The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-27
DON EY'S
HOOSierPOet
CIGAR.
GOLD In HONDURAS.
Rich Discoveries Alleged to Have Been Made
in the Eastern Portion of the Republic.

CHICAGO. Jan. ga local paper publishes a
long article this morning, announcing the discov-
cry of rich gold fields in the Republic of Hon
duras 1t appears that some six months ago,
James Rector Milligan, Colonel Pat Donan, of
Dakota, and three others, from Indiana made up
a pool and sent Rector and another man, an old
California prospector. to Honduras to examine
and report upon new placer gold field, which
was alleged to have been found in the south
eastern part of that little repnblie. Ever since
November there have been rumors afoat that
the alleged discovery was confirmed, and that it
had proved to be most important one, but the
projectors of the expedition at home would say
nothing about it. Now, however, the ban of
silence is removed. and with the arrival of
full particulars, both by cable and mall and
Importance of the find is no longer concealed
Already Mr.. Milligan of Fargo, D. IT,, has gone
to Honduras. Colonel Donan will follow in q
few weeks, and several other parties Of Western
men are making ready to set out for the new
Eldorado. Mr.. Rector, who has been on the
ground since last summer, and who is known as
prudent and cautious man, and one possessed
of unusually hard sense. writes to his friend
here that the discovery is likely to prove as i'm
portant a one as any of the great placer districts
of California The new field lies in the eastern
portion of the Republic of Honduras and about
$50 miles from the Atlantic coast The placers
are in and adjacent to the headwaJers
of the Guayape river which is one of the trbu-
taries of the Rio Patuca, aregion long known
fer its mineral resources. Mr.. Rector and party
have explored the stream and its gravelly bottom
for nearly fifty miles and have found scores of
places where the gravel yields from ten to eighty
cents to the pan. They have begun regular
mining, however IN place where. after much
toll they succeeded in turning the river from it's
native bed. Here they dug down, and are sluic-
ing out from ST to $40 cubic yard. a yield
fully equal to that OF the besy placer diggngs in
California The bed of the river they have re-
claimed covers many acres in extent, and under
the laws of the republic they can lay claim to it
all The facilities for placer mining are unsur-
passed.
The gold which has been sent up was exhibited
TO few select parties in this city YESTERDAY
The particles are Of all sizes. from mustard seed
grains to nuggets as big as birds egg. One mug
get was found valued at $l15. Rector believes
that the bed of the stream, for nearly
it's whole length, together with the sand and
gravel bars, are rich in gold. The government
Of Honduras, it is said, is very liberal to miners
let them come from where they may. II re-
quires no citizenship to work mineral land and
there Ia very large margin allowed as to the
extent of holding Gold and silver mining has
long been an established industry in the region
of tie Rio Patuea, but the inertness of the peo
pie, the apparent remoteness of the country and
the lack Of adequate capital has prevented any
thing like systematic work. 1t is stated that
mining men from the West, who are at present
in Chicago, watching with keen interest the
Honduras Developments, and il the news which
the Rector party has sent shall be further con-
6rmod there will be quite q stampede for the
new region The country is described as health
ful, entirely free from malaria, and the temper
ature ranging in the foothills OF the mountain
ranges. where the placers are to be found, at
from IS to rs degrees the year round.