Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-27
HALF-NIOON CANYON.
Wonderful Region of Untold
Wealth Which Everybody
Fears to Explore.

Fears to Explore.
Leadville Chronicle.
About half a dozen miles from the
famous Twin lakes whick are the won
der of this continent in regard TO seem
erv, and perhaps % miles from the
magic CITY of Leadville, the traveller on
the road TO the new mining district sur
rounding independence gulCh comes TO
a clear, sinuous little stream known as
Half-MoOn creek. 1t tears down the
eastern slope of the great divide,
through beds of SHOWS whose under
most LAYER has never felt the warm rays
of the sun, and over grassy plots where
fragrant and delicious flowers are nurs-
ed in the mountainous storms. Follow
its course downward and it will lose
itself in Lake creek, which feeds the
Twins mentioned, and by followingit
up perhaps an honr's ride from where
the road strikes the creek, 1t is lost sight
of in Half-Moon canyon, through whose
overhanging pines and cliffs the suns
rays never fall TO the shadowed waters.
The mouth OF the canyon is barrel
shaped, and the entrance over the frs
hundred yards is made by swinging
from one rock TO another in the stream
by means of overhanging bOughsand
branches. At every step the scene be-
comes more enchanting, the luXurient
underground at times reaching nearly
TO the waters edge, and again quite
shutting out the view few rods to the
front. The enchanted explorer on CON-
ING TO these parts might readily believe
IL. L.. 81
not for the music of the waters, which
may be heard seemingly miles away,
coursiug down through the Swallowed
cavern, all sound being thrown out
through the canyon TO its mouth.
When in about the distance named the
CANYON opens out twice the size of that
portion of it now passed, and on the
right bank the traveller comes TO a trail,
which ends at a great bowlder here, but
is well defined as it reaches into the
canyon, as il made by the constant
tread of an armed sentinel, whose duty
it might be to halt all inttuders from
below. In this break in the canyon,
and perhaps another hundred yards,
the trail has been followed by the gold
seeker and huntsman, when both are
turned back through absolute fear of
what may be found beyond. The trail
is all well-beaten at this point, as over
the part passed, but again the pines
overhang the CANYON, the stream
widens, and the traveller loses his deter
mination to see further.
More than one man, processing great
er courage than those who had gone be-
fore, had gained this point, pondered at
what might be uDiolded to him, and,
like the rest, retraced his steps, cOngrat-
ulating himself that he was allowed
unmolested to return. Some say that it
is inhabited only by bears and mountain
lions, and that the beaten path has been
made by them TO the great bOwlder,
where it ends, and that these wild
beasts are now, and perhaps always
have been, virtual prisoners within their
own grounds.
A gentleman who has lately visited
the wonderful aud unknown canyon
was interviewed by a reporter for the
GjroRicle Like perhaps a hundred
others, he went 10 see and perhaps dis
cover the unknown beyond, but
his heart failed him, and he was quite
satisfied to hear related the strange
stories of those who had made
bold enough to reach the point
named. This gentleman was told
that miners had brought out quartz
picked from the sides OF the canyon,
which contained more gold than rock;
tbat many of them believed thati's walls
were made Of such stuff, and yet no one
IL ~ n
the truth, because of the stories told in
regard to the canyon. One OF these was
to the effect that some years ago
two proSpectors, lured on by what they
had found up TO the second wall spoken
of above, passed on and never returned,
Our informant declares that there Is no
doubt but the two men passed IN search
of gold and that they never returned.
1t is fact attested by those who waited
anxiously for theirreport. The ChrOni-
Gle man suggested that they might have
passed out through some opening In the
canyon as yet unknown, but this idea
was exploded by the statement TO our
informant by those who. were lett be-
hind, that il they had lived they would
have certainly returned and reported.
Yet another story, and one which APP
pals the traveller, is to the effect that
the James boys use this canyon as a
cover and hiding place. One man has
positively asserted that while prospect
inc upon the summit OF mountain
which overlooks the break in the canyon,
he saw an armed sentinel pacing to and
fro over the trail. At first sight he
thought the person to be hunter, but
as his strange movements attracted the
attention, ne made close watch, and is
sure that the mans business there was
that of guard and is ready to swear to
not only this par of the story, but that
at one time he observed two men there,
and that he believes it was the purpose
of the second to relieve the first from
duty. Whether these stories be true or
false, one thing is certain, no man to-day
can be driven or coaXed for a greater
distance than 800 yards through Half