Wichita eagle., 1886-10-26
9ai19R gayle
THE GUNSIGHT MINES.
THREE MEN FOUND THEM AFTER
CROSSING DEATH VALLEY.

EcFoEe t!:c 7Zountains Were Isc=ciied.
Gol. discovered ia Abundance.
There are now in this city three nlen who
have recently crossed and recrosscd the
famous Death valley OF southern California,
and who have succeeded in solving q mino
mystery which has bafled The Elost daring
and sl;illrs! p.cGpec;crs for many years. The
Gursie!t plccers were located in -, but were
aftcr,vard lost, and, though repeated attempts
have been li!at.o to find them, most Of tho
men cngaScd in the effort have pcrishcd.
About six weeks ago when a. L. Judson,
4. D. Spring and Barney Carter announced
that they vcrc going after the Gunsi9ht
trail, their friends tried to dissuaie them,
and chance ncguairtances laughingly bade
them gooi-by forever. No one ever expected
to SEQ them again, and when they set out
confidently Oh their mission they were given
ND rs dead mcn might have been. So many
such expeditions had left this and other
towns only TO mcct death in its most horrible
forms, that this ono was regarded rs es-
pecially foo,hardy.
About week ago the three men returned.
They came in by rail, ragged, eInaciated end
feeble. and one Of them, Carter, sick abed.
But all werc enthusiastic over their achieve
ments, and eacl, lad in his pockets nuggets
to prove his assertion that the Gunsight mino
had been found. The story Of their trip
would DO Incredible wcro they not here as
living Witnesses to its truth, their bodies
bearing oil too plainly the proofs Of the suf-
fcrings which they have undergone
THROUGH DEATH VALLEY
Knowing that The d;scovercrs Of tl.o Gun
sight mines crossed the Death valley. thcso
adventurcrs sought, il possible, to make tl.o
same trail. Once through the Mojare desert,
they soon can!c to the dazzling white sandy
plain, where 70 life can exist Almost q: tho
first stop they yTere prostrated By The Gorco
heat from above and below. Their feet
sweilel so that tLcy we're compelled 10 rip
open their shoes, and the goggles which they
had prepared were hII. feeble protection for
their eyes.
The ran liad two wagons, each drawn sy
two horses, cnl in .hcsc vehicles thcy carried
water il barrels and other supplies After
an hour or tTo of the mos. painful locomo-
ton, the heat becoming more into!cra'lo st
every step, tho party paused . few minutes
for rest and refrcehnaoEt. The poor bcastY
fairly groaned IN their agony. and The Mea
themselves did not darc look at each other
lest they world read in each others eyes tho
despair which al knew was settling upon
them. On crcry band they !eheli IL.
whtened Skeletons cf men, Of horses, and Of
burros. In so,re places they found the re-
mains of what appeared to have Eccn Gil ox
pedition--iiurcl vehicles. with TIE skeletons
OF horses and men lying about Vulturcs
swooped down upon them with angry cries,
and other birds Of prey circled high aiovo
their heads to'lowin. tier, as they pro-
grcssod
Whom night came they followed tho north
ster, one man trying to sleep while the others
drove. At daybrcak there was nothing to
relieve the eye. All around thcM was tho
gieamc:;ns sand; overhead tho brassy sky,
and far ave. the rocky sides of mountains On
which no vegetable life was ever found
Ncarily thc J pressed on, confident that the
worst Was over, hut when almost IN sight Of
tho cast range Of the Amargosas, 10 which
they were bound, the blazing heat played
chem n mercilcss prank:
The scorchng which mon ard beasts were
enduring with reasonable fortitlIde was too !
much for the water barrels and their wagons.
The wood OF which they were made shranll |
and shriyeled until they fell to pieces, first |
the wagons and then tho barrels All attempts !
to Keep them together were useless With tie |
water gone thc party was wei nigh in despair, |
bat when the wagons too, fell to piece. tliero
WIS I. minute WHICH all recognized tho proba- !
bility that another expedition was TO be added !
to The long list of those which had gone Into /,
that abode cf death never TO be heard Of |
again.
4 LUCKY DISCOVERY.
When tlngs appeared to be at tiieir worst, |
Garter spied something IN tho white sand a
few rods away, and, huryiilg toward it,
found the pieces OF q wagon which had be-
lonectl toa sorty-nincr, whose skeleton lay |
close at hand. Wood never decays III that |
atmosphere csrd of tie three wrecked wagons |
the men vege able TO gear TIP one vehicle that |
would convey their remaining supplies and !
their tools.
This dclay c2rlc very near being fetal TO !
all concerned. One horse died in the harness, |
and Carter was prcstrated so completely that |
for 2 time his life wss despaircd Of. Toiling |
painfully along, now without water and with |
no hope OF 2ny until they could clear the desc
late valley. .Tulson and Spring were at length |
compelled III their agony to dig deep into tho |
sand in The hope Of finding moisture with !
which 10 Guench their intolerable thirst st |
the depth Of . few feet they came upon water. |
but it was salt. They drank OF it, but it only |
served TO increase their suffering, ard when !
they Cave soma OF II TO their horses tho beasts
refused TO swallow it, With firm deterrni- !
nation TO press on to tho utmost limit CT their
strength the men continued the journey, and |
at length. moro dead than alive, they emerged |
from tho valley and began the ascent Of tho |
mountains.
Hero thev foand some bunch grass. on |
which their horses fcasted, and spring OF |
water, copiors draushts from which sccn re-
viyed the entire party. Tarrying Gt this |
spring day or two Tor the purpose CT re- |
cuperatnS, tho men finally pushed On, pres /
pecting the country closely IS they went. /
For week 10 trace Of gold or Of tho pre-
vious presence Of man was found, but Oh tho |
eighth day, IS they were digging for water, |
they came upon gravel, ahounding il coarse |
gold i'll nuggets worth from 81 10 s. aniccc. |
This, thea, MIS- i'll tlic vicinity OF the far !
famed Gursigit rlacers, and another DAYS |
investigation brought tLc,n upon tie very |
ground where nearly forty years ago the |
mines had hecn s,aked oat. Procuring many |
fiDe specimens, lie men returned by Il round |
aboct vl, AID On arriving here made l.aoy,n |
thci; discovery To Gilapiie,cd appearance |
Of the advcn.GreTs AID tho magnificent s,oci- !
meas which t..ey hid with tleln brought |
plenty of fr.cEGs 10 tLcir side, ard already
preparations ere il progress for an cxpcd:- |
iicn wlioh is u have Tor its ohjcc. tie open
iug o. TIE rlines-IC5 Angelcs Cor. New
York San.