The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-04-24
FORTUNES QUEER TRICKS.
STRANGE CASES OF GOOD AND BAD
LUCK IN THE MINES.


One Day and Paupers the Next.
II is impossible for any one at all IA
miliar with mining adventures in the
Rocky Mountains from 1860 to 1870 to
deny the existence OF that mysterious and
capricious influence on mems lives aud
fortunes known as luck, and it seemed to
attach itself mainly to those who knew
the least and were accepted as the fools
Of the camp, thus illustrating the old
proverb, "a FOOLS luck" Old and ex-
perienced miners quit locations in disgust
after months of labor, and these were
afterward taken by men who scarcely
knew the difference between a shaft and
level. After weeks scrambling
work the latter became rich men. One
instance can give:
A man named Relf, forty.niner,
opened a prospect hole on Goose Creek,
within mile Of the Idaho border. It
seemed to pan out well at first, and he
spent S6000-all he had in the world
in development; but the vein began to
pinch out, and Relf gave it up. Auoth-
er man took it with the same result.
Then one OF the best miners in the Ter
ritory put in $4,000, and after months of
hard work shot himself in despair at his
ill-fortune. The location was thereafter
dubbed the "Last Chance" by neighbors.
1t lay year, when a man named Gadsen
came to Silver City. He was looked on
as harmless and decidedly weak minded
fellow, and he annoyed Colonel James
Fisher, well-known mine owner, by
constantly asking his advice about locat-
ing, until Fisher told him to try the
''Last Chance"
Gadsen started off to get a team and
supplies, and amid the jeers of the camp
left for Last Chance" Four days af-
terward his team was seen coming into
camp on dead run, and it stopped at
Colonel Fishers Office. Gadsen, with a
bag on his back, entered, and, drawing
chunk of rock, laid it before Fisher,
who examined it and said: "Well, Cad
sen, you have the proverbial fools luck.
That will assay $1,000 ton. You've
struck it rich this time" An examina-
ton of this mine showed that only foot
of rock lay between the last owner and
uncoined wealth, and this Gadsen broke
through the first day.
A syndicate was formed and Gadsen
sold out for $50, 900. The new owners
took out S25, 900 in three weeks and then
struck a mass of porphyry rock that it
would have taken all the money in San
Francisco to remove. No trace of the
lost treasure was ever found, and the
last Chance" was permanently aban-
doned. Gadsen's good luck followed
him. He left the mountains, bought a
home in Missouri, and saved his money.
The history of the firm of Bowers &
White is one Of the romances of the min
ing camps. Sandy Bowers came into the
Washo district about 1860. He cooked
for party of freighters, and his wife,
tall, bony woman, told fortunes, sold
lucky numbers, and interpreted dreams
for the credulous miners. With some of
the money made in this way her husband
took up claim and made money, and for
the next ten years had continued good
fortune. He was grossly illiterate and no
business man, but still he prospered.
His partner, Lorenzo D. White, was a
different kind of a man. In business
matters he was shrewd and enterprising,
and his luck was phenomenal. What
ever be touched turned into gold. 1t
was noted that whatever Bowers sold
turned out well for his customers, while
it was reversed in Whites dealings, al
though he was believed to be an honest
man. The mystery was as to what he
did with his gains. He depleted his
bank account every now and then, draw
ing out large sums in coin and then dis
appearing for time. 1t was believed
| that he buried his wealth in the mount
aims, aud he was followed and logged
| by the camp ruffians, who would have
taken his life for dollar, but it was
part of lis good fortune to escape.
The end came at last. Sandy Bowers
got involved with party of Eastern ad :.
venturers and lost $500, 900. After this
he went down hill rapidly. He had at
one time half million in the Bank of
California, but this all went. He be-
came a drunkard, and one day got to-
gether a few dollars to buy an outfit.
| With borrowed mule he started for
| Nevada, and was, no doubt, killed by
| the Ute Indians, as he was never heard
of again.
White was not known to have any
serious losses, but he, too, disappeared.
He was supposed to have gone back to
| Maine, his native State. Inside of year
he came into the little mining town of
Mercedes, on the Rio Grandc River, Colo
RADIO, in rags and exhausted from fatigue.
He was followed by shaggy Mexican
burro, about as big as Newfoundland
dog. This carried his miners outfit-a
pick, pan and shovel. He was at once
recognized and relieved. He went to an
assaycr and showed large mass that
| looked like burned limestone, but which
evidently contained gold. The assay as
tonished the expert, and he declared that
the specimen showed eighty per cent. OF
gold.
In an hours time the camp was wild
with excitement, and this was the begin
ming of the craze known as "White'
| Cement Mine At first the old man re-
fused to tell the location, and some of
the ruder spirits advocated hanging, but,
after much persuasion, he agreed to pilot
a party to the spot. The next day Mer'
cedes was deserted. Everybody joined