The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-15
DOES GoLD GROW.
Hhcrc Arc Many Veteran Miner
Who Pretend to Believe IL Does,

Hhrrc Arc Many Veteran MincrA
Who Pretend to Believe II Does.
Butte Inter Mountain.
Ihcy were all weather beaten trail blnx-
ers who had led the march Of civilization
into the mountains. and as they toasted
their shins by the big stove In Lon Pick
etts hotel bar at Melrose their conversa-
lion wandered from the recent election and
the departed glorics OF other days to the
latest discoveries In science. John iltle-
han had just finished reading from a min
Ing jocrnal aboct Professor Emmons' dis
covory OF the method of transmitting silver
into gold.
j think Enluons Is humbus." said old
Judge Lonely, u California argouaut "Thc
old alchemis,s, you know, tried that. but
they might as well have tried to n.ske an
apple seed. Nature holds the germ. and
all the scientists who initiate her can do
is TO quicken its growth
i've heard tell of gold growing" re-
marked WIN Robbins.
so have H. said the Judge, but you
have never seen IL grow, have you? don't
believe all the yarns these experts spin.
| anyhow"
Boys spoke up John Trcanor. perhaps
nave got some queer old notions slowed
| away undor this dggin' hat of mine. but
| a prospeotor. and l have been dom some
| thinking. And tell YOU now that | believe
| goa docs grow. Twenty years ago | e.ruck
the Locust and sank a shaft. VI was silver
ore. and after digein' for awhile gave It
| up In disgust Then ] wandered over TO
| the other side OF the range and located
the Banner, copper mine now IN the los
| session of the Anaconda company. |
| moseyod around for awhile, and eight years
| ago went back TO my old love, the Locust
! Hang me II could believe my eyes. boys,
when found the prcttiest ledge Of gold
ore right whore the silver lc~g- wac. 1t
was as pretty as picture, and kept right
| ON digBin, and have been diggin' IN that
hole ever since. 1t seemed TO me that
| in the places where the water struck IL II
grew richer. ! run in three tunnels ut the
botiom but found tho gold was not YET,
| ripe so Just closed up the tunnels ara let
| them rest for few years.
| "Wlamc me- IL | don't think Hank Sich-
| bins does the same thing" said Jack tIice.
| Hank lives up In Soap Gulch. aud has n
claim he calls the Belcher. He discovered
1t thirty years ago when Wash Staplc,on
| was making bullets in HIS lead mine to kill
| Indians with, 1t is in funny formation
| for that part of the country. 1t Is In reef
| that borders the Mclroso valley and the
stra,ited gneiss formation that runs from
| that point to the base OF Rcd mountain
| Thirty years ago Hank discovered that
there were globules of silver In the sand.
and located II. but there wasn't enough
mineral to nay, aud he abandoned IL. Ten
| years ago he went back 10 the old mine
, ana began turning over the sand. He he
| gan TO find chunks of gold instead of silver.
| He has n good thing Of 1t now. He innos
| IT like the McXicans used to mine II years
ago. He cuts stairs In the sand and takes
| the rock up in candle box and sorts il
! over Now all he has 10 do when he wants
| to make a stake Is to go down to the sand
| pile and wigglc a crow bar around Tor a
| few minutes, when up comes niece OF
| shining gold. Several capitalists have at
| tempted to get hold Of the mine. and one
OF Hcinzo's agents made him good Offer
for It, but Hank won't sell for he Is sure
he has II fortune If the gold keeps on grow.
| ing"