The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-26
ACCIDENTAL FORTUNES.



Discovered In Arizona.
Perhaps the proportion of prizes to
blanks in gold mining may be greater
than 1t is in lotteries. but it is a good
deal Of lottery after all. It is not in the
least surprising to read that some of the
prospectors in the Alaska fields, after in
credible sufferings, have only a few dol
lars, IL anything, to show, while others
are on the way to be millionaires. / lave
recently spent some time in Arizona,
which is full of valuable minerals of all
kinds, including gold, although the latter
Is, for the most Fart, a low grade ore.
Tho W great obstacles to successful min
ing in that region are a ack of water and
of timber One prospector told me that he
rode sixty miles on a blackboard or mule
back, constantly in sight CT gold fields.
which, however, in all human probability
will never be worked, because of the diff
Guilty of getting water and timber. both
of which are so essential to the miner.
In spite of the increased expert knowl-
edge of mineral deposits, the discovering
of those that will pay seems for the in
dividual to be a mere toss-up. Some of
the most profitable mines in Arizona have
been stumbled on, literally as well as fig
uratively.
vaded the mountains n discovered a
rich deposit, the locality of which they
succeeded in keeping to themselves. They
worked it all alone, one of them bringing
out from time to time dust and washings,
but battling all efforts to follow him on
his return. Finally he failed to appear
and nothing was ever seen or heard of
them again. They either exhausted their
find and left the Territory by the back
door, or persisted from hardship and
starvation, or were murdered by Indians
or Mexicans. Years after constant eff
forts were made to rediscover their mines,
as the product they sent in gave every in
dication of richness. Recently it is be-
Heved that the place has been found.
people in droves nave passed by t."
said my informant. 81 was once a mem
Der of a party of prospectors that en-
camped 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 Pearce mine
had also been tramped over for half a
century, and La Fortuna, right on the old
Sonora road, was travelled for years by
thousands and never seen. The d~iscoverer
had an attack of delirium tremens and
wandering off, stumbled pom it. He after
ward confessed that if he had known
what he was doing he would neXer had
been in that neighborhood looking for
gold.
The Vulture ~mine-which in thirty-two
years has yielded 81, 900, 600 and was re-
Gently sold for 81, 800, 000-was discovered
by accident. A p1ospector saw a vulture
perched upon the summit of a low ridge,
which for some reason did not move at
his approach. A little irritated by its i'm
and came near enough to shy a stone at
it, when it flew away. Then he found it
had made its nest under the shelter of
the rock, which on examination proved to
be rich with gold. When the mine finally
became too dangerous to work, there be-
ing nothing left but the pillars support
ing the roof. which were rich with gold,
ore to the surface. as white men would
not peril their lives. In time it caved in,
burying several men and mules.
Rich Peak is another mine
by chance, although covered with mug
gets. The MexicanS own and work 1t
without water. BY a tacit law 1t is con-
ceded to them, perhaps, because they early
established their claim by numbering every
white intruder. The whites, however,, are
allowed to pick up whatever treasure
they can find at and around its base
Chicago Times-Herald.