The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-09-11
IN AN OLD SHAFT,
A sterling Discovery Made by Calf
fornia Miners Riches for Two Men.

A sterling Discovery Made by Calf
fornia Miners Riches for Two Men.
Years ago, when Sierra county was first
overrun by the gold hunters, scores Of mines
were located, worked for time, and then
abandoned. The gold discovcrios In other parts
of the state came so thick and fast that il was
then impossible to keep men Mt work in any
lead that dld not pay, hundreds OF the pio-
neer minors lost fortunes by their inability to
apply themselves 20 any one task, II fortune
seemed to frown on them, news of q strike in
some other district immediately filled them
with desire TO Try their luck there also, In
this way many properties since found to DO
valuable were deserted.
In all mining countries may be found any
number OF men who believe that their ,,rede-
cessors did not fully understand their bust
ness A deserted mining outfit is to their
mind proof not that gold does not exist at that
very point, but that the IN n who tried TO find
it there years Ego did not know how to do it,
A recent discovery about four miles north
ofDow ,ievillc, CAL, has set everybody to
talking, and people now expect that every
abandoned mine in Sierra county Will have an
overhaaling James Dacy and Herman Shat
ner have long made their home in an old
cabin on the mountain SHE, from which they
tours, Continuing their attention mainly to the
deserted mines, they Mt length came upon one
which impressed them profoundly. Tools
were scattered around as though hastily
dropped, though rust and mould had gathered
thickly upon them. They found the mouth OF
n shaft over which 1t was evident a staging Of
some sort had once been placed, but only
small fragments OF it were now visible. A
short distance on they found the ruins of a
small cabin. The door and door posts still
sto d, but the roof had fallen in, and two sides
of tho building had collapsed. The men SGT
about the task Of exploring the ruin. As the
wood was badly decayed, they found the job
tedious, but after two days work they uncov-
cred mn old leather vslise containing some
clothing and mementos. There was the
frame of daguerreotype, bu: the glass was
broken, and the picture could not be made
out. A package of letters was soaked and
welded to. ether so tightly that even If the
ink had not been faded and obscured by dirt it
would have been impossible to have separated
them. Later on they found an old pistol, a
| few knives, some tin dishes, and the rem
nan,s of coat.
| 1t began to dawn upon them that it was nc
ordinary abandoned mine that they had found
The men who worked there thirty years age
never left it intentionally in that manner
What had become of them and why had they
| gone off? The prospectors searched the coun
try round for further evidence of the presence
| of miners, but were unsuccessful.
They resolved to descend the shaft. 1t tool
them several days to make their arrange
ments. They got lanterns and ropes and straps
| and finally cast lots to settle which one SHOULD
make the descent. The choice fell upon Dacev
and he promptly tied the belt about his waist
fastened the ropes to it, and made really
Shaliner took one turn with the ropes about
tree, and when every thing was in orde
Dacey let himself down easily. 1t had bee
agreed that Dacey was to go down bu
a little way that day to endeavor to locat
the depth of the shalt, and determine,
possible, tho nature Of its contents. Whe
he had decended about sixty feet h
signalled Shaffner that he desired to ascend
and the latter made the ropes fast. Dace,
then unfastened his bot, and clinging t
the ropes with his hands, pulled himself u
hand over hand. When he reached the SUI
face and was assisted out of the hole by h
partner, he was white as a ghost and almo'
speeches.. He found the shalt, not over IL
feet in depth but there was human skcleto
ut the bottom oft With the aid of his I
lantern he had been able to penetrate the IT
hottest corner of the pit. On one side he dis
covered drift, but he did not pause TO cxplol
it. The shaft was INSTRUCTED by some halt-d
cayed timbers, ION which moss had torme'
but he saw enough to convince him that go
was to be had for the digging. The two me
kept the discovery to themselves. They worl
ed diligently for several days, clearing II
; shaft and finally, coming to the bottom, thu
removed the skeleton and buried it near whe
the old cabin had stood. Beside the bon
= they found the remnants of shotgun, b
nothing else. When they began operations
the mining line they were speedily reward'
by several rich finds. The gravel gro,
richer day by day, and from specimens SCI
here it is Judge that they struck bonanza