Article Text
had about $125,000 in gold, yellow, Montana gold. Then Mr. Elling took unto himself a partner, whose career was brief. Mr. Elling's partner was long remembered by Mr. Elling. He went East to purchase a new stock. He took with him the $125,000. He never came back. Mr. Elling never had another partner. He started with what little money he had left and by thrift, good judgment and excellent business methods, he became known first as a prosperous merchant and then successively as a cattle king, an extensive mine owner and a prominent and reliable banker. Early Experiences. Many tales are told of Mr. Elling's experiences during the stirring days of the life of the young camp. Once, when A. J. Bennett was cashier of the Virginia City bank, a gang of determined highwaymen rode into town with their Winchesters poised on the pommels of their saddles. They held up the cashier and secured about $15,000, riding away without exchanging a shot. Again during a panic, it looked as if the Elling bank was going under. The ranchers from every direction were coming in to take their money out of the bank. There was no use attempting to reassure them. They were stampeding like a bunch of beef steers in the fall and there was no use trying to turn them. News was brought to Mr. Elling that old man Laurin was coming up the next day to take out his deposit. As this amounted to $30,000, it seemed as if there was no hope of saving the bank. On the Trail to Helena. When the meadow larks in Alder Gulch were rising out of the damp grass the following morning, they saw a pale, determined looking man astride a powerful saddle horse riding hard on the trail to Helena. One hundred and twenty-five miles over hill and dale riding to save his bank and his fortune went Henry Elling. The next day as the shades of evening were falling in the historic old city, a man came riding in. There was the same grim determination in the face that there was in the pioneer that crossed the plains and braved the dangers from savage and beast 20 years before. He Saved the Bank. This time Henry Elling had $50,000 in dust, tucked away in his saddle bag. He rode up to the bank, cool and collected, but it was not without trembling that he asked the cashier if he still was safe. "Old Laurin just left with his $30,000,"