The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-23
Niger BEH'S GOLD Mine
Lives Lost in Search Of q Fabl3d Bonanza
In an Arizona Desert
Tradition Says 1t Is of Great Value
and Its Existence Is Known
to the Yuma Indians.

A new story OF lost gold mine is told by
the Arizona Republican of Phoenix, with
the assurance that ii is true. and that it has
never before appeared in print. Lost mines
are numerous, even plentiful, in the South
western States-at least in the belief of
very many miners. Every once in a while
an expedition is formed to search for some
alleged mine of fabulous wealth. the exist
encc OF which has been a cherished ira IL
ton for a period dating back amy herr riom
twenty-five years to the times of the cliff
jewellers. 1t is not recorded that any such
expedition was ever successful, although
the record OF failures is long.
Several OF the mines OF the greatest al
legged richness are located some wh-r: in the
great desert region of Arizona and South
ern California and no a few miners have lest
their lives in that watericss waste in D vain
search for wiil-o -the-wisps. One of TIE
most famous OF these mythical mines is the
Lost Dutchman. supposed to axis. sure
where in the Superstition Mountains Of
Arizona. and many old miners hir-. set alt
again and again to find it. but alwaTs u re-
turn unsuccessful. Some OF the most pitiful
stories OF ia lure and death in the annals OF
pros pectinG in the Southwest relate to
searches for lost mines.
These lost mines are sometimes the tabled
source of the wealth OF the Indians and the
old MeXicans- but generally are said to be
the chance discovery OF some prospector.
who has returned 10 the border towns with 4
store of big nuggets, but no certain knowl
edge OF TIE locality where he found them.
Perhaps most OF them happen to be loca ted
in no for rpufpO ron Srr
that the discoverer OF the alleged mine is
often a prospector picked up on the desert
when almost at his last gasp by a chance
PACK train. He ma Y have been prospecting in
the desert, have found some gold, lost his
way, and become half insane from heat,
thirst and dread. and his stories have nat
uraliy been tinged with delirium. But they
have formed the basis OF many traditions
of lost mines Of fabulous wealth, and these
traditions today are Turing miners to dis
aster. and often todeath.
The latest story is of a mine called Niger
Ben. The story is well known TO cld-time
Arizonians, but efforts to find the mine in
years past have always proved so disasirous
that it has been little talked of lately. The
secret of The mine is said to be known only
by a few head men of the Yuma Indians
and the tribe guards every approach TO the
mine, and in some way or other diveris pros
pectors from it.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago, the story runs,
Henry F.. Peoples and a party of four men
Were placer mimi on Rich HILL in the Brad
shaw Mountain, in Arizona. One oftbe party
was negro named Ben, brought from Ala
hama by Peoples. One day Yuma Indian
ut l,a nj t,s~l in . q
vicinity for a month or more. A friend
ship sprang up between Ben and the Indian.
and for some favor or other the Indian
one day told Ben he would give him big
reward, n nj offered to show him where there
was plenty of gold. The whole party want
ed to go. but the Indian refused to take
any one except the negro Ben, ard one day
the pair started way.
Day after day passed. md Ben did not re-
turn and after three weeks OF waiting the
party broke camp md started on his trail.
They tracked the Indian and negro up the
Arroyo de los Alamos to its junction with
the Rio Santa Maria. At this point the
party 81 W ST IA light ahead. nd seemingly but
two or three miles distant, coDe-sha ped
mountain. surmounted by sharp peak.
The marty started to ward the mountain. and
while making their way up an arroyo 81 rewn
with big Douiders. they came upon tho skele-
ton of q man. A slight examination showed
that it was PENS. Coyotes and other ami
mails had clea ned the skeleton, and the cloth
ing was scattered over the bouIders.
One of the party picked up the coat and
found the pockets buiging with some very
heavy sui,Sta nee. Improved tobe gold. The
nm &C.
of gold, ranging in size from pea to
pigeons egg. and amounting in value TO
about 5000. were found. The party con-
iectured that the Indian had conducted Ben
to the mine, and then had regretted doing
so, and through fear that his tribe would
learn OF his treachery in divuiging the
location OF the gold. had accompanied the
negro part OF the Wal back and then killed
him.
The party remained in the vicinity for sew
eral weeks searching for the mine from
which the gold found on Ben had been
taken. bnt their search was fruitlcss- Pee
ples built n hut on the Big Sandy. near
Signal. Ariz.. in order TO be near the sup
posed mine. and he spent the remainder Of
his life. morn thin q dozen years, bunting
for it, but in vain. s.s. -ea
A few years after Niger Ben was killed
a Mexican who was prospecting in the