Vincent "Vince" Simons Interview, November 1988

Vincent “Vince” Simons describes moving to Montana from South Dakota by hopping a boxcar in 1931 in hopes of finding a lucrative job as a miner during the Great Depression. Simons recalls finding a job in 1933 with a gold dredging operation in Pioneer Gulch, Montana, working for the Pioneer Placer Dredging Company. Simons discusses the construction of the Mosier dredge, what sorts of materials were used in the construction process, the mechanics of the dredge in operation, and discusses the volume of earth the dredge could move and particularly large strikes. He also views photos of the dredge that indicate the various stages of construction and points out the different pieces of equipment and how they functioned. Simons talks about disputes among dredge workers and instances of “crookedness” within the dredging operation, as well as disputes between the company owners and surrounding landowners.