St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-22
MINE OF THE MONTEzUMAS
IT rs LOCATED BY A LUCKY PROS
P-cT0R.
MOUNTAINS Of NEW MEXICO.
The Place of the Great Mine OF
History-The Wonderful Story
of James Crook, an Old-I ime
Scout and Indian Fighter
Finds the Nine and Produces
Evideuce

Prescott (Ar.z) Correspondent chicago
Tribune.
1t now seems probable that the long
sought and much discussed Montezuma
mine has been discovered at last. For
years stories Of this wonderful mine
have been told and several men have
lost their lives OH the desert III vain
search for its riches. TO discover the
location of the mine which. shadowy
tradition says, is lead of virgin gold,
has been the dream of hundreds OF
prospectors even before the rush across
the territory in the days OF 40.
The history of this mine has long
been known. 1t is tradition with the
Pueblo Indians that in the past their
ancestors worked mine supposed to be
in the Superstition range OF mountains.
where pure gold was taken out in
chunks, and many believed that these
secretive aboriginals knew. although
they could not be induced to
tell. where the mine was stu
ated. When the Spaniards first
invaded what is now Arizona they
found the natives working the fabulous
ly rich vein, and from them has de-
scended the story that the bonanza was
located in stupendous chasm, walled
in with rock, and accessible only from
one point, and that in the Dasin was
mighty city. made up mostly of convicts,
who had been sent here to eXpiate their
crimes in digging gold for the glory OF
MOnteZuma.
The location was such that escape
was impossible, for, even if one did sue
ceed in scaling the walls of the natural
prison, he was separated from food and
water by miles of desert wastes. In the
bottom of the basin was lake of limpld
water fed by springs. Across the basin
ledge of wonderful richness cropped
out, and here the convicts worked. some
digging in the hillside. others washing
gravel with their rude implements.
The story goes that the SpaniardS saw
nuggets as large as hens eggs and
many pots of dust.
Among the hundreds wo believed the
fairy tale had groundwork of fact was
James Cook, an Old-time scout and In
dian fighter. Cook put in many months
looking for the lost mine, and then con-
Guided to go to the City of Mexico and
see if there was anything to be found in
the archives there that would throw any
light on the subject. He had consider
able difficulty i'll gaining access to the
old Spanish chronicles. and later on in
finding anything bearing on the sub
ject. At last he found something that
promised clue. A mine was men,
toned that was so many days journey
from Tucson, at that time also a penal
colony orspresidio. The old invaders
had left record of their suffering on
the desert. miles from any object ex-
cept burning sand.
FINDS THE MINE AND BRINGS EVI-
DENCE.
With this clew Cook returned to Ari-
IONA and set to work TO find the lost
bonanza. This was in December. At
the point described small detached
groups of mountains, rising abruptly
from the desert. and the fact that no
water has ever been found near any of
them, made prospecting quite difficult
Water had to be packed long distances
on burros. which necessitated leng
trips. One after another of these CHASTITY
desert groups were visited by Cook
until at last his efforts were crowned
with success.
Last week he showed up at one Of the
interior mining camps nearly famished
for want of water and food and told his
story, which would challenge belief
were it not for the nuggets of gold which
he brought back as witnesses. He re-
lated that one day while prospecting far
up the side of the mountain he discerned
away out on the desert three mighty
peaks arising from the plain. Their gem
eral contour and location struck him as
tallying with the description left by the
Spaniards. Loading his burro with
water and provisions. he set out and
reached the peaks after five days.
journey. A whole day was consumed
in scaling the barren and precipitous
sides of the lonely group. On reaching
the top he discovered that the three
peaks were set in triangular form and
In the center there yawned a see mingly
bottomiess well.
Feeling sure that he was on the right
track he started forward, and soon en-
cOuntered well-worn trail, which
showed evidence of not having been
travelled for years. LII many places it
was overgrown with bushes and filled
with rock. This trail led him to the
walls of the chasm, but there appeared
no way of descending the pre-
cipitous banks. He could see a little
basin walled in with the bottom
covered with green grass, an evidence
of water in the neighborhood. Eventu-
ally he descended and began exploring.
The basin was about ten acres in ex-
tent, and evidences of former occupancy
were numerous. Dozens of adobe huts,
now tumbled into decay, were scattered
around pond or tank of clear water,
and there was still standing house of
rock.
HOUSES ABOUT THE OLD MINE.
Its sight was cave whose floor lay
about thirty feet above the bottom of
the basin and was accessible only by
steps cut into the vertical face of per-
feclly smooth precipice. The house
was painted white, while it was orna-
menttd with rows of yellow dots where
the plaStering still adhered to the walls,
Without doubt this was the home of
authority and comparative wealth.
Five hundred feet of smooth rock over
hung the OLD dwelling. Crook explored
this castle and found that it contained a
number of rooms that had been quite
elegantly furnished.
The site of the old mine was discov-
cred, but it was caved in, and consider
able of work would have to he done
before the lead could be examined. AS
to its richness, however. there can be no
doubt, as pieces of rock were picked up
from the old dump that fairly bristled
with free gold. 1t was some of these
specimens that Crook brought back with
him. aud it is conceded that they will
run away up in the thousands.
In prospecting for placer, Crook was
more successful. He found about seven
feet of gravel over cement bedrock,