The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-01
A LEDGE OF PURE GOLD.
Another Expedition Organized
to Search for a Long
Lost Mine.
Many Have Perished From Thirst
While Hunting for This Rich
Deposit.

| A company is being organized in this
| City to fit out an exploring expedition to
| search for rich gold ledge that was found
in the Mojave Desert years ago. but was
| lost sight of on account of the death of the
man who found it, He persisted miserably
of heat and thirst in the desert. Months
later his body was found, and in his pocket
was fatal legacy to mankind, a paper
describing the location of his wonderful
find. Since then dozens of hardy pros
pectors have persisted in the burning sands
while searching for the lost mine. Not
withstanding these failures and fatalities
another band of fearless adventures pro-
pose to search in the waterless wilderness
for the wealth they have heard about.
The story of the lost mine is best told by
L. D. Thompson of sic Eddy street, a
pioneer or this coast and a member of sew
eral fraternal societies. He said:
MANY years ago l met Oliver Miller,
prospector, and my dealings with him con-
vince me that no man was ever more hon
est. On March he came to me and told
me that he knew of a gold ledge of fabulous
richness in the Mojave Desert, about fifteen
miles south of Daggett in San Bernardino
County. Miller said that years ago man
found the ledge in mountainous section,
ing solid gold nugget the size of his fist
he returned to San Diego for provisions.
He sold the gold, but Kept the secret of
where he found it.
"Alone he started out into the desert
again, but persisted from heat and thirst.
Years after his body, which was well pre-
served by the dryness of the atmosphere,
was found, and in the vest pocket was a
paper describing the location of the ledge
and the way to get there. Many have
tried to follow the route, but died or had to
turn back. One day Miller and his partner
were prospecting in the desert, and Miller
shot at vulture tina. was sitting on spur
of rock. The bullet broke the rock and re-
vealed vein of almost pure gold.
'They marked the place and went back
to civilization for food. Miller and his
partner quarreled as to the way they
should work the mine and in time the
partner died. Miller was allured to Mon
tana, where he hoped to make money to
develop the gold ledge in the Mojave
Desert, but fate was against him. Later he
read the description of the mine, for the
paper found in the dead miners pocket
was published many times in the news
papers, and he was satisfied that the I'M
fortunate fellow was the first diseoverer
'Miller told me that he was going back
to the desert to hunt for the lost mine, for
he is sure he can find it again. He asked
me TO organize cOmpan TO 1urn1Sn the
means and he would start out at once. I
gave him some money and he started out.
He has written to me that he has been out
on the desert during the past month, but
finds the elements have slightly changed
the appearance of the country since he was
there, but he is sure he will find the
ledge.
He needs men to help him, tent, mules.
wagon and provisions. l am satisfied he
10 I I
Dennis, cashier in the Hartford Insurance
Company. Mr.. Dennis and l have taken
several shares in Miller's company and we
decided to take one or two more men into
the project. [ know men have persisted in
trying to find the lost mine, but as Mr..
Miller has found it once I am sure he can
find it again.
1.-THE mine is in hollow with three
small mountains or hills surrounding, and
the ledge runs several feet above the sur
face of the ground. Possibly the hollow
has been filed with rocks and sand, but
when Miller finds the three hills he will
not be long in uncovering the ledge of
gold -