Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-08

canteen OF water and some brandy
Happen what might, we won! thorough
ly examine the shaft.
About three o'clock in the afternoo
all was In readiness, and we set out-se
out ON what seemed one OF the wildes
Of wild goose chases.
The Maldanado shaft is situated o.
the sharp ridge Of high and steep hill
nearly mile south OF the north fork O
the Yuba also 1t was about half mil
above where my own cabin stood. I'll
shaft was sunk by Gabriel Maldanado,
man well known TO all the early miner
OF the Comstock lode, but now som,
years dead. The shaft was sunk ON ,
rich vein Of gold bearing quartz. Th'
ore extracted was taken down to th,
river on the backs OF pack mules over
long xigSag trail, and was there worked
In aS1stras. Tho shaft at thu
mine was sunk after the old Mexican
fashion. II was about eight feet by
fourteen in size, and Its ladders oi
notched poles were used instead OF rope
and windlass or hoisting apparatus, the
miners walking up and down the poles
heads in rswhide sacks. The poles
were placed in the shaft in such q
position that they formed xigxag line.
Ike q worm fence. from top to bottom.
there being little platforms on which
top Of the next below. Thus, in descend
ing the shaft, one passed from platform
to platform, and side to side of the open
ing, until the bottom was reached. When
the news OF the discovery OF silver in
Washoe reached Maldanado he aban-
doned this mine-which was hardly
paying expenses at the time-and cross
ing the Sierra Nevada mountains came
to the Comstock lode.
The nearer our little party came to
the shaft the more certain we all felt
that we were on FOOLS errand for
how was man in the bottom of that
shaft to send note stating the fact to
a place full half mile awayl It was
nonsense to think OF such thing yet
there we were toiling up the steep face
Of the mountain for the purpose Of find.
ing the man-the man calling himself
Jacob Pritchard. Several times we
halted and laughed at the ridiculous
ness of our mission.
Arrived at the top of the hill and at
the mouth Of the shaft, one of the men
said: "Well, here we are ! Now to
make known our presence to the man in
the shaft-to Jacob Pritchardl"
"Well, call down to him." said an
other, laughing for, now that we stood
at the mouth of the shaft, we felt quite
silly, and half expected to see some one
peep out from behind tree or rock and
"raise the laugh" on us.
Tho IN xuIo hoI Arok u,,oH or, ctoo,ooJ
over the shaft and shouted: "Jacob,
are you down there9"
Almost instantly there came up from
the shaft faint cry that was half moan,
half shout. We all heard it, and were
thrilled and startled.
Most of the faces about the shaft sud- |
denly grew pale. We all stood silent |
for seconds, when some one esaid : "Sure
as fate there is a man down there !"
"Who are you9 Who is down there?"
again called out our spokesman, stoop-
ing close down to the dark mouth Of
the shaft.
"Jacob Pritchard p was the answer
that came up the shaft. The name was
so distinctly uttered that all heard it,
and hearing it, turned shade paier
than before.
sit beats all, said one of the men,
breaking q 81 mewhat protracted silence.
"That was the name signed on the note,
and there is the fellow still in the Shaft.
"Ask him about the note," said one
of our party.
"Did you-write note-and send it
out-asking for help cried our
spokesman.
"I did," was the prompt response
from the bottom of the shaft, and
again we all gazed at one another in
amazement.
How-could you-send out-a let
ter ?" asked Bill.
Sect me out. I can't tell now |"
came from the dark, in vexed and
gasping voice.
"He is right" said Bill; i" we ought
to be ashamed to stand here questioning
the poor fellow when there are enough
of us to eat him up without either salt
or pepper Light couple of candles
and get the rope ready. Two of us will ,,
go down and see how he can be got out. ,
Some of the bottom ladders must be
broken, or he could come out himself
that is, if his legs are both sound. :
Mike Murphy, you are stout and active,
come with me and we'll 60 and see that J
fellow"
"B-but h-how could he bring up 9
The letter 2" stammered Mike, shaking
MS head and looking anything but ready 9
70 descend the shaft.
"Blow the letter |" said Bill; "hell
ell us all about that when we get him J
,ut. Are we to keep him there all day y
While we stand here parleying like a pack II
# towards e. y
"I-I'm not afraid to 60 down there, d
If COURSE" said Mike, "but we all .
lnow that this here is a queer kind Of v
business, from first to last-that is. as u
ar as we've got il it."
"Well, then, Mike, you and I Co." 81
aid Bill. Just drop the end of the
ope into the shaft and we'll work it y
long to the bottom as we coon it k
lown the ladders. Take your candle,
Nike" h
Mike took the candle into q rather
hand, and then waiting until b
Bill was down few feet, got upon the I
op of the notched pole and began de- ri
cending backward, as crawfsh travels. N
Slowly and steadily the two men de- I
cended the shaft, slipping from notch b
o notch in the long slender poles. As 81
ve stood at the edge of the wide OPEN W
ng and eagerly gazed down into it, we &c
'ould distinctly see our two companions te
nd mark their slow descent by the flick m
ring light of their candles. Now they IL
we're passing over the west side of the fc
haft; soon they turned and were seen d.
oming back to the east side, on which CT
ve stood; anon they took another lad Il
Ter, and again moved to the west. Each
ime when they thus crossed the shaft m
hey came to q little platform on which al
ested the foot OF one ladder and from te
which started the top of the next below; oi
nd so they toilsomely ziezagged their it
vay down, the light Of their candles p'
moving smaller and smaller till all we
aw resembled two little stars. Ia
Finally the two twinkling stars went Il
ver to the west side of the shaft and W
topped side by side. A murmuring, as Il
& the voices Of persons in conversation, te
hen came up the shaft. W