Legends & Tales Of Mount St. Helens

The Missing 1878 Pack Train

Of all the stories I have read about Harry R. Truman, the story as told by Buck Whiting is the best when it comes to explaining what drew Harry to the lake and the consequences of looking for the 1878 missing pack train.

The story covers Harry's purchase of the Mount St. Helens lodge with the gold from the missing pack train. But some theorize that that gold was cursed and purposely claimed by the spirit of the lake. Those who claimed the gold met an early demise and a life-long series of unfortunate events.

Even though the story does not talk about the implications of a curse or misfortune, those who understand the life Harry lived, he was able to live through misfortunes around the volcano like nearly freezing to death, wild animals, fires, robberies and the spirits of the lake itself. Even though Harry wasn't superstitious, he was concerned about his connection with the mountain and the results of leaving the lake of souls.

There is some who claim that the missing gold is still buried next to the porch steps of the Mount St. Helens Lodge...now claimed by Spirit Lake and Loowit for as long as Harry's lodge remains unscathed under 600 feet of debris.

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--Excerpt as told by Buck Whiting to Barbara Minton

Pg. 54-56

Harry Truman decided it was time to settle down, and opened a garage in Chehalis where he became well known for his special touch with motors. He had always been fascinated with the countryside around Chehalis and Spirit Lake, having explored much of it on his many camping trips. He was also intrigued by a story told to him in 1918 about a lost pack train from years past, that disappeared carrying much gold.

With that as the motivation, he spent many years visiting all the old mines, asking old timers questions, and studying all the old maps he could find. Harry had been told that the route of the pack train was along the Toutle River and he concentrated his search in this area. One of his favorite places was Spirit Lake and its lure kept drawing him. Harry formed a life-long friendship with James and Arizona Reese who had a farm along the very primitive road leading in to Spirit Lake.

On one visit they directed him to the cabin of an old timer named Fred, thinking he might have information for Harry about the lost pack. In the course of his conversation with Fred, Harry discovered that he was an old friend of Newberry, and has camped with him in Vanson Meadows during the war. Fred and Harry became very good friends.

Harry decided to move to Nevada, between Reno and New Goldfield, where his friend Earl lived, and devote his time to prospecting for gold. After many months of hard labor and nothing to show for their efforts but dwindling funds and gained experience, they gave up the search and Harry returned to his garage in Chehalis. He didn't give up the idea of locating the old lost pack train gold though, and all of his spare time was devoted to the search.

By 1928, Harry bought an old lodge at Spirit Lake which was then very decrepit, with only two run-down cabins and four rowboats. The owner at the time, Jack Wilson, who became one of Harry's most un-favorite people, would agree to sell him only half-interest in the lodge, and charge him $2500.00. Good old Fred had his moonshine money buried in a pot in his yard, and he gave it to Harry for the purchase. After paying Wilson the money, Harry and Fred quickly drove to the Stevenson Courthouse to record the transaction, taking along some moonshine to celebrate the event.

Harry bought that half of the lodge in June, 1928 and by the end of July had built himself a house on the property. Relations between Harry and Jack Wilson continued to deteriorate, culminating that fall in Harry buying Wilson out for $1200.00 and throwing him off the place. For years Harry loved to tell the story, with many expletives and much body English, as was his way, concluding with his throwing a chamber pot at the departing Wilson.

Scotty had a friend named Flintor who joined Harry at the lodge at this time, and when they weren't working on lodge improvements, they were scouting the Toutle River Watershed area, seeking clues to the lost pack train.

By 1929, Harry and Flintor continued searching for the missing gold at every opportunity. During one of the bull sessions that Harry loved so much, they met two brothers who, with their father had mined the area for years. They knew of the pack train, but said it was lost along the Green River, not the Toutle. This was the only time in Harry Truman's life when he was speechless. He quickly changed the subject but on the next outing he made with Flintor, they started systematically searching the Green River area. They had made several trips of four or five day's duration in this area without luck.

After one such trip in 1937, they returned with unconcealed elation and proceeded to have a big celebration. When Buck looked in Flintor's pack he discovered if full of old rusted bridle bits and harness buckles. Flintor took the pack away and there were no more conversations on the subject, and there were no more searches made for the lost pack train. In July of 1937 Harry couldn't raise $120 for back car payments, and had his car repossessed. In October, 1937 he bought a new Ford pick-up, a saddle horse, a Lincoln Zepher Coupe, a Vagabond travel trailer, and took a two month long vacation. He also started construction projects at the lake site. He built a new lodge, new boat house, six new cabins, bought 25 new rowboats, 3 new canoes, 6 new outboard motors and did some land clearing.

There were no loans taken for and of this, Flintor, who had come to the lodge with nothing but the clothes on his back, left at this time and bought a house and farm in the Yacolt Amboy area for which he paid cash. Scotty bought a fast food business in San Francisco, became a wealthy man, and always gave the credit to Harry, saying he couldn't have done it without him.

Many years later, Harry told Buck the story, and showed him the proof of what happened. The pack train started out about 1878 to carry a shipment of $20 gold pieces to Portland. They were caught in an early snow storm which became so deep there was no way they could proceed. One of the men was keeping a journal of their trip and he buried it in a whiskey bottle. They buried the gold and supplies, set the horses loose, and tried to hike out on some improvised snow shoes. They were never heard from again.

On Harry and Flintor's last trip they had discovered some old blaze marks on trees leading into a meadow, had seen some old trees which Flintor said had been chewed on by horses years ago, had started digging around and found old bridle bits and harness buckles and parts of an old gun. Then they had really started digging in that meadow and found numerous $20 gold pieces. Harry had buried the money plus the bottle containing the journal under his big hitching post tree by the lodge, and showed it to Buck, telling him that if anything happened to him it would belong to his sister Geraldine. Perhaps someone from a future generation will read this and start on their own quest for the missing gold.