The morning news., 1897-07-26
GOLD MINING CHANCES.
How Many Mines Have Been Stun
bIed On by Mere Chance.
From the Chicago Times Herald.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
Perhaps the proportion Of prizes to
blanks in gold mining may be greater than
it is in lotteries, but it is good deal
Of a lottery after all 1t is not In the
least surprising to read that some Of the
prospectors in the Alaska fields after in
credible sufferings, have only few dol
iars. If anything, to show, while others
are on the way TO be millionaires.
have recently spent some time IN Arizona,
which is fun Of valuable minerals Of all
kinds, including gad, although the lat
ter Is, for the most part, a low grade
ore. The two great obstacles to success
ful mining IN that region are a lack Of
water and of timber one prOspector told
me that he rode sixty miles on buck
board or muleback, constantly in sight
Of gold fields. which. however. In all hu-
man probability will never be worked, be-
cause Of the difficulty Of getting water ana
timber, both of which are 50 essential TO
the minei.
In spite OF the increased expert knowi-
edge Of mineral deposits, the discovering
Of those that VIII pay seems for the In
dividual to be mere toss-up. Some OF
the most profitable mines I'm Arizona have
been stumbled on. literally as well as fig
urativcly
Some years ago three Frenchmen IN
vaded the mountains and discovered a rich
deposit. the locality OF which they sue
ceedcd In keeping to themselves. They
worked II all alone. one OF them bringing
out from time TO time dust and wash
ings but battling an efforts 70 follow him
on his return. Finally he failed TO aD-
pear and nothing was ever seen or heard
or them again. They either exhaust ed
their find and left the territory by the back
door. or perished from hardship ana STAR
walton, or were murdered by Indians or
MeXicans. Years after constant efforts
were made 10 redscover their mines, as
the product they sent In gave every lndi-
cation Of richness. Recently n Is believed
that the place has been found "Peopie
in drOves have passed by IT," said my In
formant. 81 was once member Of
party Of prOspectorB that encamped on
the very spot where the strike has since
been made. Nobody but an Internal fool
would ever think Of looking for gold
there"
Another late discovery-the Pearee mine
had also been tramped over for half
century. and la Fortuna. right on the old
sonora road. was travelled for years by
thousands and never aecn. The discoverer
had an attack OF delirlum tremcna and
wandering on stumbled upon a. lie aft
orwar. confessed that n he had known
wha- he was doing be would never have
been In that nclghborhOod looking for gold.
The Nulture mine-whlch ~ thirty-two
years has yielded sli.00O.OO0 and was re-
Gently sold for 81. 000OO--Was discovered
by accident A pr0spcctor saw a vulture
pefchod upon the summit Of r. low ridge.
which for some reason did not move al
bile approach. A little irritated by its Inn
pudence, be determined TO make q move
ana came near enough 10 shy q stone "a
t, When ~ noW away. Then he found lt
had made ~ nest under the shelter OF the
rock. which. on examination. proved 20 be
rich with gold. When the mine finally
became zoo dangerous 10 work. there be-
Irg nothing leff bat the pillars supporting
tna roof. which Hofn fioh with gold the
owners paid ihc MeKicans 10 bring tho ore
g. the surface. as white men would DOT