The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-10
MANS FORTUNATE FALL.
ow ONE OF THE RICHEST MINES
IN COLORADO WAS FOUND.
hc Driver of n Burro Train Hurled
over ~ Preciptce into n Cavern
EiIIcd with IkiCh Minerals.

steep trail in the San Joan mountains.
| illiam and Frank Smith, the drivers
pa owners of the train, were brothers.
| lillian, the elder, although yet young
an had been in the country long enough
\be considered a pioneer. Frank, the
PuPger, had only arrived from the East
|o4t two months before. He was
|adNate OF Yale college, also of an east
n law school, and had come to Colora-
Q with some idea of engaging in the
factice of law. Finding, however, upon
S arrival at the little town. which waf
he county seat, that the field was COW
red already, and that the lawyers who
'pd preceded him had little or no bust
ess, he accepted his brothers invitation
Join in his venture and become .
burro puncher"
Although his handsome and still boyish
Zee was considerably bronzed by ex.
osure to the sun and rain, yet there was
it the signs of unusual intelligence
nd of a disposition that was always
|hppy. Indeed, this was manifested by
he cheerful songs with which he con.
nually enlivened the somewhat monoto.
|ous and tedious trip. On the morning
question the train had reached the
! lost dangerous portion of the trail,
here it wound around bluff on the
Fry edge of canon whose Jagged and
fecipitous sides and rocky bottom
|lreatened instant death TO the luckless
1lveler who would make one misstep
familiarity with the trail and its dangers
nd made the young man somewhat care
|ss, and it so happened that just as he
las caroling sparkling air from PIN
ore" and while the echoes of his must
\ voice were still ringing through the
|non, his usually sure footed horse
|epped upon loose stone and instantly
Prse and rider were hurled over the
| ecipice.
The Mortified brother saw the accident
ON point short distance in advance
! st as he was about turning the bluff.
|stantly he ran to the edge; and on the
|cky bed of the canon, where the little
|ountain stream boiled and Kissed with
+ tiny white spray, he saw the mangled
Pdy of the horse lying a crushed and
|most shapeless mass. Making detour,
tn infinite difficulty he climbed down
|e sides of the canon and reached the
Pdy of the horse, but, strange to say,
lat of his brother was nowhere to be
en-. 10th to leave without having dis
|vered his brothers remains, he spent
[e whole afternoon in the search, but
thout having discovered trace of the
|herabouts of the body until the length
(ing shadows warned him to resume his
|urney to the camp, still some miles dis
mt. Reluctantly he resumed his jour
fy, and upon reaching camp told his
|onde:ful story to the crowd of eager
fteners who soon gathered around the
fincipal cabin. The next morning a
krty was organized, who spent the
hole day in an unavailing search for
e missing man.
The mystery deepened, and in the
binds OF the superstitious miners savored
Fongly of the supernatural. Toward
|c close Of the second day group of
ZEN, sitting at the door of the largest
bin, which did duty as store and
Pst-office, discussing young Smiths
range disappearance, were suddenly
Fartled by seeing the figure of a man
Ling painfully up the steep trail and
| er the trail bridge that crossed the tor
|nt which ran through the centre of the
tie settlement. Upon his approaching
|arer, what was their surprise to dis
|ver in him the missing man. but so
|vered with bruises and SO haggard
|oking as to be hardly recognizable. A
|owd of will ing hands assisted him to
|e door of the store, and after his wants
ERE attended to, the chief one of which
hs hunger, their intense curiosity was
ratified by the relation OF the following
|arvelous story:
I" 1t must have been several hours af-
|r my fall before l regained conscious
Fss, and found myself lying on the floor
a cavern, terribly bruised and hungry.
be walls on either side were steep and
|gh, and upon cropping around | found
lat the cave extended into the mountain
trough perfect labyrinth of passages.
liking one of them at random | wan
bred for hours, dragging my weary
|nbs slowly and painfully over the
|ugh ground. Finally overcome pv
higue, | lay upon the ground, and slept
know not how long. Upon awakening
my other pains was added the keener
be of hunger. | still pushed on, how
Fer, knowing that to remain would be
bath, yet without any idea of differ
1t fate should | continue, uncertain us |
hs that | was not getting farther away
ON light and liberty. Suddenly saw
CLEAN of blessed sunlight coming from
fould not tell where, but heightened
fd magnitied by the object upon which
was shining. This found upon ex-
hination was mass of glttering ore.
Following the direction of the thread
light, | saw far above me an opening
the roof of my prison. With terrible
Dor and after several falls, | succeeded
reaching the top and made my escape,
herging scarcely one-half mile from the
Imp"
The next day the young man, having
|nsiderably recovered from his injuries
hd hunger, accompanied by several of
be miners, proceeded to the place with
|pes and tools, and found one of the
est enormous deposits of rich mineral
Ter found in the State, with natural
BATS and tunnels adding immensely to
be value of the land "This," said the
hrrator of the above story to reporter
Esterday, sis the story of the discovery
one of the crraatoet ,roluo;n.