The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1891-08-27
4 LAYER OF COLD
Discovery Of a Bonanza in
New Mexico.
IT WAS AN OLD ANCIENT AZTEC MINE
Interesting Tale of the Pioneer Days Of
that TerritOry-Solid streaks of the
Precious sMetal-Nuggets Car
ried cut in Coffee Sack

No one ever heard OF a bonanza that
was discovered in a plain. matter-cf- fact
way. \ nine which is rich enough to
have stories told about it is always
stumbled upon in the most unexpected
manner, and not unusually there is bit
of the weird and uncanny thrown in to
give additional interest to the narration.
Thus writer in the Tucson Citizen re-
lates how in the summer of 1867. while
he was looking for a stray horse in the
famous San Juan county, in New Mexico.
he stumbled upon one of the richest
mines ever found in that territory. His
story is as follows:
Descending one of the lofty peaks I
was soon enclosed IN beautiful canyon
which lead out to Ute creek. I here met
two miners preparing to explore an old
mine, OF rather a worked out mine. They
asked me to join them, to which I as
sented. again asked about my horse.
to which received the the usual mega
tive remained until the next morning
and started with them to explore the
mine. This mine was about two miles
away, and soon we were there. Arrived
at the mine, and Judging from the dump
OF country rock piled up, it was either a
very rich mine or no mine at all. No
signs OF ore were no the outside dumps.
An open cut was at an incline of FORTY
five degrees.
We entered and were soon in what one
would suppose to be a cave Candles
we're lighted, and a general search fol-
| lowed. The formation was porphyry,
and Judging from the gouging done it
was apparent that great quantities of pre-
cious 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 out
look very dangerous. I was about to
get out on account of few pieces of wall
lock giving way from the pillar, when I
was called back by one of the miners
He had discovered a streak of solid gold
running through the center of the pillar
and about two inches thick. At this I
retraced my steps and there, with candle
in trembling hands, stood two excited
men pointing out the pure yellow gold.
One of the miners said to me: "Well.
don't you see it?''
Eyes, said I, pointing to the ceiling,
land don't you see the trap set for us?'
d. the trap. This is death against
gold" Meanwhile I had fingered around
the gold, when part of the pillar gave
way, extinguishing the lights We found
our way out safely and then we planned
to get the pillar without jeopardizing our
lives. I declined having any thing to do
with the affair unless I could get an
outside job. This, of course, was out of
the question, as there was only one sack
of ore to be removed. So I was consider
ed out of it, which was only to glad to
accept. Ny companions then entered
with horn spoon and small pole pick.
and were soon at work. Shortly they
came out, and picked up an old coffee
sack used for saddle blanket, re-entered
;he NINE. They were very soon out
again. They had cut the pillar and filled
heir sack. Then came grand hand
shaking on their success. The sack was
opened. Never in my life did I behold
'uch sight, A coffee sack full of mug
,ets!
was told to pick out the finest speci-
nen for my own use, which I did. It
vas a piece as large as my fist and con-
aimed $3.50 in gold. Camp was made,
natate procured and grinding at once
commenced. It took six days to reduce
to a pulp. the grinding being done by
land. Then the pulp was washed out in
prospecting pan. The gold was mostly
oarse and very bright. The fine gold
equired amalgamating. There being no
quicksilver the remaining pulp was taken
o Toas and there amalgamated. The !
roceeds of that sack of ore netted 937 ,
unces of gold, amounting to $4,000 in ,
DIN.
[ returned to Santa Fe a month later +
nd learned that grand mining discovery :
ad been made at the identical spot !
here we had found the gold.
DEATH OF MRS. W. e. STEELE. +
Former Resident of PhilipsIIurg Dies n
in Wyoming. +
The following extract was taken from 4