Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-07-20

THE EXTRAORDINARY GOOD FORTUNE OF A Pov-
ERTY-sTRIcKES MINER-HOw THE SUN OF
FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WAS MELTED IN
THREE DAYS.
The following gold discovery took place in
California within the last eight weeks. 1t is
a specimen of the unrecorded strikes" oc-
curing from time to time in a country some
times supposed to be worked out" Had
the incident happened in the Black Hills, it
would by this time have been told in III, 600
papers. This story relating how a fortune
was made in three days nsar Auburn, Placer
county, is from the Placer Herald;
The richest strike made in this county
for many years, and as rich perhaps as was
ever made, we here have the pleasure of re-
cording. A. o. Bell, commonly called Pike
Bell, who with his family, has resided for
many years on Bald hill, few miles north of
Auburn, as many know, Is dauntless pros
pector. Though occasionally making strike
of some considerable Importance in the past,
he has managed, like most modern prospect
ors' TO keep poor. Last winter in particular
he was in very Strengthened circumstances,
and having no money, and the merchants re-
fusing to credit him, he offered his only
horse, worth about $50, for SO. that he
might buy bread for his children, and failing
in his efforts to sacrifice his horse lie pawned
the ring of his wife's finger to obtain the
necessaries OF life. Day by day he continued
his searches for the glittering treasure, and
whether the passing day had revealed color
or not his spirits were always iubilant, appa-
rently kept up by the hope that seemed never
to desert him of doing better on the morrow.
At last the lucky day came. 1t was about
three weeks ago, when hunting around over
the hills he struck his pick INTO little
mound which resembled somewhat III ap-
pearnnce an ant hill, ana to his delight ae
unearthtd some pieces OF decompOsed quartz,
attached TO which were some colOrs OF gold.
Encouraged at this prospect he began to sink
on his new lead, and WAS rewarded by find
ing more or less gold at every stage of de
scent Last Saturday he had reached a depth
of about 80 feet, and had taken out in sink
ing that far rock estimated TO be worth about
81 500. The rock being extremely rotten,
or what In called by quartz miners decom-
posed, he had with little effort pounded out
IN q mortar enough 10 pay expenses as he
progressed. He had hired men to assist him
In working the mine, and on last Monday
morning they went to work AS usual. The
gouge as We would cal ! 1t, as IT is too rotten
to be properly called a ledge, was discovered
by noon to have become suddenly richer. In
the afternoon ichunks of almost pure gold
we're taken out, and the decomposed stuff
that filed the lnterstlces between the rocks
was so rich IN gold that flke began TO wash
1t with pan. From three pans inll washed
on Monday afternoon ne obtained eoid esti- hi
mated to he worth between 81 i'oooahd -, ooo'
That evening he came INTO town, ana eiVlhS
us hint OF what he had GOT invited us 10
60 ont and see 1t. On tuesday afternoon, IA
company with shenil MrIornick' we ViSlte', /,
the mine We found Bell WIN ma pan oi soid
IN ms hands worth from 9l'oUo 10 sl'ooo'
when ne assured us All came from one pan
OF dift; but' he S'nd' ii you doi peiieNe
1t, VIII wash hhother pan ana Emo" you.
We tod MN TO wash. 1he pan was sent
down III the Shait and soon returned hlied
with mass oi muddy, rocky stun that
sparkled all over with pieces ot gold. inns
was washed 4 OUT nnu found TO contain iully