The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-02
a MINE THAT Lost ITSELF.


How n Ra2nstorm Destroyed tho Fortunes
OF n Montana PROPRIETOR.
did You ever hear OF the lost alum
minef" asked the Montana man.
Iconfessed my Ignorance.
well it was this way: Captain Baker Of
Butte City and another man were out pros
pecting over near Bannock, when they hit
rock of pure alum. They tasted It and
found it dead straight. Then they put in
their stakes and located the claim.
"They browsed around a bit and found
that the outcroppin was about 20 by 81
feet, and the vein into the earth at about
an angle of IS degrees. They had their
tools i'll the outfit, and they sank q shaft to
cover their assessment work. After the
shaft was down is or 20 feet. they knocked
off.
well, II was the purtiest layout you'd
ever seen. I've heerd Cap Baker tell about
1t over and over again.
THAT shaft went right down straight be-
tween solid walls Of alum as clear as crys-
tai. Why, they cut out slab of the stuff
and put a coat back Of it and they had a
looking glass as good as any lady would
want. Them fellows wasn't dudes, but
they spent more time lookin into that there
mirror than they ever did in their life be-
fore, and neither one OF 'em was beauty
at that.
well, bimeby they packs some of the
stuff on the cayuses and starts back for
Butte to get windlasses, men and grub SOS
they could work their claim.
"This was about April, and the rainy
season set in for two weeks, so they had to
stay in town until 1t was over, as all the
creeks and streams was too high to ford.
But they showed tina, Il I'M all around, and
one of the druggists $50. that IL they could
get the stun out In good shape that they
were rs good rs millionaires.
well, every time they showed tho stuff
and saw the eyes Of the fellers open up they
had to set 'em up for the boys. Them two
weeks in town cost them a stack of blues
for drinks, you can betcher life.
when the rain slowed up, they sneaked
out of town early one mornin. They was
afraid some of the boys would folly them,
and they wasn't takin no chances on any
one a-doin them up.
b ut took 'em two days to reach the place,
N they got there late at night. Next morn.
in they was all up at daylight and made
break for their claim.
They couldn't find ii.
! "The stakes was all right, but there was
no sign of the shaft which had been sunk
or the alum that they had left on the dump.
"'That beats the deucei' said Cap Baker.
"'Wuss ner that said his podner, and
then the other fellers gave 'em the big laff.
"'How much did yer pay for that alum
yer brought ini' asst one.
Say, fellers. dey mus "a bin hypner-
TIED said another, but Cap Baker and his
podner said nauthin. They was dazedlike
and wouldn't speak for day.
AT last, cap, he went off by hisself and
didn't loom up till night, and then the boys
saw that a change had come over him.
Say, boys he said, we're a noutfit OF
Internal fools, that's what we are.
"'Why didn't we come here two weeks
sooner, answer me thatf
"'Count of the rain,' said one.
That's jes' it., said cap; that's jes' it
! It's the rain, don't yer see, you fabber
gasted, tenderfoot idjets, don't yer seeP'
"None of 'cm could see
Why, that rain-listen, boys-that two
weeks rain shrlnk that blasted mine up
Then none of 'em said nauthin, but
, packed up and made for home When They
got back, you couldn't get 'em to talk
But that's the story of the lost alum
mine. New York Herald.