The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-01
A GOLD NINE WIZARD.
ROtherme1's Remarkable Success in
Finding "Pay Dirt"
Deadwood Is. d. Letter to the Chicago
Record


Record.
The railroad managers were unwilling
to rely upon current reports in determin-
ing whether to build branch lines into the
Ragged Top district. They knew that rich
ore had been found there, but they could
rot be certain that the district promised
TO afford traffic enough to warrant the
| expense of construction of stub lines un-
| til experts had made a thorough inspec-
| ton of the district. So the two great rail-
! way companies whose lines penetrated
the hills pooled issues and employed Dr.
| A. w S. ROthermel, a mining engineer
| who possessed a most wonderful faculty
! for locating ore deposits with unerrng
/ accuracy. The doctor made a thorough
| inspection OF the district, and upon mis-
report the railroads determined to build
their tracks 49,
DR. Rothermel is a veritable wizard OF
| the mines He is known to the miners of
| Colorado quite as well as he is to the
| men of the Black Hills. His almost SUI
| pernatural gifts have won for him fame
and fortune, and he is in great demand
! in mining circles all over the west. To-
| day he Is here, engaged in a most import
! ant work, and promises another sensa-
! tcn before he leaves again to enter upon
| the performance of a large contract on
claim in the far-famed Camp Mckinley
! in British Columbia.
| His most notable work in this region
was on the Holy Terror property The
| owners of this mine, which had produced
| large quantities of valuable ore. were in
| despair by reason of the fact that the
/ vein which ran along the edge of the chain
| struck off into the adjoining claim, and,
| Of course, could not be followed by the
! owners of the Holy Terror. They heard
! Of the doctors marvellous powers and
| sought to engage his services in an eff
| fort to find a ledge on their claim which
might be tapped by a crosscut from one
] of their levels.
contract was entered into. The doc
! tor took several samples of ore from the
| mine and made a casual survey of the
| surface of the claim. Then he locked him
| self up and began to work. In ten days
time he was ready TO make a report, yet
| he had not entered the shafts of the mine
! but made his deductions solely from
! study of the rock and ore samples taken
| from the various levels. He told the own
ers just where they would find another
vein of gold, gave them instructions how
| to proceed al the least cost to get it, and
also outlined the drift of the deposit, show
! ing its extent and depth.
| The owners not without some misgiv-
! ings, proceeded with the digging of the
! tunnel according to Instructions, and in
the exact spot measured in feet from the
| starting point the owners ran INTO VEN
| of fabulous richness, placing the Holy
Terror again in the forefront of great pro-
| duCers of gold ore. DR.. Rothermel was
| given an interest in the mine as a reward
| for his labors.
1t is little wonder that this remarkable
performance caused no end, of talk The
! doctor became the idol of the miners
heart. There was one man, however, dis
| posed to rob the doctor of any credit
which might attach to his work in the
Holy Terror. This was Ed Blackwell. Ed
| took 1t upon himself to so about Dead
wood and berate the doctor, saying that
anybody might have done the same thing
that the finding of the new vein was but
the happy elimination of an intelligent
| guess Rothermels friends told him what
| Blackwell had said, and grew impatient
with the doctor when he did not express
some resentment.
Let him say what he pleases. I'll fix
him later on" responded Rothermel.
The following week a small party of
prospectors went up the guch to look af-
ter their claims. Blackwell was a mem-
Der of the party, which was later Joined
by Rothermel A tent was pitched and
lunch set out. While they were eating the
doctor spoke to Ed.
You have a claim here, Ed?"
Eyes"
"When finish eating III go out and find
a ledge for you" er
Ed was the first to leave the table. and
the doctor soon followed. They walked
possibly a hundred feet
This is my claim" said Ed.
| IAN right-go and get a pick and
shovel"
With some hesitancy Ed compiled. In his
| absence the doctor took a hurried survey
| of the contour and surroundings gener-
| ally. He pulled a red ribbon from his pock-
ct and tied it to bush. Then he walked
=
| back he was told TO go 20 the bush and
dig three feet. when he would encounter
the ledge and find pay dirt there.
| The day was hot and Ed had his doubts
| His countenance denoted the misgivngs
he certainly felt. The doctor urged him
on. and he began to dig In a half-hearted
| way. But he managed to go down two
feet, and the shovel brought up indica-
| tons which strengthened his faith percep-
| tibly. Down he went. At three feet he en-
| countered the ledge and his pick took out
| enough ore 10 make a showing. He was
nonplussed, yet overjoyed with his find.
Now" said the doctor, walk down to
| that stump dig II out and go down TWEEN
ty-one inches. There you will find an
| other ledge which crosses the first one"
Ed did so, with successful results. By this
time he was wild with excitement Rother-
mel turned upon him and savagely said:
| ed you have been talking a good deal
/
tell every man you meet what have done
before your own eyes III you don't do 1t
I'll cram every tooth down your lying
| throat"
uEd lost no time in setting the doctor
right again, spending most Of the night in
| reciting the interesting exploits OF the
day, and as the new day dawned they took
him home IN a hack.
Rothermers methods OF work are known
only to himself He has a system OF re-
cordlng his deductions on paper and the
| studies resemble huge spider webs
wrought IN vari-colored lines. He says
every kind OF rock has its affinity. and
the presence OF one attests the nearness Of
others on some stones he sees the photo
graphy OF their native surroundings, but
the lessons thus taught he alone can read
There Is no necromancy In his art, for
he reaches all his deductions along scien-
| tiho lines.