The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-04-08
GOLD AND SILVER.
I Fhas ns ,ss s.e.lss , Of Aessds

some hfvely Stories NJ A~s.s..
Fmds of the Precious r<,rys' 4 -
q correspondent writing from Onaba
says; That rich mines are often discov,
o,eu oy accident, history, both ancient
nu modern, verifies. Numerous m.
ss3tIaces sata nnva come under my obser-
~. Ilis 10 said TO Sc luck.
sclence, 80 long az the q find ris = r<,,ss
llfis ., IN such cases It would seen, n, -
~ns.ssise, e,5Se better TO be born luckv Char
t pfter 6nnsst M ny last sprine a pros-
er W.. nqnsn .'rnd ssszsx ssz miles from here
down his pick and shovsffff,, ma Ihsa.z hra,.
topk up his rifle and saunterea 7<ears ssJ
game. Fortune favored him; his isf.s<
came suddenly TO him, ms It were. He
shot deer, which, in its death -strueele'
fell over tho rocks and rolled down tin
mountain-side When the hunter
reached his game he found it living on
tne outcrop OF an immense galena ledge.
which he soon after sold for n rood
round sum--figures not stated.
In the eavly days of California, a Door
prospect0r, 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
on his enemy. he felt around in the dark
and laid hold OF the first thing he could
catch, which was hefty rock. The dog
mad sloped. OF course, and the man kept
the stone in his hand until he was safe In
bis own cabin. In the morning he saw
something bright on the missile Of war
and on closer he found that
the rock wos full of gold. He returned
ana found the Ledge from which the
quartz boulder had hosted, sold il for 4
large amount OF money, returned to the
States, bought { rm. married and
raised a large family of children.
About four years ago poor but in
dustrious prospector in this county had
the misfoi tune (or good iortune) to lose
nus horse. Ii was an old bay horse, and,
like his master, was a wandering pros
pector, only that he prospected for
grass, while the master prospected for
quartz. This particular day the old bay
wandered further than he was wont to
do. proDably because the bunch grass
was few and far between. AT any rate.
the prospector desired 70 move camp,
but could not do so without the assist
ance OF his bay companion. He must
needs find him. He was at last success
full, and while returning with the truant
be noticed the head of o mountain ram
sticking In the rocks. Stopping to ex-
anime it, he saw rich-looking quartz
scattered about, and, following it mp, he
hit upon what is now he noted Rams
horn 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 silver districtin
the Salmon river country. ("
I knew q man once who followed
mining and prospecting for a period of
Sarty Yoera He had boon oil thrnnah
California, 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 as long as the boys would
stake" him. He was getting worn
out prospecting out Of luck, and when,
on the twenty-fourth day of July, 1864,
he caniped on a tributary of Prickly
Pear creek, in Northern Montana, he
said to his three companions: LETS
sink q hole on this bar; it's the last
chance; If we can't find it hero don't
know where next to prospect" The
younger members OF the party putethe
hole to bedrock, the diggings were
named Last Chance, and two years
later the old man threw away his tools
and went home to Georgia with a joyful
heart and $1,000 in clean gold dust,
but not until after he had seen the city
of iielena-the metropolis of Montana
spring up about him.
Only last summer a prospector in the
Lower Wood river country met with an
unex pected streak of luck that aston
ished 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 1t he saw something
at his feet that resembled rich silver
"float." He traced 1t up to the ledge,
which was only short distance away,
and found that he had one of the best
prospects in Wood river. He To-
Gated the original and two extensions,
and the best ore in the vein assays up
into the thousands. Recently he sold
out for a snug little fortune.
On a mountain trail In California
there used to be a big boulder which
furnished a favorite resting place fer
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 1t had worn as
smooth as ivory, and was greasy with
frequent contact with miners clothing.
One day an old prospector squatted him.
self upon this favorite resting stone, and
while gettiog his wind he carelessly and
unconsciously pecked away at the
boulder with his pick. A piece of the
rock flew off and revealed to him the
surprising truth that he was sitting on a
rich chunk of quartz. lie at once
proceeded up the hill and found the
ledge. and it was full If. gold and
brought him much wealth.
The man who first found gold in Cali
fornia was working in mill race Mt the
time at very small wages, and didn't
expect any paw until the mill got TO
saving.