Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-07-20
VISIONS OF WEALTH.
A Country OF stupendous Ideas--Ancient
Rs... u.t. pJifna with Gold.

man VINO iS 70 De met Win Noet VI INC nhs
sour river Is scheper The projects that
are born here annually, mapped Out in the
endless conversation or in stacks OF legal
cap and then dropped incontineutly. would.
if properly described. gil volumes Mer-
chants, lawyers, physicians manufacturers,
preachers. invalids, and all their dependents
occupy their spare moment in studying up
enterprises OF great weight and moment
There is something in the atmosphere
which seems to encourage this pecuhar
phase of mental ae tivity. A young man
in the East to whom inducements to settle
in the tar West may be offered, Is assured
that, while the salary may not be large, he
must not overlook the opportunities which
a new country affords to smart, active tel
lows Opportunity has paid millions OF dol
lars in salaries in this country during the
last twenty years 1t is dealt in by all
WHO NAV be established here, and Is par
cel!ed out 10 new corners rs If 1t were aa
asset of those already here. It is intangible
Tor the most part, and consists chiefly oil
magnificent visions. The privilege of deal.
ing in opportunities is generously accorded
to all, from the railroad manager to the
kitchen drudge.
Some of tho seediest men in the West are
the
Most Brilliant schemers.
The is an old fellow who huctuates be-
tween Virginia City. Leadvine, and Denver
who fathered more projects involving tce
meudous engineering feats than all the
great engineers in the world. Every time
he turns up he has new idea, and Is very
confident that he has struck it this tame.
His latest was thus described By himself:
You are aware that the great gold de-
eosits of California have been found in the
beds OF rivers. The American, the Iuba,
the Mackalumne, the Tuolumne, and the
MERGED are all famous. Millions have been
taken from them Now, have a scheme
that il properly worked will make the finds
ON those creeks look like tallow dips by the
side of an electric light All through the
Rockies and the Sierras there are buried
rivers, rivers that have been covered up by
volcanic upheavsls in the ages that have
gone. Centuries ago there were rivers, now
unknown. as rich in minerslas any Of those
from whose. beds so many fortunes have
been taken. The lapse OF time, furious
storms. and commissions Of nature have OBJ
liberated these streams, covering them in
some instances to the depth of hundreds
of feet aud their waters have been turned
into other channels Now if gold has been
found in these comparatively new rivers, as
most OF those with which we are acquainted
undoubtedly are, what do you think must
be the richness Of the deposits in these old
river beds into which the priceless treasure
of virgin earth were washed? Covered
with mountains, as some of these streams
now are, they nevertheless, will pay for the
working. have been over the ground, and
know what am talking about.
IL have located three or four Of these
Ancient Rivers,
and have mapped out a plan oI operations.
All that will be necessary is to sink shaft
four or five hundred feet through the earth
ant rock, aud when the gravel is struck run
drifts mp and down the bed OF the Old-timC
river There is absolutely no limit to the
possibilities, may say probabilities, OF this
scheme except the length Of the river bed.
II can be followed from its source to its
mouth, and untold millions be taken out.
From observations that have made | he
lieye the present water courses OF Cahtor-
MIA to be OF comparatively recent forma-
ton when the age of the worlds considered.
If they were rich, what must be the value
of those into whose channels the washings
of cycles were swept? tits a big thing, and
il can get some moncved men interested
in the scheme | will make a hundred for
tunes.
Il have got u scheme, said thin, long
whiSkered individual in Las AniDas tav-
ern the other day, which only needs money
to make it a stupendous and wOrld-famous
success. Now, heres this Arkansas river
It's no good after it leaves the mountain
country, and with little change in its
course it might be made useful to the West.
have found place where by the con
Struction OF wall "f rough masonry, seven
Or eight feet high, for distance Of two or
three miles. that river could he turned from
its channel here in Colorado, and sent
booming TO the south through Arizona or
New Mexico, as YOU pleased and into the
Rio Grande Some eXcavating would be
necessary at few places. but | would
utilize the beds Of other rivers TO q consid-
cradle extent With a steady supply of
good water then assured it would be an easy
matter to sell privileges along the route, to
construct great reservoirs for rigating pur-
poses, and to build water works for towns
and
Mining Camps.
This thing is in the interest of civilization
THE river now runs through fiat coun-
try the inhabitants Of which cannot and do
not care to utilize its waters Turned of,
as propose. it would hasten the settlement
of all the country to the south of us, and
develop some of the richest mining proper
ties in the world Think Of the amount of
stock that could be sold in such a scheme
of the number of companies that could be
organized, aud of the dividends that they
would pay. have had a talk with one
Congressman and with several capitalists
on this project, and the thing rs working.
The first thing YOU know it will be under
full hesdwsy.'
On Denver and Rio Grande train the
other day a Sharp-eyed man, who had tried
everything from mining and stock raising
to bottlng beer in this city observed: "One
of these days there will be a railroad
through every CANON in this whole West
eru country 1t only needs million or
two to make hundred millions on little
scheme that | have in view. There are
lots of CANYONS where YOU can't put more
than one railroad track through to save
your neck have been thinking of or
ganizing company to buy up the right OF
way in such places, and put down a section
of track Let it lie. One of these days
there II be a strike on one of these routes,
and they will have TO have a railroad built
1t can't go mp the mountain, or through it
Our right of way and bit Of track will come
mighty handy, also mighty high: and
enough can be made on one such deal to
paw the expense of the whole undertaking.
Before very long there will be demand for
the others, and so it will go I'm uegotiat-
ing for capital now.
The land grant is thing which eNciteo
the
Cupidity of the Schemers.
Every railroad in this country knows how
necessary it is to keep an eye on its lands.
Somebody is scheming for them all the