The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-15
LOST MINES OF ARIZONA.
How Gold Was Extracted in That
Country in the olden
Times.
M ------- &N
Rich Offerings That We're Made to
the Church Long
Ago.
= Priests Table Covered With Nuggets by
the acknowledgements Now Lost
to the World.

The legends OF lost mines of fabulous
wealth III Pima county are almost number
less, and, it might be truthfully added, gen
erslly mythical. The "oldtimets' can tell
OF them by the hour, and q few have besn
shown glittering evidences in confirmation
of the wonderful tales reluctantly reclted
with superstitious dread Of the conse-
uuenoes of their periidy by almost super
animated Indians and Nexicans. That the
precious metals were mined on n large seals
in the dim past, says the Arizona Enter
prise, the many remaining evidences al
ready discovered fully verify, yet tho IN
yestiration of those that chance has
revealed has seldom proved financially sue
~cessful. Old arrastras. covered with the
decav of centuries, and crude smelling
furnaces that havs almost returned to the
dusty destiny Of all matter, speak Of IN
dustries once in active operation that MS
tory, and ever aboriginal tradition, rails 70
mention. 1t would seem that If the orude
end primitive methods then in vogus could
prohtably recover the precious metals from
their rocky matrices modern machinery
would find it an easy task to reap fortunes
from the old mines, yet, as before stated,
the hopeful promises have seldom been
fulfilled in pursuing their development.
some Of the traditions told sound like
fairy tales and one, however skeptical. can
not but become deeply interested IN their
recital. AS a sample Of the highly plausi-
bic. we'll authenticated and extremely g.
ductiys narratives, one related by Charles
b. Brown 81 this city may be received with
interest. .@"
speaking O old mines,'' said MI.
Brown, Il nave spent q great deal OF time
ard money in hunting up clews and one ct
them was actually found and I can go to u
ANYTIME. Ont in the Silver Bell country l
can take you to a mountain 50 full Of q
nels and shafts that. if they were in good
and safe condition, you could travel
through all day long and not reach the end.
Anumbsr Of old-timers have visited 1t and
Judging from the vast work done there SO
long ago., thew concluded that a great mine
Of some kind had existed there, which had
likely been worked out. Many times has it
bSen located, and though it's walls, root
and floor were carefully scanned and sam
pied tho result, while showing some gold,
was discouraginR, assays " from y
trace up to several dollars per ton.
MANY years ago l talked With an Old
ADAQ l0ulhuS W1Ln W1CA4A WaD oAA ohJ
friBndly terms. having often extended hlm
little favors, about the gold and silver
mines. In a burst Of confidence be told me
that a great many years ago, when ne was q
very small boy, this Indians at San Xavier
del BAG made weekly trips TO a very rich
gold mine. On Saturday night they r.
turned with the product Of their toll. The
priest in charge Of the mission kept 8 small
table in front of the altar, covered with :
white cloth, upon which the pious toilers
placed their metallic offerings to the church
This table was often covered with golden
nuggets, varying in aize from q pea to ones
fist, and ii was a rich sight. After the
usual service the priest would descend and
as he picked up each precious piece he
would proclaim the name of the donor anc
afterward would call them forward to re-
ceive the special blessing of heaven. On
the following Monday they would again
take up their march in a northwesterly dl.
rection for the mines, and for 2 very Ions
time this was repeated, until the priests
were driven out of the country, when they
abandoned mining entirely.
1.-THE old Indian had at one time gond
with the miners, who followed a we'll beaten
trail towards the Silver Bell country, and
he saw them take out the gold. He agreed
to show me the place and, out of curiosity
I sent q man with him one day. They wen
out to the old mine ] have spoken of in The
Silver Bell country and when they reached
a certain gulch the Indian pointed to the
top of the mountain and said he would fine
a shaft there, covered with cat claw bushes
out of which The most gold was taken. Tht
man found everything just as the ole
Indian told him, but long disuse had fillec
up the shaft until it was nearly full.
son returning the old Indian could no
BIZ found; he had gone ahead, and was no
met for several days. He then said he die
not dare to show the mine to the white peo.
pie, and protested that he did not show it
for fear the great spirit would take his life.
He said the white man had found it, but ht
did not show it to him..
81 visited the mine afterwards, but the
work necessary to clean out ths shaft was
too great and too expensive to undertake
and it has never been touched.
"1he formation is a singular ono. ant
samples of the white rock sent to Californi,
were pronounced an exceedingly fine
quality of kaolin. such as fine porcelai,
ware is made of. Through it were streak'
of iron rust. and it is likely the gold wa
found in them. Whether it will ever pa,
for the necessary expensive exploration ant
prospecting is quite doubtful, but there i
gold to be found there"
RENRAVED RV A RITRGTAR