more experience of the great Rockies.

I kept moving slowly upward looking toward the top and using all my will power to keep going on.  I noticed some small animal nearly the size of a small rabbit, (white) and also a bird the size of a quail and as white as the snow.  It made a peculiar noise.  It was hard to see them unless they were moving for all was pure white around them.  After eight hours of climbing, I reached the top of the peak.  I would not look around until I got my breathing right, then I stood up on my feet.  I felt something give way at the very bottom of my lungs.  Then I felt it roll up in my throat.  I spat it down at my feet.  It was three small dry balls of anthracite coal dust.  There was no pain nor any blood.  I was aware that it occurs at high altitudes.  Nor did I feel any great distress when I stood still.

The sun was shining brightly and the wind was not stirring.  That was something unusual.  Where I stood, the snow had been blown clear away.  I looked toward the east.  What a wonderful view right at my feet.  You could look down three thousand feet.  Mountain after mountain could be seen as far as the range of my eyes could see.  Glistening lakes among the mountains, making a picture not often seen nor ever forgotten.  Then I turned and looked west and another magnificent scene was before me to gaze upon.  As I looked I could see the Mount of the Holy Cross.  I had heard of it and now I could see it.  It appeared to be less than fifty miles away.  It was hard to leave such a wonderful view.  I almost forgot what I had struggled up the mountain for.  I looked along the side of the peak and saw the dark croppings on my right.  Making my way toward it, I came suddenly to a gap, fully 150 feet across it.  This could not be seen at the foot of the mountain.  There was no way only by going down to the foot of the mountain and making another effort.  I could now feel a gentle wind stirring.