Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-10-18
A Chance for Prospectors.
Denver Mining IndnstrN.

The Host mines" of the country which exist principally in the imagination of men, are always attracting prospectors, though they are never found. The truth is that in most cases their fancied exist ence Is based upon nothing better than the yarns told by impecunious prospectors. But there are some exceptions. Among them are the Dutchman's Gulch, sup posed to have been found at Deadwood. Others are the old Spanish mines that were worked over two centuries ago, but have been lost since. It is singular that more work totind them has not been done. About the most of them it is true there is little to guide the prospectors; there are but shadowy records of the Roman Cath olic church, in the cities of Mexico, Santa Fe and Madrid.
 When General Lew Wallace was ap- pointed governor of New Mexico he under took an examination of the records left there in the Palace" It had been for almost 300 years the residence of the Spanish and Mexican governors of the northern provinces. and many of the records during that time had been preserved. Some had been wan tonly destroyed by being used tC kindle fires and the balance had been packed away in rolls and bales and loose in barrels. General Wallace was the only American governor New Mexico had been favored with who appreciated their value and tried to preserve and systemlZe them.
 Among them he found records of a rich gold vein which produced and paid many millions of dollars in gold to the church in the form of tithes. There was an of ficial account of a visit to the mine made by captain in the Spanish service to the Governor General. In it he gave the name of every man in his command, and detailed account of their services and each days march and work. and brieI description of the mine The command set out from Santa Ee. The first day: march took them to Montezuma, now known as Pecos; the second day to Tus calote, now known as Bernal; the thrid tC Vegas, now changed to Las Vegas. From there they marched to what must now bt about the situation of old Fort Sumner From there to what is probably, judging from the description of the region, tC what is now known as Sinking Springs From thence they travelled southeast tC the Guadalupe range, packing their wa ter for three days. They crossed to tho eastern slope to some low foot hills, whicl were called Sierra Sineses, or ashes noun tains, from their volcanic origin. From thence about three leagues easterly, II little low hills, the mine was situated. | was about one league from seven pure cold springs, where the miners lived
 The mine was apparently in what. wt judge from the description, was quartzite or possibly contact between quartzitt and lime. The rock Is described as ex ceedingly rich in gold. The metal wa' found in wires, nuggets and masses whict were cut out vith chisels.
 The gold which the property produced was shipped to Santa F'e over the route followed by the officer, as describe, above. Another account states that at forwards trail was laid out from th' mine to mission in the south, supposed now to be San Antonio, Texas, and tha to mark the trail stakes were driven. Gen eral Wallace was of the opinion that thi name Staked Plains, in Texas, came iron this staked trail.
 The route as given above is drawn iron memory, which after the lapse of year may be faulty in some of its details, bu Is substantially correct. At the insur rection of 1880, as many traces as possible of the mines were destroyed by the In dian slaves who had been compelled t work in them, and like other lost mine two centuries of time have covered tn traces of it and made complete the In dians' effort to hide it. That such mine did exist, and that it was locate' somewhere in the region described il western Texas, there is little reason t doubt. If prospectors want to hunt fo lost mines, there is one worth the search
 There is a great deal, too, in the ol archives at Santa Fe, or was ten year ago, which is valuable and worth presery ing Their translation and publication should be undertaken by the territory.