The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-07
HUNTING FOR LOST MINES.
Romantic Legends About These Mssteri-
Gus and Elusive Propertir..

Los ANGELES. Cal. Jan. 23.-The discovery OF
"lost" mines is one OF the leading industries of
the West, and It gives employment to a great
many prospectors OF the "grub-stake" class,
who might find difficulty In making q living at
any other business. The stock In trade OF the
lost mine rrospector consists of numerous ro-
mantle legends about the "Pcg.lev," Gun
sight" Lost Adams" "Breyfoglc." and n
dozen or more Padre" mines. which he works
over and embellishes to suit the suliibility OF
his victim. The "Peg-leR" had It's birth In the
fancy OF n one.legged miner named Smith,
and Is located anywhere from Death
Valley to the centre of Sonora. smith never
talked OF his fabulous mine when sober. but
when drunk he related with painful attention
to detail a most thrilling tale or how he found n
ledge o: nearly solid gold somewhere in the
desert was obliged to leave 1t for water. and got
so turned and twisted about that he never was
able to retrace his steps to the place. During
the last twenty years many mon have listened
to peG-lcg smiths romance. taken notes OF his
imaginary wanderings. and gone into the desert
to search for the marvellous mine. Some have
returned disillusioniZed and others have never
come back. Travellers on the desert sometimes
IND a few scattered bones OF men and burros
and the debris OF a prospecting outfit. and such
a find Is usually the last news ofa peg-lcg party.
The latest information of the Peg-les comes
from Mexico. where an Arizona man is search
ing for it!with rs much confidence that he knows
its location as has inspired his predecessors,
The Lost Adams" dicslngs belong to New
Mexico. and are supposed TO be In western So
zorro county. near the Datii Mountains.
Adams and three or four men came into the
country from the Northwest, and are supposed
10 have found a eulch full Of nuggets. They
were WORKING the gulch and taking out fortunes,
when the Savajoe> swooI ed down upon them one
evening. Killed all but Adams. burned the CO btu
and chased Adams nut of the country. Adams
d~iegine-. but he could not ind the ,gulch. and
the Indians chased him out AGAIN. Now. when
"A New Mexico prospsctor Il hard I'D, h. tells the
story Of the Lost Adams to some conhding PER-
son. gets n Hrub-stAke and disappears.
The Los, Padre mine il an Institution wher-
ever the spanish have established missions In
mine in the world. When the Padres worked II
they just guarrIed the gold or silver in slabs and
! mered IL into altar ornaments and vessels.
These ornaments and cha!icrs, were usually
stolen bv buccaneers. who ,raided the missions
at convenient Intervals and looted the churches.
The huccRneer tradition Is yery useful, becau-.
~ accounts FOR the entire absence Of gold and
silver from the assets Of the missions TODAY.
\ very famous Padre miue was worked near
Santa Barbara and was lost when the Padres
w wsn AVA, = S Hnn.. .6 1890 ,ar man 4 N no ~" o y m,
lodges Of the Coast Range AID have believed,
during the long periods between their lucid IN,
Barbara gardener found 1t In the streets and
d~rivewavSof the city.
Of red gravel. compo-eh ~ distntegrstrd red
granite and quartz. IL Is pretty red gravel, and
makes excellent top-dre-siug for roads. The
gardener has sssayed some NJ thar gravel. and
II runs from 81 10 81 a ton In gold. He hs'
traced II to the bank at the base OF the
santa lncz, and has sent samples q
a~ssayers and reduction works. He. md.
tina, the bank carrie; gold. and, has located
claims in tn, gulch. where water l. accessible
He says h.. can work the gravel and extract th'
gold for n dollar n ton. and, "a his claim Weld
about - to the ton, he sees wealth ahead n
him. II Ia his Arm belief that the red grave
bank was the milne Of the Padres. and perhap
II was. The Padres surely did not work AM
quartz leads.