Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-18
MINING EXPERIENCES.
THE EVOLUTION OF A HOLE In
THE GROUND.
"Old Bonanza Lode"-Wealth's
PICKLE Ladder.


man of 60 years of age. His long, luxu-
RANT beard had once been bright, sandy
color, but was now literally streaked with
gray. His face was bronzed and wrinkled
but his form was erect and there was a
clear, bright look in his eyes which showed
him to be in perfect health and likely tc
resist the attacks of Father Time for
many years more.
His hands were large and brown, and in
places calloused by work His clothing
was Of the "hand-me-down" variety, and
did not fit him very well, but vanity was
not one of the old mans failings He was
not perfectly at ease in his new suit, how.
ever, and his actions indicated that he
would much prefer being attired in his old
suit of 'duckin with his pants in his
boots.
He wore blue shirt-no amount Of
persuasion could have induced him to put
on "biled" shirt-and smoked pipe
The latter was his dearest companion and
source of comfort in all troubles; he de-
tested a cigar.
In the mountains he was known to his
intimate acquaintance as Uncle Billy y
few of them knew his surname to
Others he was known as the old proSpec-
tor"
For years he had searched the noun
tains for precious medals; he had traced
float for miles to discover its source; he
had PANIED" the placer grounds along a
hundred mountain streams; fortune seemed
against him, and the result of his laborS
had simply been enough to provide him
with food and clothes. He had lived a
life of exposure and privation, far from
civilization, and for many years had moth
ing to show as the fruit Of his labor.
About year ago his luck changed and
fortune favored him-but we will let him
tell his story in his own way
GA year ago last spring" said Uncle
Billy" when he had filled and lighted his
pipe and seated himself comfortably in an
armchair, was prospectin' in the San
Juan country. | had been over in the
Ten Mile ther year before, but didn't
seem ter have no luck t ALL Ole Jim
Martin who was down in the San Juan
writ me letter ter come down thar, as
things war lookin' purity good"
Well-sir-I went down thar"
continued Uncle Billy, alternating each
word with a puff from his pipe, "an' |
went up to Ole Jim's claim He called the
claim the Mary Jane arter gal back
East he ulster to be sweet on, but she mar
ried another Teller, an that's one reason
why Ole jim come cross the plains; but
he war alters kinder gone on the gal ever
since"
did he have good claim ?'
Kinder. He thought he had struck it
big"
:" What yer got, JIM SEE I.
"'Pve got the lime and porphyry,' SEE
he; what more do | want p SEE Jim.
Wa-al,' SEE /, kinder slow like, seems
to me little mineral would help it along
Bit and then | laughed at him, and
purity soon JIM commenced Iaughin' too.
"'That's so, sez Jim, but when yer git
the lime and porphyry you're sure to git
the mineral after a while
The next mornin' | took my pick and
struck out. l hadn't gone far before |
picked up piece of float rock.
Hump SEE l, wonder whar that come
from; purity good-lookin stuff
Z" l looked right up ahead of me- whar
there was sharp ledge of rocks. 'Thars
whar she comes FROM seq | to myself.
After selecting location, started in
Did you strike it,"
Not right away. | worked for about
three weeks without gettin' anything
then little streak of mineral come in; it
wasn't a very big streak, but it looked
rich. Jim was working on the Mary Jane,
just below me- / hollered to him: Jim,
I've struck itr
Jim come up, got out his glasses and
examined it. We've got it, pard' saws
he; gray copper and native silver. We've
got bonanzy,' SEE Jim.
80 don't know what bonanzy is, Jim,
sez |, but if it's anything good | hope
you're right
ave got a windlass and commenced
work in dead earnest. We sunk her forty
feet and then we got scared"
"What scared your
"The derned old thing commenced to
pinch out. Jim,' SEE | one mornin'.
what do you think Of the Bonanzy now 2
We had named the claim the Bonanzy.
There's just one thing to do SAYS Jim;
sell out
ave commenced to blow about what a
big mine we had and purity soon we had
the whole neighborhood talking about it.
Early in the spring little chap with eve
glass and a hard hat came to camp He
wore boots laced up in front and cordu-
roy suit. The boys spotted him for an
expert. He said he was representa- St.
Louis moneyed men and was lookin' for a
mine.
| Billy SEE Jim TO me one dav when
we was talkin' about the expert, let's take
him in
"How !? SEE /.
"'Let's sell him the Bonanzy; | don't
think he knows a mine from post
hole
"To make long story short" said Uncle
Billy, ''we took him in; $4,000 in good
money. By George" exclaimed the old
man, growing excited at the awakened
memory of the transaction, 'but me and
Jim felt good"
"You did take him in, sure enough, -
said the reporter, unconsciously rejoicing
at the old mans good luck.
Uncle Billy looked at the reporter with
almost savage look. His whole de-
meanor had changed in pm instant.
"Pll tell you the balance of the story
about that mine, and you can judge for
yourself who got took in. That Teller
knew more in mint than me an Jim
both put together did in year. He went
back East and got three other fellers in
with him-big bugs.
They took that ole 40 foot hole, put up
a shaft-house put in machinery, and set a
gang of men to work. They called them
selves the B9nanza Gold and Silver Con-
soiidated Mimi and Millin' Company
They issued stock The little fellow with
the corduroy suit an eyeglasses was super.
intendent. Purity soon they made strike
then they built a mill then they declared
a dividend. You couldn't touch thasinine
now with S2,000,000. No. stree.
Jim and me never talk about the ole
Bonanzy now. One day / said to him
Jim, | see the ole Bonanzy output another
dividend yesterday Jim looked at me
kinder sad like, and said: Billy, me and
you are two derned old fools; let's go take
somethin.'"