Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-12-14
MINING "GOPHERS." 4"
BY Z. A. MATHEWS.

Near all great mines of gold or sill.
yer, there are numbers of "pook
or places in the metal-bearing strsts,
where the ore seems to collect in great
purity and in such manner as to be
easily handled. Especially a nong the
gold mines these deposits are found,
and in all sorts of unexpected places.
There are hundreds of men among the
mining hills, who make their living by
"gophering They burrov in the
hiilsides for the rich ore, like the sly
little creatures for whom they are
named.
There seems to be peculiar fascina-
ton about pocket-minipg, and those
who once get interested in it are moi
willing to work again in tho regular
mines. Especially Is this the case
when the Gopher" has been so lucky
as to come across a full "pocket, where
in a few hours, he has worked out a
small fortune. On these rough hill
sides, there have been many such
small drifts of pure ore, and the
Gophers by the aid of their sturdy bur-
rows, have carried it only few feet
down to the running water, aud there
"rocked-out" comfortable fortunes
with the old fashioned "gold-rocker."
One old miner told us of young
man who was prospecting and found
by accident a rich pocket. he went
quietly to the task, acd in a very few
days had the whole 'lead" safe loaded
on the backs of twenty-five animals.
he baaled 1t TO market, and after
paying all expenses, found himself the
owner of more than ten thousand dol
lars. This young man had the good
sense to be satisfied, and went home
with his money. But most of the CO.
piers are SO fascinated by the apparent
duck" of the thing, that they go on
trying to find another rich pocket, and
then another; too often only to be
sadly disappointed.
Many Places abound in small drifts,
and yet no large mines are near. Such
localities are usually ovtr-run by
crowds who have heard Of the "Ands"
and rush to the spot IN such wild haste
hat there is often real suffering among
hem from lack Of food and lodging.
One of the richest specimens of sill
yer ore ever found in our western
mountains, was valued at Is, ,629 ounces
in silver, and thirty ounces IN gold, per
ton. It was picked up in the shape Of
"chunk" weighing about seven
pounds, and far from any large de.
posit."
Such finds are not unusual, although
of course, the size is wonderful. Many
small fortunes are quietly accumulated
by the Gophers, and many more might
have the same good luck, we're it not
for the mad haste to get rich thai
,eems to sweep over the camp, like &
cruel epidemic, leaving no man un-
touched.
Among regular miners the Gophers
are objects of more or less good IA.
tured tolerance, being regarded as
mere "camp followers" in the great
army of fortune hunters.
Sometimes there is a ehance-fnd
that makes the Gopher" happy, and
he thinks that luck has smiled on him
at last. He spends this money. and
many days and weeks in seeking for
another and richer pocket" Perhaps
he fnds it-most likely, however, he
does not, and the poor Gopher" has
to try it over again.
Gas hopeful as Gopher" is min
Ing saying, and only those who have
ever lived in a mining country can
realize its meaning.