The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-13
AS a general thing it takes persever-

AS a general thing it takes persever-
ing labor, a knowledge of formation
and a large stock of good horse sense
to find a rich, paying mine; but many
instances are on record of THE discov-
cry OF bonanza by chance or acct
dent
The great Horn Silver mine was
chance discovery, and ever since that
lucky day has been dividend-paying
proposition, and in the future promises
to maintain its record as one of the
wealth producers of Utah.
The discoyerers of the Horn Silver
mine were charcoal burners, who had
erected a kiln on what is now Horn
Silver ground. After they had finish
ed the structure they proceeded to
erect a corral near it, and in digging
a post hole, dug up some exceedingly
rich chloride and horn silver ore. Min
ing at once superseded charcoal burn
ing, and the output of the mine has
made several fortunes. Other big pro-
ducing mines were afterwards found
in that vicinity. reduction works and
furnaces were erected, a lively mining
town sprang I'D as if by magic, and
last but not the least by any means.
was the building of a railroad from
Salt Lake city to Frisco.
Lfeadville, Colorado, at one time the
greatest camp in the Centennial state,
owes its origin to chance. which hap
pened as follows: Senator Tabor, who
was then a successful miner and then
as now, q friend of every miner, grub
Staked two men and sent them into the
then uneXplored region. One night the
two prospectors camped on the side
hill where Leadville now stands, and
having a jug OF whisky along with
them, proceeded 10 make themselves as
happy and comfortable aus they could
under the circumstances. In the MORN
ing wet towel would have made a
pleasant adornment for their heads.
and they felt anything but in a cheer
fuI mood, especially as the corn juice
was all gone and the demijohn empty.
In disgust, one of them declared that
he would go no farther, and added that
they might as well dig there as any
where, and acting upon this decision,
the men proceeded to dig a hole in the
ground until such time aus their grub
was exhausted. They had not
made much of an excavation.
however, before thew uncovered
starting point of the great carbonate
camp of Leadville.
Gold was first discovered in Fergu
son district, Nevada. in an accidental
manner. The Ferguson brothers. after
whom the district was afterwards
named. were out on a prospecting ex-
petition and had discovered and locat-
ed the Monkey Wrench silver mine.
One night one of their horses strayed
away, and while in search of it the
next morning, one of the boys CHANGED
to pick up some rich float. Following
this pointer up carefully he discovered
the ledge in q. saddle on the top of a
low mountain, now known as the
Magnolia, and although the property
has not been extensively developed. it
is known to be rich in the yellow
metal Hearing Of the discovery, pros
pectorS f1ocked into the district and it
was not long before Wilson, Ellis and
Reeves discovered the April Fool and
other gold properties not far from the
Magnolia mine, A portion of these
properties have since passed into the
hands of Captain DeLamar, and have
been transformed from prospects into
gold producers, and the fine mill re-
Gently erected, is regularly sending out
bars of bullion, besides which a
furnishing town has grown up in the
vicinity of the mine-and the end is
not yet.
The mines at La Plata, northeast of
Ogden. were discovered by sheep
herder. the sharp hooffs of his flock
having uncovered a body of silver-lead
ores in the trail Large boulders of
rich silver and lead ores were after
wards found laying on the surface
nearby. which were broken up and
marketed; besides which considerable
work was done and fine bodies of ore
uncovered.
The Mayflower mine at Park City
was an accidental discovery, and the
development of this property led to the
finding Of the bonanza Silver King,
that is making its stockholders
wealthy.
The discovery OF the Ontario mine
was also the result of chance. A pros
pector was leaving the hills bound for
the then small camp of Park City, and
as he was walking carelessly along,
striking at rocks now and then with
his hammer, he happened to hit a
small boulder by the side of the path.
He found that it was in place, and,
turning back, examined it closer, and
found that it was mineral and the
outcrop of the vein. The boulder was
about the size of a hat, but from this
seemingly unimportant discovery the
great Ontario mine has grown and has
since paid over s13,000,0O0 in dividends,
and will undoubtedly double this and
more in time to come.
The great mines in the Cour d'Alene
country, Idaho. were discovered by
chance. Jim Wardner was a type of
the many prospectors of the west, and
he loved to roam the hills in his avo-
cation, of hunting, fishing and pros
pecting One day late in ehe fall he
left for the mountains with a small |
train of pack mules. One night he
camped near the spot where the Bun
ker Hill and Sullivan mines are now
sending out their wealth of ore. Be-
fore morning it showed and when day
light came Mr.. Wardner proceeded TO
round up his mules for the purpose of
returning to the valley. One of his |
mules he found industriously paving |
away the snow in order to get at the |
grass below, and in doing SO the ami |