Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-20
A Box Dug Up Containing Gold Dust,
DOublO0ns and Mexican Dollars.


There is a tradition in Sonora to the eff
feet that, about the time Fremont was
on his way to capture the city, an old
Mexican who did business in that part of
the town became very much alarmed.
Every day couriers were arriving from
the upper country bringing exaggerated
reports of the terocity and lawlessness of
the Pathfinder's battalion, and the old
man was so excited by these reports that
he determined to secrcte all his money
and valuables until the country had been
restored to quiet. He had two sons who
had been on trading expedition up the
country, and who were expected home
every day. But their continued absence,
aad the near approach of the enemy
caused the old man to undertake to hide
the treasure himself, without assistance.
Procuring strong box he placed in it his
jewelry and money.
At that time considerable gold dust
reached this city from Sonora in Mexico,
and it was very commonly received in
commerce. tits believed that the old
man placed several bags of dust IN the
box, a large number Of doubloons and a
large quantity of Mexican dollars--the
whole valued, according to subsequent
rumor, at thirty Or forty thousand dol
lars. The box was carefully covered, and
the lid tightly nailed. When night time
arrived, he strapped his box on the back
OF one of the pack mules and mounting
his horse, proceeded to Arroyo Seco,
where he buried the box and made care
full note of the exact locality. Returning
to the city. he found everything in an
uproar. Fremont had reached the Ca
huenga, and was expected the next day
to appear on the height back OF the Son
ora The old man was so excited with
the events that he was stricken with a
fever, and his sons only arrived home to
lind their father on the point Of death.
He, however, explained as we'll as he
could the exact place where he had
buried the precious box, and shortly after
he took his departure across the dark
river. It seems that the sons spent
many anxious days and nights trying to
recover the buried treasure, but they
mover succeeded. AS they began to
despair OF their success, they let others
into their secret, and said the old nan
had told them that the box was buried
at the foot OF a sycamore tree, above the
crossing of the San Pasqual road. For
years it was favorite pastime OF the
denizens Of Sonora to proceed to the Ar
royo Seco and prospect for Don Tiburcios
treasures. twas the Captain Kid mys-
terry OF our section, and every tree within
the region described was almost dug up
by the roots in quest of the precious box.
But 1t was never found
For several days past !, rumor has ex-
listed in Cast Los Angeles, that two Young
men in the employ of Mr.. II. M. johnson
Jesus Gomez and William Virgin-had
been sent ont by that gentleman for a
peculiar kind of soil, and that they took
wagons to a point on the bank of the Ar
royo Seco, and dug the earth they want
ed in the neighborhood of large syca-
more tree. While engaged in this work
one day, they came across box, which
they brought to the surface and found to
be very heavy They placed it in their
the lid, they found $500 in Mexican pesos
several bags of gold dust, piles of doub-
loons and lot of valuable jewel-y. The
whole find we have heard variously esti-
mated at from 100000 to $4,000. The
young men have kept very quiet about it,
but they have admitted the fact Of find
ing box containing money, refusing,
however, to designate the amount. The
Sonora tradition was not known to them.
but it is very likely, if the rumor of the
contents OF the box prove true, that this
is the very treasure which old Tiburcio
cashed when he apprehended that Ere
mont would take the town and plumber
it of all its portable wealth. The full
name Of the old Don was Tibuurcio Ia
bia