The historic times., 1891-11-07
STRUCK A BONANZA.
Story cf Prospecting in the Early Days OF
Mining in New Mexico.

Mining in New Mexico.
No one ever heard of a bonanza that
was discovered in a plain, matter-of-
fact way. A mine which is rich enough
to have stories told about it is always
stumbled on in the most unexpected
manner, and not unusually there is a
bit of the weird and uncanny thrown in
to give additional interest to the nara.
ton. Thus a writer relates how, IN the
summer of 1867, while he was looking
for stray horse in the famous San
Juan county, in New Mexico, he STUN
bled upon one of the richest mines ever
found in that territory. His story is as
follows:
Descending one of the lofty peaks 1
was soon inclosed in a beautiful can
yon which led out to Ute creek. There
met two miners preparing to explore
an old mine, or rather a worked-Out
mine. They asked me to join them, to
which / assented 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 very rich mine
or no mine at all. No signs of ore were
on the outside dump. An open cut was
at an incline of forty-fve degrees.
"We entered and were soon in what
one would suppose to be a cave. Can
dies were lighted and general search
followed. The formation was por-
phyry, and, judging from the
gouging done, it was apparent
that great quantities of precious
metal had been taken out. There were
no timb bers, and the only support was
one large pillar left in about the center
of the workings, about four feet in dia-
meter at the center, making the out
look very dangerous | was about to
get out on account of few pieces of
wall rock giving way from the pillar
when l was called back by one of the
miners. He had discovered a streak of
solid gold running through the center
of the pillar sand about two inches
thick. At this time | retraced my steps,
and there, with candle in trembling
hands, stood two excited men pointing
out the pure yellow gold. For a mo-
ment was unable to speak. One of
the miners said to me: well, don't
you see it?'
"'Yes,' said I, pointing to the cell
ing, 'and don't you see the trap set for
us?'
course the trap. This is death
against gold Meanwhile I had fin
gered 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. | de.
clined having anything to do with the
affair unless I could get an outside job.
This, of course, was out of the ques-
ton, as there was only one sack of ore
to be removed. So l was considered
out of it, which | was only too glad to
accept. My companions then entered
with horn spoon and small pole
pick and were soon at work. Shortly
they came out, and picking up an old
coffee sack used for saddle blanket,
re-entered the mine. They were very
soon out again. They had cut the pill
lar and filled their sack. Then came a
grand handshaking on their success
The sack was opened. Never in my
life did behold such sight. A coffee
sack full of nuggets!
II was told to pick out the finest
specimens for my own use, which l did.
1t was piece as large as my fist and
contained S150in gold Camp was made,
a matate procured and grinding at once
commenced. 1t took six days to reduce
it to pulp the grinding being done by
hand. Then the pulp was washed out
in a prospecting pan. The gold was
mostly coarse and very bright. The
fine gold required amalgamating. There
being no quicksilver the remaining pulp
was taken to Taos and there amalga-
mated. The proceeds of that sack of
ore netted 937 ounces of gold, amount
ing to SIS, 900 in coin.
81 returned to Santa Fe month later
and learned that great mining discov-
cry had been made at the identical spot
where we had found the gold. Tucson
Citizen.