The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-06-09
JOHN PIERCE's LUCK.
"A Stone Which He Started to Throw
at a Cow Brings His $25O,OOO.

at a Cow Brings His $25O,OOO.
San Francisco Examiner.
John Pierce is Tombstone, Ariz.,
miner, who up to year and half ago
had difficult work to provide the peces-
stiles of life for himself and family.
He Is now in this city with $25O,00O In
gold coin to his credit. 1t is another
story of a lucky find of rich gold and
silver bearing quartz.
Pierce Is the name of the now camp
just coming into prominence about
thirty miles northeast Of Tombstone
1t is made more conspicuous because
In addition to its great ore richness it
Is about the only gold camp in the
territory. Already there are 500 peo-
Tombstone are being taken there
bodily. An English syndicate has
organized with a million and halt of
dollars. and 1t is said that there is a
prospect OF the new camp rivaling
Cripple Creek, in Colorado.
Pierce was seen at his hotel soon
after his arrival few days ago. He
tells an Interesting story of his dis
cOvery and of his sudden change in
position from man without dollar
to one who can be considered fairly
wealthy. He is Cornishman, about
fifty years of age, with little or no
education, and who appears totally un-
aware as yet Of what his fortune can
do for him.
About four years ago" said he,
VI took up a claim about thirty miles
northeast of Tombstone. There was O.
water hole in the mountain, and took
the place In order to get the water 80
| could raise o few head of stock.
There was not much to be made from
1T, and as, / was broken down from
hard work with pick, my folks had
to help out in the living. One day,
about eighteen months ago, was driv-
ing the COWS home at night and was
| upward of four miles away from nv
ranch, when In crossing a little ledge
where there was an outcropping of
rock, stopped down and picked up a
piece of stone to throw at one of the
cows, when noticed how heavy 1t
was.
upon closer examination saw
what looked like. gold quartz and l
and horned 1t out. The result showed
considerable gold, I went back and
got more rock and took it into Tomb.
| stone the next day, and an essay
showed me that had found rich
mine. The ledge where picked up
I the rock was not over 400 feet from q
road that had been travelled for years.
1t was just luck found it,"
Pierce went on to state that as he
had no money himself, he had to do all
the developing work on small scale.
He managed to take out several tons
OF ore and ship 1t away. The result
from this shipment was over $3,00O
With this amount of money he sunk q
shaft and opened his claim so that II
the ledge. After this work had been
accomplished some parties from Silver
City, N. NJ, came along and bonded
the property for $250,000 on years
time. Before the year had expired
they sold the bond to an English syndi
cate for an advance of 100000, and
when the year was up, which occurred
last week, Mr.. Pierce got draft or
San Francisco and he at once came Il
the city to get his coin.
Prior to two years ago Pierce was q
broken-down miner "a man who haC
never had to exceed $40 at one time
and who was having hard struggl,
to make both ends meet. Now he ha
a quarter of q million dollars, all II
gold coin, and like most men in similar
circumstances, does not know how {,
spend his money. His wife, befoI,
making the strike, had TO go to Tomb
stone and help out the family excheque
by doing such odd jobs of house clean
ing as she could find, while the son,
young man now twenty, herded cattl
7 on the ranges. Besides one son, h
has q daughter, who was given the ad
| vantage OF the public schools OF Toni
I stone. His entire family accompan
] him TO this city, and as it Is their frs
: visit away from home, they are enjo,
!, inc thamaalvaa *