The Princeton union., 1881-02-17
Some Curious Stories Of Lucky Finds.

IN Inc early days OF California a poor
prospector, sadly out of luck, was return
ing ing to his camp after night, when he
was assailed by vicious dog. Having
no weapon with which to stand off his
enemy, he felt around in the dark and
laid hold of the first thing he could
catch, which was hefty rock. The dog
had sloped, of course, and the man kept
the stone in his hand until he was safe
IN his own cabin. In the morning he
saw something bright in the missile Of
war, and on closer examination he found
that the rock was full of gold. He re-
turned and found the ledge from which
the quartz bowlder had doated, sold it for
large amount of money, returned to
to the States, bought farm, married,
and raised large family Of children.
a poor, but industrious, prospector in
this county had the misfortune Cor good
fortune) to lose his horse. It was an
old bay horse, and, like his master, was
wandering prospecter, only that he
prospected for grass, while the master
prospected for quartz. This particular
day the old bay wandered further than
he was wont do, probably because the
bunch, grass was few and far between.
At any rate, the prospector desired to
move camp, but could not do so without
the assistance of his bay companion. He
must. needs find him. He was at last
successful, and, while returning with
the truant, he noticed the head of a
mountain ram sticking in the rocks.
Stopping to examine it, he saw rich
looking quartz scattered about, and, fol-
lowing it up, he hit upon what is now
the noted Ramshorn mine-the longest
and richest silver ledge that we know Of.
The district was named Bay Horse, as it
should have been, and is the richest sill
yer district in the Salmon river country.
/ knew man once who followed min
ing and prospecting for period of forty
years. He had been all through Cali
fornia, Colorado, and Montana, and had
prospected twenty-five years in Georgia
before coming West. He was not much
on digging deep holes, but he would GO
round hunting for shallow diggings SO
long as the boys would "stake'' him.
BE was getting worn out prospecting
out of luck, and when, on the Oath day
of July, 1864, he camped Oh tributary
OF Prickly Bear creek, in Northern Mon.
tana, he said to his three companions,
"Let's sink hole on this bar it's the
last chance; if we can't find it here, ]
don't know where next to prospect. >
The younger members of the party put
the hole to bed rock, the diggings were
named Last Chance, and two years Later
the old man threw away his tools anc
went home to Georgia with a ioyfu
heart and 800, 900 in clean gold dust,
but not until he had seen the city o1
Helena, the metropolis of Montana
spring up about him.
A prospector in the Lower Wood rive1
| country met with an unexpected streal
| of luck that astonished him. While OF
his way across from Bellevue to CroJ
| canon the pack on the horse he was
| leading became loose, and in order te
adjust it he dismo1lnted. While rear
ranging it he saw something at his fee
that resembled rich silver g float" 81
traced it up to the ledge, which was only
| short distance away, and found tina
he had one of the best prospects il
Wood river. He located the origina
!, and two extensions, and the best ore il
the vein assays up into the thousands.
Cn mountain trail in California ther,
used to be abig bowlderw which furnished
favorite resting place for tiredfootmen
Thousands of men had sat on that ston'
and rested their weary limbs. In fact
it was of SO peculiar shape that i
seemed to fit every one who tried it
With long usage it had worn as smootl
as ivory, and was greasy with frequen
contact with miners clothing. One da,
an old prospector squatted himself upol
this favorite resting stone, and Will
/ getting his wind he carelessly and un
consciously pecked away at the bowlde
with his pick. A piece Of rock few Of
and revealed to him the surprising trut]
that he was sitting on rich chunk Q
quartz. He at once proceeded up tn
hill and found the ledge, and it was fu]
Of gold andbrought him much wealth.
Western paper.