Harris and Raerick located the first claims on what is now the Big Missouri property, on the upper Salmon in 1903; but they allowed the claims to lapse with the understanding, it is said, that Dan Lindeborg would locate them when they ran out. But when this time came Dan was down the Canal with his boat, and on his return he was told that two men had started out the day before to restake the claims.

Dan knew he had no chance to overtake them by following them up the Salmon River, so he took the trail up the Bear River that had been slashed to the Mountain Boy claims on American Creek. He traveled light with just an axe and a little grub and crossed the mountains half way up American Creek. He relocated the claims and returned the way he went and was back at the head of the Canal and had his claims recorded before the other men arrived on the ground to find Dan’s stakes staring them in the face. Dan made the round trip of about fifty miles in two days in a continuous downpour of rain and, of course soaked through. On his return, someone said to him, “Why, Dan your wet to your skin” but Dan only laughed and said “Water don’t hurt me none; I am yust like a duck”.

Stevenson and Prowdfoot located additional claims on the Big Missouri Ridge, and in 1910 the combine groups of claims were bonded by Sir D. D. Mann, who, however did no work at that time; but some years later he reassumed the bond, did a large amount of open cut work on various ore showings, and, opened up considerable ore. Owing, it is understood, to the difficulties at that time to finance, the undertaking, the bond was allowed to lapse and shortly afterwards the property was bonded to the Trites, Woods, and Wilson interests and further work was done. But again the bond was allowed to lapse and the property reverted to the owners.