The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-05-25
SOME MYTHS ABOUT MINING.
The Horrible Ladder Dwarf and the Story
of a Valley of Gold.


Among the strange and weird de-
mons and bogies which are believed by
miners to haunt the workings under
ground not the least horrible is the
Ladder Dwarf" said former pros
pector to a Washington San writer.
Il never saw the creature myself, but
he is described as hunch- backed, with
short body, large head and enorm-
ously long and powerful arms. In
fact, he resembles an exaggerated gor-
lila. His favorite trick is climbing the
ladders by means of which the miners
leave the mines, raising himself with
his long arms, and, as he passes the
rungs, kicking them out one by one.
He is supposed to always do this just
before an accident of some kind in the
mine.
"In the mines of Mexico formerly
the descent and ascent of the shafts
were made by the aid of tree trunks,
with notches cut out of them, in which
laborers rested the great toe as they
stepped from one to the other. The
demon in such places was believed to
have on each big toe a huge nail or
claw, with which he would gouge out
the pieces on which the feet Of the
miners rested. According to either
legend the fend always left the lad
ders or tree trunks after having de-
stroyed their usefulness, to tantalize
the unfortunate men who were thus
imprisoned. Another Mexican super
stition, very common among miners
in that country, relates to the gold
snake This species of serpent is per-
fectly harmless and is very handsome,
being green in color with gold iri-
descence in its scales. Faith is enter
tanned that wherever a gold snake
makes its nest there is ledge contain
ing the precious metal, and there are
many miners who will locate claim
at once if they find gold snake.
"The story of the famous treasure of
the 'Madre d'Oro' is an old one. 1t
comes from the Aztecs of Mexico.
Somewhere in southeastern Arizona
there is a small valley, about five
miles long and two miles wide, walled
in by towering mountains. The sides
are so precipitous that it is impossible
to climb down them, and there is only
one entrance, through cave, which is
carefully hidden by Indians, who
guard e.treasure for the second COM
ing of Montezuma. It is said that even
among them the entrance is only
known to the three most aged men, and
IS never communicated except when,
OF the death of one, it is necessary to
give the knowledge into the keeping
of another. The valley itself, though
surrounded by inhospitable rocks, is a
paradise. Watered by the stream
which flows through it its soil is cover
ed with flowers and beautiful trees,
through the branches of which fit
bright-plumed birds. The only reptiles
seen are the gold snakes, with their
glittering greenish yellow scales.
stretching across the valley from
one side to the other is ledge of pure
gold its masses of virgin metal gleam-
ing and glistenlng in the sunlight. 1t
is said to be five feet, ten feet, fifty
feet, 100 feet wide. The gold lies in it
in great veins and nuggets, imbedded
in clear quartz, the sharp angles Of
which glitter in the sunlight like gi-
gantic diamonds. Across the ledge
the stream flows, forming a little water
fall, below which the nuggets of gold
can be seen in the water and out. Gold
in the ledge, gold in the scales of
snakes, gold in the stream, gold in tho
birds, gold, gold, gold, gold, is the re-
frain of the golden story.
"The fearful precipices which sur
round the place, the strange cere-
monies and horrid banquets which
have served to keep the secret safe, the
tribe of Aztecs, living only to preserve
for their mysterious ruler this treasure
house of nature, have all aided in Civ
ing to the story it's strange interest.
| Small wonder is it that the pulse should
quicken and the eye grow bright as
you hear the tale from the lips of men
who more than half believe it. The
lonely desert surrounding you, with
the tall cacti looking like ghosts in the
half moonlight; the long-drawn melan-
choIy of the coyotes howl, the pros
pector's fire of grease wood, the men
with their rough clothing and quaint
language, all vanish as you listen, and
in Imagination you are transported to
the woneerful valley, in which is the
sMadre d'Oro, the Mother of Cold
"Nor are they content to listen to the
story as an Indian legend. They cite
instances of white men who have seen
the place, who have descended into
the valley in some way and returned
with all the gold they could carry. The
location of the spot is always in dan
gerous Indian country. l have beer
told twice that it was in the Chiricahus
Mountains. 1t is always said to have
been found merely by accident by mel
who were either hunting or prospect
ing for lodges, about the only two oc
cupatlons which will make unscientifi'
men climb the mountains. 1t can onl.
be seen from the upper end and afte
the morning mists in the valley hav
cleared away. Then, as one stands OF
the ragged peaks and looks down, h
sees the great ledge spanning the val
ley below him, the virgin metal gilt
tering in the sunlight, and he know
that he has before him the place Q
which he has heard so much an
dreamed so often"