The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-15
Texas PrOSpectOr Locates
a Spanish Shaft.
Unearthly Demonstration Pre-
vents Clearing.
Prospector Looking for Strong
Minded Men TO Help Work II.


more ago. have been discovered in Mexico
from time 20 time OF late years, and
although there are traditions of old Span
ish mines being located in Texas, none
of them have ever been discovered and
worked with any degree OF profit. Some
of these old Spanish mines in Mexico
have been cleaned OF their rubbish and
water. and the ore Is found to be OF great
richness 'This is particularly tho case of
several gold properties situated in the
states OF Sonora and Sinaloa.
A few months ago IL. l.. Overbey,
young man Of this city, who has had con
siderable experience in mining in Mexico
was in Monclova, state of Coahuila.
Monclova was formerly the capital of
| the state of Texas. mbracing Coahuila
and there are in the archives of the jefe
/ politico office there the old records of this
state before her separation from Mexico
took place While looking through these
| musty old Spanish records. Mr. Overbey
came across IA description OF rich Span
ish gold mine, situated In what would
| now he the almost extreme southwestern
part of Texas, in the range OF mountains
| Just north of the Rio Grande. The re-
| cords OF this mine state that il was DIS
| covered in 1872 and was worked for
| about fifteen years yielding hundreds of
| thousands of dollars worth of gold ore
| which was reduced To bullion and
! shipped TO Spain. The records state that
! In the guch at the foot of the mountain
in which was the mine was smelling
| plant which was used to reduce the ore
| to bullion All but two of the miners
were one day massacred by Indians The
| two who escaped went to Monclova, but
| could not be induced to guide party
| back to the mine, and the valuable prop
| erty had become lost and although 4. "a
| number of expeditions went in search of
| In, Iat of flprn
| cessful
This was q fascinating story to Mr.
| Oyerbey and he resolved TO make an effort
to find the lost mine. With this end in
view he proceeded to Boquillas del Carmen
! a mining camp, situated In Mexico close
to the Rio Grande, just across the river
from Presidio county. Texas. Mr.. Over
| bey spent several days at this camp, max
ing a close study of his data and direc-
tions before proceeding farther on his
Journey. When no crossed over into Texas
| no spent the first night with q Mexican
sheep herder at the latter's camp. He was
telling OF the object Of his trip through
that section that night around the camp
fire when one of the Mexlcans made the
astonishing statement that he had visited
the old mine ir question and that for
| money consideration lie would guide Mr..
| Oyerbey to it, but that under no circum-
| stances would he go into the shaft of the
| mine or remain near it longer than
few hours. Mr.. Overbev accepted the
Mexicans q services under the desired stipu-
| lations and the two men started for the
| mine the following morning.
On the journey the Mexican related his
| experience at tho mine and gavs his rea-
sons for refusing to go into the shaft or
| remaining in the vicinity of the mine for
any length of time. He stated that four
years ago he and Mexican companion
were poing across the country from the
| q Inf fn Tnx md
while climbing over rough rountain
they came across the open shaft of the
| mine They explored it for depth of
about Is feet, and found that Il had been
| filled with dirt and rubbish to within that
distance from its mouth. They went TO
the nearest ranch and borrowed picks aud
shovels, and returned to the mine without
letting any one know of their discovery
They set To- work at an early hour In the
morning cleaning out the shaft, and by
noon had gotten out about 10 feet OF
dirt when they came to thick
beginning TO dig through these
shells when there took placelsuch an un-
earthly demonstration that they were
frightened spcechless and almost lost
their senses entirely The Mexican stated
that the cavern was filled with terrible
groans and that the earth rocked under
their feet like terrific earthquake was
| shaking up the very bowels of the earth.
They got out Of the hole as fast as they
could and left their picks and shovels
behind them. When they reacheds the
outside of the mine they found nature
| perfectly serene, and there was no indi-
cation Of the terrible demonstration that
they had experienced in tho interior of the
| shaft. They were SO thoroughly fright
ened that they lfet the SPOT as fast as
their legs woulu carry them and had
never returned TO it since.
Int hf
story, believing 1t TO have been an lmag
mary experience of highly superstitious
mind in desolate country. The. Mexican
had no trouble I'm guiding him TO the
place, and the shaft was found in the
same condition rs when SO hnrriedly
abandoned four years. before. Mr.. over
| bey did not explore the interior OF th'
| shaft carefully. but devoted the first day
to an investigation of the adjacent coun
try He found at the bottom CT nearby
gulch the ruins OF the old smeitor, a'
described by the records of Monclova, anI
adjoining the smelter was big pile @
ore on the dump awaiting the crude
treatment which the smelter could have
given II. The Mexican could not be In
duced TO go near the mouth OF the shaft
and begged Mr.. Overboy not to enter the
haunted place After stalking his CLAIM
and making the necessary declaration o
| his ownership Of the properly, Mr.. over
boy won't to the ranch of Jim Robert, noa
Shafter and secured the services OF TIVE
American cowboys TO aid him In explor
| ing the shaft.
They reached tho place nj an early houi
In the morning. and by means OF rop
Mr.. Oyerbey and one OF the cowboys were
let down into tho mine. They found th
layer Of shells, as related by the Mexi
cans and how they came there, at tha
remote place from the seashore, Is remark
able and hard to explain. They had difil
Guilty In getting through this layer. it be
Ing about feot in thickness and packe'
to q hardness of rock. They had jus
reached the dirt underneath the shells
and 10 was lacking but n minute or two O
IL o'clock when the two men were prepar
ing 20 leave their work and cat thei
lunch. just then the ground seemed q
quake under their feet and they wer
thrown with great violence To the side o
the shaft Tho quaking was accompsnie'
with loud groans as of some one In grea
pain. The two men were badly fright
ened, hut did not lose their heads. III
disturbance lasted about five minutes
!