The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-11-25

NN~Hr| - IN " start ~ N1aNNh
TX , Of II. says the New
>E3 York World. II Is
NJ called the Peg
Leg Smith" mine.
Smith. after whom II was named. was
a California trapper before the dlscov-
cry Of gold In that state. In the fall OF
1885 he Joined a party to AUNT on the
banks Of the ella river. where fur ami
mails were reported 10 be very plenti-
ful. Shortly after their arrival Smith
had the misfortune TO suffer a COM
pound fracture OF one OF his legs, the
bone being crushed In such a manner
BY a huge mass Of rock as 10 render
Ineffective the crude knowledge Of sur
gerry possessed by his comrades. lie Is
accredited with anputating his limb
with an old saw and OF soaring the
bleeding stump with a red-hot ramrod.
Incredible as Il seems. there are men
who say Il Is a fact. They trapped up
The east bank Of the ella river for some
distance before they crossed. but how
Tar up Is. unfortunately, not known.
The location OF their ford would be a
key 10 the Loaf wealth. After crossing
the river they continued on westward
Tor the purpose Of exploring the then
unknown desert. The second or third
light after crossing their pack animals
sirayed away from camp and their
half-breed herder. whom they had
brought with them FROM Santa Fe. took
heir trail. he returned late In the af-
crnoOn with the animals and his peck
rs full Of a dull. yellowish metal. He
reported having found the animals sew
sral miles 10 the southwest, feeding
around the base OF some small hills.
One OF these he climbed TO take OBJ
servations as to the location Of the
amp and found a quantity Of the met
Al along the sides and on the summit
lold, Il must be remembered. had not
yet been discovered IN the west and
placer gold was an unknown metal AZ
.er trying II with ERE and their knives
he trappers. being illiteraie. pro-
nounced Il brass. not knowing that
hat metal was a composite. They tried
4 IN their molds and found that Il made
excellent bullets. As their stock Of
lead was running low. they decided 10
send a detail to the hills the next day
% lay IN a supply. This was done and,
according 10 Peg-Leg. who accompan-
ed the detail. three little dark-rcd
aills were literally covered with the
metal. some Of the chunks being 80
large that one man could hardly llfi
hem" In a short time the detail had
picked up all the metal that could be
conveniently carried without any APP
parent diminution In the supply. The
detail returned 10 the camp and the
next day was employed In making a
large supply Of bullets. as there was an
abundance Of Indian signs and the red
skins gave evidence Of becoming trou.
blesome The day following the party
took up It's line Of march along a we'll
defined Indian trail. their experience
teaching them that Il would pass BY
some water hole farther on. They had
hardly got well under way when they
were attacked By Indians and a run
ming fight ensued for the entire day
But az few Of the Indians were armed
with old rides the majority having
iances. bows and arrows and clubs. the
trappers had little difficulty In keeping
them on While passing a high clay
butte along the trail a bullet whlEred
By Peg-Leg's head and buried itself In
the sun baked clay. From curiosity
Peg-Leg dug Il out with the point Of
his knife and found that Il vas yellow
metal, similar 70 those the white met
we're shooting. After Marshall's dis
covery Of gold Peg-Leg compared thai
and with the yellow metal" In HE pos
session. and then he realized that N,
supposed brass" was virgin gold. ant
they had been shooting Il At Indians
At the time Of the discovery Of gold II
California Peg-Leg was n confirmed
drunkard and was well along Ia years
He sold his brass" nuggets and sooE
swallowed the proceeds. and then mad
several Intellectual attempts TO return
alone 10 the three little dark reI
hills" Later he had no dificulty II
organizing expeditions among his &C
qualntances who had seen his gold ans
heard his story. bu, he could never re
turn to the spot. The last time HI
fetched up at the river. and. giving NJ
the search, he returned with his dis
gusted expedition 10 Los Angeles. an,
some time after Is reported 10 hav'
died IN a hospital In San Francisco. N,
doubt Of the truth Of his story IL enter
tanned by old California miners. Thosl
who are now preparing TO search 10
this lost mine say that the fording
place Of the trappers on the Colorado
would be a probable key to the los
mines II Is generally known that Their
are but two running. living waters be
tween the river and the scene Of IN
last fight with the Indians. within IN
number OF days travelled. These water
are those In Carlisle creek near the oil
government trail 10 Puma. and thos
Of Dos Palmas, on the old Butterhel
Otago route. The number Of days ma,
have been oyoreatlmated, for tim
steps and the road lengihens when on
Is compelled 20 fight Indians day an
night Taking all these things int
consideration. a search ioF the los
; wealth entails the perllous hardship
Of prospecting over 1900 square mile
Of hot, dry desert and mountains.
Bc Earnest.
Seriousness OF purpose and lof;ines