The Clifton clarion., 1889-04-12

A correspondent of the Los Ange
 les Times, writing from Gallup, N. NJ
 says:
 "Six weeks ago party of prospec
 tors left this place and struck north
 to the reservation, some twenty-five
 miles distant. They were well outfited
 and were all old-timers. Nothing
 was heard from them for so long that
 it was supposed they had shared the
 fate of unnumbered predecessors and fallen victims to the Navajos. A few days ago they returned, alive but un- communicative. Had they found any thingT No. Indians trouble them anyT No. Going back again? No. No one could get anything out of them. They were in quiet consulta- ton with couple of old-time citizens; and next day disappeared, no one seemed to know whither. Soon after it began to be noticed that from every train. east or west bound, two or three or more strangers dismounted. They seemed to have no especial business here, nor to be hunting any. Just looking around the country they said. None of them would ever be taken for dudes, and they certainly were not tramps. Observers all sized them up as old-timers. In a day or two they invariably disappeared, though no one saw them leave by train. This went on till it became matter of general comment. It is still going on. The suspicious of Gus Mulholland, the gro- cer. were aroused by the sudden and enormous multiplication of George Hite's grocery bill. Everybody got anxious. At last man going up canyon seven miles from town discOv- cred hidden camp of fifty men, all well armed and all evidently veteran miners. From this clew the following facts have gradually been dug up, though they are kept sacredly secret and have not yet leaked beyond Gallup. ahe matter is being engineered with remarkable skill and if carried to its logical conclusion will give the two Territories the biggest upheaval they have had for many year.
 1.-The fifteen prespectors have found something and found it big. They prevaricated when they said they didn't. It has long been more than suspected that there must be rich silver deposits in the reservation. It has ire quently been noticed that among the countless silver ornaments which they hammer from United States coin, tte Navajos have some of a much purer metal silver so pure that thick bridle ornament made of it can be bent as though it were tin. That means virgin silver somewhere, and the 15 prospectors swear they have fouud it. If half they allege is true their dis covery is one of the biggest silver strikes ever made anywhere. And they have the stuff to back their assertions. Prettier specimens of virgin silver in wire and leaves were never shown. It is immensely rich, and they declare that the deposit is enormous. It lies ninety miles north of Gallup, in the Navajo mountains.
 "As soon as these fifteen men got back to Gallup they began secret prep aratiOns for returning to the strike with sufficient force to hold it down. They had no trouble with the Ihdians,' but came away at the earnest and armed suggestion of some 1900 Navajos. They are well aware that to make permanent camp in the heart of tribe of 10000 Indians-and such Indians as the Navajos-is no child's play; and they will not start back till they have 500 picked men. They are selecting these men personally. No one need apply who has not known record either as an Indian-tighter or as an old prospec1or in an Indian coun- try. Sixty such men are now lying close in the camp near here, and more are coming by every train from New Mexico and Arizona in answer to personal letters in strict confidence. George Christly is really the leader. He is Socorro county miner whom the Navajos know by bitter experi- ence. He had occasion once to stand of couple of hundred of them, and when he got through it was found necessary to bury several. Hite of this place, another old-timer, seems to be
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