The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-08-04
THE LOST MINE.
A eonanEa Gold Story from the
Wilds Of Alaska.

In the spring OF 1876 two miners
left Sitka on prospecting expedi-
tion, taking n course to the south
east, with the intention OF exploring
the islands along their route, but
moro especially TO reach the main
land and make extensive search for
placer diggings. Finding the islands
barren OF good results, they crossed
Chatham Straits TO the mainland, and
pitched camp ut the mouth of large
creek. To their experienced eyes the
creek bed gave evidence Of what they
were in search OF. 1t was strewn
with quartz, and on panning the
gravel color" was found. They
days travelling over boulders and
winding through underbrush they
reached the head waters of the creek
on the divide. Beyond and below a
short distance in the basin lay a
beautiful little lake, with small
stream emptying into 1t from the west
and another flowing out 10 the north.
They descended and encamped on
the margin OF the lake. In the little
stream putting into the lake they
again found gold After prospecting
and panning the gravel, JOY filled
their breasts, for they had found n
bonanza The gravel yielded coarse
gold the size OF beans and dollar or
more to the pan. The lucky gold
hunters lost no time in setting to
work. One returned to the beach
after the cached supplies, while tho
other partner set to work building u
rocker. For n matter OF two weeks
they washed the golden sands and
made occasional trips TO their cache
on the beach, with no thought what
ever Of approaching danger, and no
intimation OF the horrible tragedy
that was about TO occur.
On the eventful day, at about
noon, as they were leaving work TO
prepare dinner, ambushed savages,
who had tracked the two lone miners
from the beach into the mountains Co
murder and TO plunder, poured their
fire from behind trees upon them.
One was killed outright, bnt miracu-
lously the other was untouched.
Seeing his companion fall, and TAX
ing in the situation ut n glance, he
bounded into the timber Fear lent
wings to the pursued, and he soon
out-distanced his pursuers, who were
unable TO get in an effective shot
while both were dodging through the
timber and underbrush. The per-
sued made direct for the cache and
boat on the beach, and hastily load
ing up with the remainder OF the pro-
visions and effects he pulled out into
the channel. He saw the Indians no
more, and shaped his course, as he
supposed, for Stka, but not being
acquainted with the channels their
intricate windings and ever-changing
courses led him astray. He was
picked up by gunboat on her way
TO the sound and landed Mt Port
Townsend. In belt which he wore
around his waist he had about 81 500
in coarse gold, his share Of the work
by the lake.
The miner returned TO Sitka, and
told the tale OF his murdered partner
and the finding OF the bonanza, and
induced party TO go with him in
search Of IL again. The party, sew
eral in number, set forth In small
schooner, with the miner for their
guide. But through the many
changes made In the course In tack
ing against head winds, and the
winding course that necessarily had
TO be taken with schooner, the
guide, as before, became lost. The
crew began TO doubt his story, and
giving up all hope Of finding the
mouth OF the creek that lead TO the
goal insisted upon return. The
guide persisted that he would surely
find the place and insisted also that
the search be. continued, when the
party became angry and threatened
TO hang him 10 the mast. The search
was then abandoned.
A short time after their return TO
Sitka the miner, or hero OF the - lost
rocker" as 10 was now termed, was
taken sick and died, but TO his at
tendant during his illness, Mike
Powers, one OF the pioneers OF this
camp, he confided the secret OF how
20 find the rocker by the lake. The
rich find in Silver Bow basin back OF
Juneau occurred soon after his death,
and Powers was one who joined in the
stampede. Being good prospector,
and lucky, he secured valuable claims
which demanded his attention, and
delayed his search in the direction Of
the lost rocker" and after a time
he was about TO undertake the trip
when he vas killed by land slide in
the basin; and thus died the only
living white person who, unless by
accident, could find the lost lake, the
rocker, and the bleached bones OF the
unfortunate miner who fell beside 1t.
To this day prospecting parties
every spring go in search OF 1t. Big
rewards have been offered TO Indians
10 reveal tire locality, but, through
fear OF being implicated in the muir
der or otherwise, they remain silent.