The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-03-05
SPANISH STORIES REVIVED.
The Discovery of Goid In the Choc.
taw Mountain Range.

News that gold had been found by
a party of prospectors in the Choc-
taw Mountain range north Of Tuska-
homa, the Choctaw capital, was re-
Ceiyed at Paris, Texas. No one had
an idea that prospecting had been
going on, and the fact that strike
had been made was only made known
by accident, the parties having made
the find being very reticent, it being
their desire to secure all mining rights
under the Choctaw law. The fortu-
nate prospectors are working under
Mr.. Randall, of Denison, Texas,
who by marriage has citizenship rights
in the nation. The exact location of
their find" is known only to them.
rhe miners have prospected vein
of gold-bearing quartz until they are
well satisfied of its value. They
were led to the final discovery by q
"tind" of placer-gold in stream.
For years there has been more OF less
improbable prospecting in the noun
tains which cover the eastern Choc-
taw country adjacent to the Arkansas
line. Since the days Of the earliest
settlement there have been traditions
of gold and silver mines somewhere
in the mountains north of the Red
River, which were known to the
Spaniards two centuries ago. The
story of these mines has been re-
m n OF hp
earliest settlements of this country.
The pioneers learned it from Indian
traditions. 1t has been believed by
some and rejected by many. There
have been those who have gone quiet
ly into those mountains and searched
for what they believed were once rich
mines of gold and silver.
History tells of an expedition that
set out from the north provinces of
Mexico, and made its way after a
long journey, in which many hard
ships were endured, to Red River, at
a point as nearly as can be calculated
where the old fort was discovered.
There colony was planted, but it
was lost, and no trace of it was ever
found. These unfortunate people
had evidently been attacked by hos
tile Indians and destroyed. Many
stories have been told of traces of
these mines that were said to have
been found by bold adventures.
Some years ago party of hunters in
the wild and unfrequented region
east of the Kiamitia found on the side
of the mountain some pieces of pot
terry and cooking utensils. 1t had in
the long ago evidently been min
ing camp. Around it were number
of old gun-barrels of an ancient pat
tern, well eaten by rust. There was
also an old cannon. Around the
camp, which had once been fortified,
were evidences of a desperate and
sanguinary struggle. Human bones,
almost decayed, were found about
the place. There was also an old
smelter which was in the ruins. 1t
bore evidences of having once been
worked. A large amount of smelted
rocks lay scattered around. Two
years ago young gentleman of Red
River county discovered in Red
River bottom the remains of fort
long ago reduced to ruins. 1t en-
closed about fifty acres, and its
boundaries were well defined by a
ditch that extended around it. One
side was along the bank of Red
River, and the other ran along a
creek, from which ditch had been
cut into the fort, evidently for the
purpose of supplying it with water.
Inside this were number of mounds,
some large and some small.
The young man dug into some of
these mounds, and found in all of
them human bones, pieces of broken
dishes, skillets, pots, etc. They all
showed evidences of having been de-
strOyed by fire. There were oharred
wood and straw in them. The young
man who made this discovery was
well acquainted with the legends of
the mines in the nation, and believed
that this old fort had once been a
supply station for the bold and en-
terprsing men who went into the
country beyond Red River two CEN
iuries ago in search of the precious
metals. There are well authenticat-
ed facts in support of the young
mans theories. 1t is well known
that what is known as the old Span
lsh trail that crossed the Trinity near
Dallas lead through this country.
That trail went directly to where this
old fort was found. - St. Louis
Globe Democrat.