The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-08

umnS yesterday relative to the opera
lions of the Gold Point Mining COM
pany, whose property is located at the
mouth of Ferguson canyon, in Big Cot
tonwood. There is an interesting story
connected with the ground owned by
this company, and if there IS any
truth in it, some of our well-known
citizens will be living on the fat OF
the land in the near future.
1t is believed by many OF the old
residents of the valley that this prop
erty contains very rich vein, one
that if found will make its owners all
Monte Cristos 1t is supposed to be
the lost mine of this valley, the one
that was found in the early '5Os and
ordered covered up by Brigham Young
This lost mine has been talked or Tor
years among the oldtimerS and there
are many men living on the Cottoh-
woods and Mill Creek today who nave
spent hundreds of dollars and months
of time searching for the lost veln
Among them is Isaac Ferguson, son
of the old man Ferguson, the original
discoverer of gold in this valley, and
after whom Ferguson canyon was
named He believes implicitly in the
lost mine, for, as he says, his father
told him the story of the find just be-
fore his death.
AS related by Ferguson, it seems
that when the temple was started the
granite for the foundation was Sc
cured in this canyon, which opens INTO
Big Cottonwood, just at the mouth
The old quarry can still be seen on the
north side of the canyon. The quarry
men, when not at work, proSpected
the hills. being attracted by the forma-
ton. there being a t that point contact
of granite and Shale. Good float could
be picked up in abundance on any OF
the hills and ridges, and the natural
suppoSition was that there was mine
to be found in the neighborhood. FL
nally the ledge was discovered and
proved to be
OF WONDERFUL RICHNESS.
Ferguson, the discoverer, kept the
knowledge Of the find from his aSSo-
GATES but at once betook himself to
the office of Brigham Young, with
piece of tn. rich quartz. Brigham, VINO
was at that time the leader in all
things, both spiritual and temporal, in
Utah. was far-sighted man, and only
a glance at the rich rock was enough
to satisfy him that such discovery
would precipitate a rush of outsiders to
Utah and cause his people TO leave
not desire AS he had frowned UPON
every previous attempt to unlock the
secrets of the hills around the walls OF
/ his modern Zion, SO he frOWned upon
/ this. He gave orders at once for the COW
ering up of the find and suggested that
it would be best for all concerned to
think and say no more about 1t. HIS
will was law. and the lead was covered
up But as time went on and Fergu-
son grew older, and Brigham was not
/ the leader that he was in we olden
! times" the old man felt that his chill
/ dren should enjoy what had been for
hidden him. Time and again he let
fall a word or two about his discovery.
always fearing though to tell the whole
story At last, when he learned that
his days were numbered, he tried to
tell them about it, but
MEMORY HAD GROWN DIM
and he could not locate for them the
exact SPOT.
The BOYS have searched for the vein
season after season and have had the
assistance of friends, who were let
into the secret, but it has always
eluded them. When the Gold Point
was discovered little more than
year ago many of those who had looked
for the lost mine declared it had al
last been found, for the discovery is
only about 800 feet above the old
quarry, on the opposite side of the
CANYON The owners heard of the
story, but felt that they had not found
the bonanza for their vein was a
small one and could not possibly be
the lost one, as that was large and
of unusual richness. They are not the
kind of men who are given to spending
money in search of lost veins, but it
is understood that they have lately
been converted to the idea that they
have the real old property that Brig
ham put the stamp of his cOndemna-
ton UPON, by the
DISCOVERY OF AN OLD DUMP
not far from their present workings.
1t is overgrown with brush and was
only found by accident. Some work
will be done at once upon these old
''diggings,' as it is in very favorable
ground and it viii soon be demon
strated whether or not there is any
truth in the story. Even if they have
not the old rich property, the owners
among whom are H. T. Duke. Gus
Holmes, C. A Short, A. E. Short, L.
P. Palmer, 1. n. Parker, w. b. Short,
Jack May and Joe Y. Smith-are salts
fed that they have one of the best
prospects in the state. About 100 feet
! of DEVELOPMENT work has been done
upon the property, all in ore, and as
! soon as spring opens there will be con-
siderable activity in that neighbour
hood.