El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-08-13
A MEXICAN GOLD
AND ITS DISCOVERIES.
A Timely Review of Four Hundred Years of
PurS uit of the Yellow Metal.

Ia view of the tireless search for golt
which the Spaniards instituted /
their American possessions, and tn
numerous expedition undertaken dul
ing the first century of the new world
history for the avowed object of findln
the precious metal, 1t 1T remarkdoi
fact hat q Id was not discovered with
in the boundaries of the present Unit
ed States, nor even anywhere north c
the Rio Grande, until 300 years afie
Columbus traves.
The lust for gold-tbe same go''
fever which reigns among uS-drOv
hundreds of adventurers across the AT
lantic to brave the dangers of the sun
known wilds in their attempts to hGt
the land of gold, the EldOrado of which
the Indians bad told and of which the
most romantic tales were being circu
| ated in Europe. The adventurec:
were of all the sea-faring nations of the
civilized word. The Spaniards, on the
whole, were the most fortunate in find
ing god. They massacred the savage:
and piundered their temples and pal
al es, securing vast masses of the prec'
| ious metal. The English, on the
other hand, were unsuccessful through
| out.
Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions
ere diemal failures He suffered with
bis life for his i'll fortune. The FL
dorado which had been sought in South
America had not been found. The at
tention of adventures was now turned
10 the opposite direction and the imag-
mary land OF gold was placed in the
north of America. This idea became
SO strong that, in 1876, Martin Frobics-
er set out from England for the North
west, seeking passage to India north
OF Hudsors Strait. He came to an is
land which he named Meta In ognlta
and on his return took with him stone
which the English refners declared
TO contain gold Loadon was greatly
excited. But when second expedition
returned and brought with it a lot of
valueless dirt, the disappointment set
the popuiace wild with rage. But the
pub ic was ready to be imposed upon
again. AS arly as 1000, Captain John
Smith heard from the Indians reports
of rich gold miues in Virginia. The
same etarementS were repeated by
other explorers after him, and soon
adventures locked to the new settle
ments on the Virginia coast. The sec
ond lot of emigrants to jamestown con-
sisted chiefly of vagabond ger tlemen
and goldsmitbs, who, in spite of the
remOns 1ranceS of Smith, believed they
had discovered grains of gold in the
glitteriug Ed: tn. There was now moth
ing done but digging for gold, wash
ing gold, refining gold. Newport, the
commander, believed himself immeasur-
ably rich as he embarked for England
with a freight of worthless earth.
Gradually the hope of ever finding
L dorado vanished, ard for 2CO years
the golden phantom did not reappear.
Not till this century were the golden
treasures of North America taken
from the bosom of the earth. Toey
were found primarily. as the result of
g accident, not of mad, thoughtless
quest.
1t was in the second year of this
century, when the report spread as
rapidly as was possible in those early
days, through the eastern statss. That
gold had been discovered In North
Carolina. At first people shook their
heads and doubted the news. Had
not the discov. rs Of the country ram
sacked every nook and corner for the
precious metal and not found as much
as an ounce: But The report was sCOu
verified and, before long, nuggets of
brig ht gold reached the larger town.
and were seen, wondered at, by the Gu
rious people. With the gold came the
story of the discovery, and the " seacre,
nodded their heads and said: How
simple" And when it became known
tn u the owner of the gold mine wa
one of those He's ans VINO had fought
against the patriots the gossipmongers
remarked, with u sneer Of disgust:
The ignorant Dutchman." This is I
the story which was soon told all over
the land: John Reed, one of the |
s whom the ElectOr of Hes |
Sc had pressed into service to fight for
the English in America, had after |
the war, settled on farm in Cabarrus |
Moth Carolina, where the |
German element predominated. He |
was said to be grossly ignorant, having
been but poor peasant boy when
fOrcibly transported to America. One
sunny summer day, in the year 1893, |
Conrad Reed, johns 12-year-old son,
by a sister and younger
brother, went 10 a small stream, callo d
Meadow Creek, for the purpose OF
fish with bow and arrow, as
the Indians were wont to do. While
bending over the waters brink, Conrad
5pied yellow substance glietening IN
the creek. He waded into the water,
picked it up and found it to be some
kind of metal. Though unconscious of
its nature and value, but with the
curiosity of a child, the yuungster
carried his find home and showed II to
his father, who had just re turned from
church. The parent examined the |
piece of metal, but was as ignorant as
to it's character as the boy. he next
time he brought vegetables to market
at Concord, he took the yellow stone,
which was about the slZe of small |
smoot hing iron, with him to town and
showed it TO William Atkinson, silver
smith. This worthy, whose experience
seems to have been sadly limited, knew
not what to call it. So Reed, who |
seems to have suspected
the value Of his sons find, carried the |
piece of metal home again. For three |
years it lay on the floor of the farm
house, used for the purpose of keeping
the door from shutting. In the year
1902, the old farmer had occasion to go
TO market at Fayetteville. He took the
piece of metal with him and showed it
to a ieweler. The latter Immediately
recog nized is as gold and asked Reeu |
to leave it with him. saying that he
would fux it.
The old farmer did accordingly. On
his next visit to town the leweler
showed him a large bar of golu, six or
eight inches long, and asked him at
hat Joe hp would let him hava IT.