The Man Who Moiled for Gold - Softcover

Rasmussen, David G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0759679835 ISBN 13: 9780759679832

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2002

Synopsis

The Man WhoMoiled for Gold draws its title from the Robert W. Service poem: The Cremation of Sam McGee. This popular work portrays the lust forgold, the passion for the search, and the elusive success that brought men andwomen to remote areas without laws or justice. The poem also tells ofsuffering, loneliness, frustration, and ultimately death.¿ Charley Martin experienced all of theseemotions along with love and success while becoming the man who moiled for gold.Charley Martin, in 1912, is found mining the hardrock of Butte, Montana. Years of breathing the fine quartz dust in the pitshave given Charley silicosis. Discovery of this incurable condition, by themine super, brought an abrupt change to the 69-year old miner's life. Changebegan with the decision to move to his mountain cabin, which involved a weekendstay with Kathleen, his eldest daughter. Kathleen held a secret hurt andbitterness, causing an estrangement between father and daughter. Delighted by his teenaged grandson's insistence to knowthe grandfather's pioneer adventures Charley recounts events that began 50years earlier with the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Charley realizes that revealingfamily history might bring to surface Kathleen's resentments so he continues totell details past the romantic parts.Successful mining ventures are overshadowed by themurder of Charley's cousin Joe during a holdup.¿ Kind and happy Charley becomes obsessed with finding theroadagent who killed Joe. Other incidents of robbery and murder inflame theMontana/Idaho mining camps into vigilante actions. Charley joins the BannackVigilance Committee and participates in the historic hangings of the Sheriffand his deputies he then travels with the Alder Gulch vigilantes to hang mostof the remainder of the Sheriff's roadagent gang including the man Charleyconsiders to be Joe's killer.Charley had never before revealed to family that hehad been an active vigilante who had ended men's lives.¿ The daughter's family is amazed butaccepting. Con

About this title

About the Author

David Rasmussen weaves historic facts, individualsand places into the lives of fictional but believable characters. For The Man Who Moiled for Gold, David drawsfrom his knowledge of Colorado and Montana gold rush history, his first-handplace familiarity, and his actual mining experience.David was born in Missoula, Montana near the sceneof some of the described vigilante hangings of the 1860s. David graduated fromMontana School of Mines in Butte as a geological engineer. Working as ahardrock miner in several of the deep mines yielded additional background forthe characters and circumstances incorporated in this novel.As a professional engineer, David authored severalpublished technical articles and handbook chapters. As a fiction author, Davidhas also published: Castizo, Xlibris1999.

Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0759679835
• ISBN 13: 9780759679832
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 244