The Portland daily press., 1881-01-12
Gold and Silver.
Some Lively Stories OF Accidental
Finds" of the Precious Metals

Correspondence of the Omaha (Neb,) Republican.
That rich mines are often discovered by ac-
cident history, both ancient and modern
veriies. Numerous instances of this kind
have come under my own observation. This
is said to be luck, but it matters not whether
it is luck or science. so long as the "fnd" is
good one. In such cases it would seem th at it
is even better to be born lucky than industri-
GUS. Only last Spring a prospector, not 20
miles from here, after hunting many days for
quatz ledge, tired in his search and threw
down his pick and shovel in disgust and took
up his rifle and sauntered forth for game
Fortune favored him; his luck came suddenly
to- him, as it were. He shot deer, which, in
its death-struggle, fell over the rocks and
rolled down the mountain-side. When the
hunter reached his game he found it lying on
the outcrop of an immense galena ledge, which
he soon after sold for good round sum-fig-
ures not stated.
In the early days of California, poor pros
pector, sadly out of luck, was returning 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 some-
thing bright on the missile of war; and on clos
er examination he found that the rock was
full of gold. He returned and found the
ledge from which the quartz boulder had float
ed, sold 1t for large amount of money, re-
turned to the States, bought farm, married.
and raised large family of children.
ABOUT TOUR years ago poor but industrious
prospector in this county had the misfortune
Tor the good fortune) to lose his horse. 1t was
an old bay horse, and like his master was a
wandering prospector, only that he prospected
Tor grass, while the master prospected for
quartz. This particular day the old bay wan
dered further than he was wont to do, proba-
bly, because the bunch grass was few and far
between. AT any rate, the prospector desired
to move camp. but could not do so with out the
assistance of his bay companion. He must
needs lind him. He was at last successful, and
while returning with the truant he saw the
head OF mountain ram sticking in the rocks
STOPPING to examine it, he saw rich looking
quartz scattered about, and, following 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
rlchestl silver district in the Salmon River
country.
kew man once who followed mining and
prospecting for period CT 40 years. He had
Montana, and prospected 25 years in Geor gia
before coming West. He was not much on
digging deep holes but he would 60 rou nd
hunting for shallow dggings so long as the
boys would stake" him. He was getting
worn out prospecting out of luck. and when
on the oath day of July, 1864, he camped on
tributary of Prickly Pear Creek, in Northern
Montana, 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 l don't know
WlGrA II
Ders OF the party put the hole to bedrock, the
the diggings were named Last Chance. and
two years later the old man threw away his
tools ana Went vent home to Georgia with a Joyful
heart and Sl0O,OO0 in clean gold dust, but not
until after he had seen the city OF Helena
the metropolis of Montana-spring up about
him.
Only last August prospector in the Lower
Wood River country met with an unexpected
streak OF luck that astonlshed him. While on
his way across from Bellvue to Croy Canon
the pack on the horse he was leading became
loose, and in order to adjust it he dismounted.
While rearranging it he saw something at his
feet that resembled rich silver .shoat.' He
traced it mp to the ledge, which was only a
short distance away, and found that he had
one OF the best prospects" in Wood River
lie located the original and two extensions.
and the best ore in the vein assays up into the
thousands. Recently he sold out for snug
little fortune.
On mountain trail in California there used
to be a big boulder which furnished a fayorite
resting-place for tired footmen. Thousands of
men had sat on that stone and rested their
weary limbs. In fact it was of SO peculiar
shape that it seemed to fit every one who
tried it. With long usage it had worn as
smooth as ivory, and was greasy with frequent
contact with miners clothing. One day an
old prospector squatted himself upon this IA
yorite resting-stone, and while getting his
wind he carelessly and unconciously pecked
away at the boulder with his pick. A piece
OF the rock flew of and revealed to him the
surprising truth that he was sitting on a rich
chunK OF quartz He at once proceeded up
the hill and found the ledge. and it was full of
gold and brought him much wealth.
The man who first found gold in California
was working in mll-race at the time at very
small wages, and didn't expect any pay until
the mill got to saving.
mus might go on and give many more in
stances of rich mines being discovered by ac-
cident, but it will not aid the prospector. He
will soon learn that it takes a close observer
and persistent digger to make a good pros
pector. The new beginner is not long in no
ticing that accidental mines are rare Ex-
perience teaches all of us that mines do not
walk around over the country asking some-
body to find them. On the contrary, they
seem to hide themselves in the mountains, and
appear to dread the approach of the man with
the pick and shovel.
We are told that once upon time young
man left the home of his childhood, bid fare
well to his weeping mother, kissed away the
tears OF his little sweetheart, and went out in
to the wilds of the West to become miuer.
The tradition goes that he at last struck
mining camp, and being inexperienced he
sighted a veteran for advice as to the best
place to dig Seeing his visitor was "tender-
foot dressed in store clothes. the old man, in
the kindness of his big heart, answered.
young man. go up ON the hillside, in the
shade of yonder green tree, and dig, and for
tune will SMILE" The young man did not
"tumble' to the sarcasm of the man of ex-
perience, but went forth with joy to the shade
of the great tree as directed, dug, and found
lie-every word of it. 1 have heard the same
old story told as having happened in the lead
mines Of Wisconsin, in the gold mines of Cal
ifornia, Montana, Colorado, the Black Hills, |
and Nevada. and now | am only waiting to