The record-union., 1896-04-29


covery, with accompanying maps; but.
as we are credibly informed, he used
the information he obtained as an
assistant to the State Mineralogist in
the field to make locations upon the
channel of the ''auriferous conglomerate
deposit through dummies whose
names were recently published to body
up about 10000 acres of land supposed
to be rich in gold 1t appears that the
theory of Dunn in this case was that he
had discovered an old river channel,
township AZ north, range west, run
ming thence entirely through township
46 north, range west, thence in a
southwesterly course under a dividing
ridge between Montague and Yreka and
| appearing again about a mile southeast
of Yreka. This supposed ancient river
| channel which r. L. Dunn claimed to
have discovered was located in part by
him, as heretofore narrated. After
location he made a report to the State
Mineralogist, and we have before us a
Conglomerate Deposit, Siskiyou County,
Issued by California State Mining
Bureau, j. J. Crawford, State Mineralo-
gist. Accompanying report of r. l..
Dunn, E. M. Assistant in Field" Thus,
after having located what was sup
posed to be the most valuable portions
of this newly discovered ancient river
bed, the report eventually appears, with
an accompanying map. 1t is put out
over the authority Of the State Miner
alogist, and thereby acquires a high
official Endorsement.
Upon the appearance of this report,
some mining men in San Francisco,
whose names can be given, if necessity
shall require, secured at the hands Of
that eminent geologist, James E. Mills,
an examination. Mr.. Mills is very emf
nent in his profession. He was for
twenty years the assistant of Louis
Agassiz. The profundity of his scien-
tific attainment will not be questioned
by anyone. Taking up the indications
pointed out by r. l.. Dunn, it required
but a brief examination to convince
Mr.. Mills that what Mr.. Dunn supposed
to be an old river channel was an an
cient sea beach containing nothing.
We have space for but bare outline
I,,t tl,1r- y,
highest public significance and no bet
ter planned scheme has ever been pre-
sented for inducing and exciting imagi-
native people to invest time, money and
labor in vain attempt to find "aurif-
erous conglomerate deposits" rich in
gold in an ancient sea beach. This is
the manner in which the honest miner
is defrauded, and clearly discloses the
vice Of permitting schemers to occupy
official positions which they are certain
to abuse. In this instance, about TO-
600 acres of land supposed to cover an
ancient river bed rich in gold fell into
the hands Of a citizen Of Michigan by
a species of title which schemers of
this class expect the people of the State
Whether the Michigan man was vic
tim of the wiles of r. l.. Dunn, or
whether he was cognizant of what was
being done and the fraudulent nature
of the transaction, is not made clear.
Until otherwise established, it is to be
presumed that the Michigan man de-
pended upon the official character of
the report relating to this matter and
invested his money in good faith. The
presumption to that effect will lie until
1t Is otherwise established. Other ex-
perts in the persons of skillful mining
engineers and biologists have re-exam-
ined the same ground and there is
concensus Of opinion among them that
no ancient river bed exists.
The official character Of this transac-
ton will not escape attention, and the
California State Mining Bureau is
called upon to explain. Certain it is
that this whole story which constituted
the basis of mining operations was
projected by deputy acting under the
authority Of the California State Min
ing Bureau. 1t is equally certain that
he used the information he obtained
while in the employment of the people
of California for his own private pur-
poses and the propriety of this the State
Mineralogist can possibly fully ex-
plain.
If the news is verify that John Hays