The Elk Mountain pilot., 1882-07-13
PROSPECTING.

Iulnet Oh Inc OunnliOn COuntIyj NoiO-
RADIO, relates the following interesting
story to our reporter
"In all my exper,encein California
and Nevada in their palmiest days, l
never saw anything which has equal
led the amount Of money taken out Of
the ground in the southwest9n partof
Colorado, nor do l believe that ~
before was there such a rich coantry
developed. In 1876 the Black Hills
country was ol ened up, and people
thought that would prove very great,
but after many had gone and dropped
all the money they had, ahey returned
70 the States in disgust. This was in
1916, and at that time Leadville was
hardly thought Of. After May.1 the
first news arrived that some fine pros
poets had been discovered in Colo
RADIO, and returning Black Killers
wended their way in that dirsct'y n,
myself with the rest.
"What was then known as the old
California guleh mining district was
'illing up with ptospectors, who we're
stalking out claims on the carbonat
fields. While ] was yet there a man
came up named Dexter-Jim Dexter
they called him-he was full of life
and hope, and had some money. He
looked about for awhile and finally
bought claim on Carbonate Hill,
which had not been prospected very
we'll. He paid about $4,000 for 1t,
and set to work putting in machinery
and sinking the shaft, which was al
ready down some 100 feet or more.
He worked away though people laugh
ed at him a good deal. The
mine had not shown up single thing
in the way Of mineral, though the
shaft had been sunk several hurd.ed
feet. Dexter did not know what to
do. He had now spent nearly all the
he had and nothing coming in. Early
in the year 1879 party came to him
and asked him what he would take
for his mine, Dexter told him !; the
price was paid, some 100000, or s5,-
900 more than Dexter had spent on it
altogether. He was mighty glad to
get the $50, 1000 and thought himself
we'll out Of bad bargain. He rush
ont and ordered the miners to drop
their tools and quit work. He SAID {:
Boys, I have sold this d-d hole,
and l don't want you to work for me
another minute The miners had
just finished drill and were going to
place blast and uncover some rock,
and they asked to be allowed to finish
it before they quit work. NO., said
Dexter, come out, don't want you
to work any more Dexter got his
money and was happy.
"Well, the mine had been bought
by stock company, and in 4 short
time they began work on it. They
went up there and laid a fuse to the
blast left by Dexter's men and touch
it of. After the smoke had cleared
away they went in to see how much
rock had been loosened, and there BE-
fore their eyes they saw the richest
body of silver ore ever seen since tie
world began. Hundreds Of thousa41s
Of dollars met the gaze OF the delight
ed owners, of the richest kind of ore.
That mine was the celebrated Robert
E Lee, which has made everybody
rich who has had anything to do with
it since Jimmy Dexter sold it. Mil,
lions Of dollars have been turned out
Of it, and it is the greatest silver mine
in the world.
The reporter asked how Dexter took
the misfortune:
"Well, they say Dexter would cry
for 4 long time after, whenever he
heard the name of thsmine mentioned,
butI don't know how that h. He oot
hold Of other mining property with
the money received. and b now = rich
man, living in Denver in 6ae style.
He has the repatation of hsving the
most elegantly-furnished house IN
Denver, and it surely Is > beautiful
p1ace. ."-St. LENS Ha- DE1bstaA
An eye opensss Whan tbe girl Who