Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-02-26
AYERY'S START IN LIFE.

my rather store, by terms attending schOo
and working out my mathematics at odd
hours until I was able to enter college
where took the engineering course, much
to tho surprise Of my father and his wife
who in consequence gave me but slight
help; but persevered, and by a hard strug
Gle won my degree, and Immediately start
ed west
While yet on the outward bound train
near the great Rockies, there was delay
caused by the wreck OF a freight train, and
/, fresh from the lecture room of a master
mind IN the science of engineering, was
able 20 make some suggestions which
proved Of practical value, and attracted
the attention of one Of the solid looking
passengers who was also travelling west. ]
found he was interested in my history, and
! soon told him who and what / was, and
what hoped to accomplish, first hoping TO
secure employment as civil engineer in
some railway company, and then strike FOR
the mines.
/ found ! was talking to practical civil
engineer, who had been in the employ Of
the Union Pacific railway when it was be
ing built. and he related anecdote after an
ecdote of the early days as the train rat.
tied over the boundless plains.
On the limbs of certain tree he had
seen q victim Of Judge Lynch swinging ia
the breeze There he had witnessed rail
road construction gang, consisting of three
hundred men, imprison contractor in a
railroad tie pen and keep him in the hot
sun. on bread and water, until he had
signed their pay checks.
Parks Fort was celebrated as the scene Of
the Parks massacre; the three Parks
brothers found dead IN their "dugout, Z"
while dead Indian pony and pools of gore
on the ground outside showed how dearly
they had sold their lives.
As we sat in the smoking car that even
ing Mr., Thompson told me many a tale of
camp life and finished his sketches by a
thrilling tale of how be made his fortune
Il had, he said, done very well at my
profession as civil engineer, and after
some years took 70 mining to make a
speedy fortune. / worked hard only TO
lud chat I had planted all my savings,
some fifteen thousand dollars, in wild cat
mines and barren prospect holes About
this time | received my little inheritance
and was made guardian to my young sis
ter. Her small fund, two thousand dol
lars, | invested in small tenement houses
carefully secured TO herself. and l, having
an opportunity TO buy cattle ranch at
about half it's value, entered upon the cat
tleman's business and tried TO forget Tint
fortunes are sometimes made Mt mining
fearing lest be tempted aud lose all had
again
However, found I was considered to
be quite an authority on mining matters
and engineering, report, with its usual
accuracy investing me with an imaginary
fortune made Mt those pursuits, and / was
often consulted by amateurs and looked
up To as an authority upon those topics.
Zone day Frank Cotton, who had been
my first instrument man in engineering
days, but was now a miner came to me
with q bit Of ore, which he handed TO me
with the question, What do you think of
that Mr. ThompsonT
sit is the finest bit OF ore have seen
since | came to Colorado l replied, with
enthusiasm. Where did you get it?'
From the Mascot mine. own the
hole and this is sample of what have
struck
IF there is more Of the same mineral,
and enough Of it, you are in for fortune.
l wish you luck, my boy, said l.
Yes but need money to go on with.
Come out and see what it looks like in the
yed
The next morning Frank and mounted
a couple Of brOnchos and set forth. Some
six or seven miles from town we turned of
abruptly to the right, followed a narrow
trail up a short gulch across a beautiful
little park, up n narrow winding canyon,
and over the crest of a hill. Nestled among
the cedars stood low cabin.
Here is my cabin, and yonder is the
mine said Frank, pointing to a windlass
over hole in the ground some two hun.
bred feet distant But let us have some
grub before we 80 further. Walk in and
make yourself at home
THE interior Of the cabin was dark
dirty and forbidding, Rnd uninviting as a
place Of human abode. There was one
pane Of glass set into the wall for lighting
the domicil, and a good big fireplace. a
rough table, two or three benches and
some rude berths fastened To the wall com.
pleted the furniture Help yourself to
pot luck, professor said Frank. Fat
bacon, hot biscuit and untrimmed black
coffee served on tin dishes made meal for
hungry man, quickly served and hastily
eaten.
"Afterd dinner we went out and inspected
the mine. We investigated the pile Of ore
on the dump and then climbed down the
ladder in the manway. The main shaft
was over hundred feet deep. At depth
OF forty feet and again at eighty feet cross
cuts had been run and connected by a
Wine. From the bottom of the shaft @
drift had been carried some twenty feet tC
the south. Here some fine ore had been
exposed. Having thoroughly explored all
the workings we came TO the surface.
"'Fhis old fashioned within can hardly
serve Your purpose. Frank said /; you
need steam holster for that depth Of shaft
and quality Of ore, should think
Yes, sir; that is where the trouble lies
IL ! had steam TO depend on I'd ask nc
odds Of a Gould, for that mine is a SURF
bonanza; but it costs all it's worth righf
here 20 hoist that ore with whim.'
1T was too late for me to think of re
turning that night, so we spent the few
hours OF daylight in looking for mining
timber, water, and then mt the prospect
generally. Supper fare was a repetition
Of dinner fare, as was the breakfast mex
morning.
Certain golden dreams were floating
before my mental vision, for / knew o.
parties who would take hold Of the enter
prise il the outlook for a rich lind was IA
vorahlc.
Frank Cotton conGded his exact posi-
ton TO me on our way back lie bad To sci
within the next two weeks or lose az.
4 mine as he had ctvan "a lion IN, ffa r,rf,r,