Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-10-18
GOLD IRELAN D.
a Discovery Which Lights Up
Hope for the Old Sod.

/
The rumor having reached town that
a large discovery OF gold had been
made in the County Wicklow, pro-
ceeded by the 2 o'clock train to
Aughrim- a village on the Shillelagh
branch OF the Dublin, Wicklow and
Wexford railway. found considera-
BILE excitement existing among the
J p )ple, and | did not want for a guide
To conduct me to the spot where il was
alleged that the valuable discovery had
been made. Close TO the village,
which is one of the prettiest and clean
est OF its size that is to be found in the
country, runs the river Derry, a stream
that passes through one OF the best
wooded and most picturesque portions
OF the County Wicklow. The locality
has been always noted for the indica-
tions OF gold which are from time to
time apparent, but the main difficulty
has been TO pitch upon the particular
spot where it lies. On reaching the
bank of the river, close 10 town, |
found man with shovel poking at
the stones and rubbish by the side OF
the stream. He was an old
ulBScT, having SpcHb IuS cdTliol
years OF his life in the gold fields Of
Australia and New Zealand. He
was native of the locality, and though
now living at home for many years he
had not forgotten his digging expert
ence, and manifestly knew well what
he was about learned from him the
true history of the excitement that had
taken possession OF the people within
the past few days about the finding OF
gold. 1t appears that two gentlemen
had come down TO the village few
days ago TO ascertain the gold yielding
properties of the place. One was Mr..
p. A. Byrne, of Dublin, and the other
was Mr.. McNally, who. having spent
many years in the gold fields OF the
colonies. naturally takes n deep inter-
est in the subject. They fell in with
the man whom found working by the
side of the river, whose name is Foley.
Without delay they then proceeded TO
make experiments, and the first spot
they struck on by the river side they
found considerable quantities OF float
ing gold. They experimental over
and over again with equally satisfac-
tory results, finding upon each occa-
sion the color OF gold, which in digging
phraseology is the proper term to be
applied to floating gold obtained by
the method they pursued Foley made
two or three experiments in my pres
ence. He had the small tin pan which
he filled with stones and rubbish dug out
Of the river bank. Putting his feet on
two stones in the river he proceeded
TO wash the rubbish. The operation
occupied sometime, and by degrees he
reduced the quantity Of stuff in the pan
to a small mass OF sand in the bottom.
AS the water came into the pan he
pushed the sand out rather roughly
with his hand and remarked TO him
that II there was any gold in IL he was
putting it out. He replied, with a
smile, that that was what every one
thought who had never seen the opera
ton performed before. and explained
that as gold was heavier than the
sand he contrived to leave it at the
bottom of the water while he got the
sand TO the sides. Finally, reducing the
sand to about a thimbleful, he held up
the pan, and there, true enough, saw
from fifteen to twenty particles Of gold.
He repeated the operation with the
same result Foley did this with all
the execution OF an old worker, apply
ing the rough terms OF the diggers to
each branch Of the operation. Picking
up a glittering stone he handed it TO
me and asked me did l think it was
gold. l replied that it bore the
color and certainly looked as if
it did contain some quantity OF
I the precious metal. That" said he,
lis what we call new chum gold, be-
cause all the new chums at the diggings
believe that they have gold when they
find stone like that. But it is not
gold" i then asked Foley what he
/ thought OF the symptoms. His reply
was that he had often known prospect
i've claims TO have been obtained in the
colonies for indications far less salts
factorily, with the result of large dis
coveries of gold. OF course the method
of procedure would be to take several
parts OF the stream and experiment up
on them and thereby feel the way to
where the main body OF the gold prob
ably lies. The operation which / wit
messed on Friday would not yield
enough TO pay all the parties who
would have a claim upon the produc-
ton. but IL laborer could dispense
with the charge attaching TO the dig
ging OF gold he could, in Foley's opin-
fon, MAKE enough to repay him The
Earl OF Meath is the landlord, and for
the digging purposes Mr.. Prichard
Morgan. NJ p, is the lessee of the
twenty-five miles OF the River Derry.
It is to be hoped that Mr. Morgan.
who Is gentleman OF enterprise
and experience in mining mat
tiers. will be induced by the expert
ments that have been made TO test the
resources OF the River Derry. Dub
lin Freeman's Journal.
| he ninnar