Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-07
THE EUREKA BONANZA.

Yesterday the SItUer State alluded
to a wonderful bonanza, rich in gold
and silver, which the Eureka SENTI-
MEL reported as having fallen from
the lifavens at the foot OF Diamond
Mountain on the 18th of last January,
as a hoax of the largest dimensions,
not that we doubted the veracity Of our
s~prightly exchange, but concluded
that Mr.. Wheeler, the Diamond valley
raneber, who claimed to have diScov-
cred the bonanza, wa buildosing the
truth. Now, however. we are satisfied
Of the truth of Mr.. Wbeeler's stale
ment, since the phenomenon is ac-
counted for by Sam Wilkes, "a highly
respectable miner OF this county. Last
night Mr.. Wilkes, who has been pros
pecting a lone mountain in the desert
some twenty miles west OF Whine
mucca, arrived in town. He heard of
the wonderful bonanza and came to
the SiIuer State office to inquire for the
Eureka SENTINEL containing a descrip-
ton of it. That journal was handed
him and upon reading the article he
jumped to his feet and eAcitedly ex-
claimed, "By hooky, that's mime"
and went on TO say that on the 9th of
January he discovered on the summit
of the lone mountain a boiling mud
spring, about 100 feet III diameter. Be-
ing something of a chemist, he made
a blow-pipe analysis of the mud, and
was surprised and gratified at finding
that it contained ten ounces of silver
and 81 80 IN gold to the bushel. He
conceived the idea of running a drift
through the rim OF the spriag and let
ting the mud run down int the valley
where it could be more easily handled.
He found upon examination that a
tunnel twelve feet long would tap the
spring ten feet below the surface. Be
ing amply provided with tools, with
the assistance of Piute John, he cut
into the rim with a pick and shovel
until he encountered n hard substance
which it became necessary to blast.
Drilling a 2-foot hole he charged it with
nitro glycerine, to which he attached a
coil Of fuse and fired it a few minutes
before 4 o'clock on the morning of the
18th of January, and started down the
mountain. Just abont 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 a thousand en-
gines were letting off steam. and upon
looking up he saw the spring, which
was about The size of the railroad
round house, in a blaze of fire, whiz-
zing though the air in an easterlv di-
rection. The whole earth seemed to
tremble and rocks am rolling down
the hillside. He experienced a chok-
ing sensation as if the atmosphere was
loaded with a poisonous gas, and the
poor Indian, who did not take the pre-
caution OF covering his mouth To avoid
inhaling the deathly fumes, was as
phyxiated. why didn't you report
this remarkable occurrence before,
Mr.. Wilkes ?" asked a listener to this
wonderful story. Because" replied
Wilkes, 81 didn't think anybody
would be damn fool enough to believe
It until | saw the accoun of IL in the
SENTINEL"
Mr.. Wilkes has consulted the legal
fraternity with a view of lnstituting
proceedings for the recovery of this
wonderful and valuable bonanza. They
are divided in opinion as to which
court has jurisdiction. Some maintain
that as it is now located in Eureka
county suit will have to be- brought
there, while others claim that ii is a
part of the realty Of Humboldt, and
that Wilkes lien attached to it before
it took its flight, but all agree that il
is his by right of discovery. We I'M
dsrstand that Mr.. Wilkes viii start i'm
mediate'y to Eureka, and that appli-
cation will be made for an injunction
against the adverse claimant. Mr..
Wheeler and Eureka will have another
mining suit, involving principles that
will astonish the lawyers in the Eure.
ka VS.. Richmond case.
In regard to Mr.. Wilkes claim OF
prior discovery, we will state that Mr..
Wheeler has fortified himself on all
the legal points of the case, and is sat
istied that he can successfully resist
any encroachment on his bonanza.
Eureka revels in big veins, big bonan-
zas, and big lawsuits, and Mr.. Wilkes
threats of legal action does not disturb
our equanimitv.