The herald., 1896-08-05

fold. then have something transpire
which drives that discomfort, even the
memory of it, from ones mind like a
flash. and he can perhaps have faint
realization of the sensations Of the
lucky prospector over his find.
AS soon as he realized what he had
discovered. Drouillard saw that the
ledge cropped out for a long distance
in both directions He at once put up
monument and notice of claim. and then
started for camp. Five mortal hours he
went without water. Five hours with
out a drink of water? Pshaw. most OF
us do that every day and think nothing
of it, But out in the desert-hot. dusty.
shadeless, cloudless, with the fierce
July sun beating down with a fervor
which the cold figures of the thermom-
eter cannot adequately depict-ah. that
is different. Why, fifteen minutes with
out drink is misery, half an hour tor
ture, two hours death almost to the man
unaccustomed to the terrible torridity.
Yet i've long hours did Drouillard travel
with empty canteen at his side. The
latter portion of the period he was buoy
ed up by the glorious news which he was
Fastening to impart to his companion
Had il not been for that it is doubtful
whether he would ever have reached
camp alive. When he did arrive he was
as near death as one can be and recover
Inc rest OF the story Is Souti toiu mas
much as it 10 but a repetition of what
has occurred hundreds of times. The
partners went back to the scene OF the
discovery. staked out claims for them
selves and their hackers, and then gave
the news to the world. Four claims,
making 5000 feet on the ledge, was their
modest limit, and then the discovery
was free for anyone. AS soon as the
news got out miners from Red Rock and
MojaVe. from Goler and RandSburg.
from Cow Wells and Coyote Hole, rush
ed in. and in an incredibly short time
had the country staked out for miles.
The original discoveries traced the
Groupings for a little over a mile and
located it; but one man has already
found groupings of.a similar character
nine miles away and the intervening
country has been pretty nearly all taken
up.
Ore taken from several points on the
ledge shows assays of anywhere from
$3.50 to $500 ton. mostly in gold but
with a fair amount of silver. All along
the ledge. which is three feet in width
on the surface, samples taken at ran
dom show the same wonderful layers
and stringers of pure gold running
through the quartz. A small shipment
of 100 or 500 pounds of ore was taken
from the groupings and sent to be work
ed and from the assays is expected to
return from 81 to ST. so per pound in free
sold.
Arrangements are being hurried by
the discoveries for Systematically and
thoroughly working the mines. and they
returned yesterday to the desert from
here, having come in to procure sup
plies aud make preparations for open
ing the mines.
The exact location of these newly dis
covered mines is at the southern base of
the range of mountains on the northern
slope of which Randsburg is situated.
They are about ten or twelve miles near
er Mojave than Randsburg. A dry lake
known as CUddeback lake is close by.
and at Cuddeback wells, four or five
miles distant. is an abundant supply OF
pure water. 1t is believed from indica-
lions that water can be obtained close
to the mines. Rogers Station, on the
Santa Fe road. is about eighteen miles
uth-southwest of the discovery and Is
the nearest railroad point. An old wae'
on road from Mojave passes directly
through the locality, and the ledge itself
shows signs of the passing and rcpass-
ing OF many vehicles, yet never man
thought ii worth while to examine the
rock till Drouillard came along.
Other iocators on the ledge are find
ing rich rock. while dry washers are al
ready at work in several localities along
the ledge and are making good wages.
The report has been circulated that
this Is probably the lost Pegleg mine.
The proposition is absurd on its face.
The Pegleg mine is on direct lire be-
tween the Colorado river at about the
Needles and Warmers pass, away to the
southeast from Los Angeles. 1t is not
more than three DAYS horseback ride
from Warmers ranch. and is a couple
of hundred miles olwo from St. Elmo
the name given the new camp.