The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-06
LEGEND OF LOST MINE.
Tho Bonanza OF Sampson's Flat. whose
Secret Died With It's Owner.

Tho Bonanza OF SampsO0'S Fiat " nose
Secret Died With Its Owner.
For thirty years miners have been
searching for what they believe is
mine of gold equaling, if not surpass-
ing, in richness anything known on
this coast They believe that it is To-
Gated somewhere in the vicinity OF
Sampson fat, and the mountains for
miles aronnd have been prospected
without success. but still there are old
miners who have mistaken faith in the
legend that Shipes Eldorado is some
where in that region, and that some
day it will be unearthed from beneath
the debris which has been accumulat-
ing for thirty years The search is
still going on.
The story is as follows: Forty years
ago miner named Shipe was living
the life of a hermit in SIMPSONS fiat,
his only companions being the half
wild Indians He was a man who rare
ly showed himself Ia the abOdes of CIV
ilized men. In fact, houses were few
and far between in the vicinity OF
ment at Visalia and once or twice
year old Shipe. would journey thither
with sack full of gold, lay in sup
ply OF grub, and then get drunk and
gamble and fight till his nuggets were
all gone. His sprees would last from
two weeks to month. and at the end
of that time he would take his way
back TO SIMPSONS fiat and no one
would hear of him again until his next
visit to Visalia with another sack OF
gold
Thus matters went on for ten years
He paid his semi-aupual visits to Visa
liza as usual His buckskin gold sack
always full when he came and empty
when he departed. By this time few
settlers had begun to take up land
among the hills, and among them was
a settler on Mill creek. Old Shipe usu-
ally stopped there as ne passed TO and
fro between Simpsons fiat and FiSalia-
About 1864 Old Shipe came 20 this
house on Mill creek for the last time
He was becoming an old man, and his
manner was different from what it
had been on former occasions, and he
seemed more communicative. While
sitting that night in the cabin he
poured out on the table fully one thou
sand dollars. of gold nuggets of all
sizes. from two bits to ten dollars and
twenty dollars. and told his host tina.
ne knew of place where he could load
a train of pack mules with just snch
gold in few months digging.
The Mill creek man. of course, grew
interested, and Shipe promised TO take
him in partnership and they would
work the mine together.
Il am on my way 10 Visalia for
grub" said be, and when come back
l will take ron 10 the mine"
His host was so excited that he want
ed 10 90 ~ once, but Shipe declared
there was no occasion for haste. as the
mine would keep. be persisted n his
intention 70 60 20 Visalis frst. and in
spite Of all persuasion. ne went
When ne reached Visalia ne bought
supplies, as was his custom. and then
proceeded TO get drunk and spend his
money. One night he took part In q
Quarrel over = game Of cards and wac
killed. The man who killed him was
hanged before morning by the vigi-
laries
From tina. day 70 this men have
searched fo- the mine. but without
success One OF the most persistent
explorers for Il. in mis- day. was Chris
Evans tie put II the Eos. o. his time
4or three or four years searching FOR
Il. and j, Is said he imagined that the
mine located oy him and Sontag was
the site OF shipe's old BONANZA Il Is
evident :hat Saipe's mine w.s a placer.
as MS gold was al nuggets apparently
worn by water The search Is stu
going on. and perhaps some day. in al
unexpected pace. tae mine viii Il
found--F-esro Cali E1poeitor.