The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-30

Tim, while plying his shovel. turned up
a nugget fully as large as that found
in the brook by the boys on their first
day in this section. A half hour later
he secured another almost as valuable.
Roswell came upon a third, and Frank
unearthed a fourth bigger than any Of
the others. The gravel. too, revealed
greater richness than at any time pre-
ViouS. An approximately correct calcu-
lation for the latter part of the after
noon showed that their wealth was in
creasing at the rate of 81 600 an hour
and probably still more. All were eX-
cited. and they wrought until compelled
TO stop by darkness. The gold they had
washed out was carried to their cav
ern home, where it was stored away in
buckskfn bags. with which they had
provided themselves in Carson City.
They were tired, but eager to be at
work again at the first streak of dawn.
jeff Graham put in an appearance
while they were eating supper, and, to
the surprise of all. he was riding a
tough little burro which he had bought
when he learned what had been done
during his absence, but ne quietly re-
marked: 7 knOwed it." and. having
turned his animal loose. after unload
ing him, he asked for the particulars.
Although it was quite cold, the four
remained seated on the DOW lQtlS Jul
side of their primitive dwelling, the men
smoking their pipes and discussing the
wonderful success they had had, and
the still greater that was fairly within
their grasp.
We're not so much alone as I
thought" remarked Jeff, "fOr there are
80 miners to the east and north and
some Of them amt far from where
we've staked out our claim, and more
ere coming
e'They can't interfere with us2' was
the inouiring remark Of Roswell.
'sNot much: as a rule folks don't file
their claims till they've struck onto a
SPOT where the yellar stuff shows, but
I'VE done both, cause l was sartin that
we'd hit it rich. II anybody tried to
i1ITnD our claim. the first thing I'd do
would be to shoot him; then I'd turn
him over to the mounted police that
are looking after things ali through this
country.
.'Ye mans that ye'd tura over what
was lift of his remains" suggested Tim
gravely-
1T would amount to that: things are
in better shape here than they was in
the old times in Californy. where a man
had a fight for what he had and then
he wasn't always able to keep it"
what do you intend to do with the
burro2" asked Frank.
LET him run loose till We need him:
he brought q purity good load Of such
Things as we want, and I'm hoping he'll
have another kind of load TO take
back" was the significant reply of the
old miner.
This was the nearest Jer came to
particulars. His natural reserve as to
what he had done and concerning his
plans for the future, prevented any fur
Their enlightenment The fact that they
had neighbors at no great distance was
both pleasing and displeasing. Despite
the assurance of their leader, there was
some misgiving thar when the richness
of the find became known an attempt
would be made TO rob them. Gold viii
ircite many men to commit any crime,
and with the vast recesses OF the Rocky
mountain spur behind them. the crimi-
nails might be ready to take desperate
chances.
tt was hardly light the next morning
when the party were at it again. The
ran or hand method of washing the
gold is so slow and laborious that with
the help and superintendent Of JEFF a
s'rocker" was set up. This was box
about three feet long and two wide.
made in two parts. The upper part was
shallow, with a strong sheet iron bot
tom perforated with quarter-inch holes
In the middle Of the other part of the
box was an incline shelf which sloped
downward for six or eight inches at
the lower end. over this was placed a