By Maryanna Gabriel
.... the horses bolted. After managing to find the horses, the party huddled on a protected ledge. shivering and hungry, as snow fell. Winter was coming. A toad hopped before them and perched on a rock. One of men picked up the rock, and hallelujah, it was loaded with ore, specifically pyrite and copper.* Ecstatic, they proceeded to madly pound in their stakes of claim. Ever after, they called it Toad Mountain, which is how it is known today.
The Hall brothers rushed back to Fort Colville to find an assayist. The assayist recognized the samples also contained silver and a high caliber of gold. In short, it was a spectacular find. John McDonald, the assayist, wanted to be cut in on the action which the brothers decided to grant, figuring they could use the help. They travelled back to Toad Mountain. This time they had to dodge the hoards who were in pursuit, as word of the gold rush got out. By travelling a round about way, they evaded their pursuers and staked more claims, but these they failed to record.
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| Silver King Miners source: Nelson Museum Archives |
Well.... their claims were challenged. The Hall brothers grew weary of the litigation, but turned down an offer of a million dollars. They received another offer of more money which they accepted, and the Silver King Mine was born. It became famous for its spectacular yields, which seemed never ending.
This was the great bonanza that created the city of Nelson. But there's more...
*Source: Bill Barlee, historian, "Gold Trails and Ghost Towns" (documentary film).