Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-09-19
TWO INCHES OF COIN.
\ Solid streak of the Yellow Metal In AN
Old Aztec Mine.

IN
old Aztec Mine
No one ever heard of bonanza that
was discovered IN a plain, matter.of.faef
way. A mine which Is rich enouoh h
have stories told about it is AWAY, sium,
bled upon in the most unexpected manner
and not unusually there is bit al tba
weird and uncanny throw in to give adj
dltional interest to the narration Tins
a writer in the Tucson Citizen relates how
in the summer of 1867 while he was look.
ing for stray horse in the famous San
Juan county, in New Mexico be stumbled
upon one Of the richest mines in that ter.
ritory. His story IS as follows
Descending one of the lofty peaks was
soon enclosed in beautiful canyon which
led out to Ute creek. here met two
miners preparing to explore an old mine.
or rather a worked-out mine. They asked
me to join them, to which assented
again asked about my horse, to which
received the usual negative. | remained
until next morning and started with them
to explore the mine. This mine was
about two miles away, and soon were
there. Arrived at the mine, and Judging
from the dump of country rock piled up,
it was either very rich mine or no mine
at all. Nc signs Of ore were on the out.
side dumps. An open cut was at an in
cline of forty-fve degrees.
We entered and were soon in what sue
would suppose to be a cave. Candles were
lighted, and general search followed,
The formation was prophyry, and judging
from the gouging done 1t was apparent
that great quantities OF precious metal
had been taken out There were no
timbers and the only support was one
large pillar left in about the center of the
workings, about four feet in diameter at
the center, making the outlook very
dangerous. ! was about to get out on &C.
count of few pieces of wall rock giving
way from the pillar, when | was called
back by one of the miners. He had dis.
covered a streak of solid gold running
through the center of the pillar and about
two inches thick. At his | retreated my
steps and there, with candle in trembling
hands, stood two excited men pointing ont
the nure yellow gold. One of the miners
said to me: "Well don you see it2'
"Yes, y said |, pointing to the ceiling,
land don t you see the trap set for usg'
"D--the trap. This is death
against gold Meanwhile had fingered
around the gold, when part of the pillar
gave way, extlnguishing the lights. We
found orr way out safely and then we
planned to get the pillar without leopard
lzing our lives. | declined having any
thing to do with the affair unless could
get an outside Job. This, of course, vas
out of question, as there was only one
sack of ore TO be removed. So ! was con-
sidered out of it, which was only too
glad to accept. My companions then en-
tered with horn spoon and a small pole
pick, and we're soon at work. Shortly
they came out, and pick ing up an old
coffee sack used for a saddle blanket, re-
entered the mine, They were very soon
out again. They had cut the pillar and
filed their sack Then came a grand
handwriting on their success. The sack
was opened. Never in my life did be.
hold such sight. A coffee sack full Of
nuggets!
was told to pick out the finest speel-
men for my own use, which did It was
a rtece as large as my fist and contained
$3.50 in gold Camp was made, matale
procured and grinding at once common 'ed'
II took six days TO reduce 1t to a pulp, the
grinding being done 10y hand. lhe pup
was washed out in a prospecting pam
The gold was mostly coarse and very
bright The fine gold required amalgmat-
ing There being no quicksilver the re-
manning pulp was taken TO Taos and there
The proceeds Of tnat sacS
or ore Melted 937 ounces of gold amount
ing to $4,000 in coin.
returned to Santa Fa "A month later
and learned that a grand mining discovery
had been made at the identical spot where
he had found the gold.