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Wild Horse Creek/ Wild Horse Bridge
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Wild
Horse Creek Bridge. (1890's)
Image courtesy of Fort Steele Heritage Town
Archives, FS.33.4
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the Wild Horse Creek valley from the mouth of the creek. It was to this
isolated place that men came in search of their fortune in the 1860's
and afterward. At its peak Fisherville was home to over five thousand
men who had travelled from other gold rush towns across the West to try
their luck on Wild Horse Creek.
The Chinese were
among these argonauts but had to await their turn to work the creek, usually
until the white miners had finished. It was well known that few whites
in any gold camp would recognize a Chinese gold claim. Instead these Chinese
miners waited until whites became disillusioned with their profits from
Wild Horse and were looking to sell or were drawn away by the promise
of other gold strikes.
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Wild
Horse Creek Bridge.
(1999)
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The
report that the country has been given up to the Chinamen, is altogether
incorrect. The moon-eyed celestials were only allowed to work claims that
have been abandoned by white men. For these worked out claims John [Chinaman]
has paid a liberal price, and on these terms the miners have allowed the
rice eaters to "come in." Thus far they have been exclusively employed
in working over the dirt that has been worked by white men.
-
James Galbraith, The Oregon Statesmen, January 11, 1866
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