The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-02

enough TO act on that mans NM -
equipped with pair Of high top ooo'S' a :
hammer, pocket microscope, oo'''o
nitric acid and a haversack. spent W
next two weeks as a tramp among 'ne
streams on both sides Of the huuson
had a lot OF fun and fatigue cn'PPSu
stones bv the hour, pounded great rocAs
and attacked every suspicious LOOKING
vein. spent $50 and caught a coid Una.
lasted me nearly all the next winter; but
that was the sum total OF my .laoorS' ana
that ended my search for gold In ana
Ground New York. came home sad
der and wiser man, but noone can make
mo believe that the specimens which
cave me so much trouble are not part
and marcel Of a monster store which
Dame Nature is keeping in hiding for
some lucky mortal, who one OF these
davs will accidentally drop upon the
snot and by his discovery startle the
world. How much Of the precious stun
has gone into the pavements OF Ne"
York. lust as those pieces, easily worth
three or four dollars, might have done, Is
beyond the ken Of man, and l. ms day
never see a pile OF rocks IN the street.
waiting to be turned into concrete or
someth,.g Of the kind, without regarding
IL as Charles A. Dana says of his con-
temporaries. with the most distinguished
consideration. "
So ended the story Of the old gentle
man. The mann in which 1t was
ELECTED is explained by the following in
cident in the experience of the writer.
Meeting Mr.. Edward III. Underhill, the
well known official reporter Of the sur
roeates court, and another friend,
physician equally distinguished, but who
mioht not care to have his name men
toned. the conversation turned upon the
remarkable display Of gold nuggets and
rich pieces Of quartz which the latter
wore in various places. They were OF
different sizes and shapes, ranging from
the size Of a pea 10 that Of filbert.
They formed dlong neck chain for his
watch; constituted the row OF studs in
his shirt bosom and the buttons on his
sleeves and vest, and several rough but
valuable rings were on his fingers. Al
together the "get up" was unique and
attractive, not the result, however, OF
any eccenlricity on the part Of the physi-
clan, but for the purposes of a visit which
the gentlemen were about 70 make.
The writer loosely made the remark
"Why, doctor, you must have been In
California and struck it rich" "No,' he
replied, smilingly, "all this gold that
YOU see. and more that l have in my
pocket, l gathered with my own hands
within $50 miles Of New York" "Wall
street, or possibly some Of the curio
shops, ehy' mo, sir; | am not joking;
it is gold picked up by me in the noun
tains and along the streams Of the ranges
chiefly on the west side Of the Hudson
river. l have long entertained the
theory, verified further south, that the
Appalachian chain Of mountains, extend
ing from Canada TO Alabama, is gold
region containing tho metal in more or
less paying qualities. In North Carolina
Quill in half days walk along the mar
gin of a stream, and other spots where a
search is rewarded by large nuggets.
Before the war branch mint was estab-
lished at Charlotte. In South Carolina
mines are even now worked with more
or less of profit.
"Ten miles from Fredericksburg. Va,
on the Rappahannock river, gold existed
in paying quantities; and coming still fur
Their north, even to Nova Scotia, you fire.
quently find the precious metal in quaint
ties more tangible than a mere trace. You
need not be surprised, therefore, wheel ]
repeat that picked up this gold on my
person with my own hands. Some Of it
is in pure state and remarkably rich;
others Of the nuggets were originally in
flakes, or small particles found in bits Of
loose quartz. and have since been fused.
Every year for years past have devoted
a part Of my summers vacation to
long jaunt through the mountains,
hoping eventually 70 strike the vein or
veins that have yielded these fragments;
and, mark my prediction, some time the
source will be found. IL may be struck
in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa-
chusetts or Connecticut. but l believe it
will be first found in the neighborhool
of the Catskills."
"Why so:7 inquired the writer. "Be-
cause it was in that neighborhOOd / OBJ
tanned the specimens you see. Some Of
the richest | found in streams not far
from Peekskill. There is gold in Put
nam and Dutchess counties in what is
known as the Fishkill mountains, and
gold in the range which enters Orange
county from New Jersey. The boy is yet
alive, in my judgment, who will stumble
in his search on the deposit in its native
bed, and we may then be able to trace
its trend from northeast 10 southwest.
Putting the remarkable statements Of
the doctor with the curious experience
of the old gentleman first referred to, IS
there not something in the idea that New
York may be paved with goldy
Y q DE fONTAINF