Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-11-07
. MYSTERY OF THE PLAINS
,nsmg ExpIodes = Wngom.L0nd
Of O-Gnycerfme

.,nlng ExpI0des = Wagom@Es0nd
OF itr0-GHycerfne
no following strange story was told
Nsus reporter Yesterday by an old
-, inst from the hills: would you
40 TO hear Of strange thing that hap
pe.d me last weekT' OF course the
NV was in the affirmative, so seating
tp..elves in the office of the st. James,
ii fitting our chairs at the proper angle,
= aid: ''Some years ago, while pros
S.c,ine near Idaho springs, ! came upon
F5ch lead. The rock, however, was
s,d and had to be drilled, and neces-
',riIy required two men to do the work
While was still in quandarv as to
rbon could get, stranger came up to
sbere was at work and asked me if
Enew where he could get employment. /
,nouired whether he knew anything of
aiming and could hold and strike drill.
a. assured me that he had worked in the
snines in California and Nevada for years,
and thought he understood it, Some
,binp in the manner and conversation Of
me roan made me take strong and sud
den fancy to him, and never had cause
d Ae sorry for it, He gave his name as
pobert Williams, and had a mild and
,atber agreeable face, but with mean
cboly that seemed to be the result Of
years of habit. AS it is not customary
Il this country, especially in a mining
district. to inquire particularly into
mans antecedents, | at once made
imposition to Williams TO join me and
work the new prospect on shares. He
accepted the offer, and, as | said before,
never had occasion to regret the trans
action.
always quiet, sober and industrious,
he became favorite with every one, the
only remarkable thing about him being
he never once in any way referred to his
early life. Our mine turned out pretty
we'll. and Williams and / continued
partners in working that and other
claims ever since until last week, when
he died, after very short illness, from
pneumonia. On the last day, when he
iet that he could not live, he called me
to his bedside and told me wonderful
ssorv. He said: 4 was born in Pitts
burg Penn. My father was large iron
manufacturer, and gave me all the bene
fits of good education, and INDUCED
me in everything that money could buy.
When became of age | was admitted
to the firm. Shortly afterward, owing
to fluctuations in the iron market. our
firm was forced to suspend. The blow
was particularly severe one to me, as |
was engaged to one of the most beauti-
ful as well rs wealthy ladies of the Iron
city. At this time stories were rife of
the immense riches of Colorado, and the
Pixies Peak and other excitemenJs were
drawing to that favored country large
number of the young men of the East.
With bright visions of the future and
Of the fortune that / should make to
replace that which ] hau lost. / started
West
'Upon arriving at st. Joe | found
number OF trains fitting out for the
promised land. While seeking to make
some arrangements to cross the plains, ]
was accosted one day by a man who
asked me if | was going to Color
ado. Upon being told that that was
my intention, he said: Ct am about
sending a wagon loaded with nitro
gycerine or blasting oil, as it is called,
to- the Colorado mines, and as the trip is
attended with some danger, find it diff
feult to fine anyone to take the risk.
will pay we'll for the service, and all ex-
penses beside.n Not knowing or realiz-
ing the danger, / eagerly seized the OPP
portunity. Joining party of emigrants
who were about to cross the plains, with
ouC informing them of the dangerous
character of the cargo contained in our
wagons, | started one morning, together
with another man who was employed
with me. When we camped for the
night we always drew one wagon little
to one side, took out the horses, and
slept at some distance away.
Toward the close of an afternoon In
September. 1860. when near McCand-
less's ranch, on the Little Blue, the skies
became dark, thunder storm arose, and,
as fate would have it, a bolt of light
ming struck our wagon, exploded its
contents, which consisted of $500
pounds of the dangerous substance, kill
ing every one of the small party, together
with all of the horses and cattle, and
reducing 10 fragments every wagon In
the train. BY miracle, was riding
considerably in advance at the time.
seeking to get shot at some antelope
that were grazing in the distance. be-
came aware of report louder and more
distinct than thunder, and, turning on
my horse, saw a dense cloud of
smoke where the ira n should have
been, but could not discover its where
abouts. Riding back, j discovered horri-
bic sight. Bodies of men without legs