Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-21
A COLORADO NrUNCHAUsEN.
How a Rich Mine Was Discovered
Thrown Over a Preoipice, Landing In
Cavern.

How a Rich Mine Was Discovered
Thrown Over q Preoipice, Landing In
Cavern.
A long line of heavily-ladened burros,
followed by two horsemen, says the Den
yer Ne1vs, were climbing steep trail In
the San Juan Mountains. VIM. and
Frank Smith, the drivers and owners OF
the train, were brothers. William, the
elder, although yet young man, had been
in the country long enough to be consider
ed pioneer. Frank, the younger, had
only arrived from the East about two
months before. He was a graduate OF
Yale College, also of an Eastern law
school, and had come to Colorado with
some idea of engaging in the practice OF
law. Finding, however, upon his ARRIVAL
at the little town, which was the county
seat, that the field was more than covered
already, and that the lawyers who had
preceded him had little or no business, ne
accepted his brothers invitation to JOIN
in his venture and become "Durro
puncher."
Although his handsome and still boyish
face was considerably bronzed by expo
sure to the sun and rain, yet there was IN
it the signs of unusual intelligence and OF
a disposition that was always happy. In
deed, this was manifested by the cheerful
songs with which he continually enuVen-
ed the somewhat monOtonOus and tedious
trip. On the morning In question the
train had reached the most dangerous pof-
ton Of the trail, where it wound around
the very edge of a canyon whose Jagged
and precIpitous sides and rocky bottom
threatened instant death TO the luckless
traveller who would make one misstep.
Familiarity with the trail and It's dan
gers had made the young man somewhat
careless, and it so happened that just as
he was carOling a sparkling ar from
PinafOre, and while the echoes OF ms
musical voice were still ringing through
the canyon, his usually sure-fotted horse
stepped upon loose stone, and instantly
both horse and rider were hurled over the
precipice.
The Mortified brother saw the acciden
from point a short distance in advance,
Just as he was about TO turn the BLUM. In
stantly he ran to the edge, and on the
rocky bed of the canyon, where the little
mountain stream boiled and Kissed with
the tiny white spray, he saw the mangled
body of the horse, lying a crushed and al
most shapeless mass. Making a detour,
with infinite difficulty he climbed down
the sides of the canyon and reached the
body Of the horse, but, strange to say,
that of his brother was nowhere to be
seen. Loath to leave without having dis
CQNEIGQ his UIOLnGl 1CAldALCs uG SHChN
the whole afternoon in the search, but
without having discovered a trace of the
body until the frightening shadows
warned him to resume his journey to the
camp. still some miles distant. Reluc-
family he resumed his journey, and upon
reaching camp told his wonderful story to
the crowd of eager listeners, who soon
gathered around the principal cabin. The
next morning a party was organized, who
NH dow ~ nnQNaiIinu
search for the missing man.
The mystery deepened, and in the minds
of the superstitiOus miners saVOred
strongly of the supernatural. Toward the
close of the second day a group of men,
sitting at the door OF the largest cabin,
which did duty as store and post office,
discussing young Smiths strange disap-
| pearance, were suddenly startled by see
ing the figure Of man tOiling painfully
up the steep trail and over the frail
| bridge that crosses the tor
rent which ran through the
centre Of the little settlement. Upon
his approaching nearer, what was their
| surprise to discover in him the missing
man. but so covered with bruises and so
haggard looking as to be hardly recOgniza-
bic. A crowd of willing hands assisted
him to the door of the store, and after his
wants were attended to, the chief one of
which was hunger, their intense curiosity
| was gratifed by his relation of the follow
! ing marvellous story:
at must have been several hours after
my fall before l regained consciousness,
and found myself lying on the floor of
| cavern, terribly bruised and hungry. The
walls on either side were steep and high,
/ and upon cropping around found that the
! cave extended into the mountain through
/ a perfect labyrinth of passes. Taking one
| of them at random, wandered for hours,
| dragging my weary limbs slowly and
painfully over the rough ground. Final
! ly, overcome by fatigue, lay upon the
ground and slept l know not how long.
Upon awakening, to my other pains was
| added the keener one of hunger. l still
| pushed on. however. knowing that to re-
main would be death, yet without any
/ idea Of a different fate SHOULD l continue,
/ uncertain as | was that l was not getting
/ farther away from light and liberty. sud
/ denly | saw a CLEAN Of blessed sunlight
/ coming from | could not tell where, but
heightened and mdgnifed by the object
upon which it was shining. This found
upon examination was a mass of glitter
ing ore. Following the direction of the
thread of light saw far above me an
opening in the roof OF my prison. With
terrible labor and after several falls sue
ceeded in reaching the top and made my
escape, emerging scarcely one-half
mile from the camp"
The next day the young man, having
considerably recovered from his injuries
and hunger, accompanied by several of
the miners, proceeded TO the place with
rope and tools and found one of the most
enormous deposits of rich mineral ever
-Ound in the State, with natural shafts
and tunnels, adding immensely to the
value of the find. ''This," said the mar
rator Of the above story to the reporter,
sis the story of the discovery of one Of
the greatest producing mines in the
State"