The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1877-02-27
THE ECU REKA BONA MA,

~
Great Find Origin OF the I'm
IN Hse Mineral Deposit.
Yesterday the SIvER STATE alluded to
a wonderful bonanza, rich in gold and
silver, which the Eureka Sentinel re
ported as having fallen from the heav-
ems at the foot of Diamond Mountain
on the 9TH of last January. as a hoax
of tue largest dimensions, not that we
doubted the veracity of our sprightly
exchange, bat concluded that Mr.
Wheeler, the Diamond Valley rancher,
who claimed to have discovered the
bonanza was buiidozing the truth.
Now, however, we are Satisfied of the
truth of Mr., WheeIer's statement since
the phenomenon is accounted for by
Sam Wilkes, highly respectable
| miner of this county. Last night Mr.
Wilkes, who has been prospecting a
lone mountain in the desert some
twenty miles west of Winnemucca,
| arrived in town. He heard of the
| wonderful bonanza and came to the
| SILVER STATE Office TO inquire for the
Eureka Sentinel containing a descrip-
ton of it. That journal was handed
him aud upon reading the article he
| jumped to his feet aud excitedly ex-
claimed: by hooky, that's mine"
/ and went on to say that on the 9Th Of
January be discovered on the summit
| of the lone mountain a boiling mud
spring, about 100 feet in diameter.
Being something of chemist he made
| a bbew-pipe analysis of the mud, and
! was surprised and gra;ified at finding
/ that it contained ten ounces of silver
and 80 so in gold to the bushel. He
| conceived the idea of running drift
! through the rim of the spring and let
ting the mud run down into the valley
| where it could be more easily handled.
He found upon examination that a
tunnti twelve feet long would tap the
spring ten feet below the surface.
Being amply provided with tools. with
the assistance of Piute John he cut
into the rim with pick and shovel
until he encountered hard substance
which it became necessary to blast.
Drilling two foot hole he charged it
with nitro I'll cerne, to which he at
tached coil of fuse and fired it few
minutes before o'clock on the morn
lug of January 7th, and started down
the mountain. Just about the time he
reached the base of the hill there was
an explosion which sounded 40. 900
times louder than thunder. followed by
a kissing noise like as if thousand
engines were letting off steam, and
upon looking up be saw the spring
which was about the size of
the railroad round house, in
in a blaze of fire, whizzing through
the air in an easterly direction. The
whole earth seemed to tremble and
rocks came rolling down the hillside.
| He experienced a choking sensation
as If the stmos phere was loaded with
q poisonous gas and the poor Indian,
who did not take the precaution of
covering his mouth to avoid inhaling
the deathly fumes was asphyxiated.
Why didn't yen report this remark
able occurrence before, Mr.. Wilkss?"
asked q listener to this wonderful
story. Because" replied Mr..
Wilkes, 81 didn't think anybody
would be dam fool enough to believe
it until saw this account of it in the
Sentinel.
Mr.. Wilkes has consulted the Legal
fraternity with view of instituting
proceedings for the recovery of this
wonderful aud valuable bonanza. They
are divided in opinion as to which cour,
has jurisdiction. Some maintain that
as 1t is now located in Eureka county
suit will have to be brought there
while others claim that it Is q part o.
the realty of Humboldt and thai
Wilkes lein attached to it before
it took its fight. but all agree that il
ia his by right of discovery. We un
| $1,000 A. Al. XN.ll.o, NJ Ill ntarI I'M