Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-04


LOOKED DOWN THE SHAFT"
wouldn't have the bad dreams that disturb
me occasionally. have never since put
myself in position where possible hon.
icide would not have ut least one witness.
will not work alone with another man
in mine.
II got my start up in Farncomb Hill.
Jim Souther was my partner. We had a
fairly good claim-nOthing Of the bonanza
in Its nature, just a good, honest ~ or 2
ounce proposition that beat day wages by
q shade only. There is ono thing about
FarncOmb Hill-that is its uncertainty.
You never know what tho next WALTON
with the pick or the next shot with q car
fridge will uncover.
"Souther was down in the hole and was
on the windlass hoisting the buckets he
filled with ore. We had a soft thing SO far
as labor was concerned, and could almost
shovel the ore up. 1t was q soft tale, q
cross between chalk and putty. I got q
bucket ut last--along about in the after
noon-tEat weighed like a ton. could
scarcely lift it. 1 dumped it and almost
dropped dead. The ore was SO rich in gold
could see it shine. Iexamined the buck
ct and found little strings of wire gold
hanging to it. Jim had struck one of those
celebrated Farncomb freaks, and it was SO
dark down there he hadn't noticed the al
tcration in the character Ut the stuff he
was sending up.
II called to Jim to stand from under,
for aimed to come down and see him
awhile. l broke the news to him, and
then we began to figure out how we stood.
As early as we could decide we had a pock-
ct or chamber Of this stuff extending in
to tho side of the shaft about eight feet.
We could reach in and get out handfuls of
hne spun gold that looked like it came
from under a redheaded girls hat. But
we couldn't stand in tho shaft and admire
it all day. There was at least $4,000
worth of the stuff. The metal that was
not free could easily enough be separated
from the rest of the ore. 1t was inclosed
In dccomposed quartz and required moth
Ing but rubbing between the fingers to get
1t. We decided to raise it all that night
that Is unless it turned out o bigger find
than we thought. We figured it best not
to go about beating the drum to advertise
our strike, but hoist the orc and do our
talking later.
Jim staid in the mine and went back
on the winch. Then my temptation came
to me. There was good big piece of
money there for one man, and Just half rs
much each for two. I have read some
where that every man has his price, II
you keep on bidding, you can reach him
sure at some spot. Since that day have
shuddered to think how cheap ON. A
measly SIS, 900 in ore came near getting
me. 1t all came to me as il it were print
ed in big letters and held before my face
could call to Jim and get him out of the
dirt into tho bottom of the shaft and lot
fhfn mi, T.
kick left in man who had been smashed
on the head with as pound bucket, with
200 pounds of orc in 1t after q 80 foot fall
1.-THE first time called couldn't raise
my voice over a whisper. 1t reminded me
of tho time had tho pneumonia my first
year In the mountains and Jim nursed me
ont of it. He walked 90 miles over tho
hills In snowstorm to get medicine for
me, and it's the surest thing in the world
wouldn't have been hosting pure gold
out of Farncomb Hill shaft II Jim
Souther hadn't sat up with mo day and
night for week four years before.
thought of all this while was limbering
up my voice for the second try at calling
him. That time did 1t.
What is it, Bills' no hollers back.
could see his candle flicker as looked
down the shaft ready to let go the winch,
when had him placed right. What's
eating of you now.' he keeps on. We
amt got any time for merrymaking or WIS.,
iting if We get this spending money out
today, he says. Make your talk quick,
Bill
II had to try three times again before I
could make noise.
I want you to come up and work the
winchp yells. i don't like to be SO far
away from the stuff
"'All rightr he hollers up. III You
prefer it. But you know you can't stand
it down here as well as can, and I'm
some afraid you'll get the worst of it,
so Jim came up, and took his place.
When was going down the shaft, he says:
You look like you had seen a dead
friend, Bill. think another strike like
this would give you heart failure
"What did the find do? We took out
$22, 900 frOm that pocket and sold the
claim for e45, 900. Yes; Souther is still
In the mining business with me. I told
him about my plan to dissolve partnership
when he was in the shaft He said, DO
Jon know, Bill, had q strong notion to
belt you ON the head with pick when you
came down the shaft and I found what
Kind Of pile q putty had dug intol. %