, 1889-09-05
A ONCE FAMILIAR FIGURE.
n Prospector Who Has Searched
Thirty three Years for Gold.
From lhe soattle Eyenlng Press.


Thirty three Years for Gold.
From the Seattle Evening Press,
The unusual sight of prospector lead
ing small jennet was witnessed by
many on James street, near Third, this
morning. The prospector was tall, aged
%, his beard was unkempt his face tan
ned by the sun of many summers, while
his boots showed that they had made
the acquaintance of many rocks and
mountain sides.
The jenny had an old fashioned pack
saddle across her back, with canvas sad
die bags on each side, and seemed n
knowing little animal, though her weight
was but 400 pounds. She had eyes like
q fawn, and threw back her ears mis-
chievously when the street gamins
crowded around her and offered her pea
nuts 10 eat She seemed proud OF the
attention shown her.
After three or four youngsters had
been lifted on and oil the icnny's back,
the prospcCtor said: "Why she's the
most KNOWN creeter you ever saw. She
knows almost as much as a man, and
has only one bad habit, and that Is to-
bncco chewin'. She can chew up more
tobacco than a man, although it makes
her sick sometimes.
soIuc one in the crowd gave the jenny
Il section of II plug and she chewed ii up
with as much relish as though she was Il
biped instead of II quadruped.
1t was learned that the prospector'
name was w. 4. Anglin. If have been
mining and prospecting for thirty three
years, he said. II just came from Port
land. Did / come in the cars? Not
much. | had steamer take me across
the Columbia at the Cowlitz river an
from there | came overland to Seattle. It
took me four days to come from the
Cowlltz to Seattle, | thought I'd come
over to the coast and fine beach where
the black sand contained gold and work
it for the winter You say the beach
sand can't be worked because the gold is
SO fine. | can work it and save 70 per cent.
of the gold. You bet | can.
"Am | judge of quartz? Well, |
think | am. | made a mistake once
when | was offered S65, 900 for IL claim,
and refused il because | though it was
rich and worth more, and LETT it alter
wards because it was no good, but I'm
not often fooled that way.
"rhe assaycrs fooled me a short time
ago. ! struck the pretticst claim, as |
thought, few months ago ut Mount
Jefferson. ! sent samples of the ore
from time to time to q Portland ussuycr,
and he kept sending returns to the eff
feet that the ore ran from $40 to 500 per
ton. At that rate the mine was worth
Sl5o,O0o.
"Wc fixed n road for several miles in
to the mine, and got IL in good shape
for selling. Then sent some sample,
of the ore to another Portland assaycr
and to one in San Francisco They
sent in returns TO the effect that tho
ore yielded about ~ in silver and 4
trace of gold to the ton. That
blanked assayer caused quite a loss t.
me and my partners--blane hin-auo
so | decided to come over an see the
Sound country. If I'd have stayed
much longer in Oregon I'd not have haC
even my jenny"
a bystander suggested to the prospoc
tor that he ought to have taken the i65
900 for the claim, and he .scornfully. re
piled. though all 'thc clothes he had OF
most liberal secondhand clothes deale
IN the land: "Why $50, ,o00 amt II,
money to u mining man. II isn't a.
much as $4,000 Is TO farmer. Why
shucl<s S65, 900 amt nothing in the min
ing business
1t was suggested by shrewd lookin:
business man that S05, ,0O0 would be
good pile for miner to retire on.
BLESS your soul" replied the pros
pectog Il IL never retire from miuinj
and prospecting. There's a fascination
about wandering over the hills an,
mountains and through the woods IN
search of hidden treasure that once
man gets at it he never quits. No, II
never quit till I'm called by Him VIII,
| had he gold and silver in the rock
ribbed hills where We prospectors fine
| it,"
Mr.. Anglin reported that he wa
| campod at the head of tho bay an,
| would remain there for fcw days.
| Inc could find good partner he Woul,
he willing to so on prospecting tou
with HIM.
Here the old prospector and hi
| patient animal walked slowly up tn
street and disappeared
Anglin represents IA type of the. oil,
prospector that is rapidly disappearing
on this coast. Where there is one nov
| twenty years ago there We're hundred.
They are restful, hopeful spirits ever o
the way, and the mountains farthcres
| ever appear the richest to them. Life
Il lottery to them ana though only feN
draw prizes each is sure chat ho wi
soon draw one. Under the influence 9
this hope he Is ever climbing stcc
mountains, burning sands OF trackles
woods in search of hidden trcasur,
| Some never find what they are seckin
| this side of the place where the gates ar
golden and the walls are of jasper