Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-03-10
VAST uIupsN ~TsuAsvRss,


willing Ears Ia Las Vegas 'Ip-day.
-A
The romantic story recently told BY COL.
Juan Miguel dc Ia Corda, who claims to be
. native of Brazil, has awakened the curl
osity Of a number OF people over at Santa
70, where the colonel Is tenn porarily To-
Gated. TIE OPrIc cares neither TO affirm
nor depreclete the mans story at this
time; so the reader must therefore Judge
for himself. To Major George H, Pratt, Of
Laguna. and a representative Of the
Neip Mexican, the colonel told the follow
ing story:
1t Is not fate alone that brought me
to this country. / am a native OF Brazil
and am a colonel In Che regular army Of
that country. My father Is a Brazilian
comes from the iilustrious family of La
Cerda. am quite a linguist, being ablo
to speak huently eleven languages and to
write seven Of them. While pursuing my
studies In Spain, / became very much inter-
ested In the ancient archives of that coun-
try. In my researches found the origi'
nal report sent 10 Spain from the then
! province of New Mexico, and became very
| much interested In the information they
contained. Ihave copies In my p~ossessi n
and maps that rave guided me to the place
| that I have selected for excavation. '
My fret work was at Chill. You have
| already seen In the Albuquerque papers a
list 4 the valuable collections Of antiquities
| that / found at.that place. This collection,
| which Is equivalent to a treasure, ! will
present 10 the Historical society of New
Mexico with my compliments. MY great
v ork, however, will be at Gran Quivira,
where my camp u established at present.
| have already done considerable work
there with very crafty ing results. '
La Gan Quivira was the most fiourishing
8 anish 8 sttiement la this country as far
Jack az $40 years ago. The people
were mostly gold and copper miners.
whoie birck was occupied by
| goldsmiths and the work of their hands
wss the most wonderful and exquisite In
the world. THERE'S at this time a crown OF
| Hllg ee gold ret with emera'ds and tur
quo Sc ia the possession OF the royal family
o Spain. This was made IL Gran Quivira,
and is a marvel OF beauty and workman
ship. During the first week OF my work
there, / found q cave where $50. 000, 900 in
| gold are buried At another place, l found
| a large number of beautiful marble stat
ues, brought t. this country from Spain
and Rome. The most artistic thing that !
have found Is a golden sacred heart be.
longing to the ancient cathedral. All
l luG6O Caoa = A&NS tSAs =
while just where they were. until can Sc
cure some protection from the government.
| You can readily see that 1t would not be
| safe for me to uncover that sum Of money
unless l had some protection
y l am right on my way to the ma
| tional capital to confer with the president
| of the republic on this subject. l have
heard it said that he Is fond of gold. ]
will propose to HIM that, IL he will estab-
fish a military post at Gran Quivira, with
| 1000 soldiers, with orders to protect me
aud my TIRE asures. will defray all 81
penses of said post and will besides divide
some of the gold with the president.
The colonel, continuing the converse
ton, said: l am to build q grand ca he
dral, but the ancient one l will leave In
tact, as a mum to me, the discoverer
of tae treasures that so many have sought
in vain. I will use the material from the
main uins for the buildings for houses for
my people. l am going to employ a very
celebrated architect, from Washington. BY
the name of Neeli, to come, and superin-
tend the work of my cathedral, and other
buildings. am now preparing the plans,
and those of the cathedral / will submit
to his grace, the archbishop for his sp-
discovered a spring OF water with such
a force that it throws big boulders forty
feet in the air. Near the source OF this
spring / am going to erect a monument In
honor of the Franciscan Pnillipine mis-
~sionaries that did so much faithful work
here for Christianity.
When asked if the story Of his expected
marriage could be confirmed, he said:
THANK the God OF my fathers hi ir Is
true. In a couple Of months my family
will arrive from Europe to witness my
marriage to one Of the most lovely, most
accomplished and most modest In the
world. / will devote my VIII lie life to
make her the happiest of mortals. ] wit
make her the owner OF my treasures, and
the sweet companion Of my fame and re-
nown.
After concluding this romantic tale, the
colonel remarked, with emphasis, wher
asked IL the story was actually true:
La mentira es la Uerguenza del honbre
The lie is the shame of man. WhatI have
told you Is absolutely true.
The above tale has stirred up much ex-
element over at Santa Fe, and develop
ments are awaited with intense interest.
The colonel is in Las Vegas, to-day, and
expects to set sail for the national capital,
to morrow. .