The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-11
JOHN PIERCE'S LUCK.
n Stone Which He Started to Throw
ut Cow Brings His S25O,OOO.

nt Cow BrinSS His sS0O,OOO.
San Francisco Examiner.
John Pierce is Il Tombstone, Ari2.,
miner, who up to Il year and half ago
had difficult work to provide the ncccs-
sitics OF life for himself and family.
He is now in this city with $3.50, 900 in
gold coin to his credit. 1t is another
story Of Il lucky find OF rich gold and
silver bearing quartz.
Pierce is the name OF tho new 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 poo
pie there and empty houses from
Tombstone are being taken thoro
bodily. An English syndicate has
organized with a million and a halt of
dollars. and it 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 a few days ago. He
tolls an interesting story Of his dis
covcry and Of his sudden change in
position from u man without dollar
to one who can be considered fairly
wealthy. tlc is II Cornishman, about
fifty years OF ago, 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 Il claim about thirty miles
northeast of Tombstone. There was !,
water hole in the mountain, and took
the place in order to get the water so
| could raise fcw head of stock.
There was not much to be made from
1t, and nS | 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 my
ranch, when in crossing Il 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 it
was.
Upon Il closer examination | saw
what looked like gold quartz and I
and horned it out. The result showed
considerable gold. I went back and
got moro 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
the rock was not over 400 feet from a
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 a small scale.
He managed to take out several tons
OF orc and ship it away. The result
from this shipment was over $1,000.
With this amount Of money he sunk a
shaft and opened his claim SO that it
WAS possible TO ascertain the extent of
the ledge. After this work had been
accomplished some parties from Silver
city. y NJ. came along and bonded
the property for $50. 900 on a 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 q draft on
San Francisco and he at once came to
the city to get his coin.
Prior 10 two years ago Picrce was a
brokcn-dOwn miner IL man who had
never had to exceed so at one time
and who was having a hard struggle
to make both ends meet. Now he has
Il quarter OF million dollars, all in
gold coiD, and like most men in similar
circumstances, does not know how to
spcnd his money. His wife, befolc
making the strike, had to go to Tomb
stone and hel p out the family cxchequer
by doing such odd jobs of house clean
ing as she could find, while tho son, q
young man now twenty, herdcd cattle
on the ranges. Besides one son, he
has daughter, who was given the ad
vantage OF the public schools Of Tomb
stone. His entire family accompany
him to this city, and as 1t is their first
visit away from home, they arc enjoy
ing themselves.