Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-06-16

said:
a. NY weary search is ended, and my ef-
forts crowned with success. Tomorrow ]
start for the settlements. to return in the
spring to uncover and work the valuable
mine which ! have discovered Realizing
the fact that am a long way from civiliza-
ton and liable to meet with serious mishap
II not death before reach the outer world.
] am prompted to make the following state
ments. which may reach the hand of some
friend should misfortune overtake me.
This letter will leave in my cabin. hoping
that / VIII be on the ground again In the
spring, as soon as anyone. My name IL
George W. Skinner. and my home Is In the
city of -. Ill Early this spring started
for the Sangre de Christie mountains from
Denver to prospect, being impelled to come
here by the reports Of gold finds disclosed
to me by some friendly Indians. God knows
the hardships ! endured in reaching this
country, and after spending the greater
part of the season in fruitess search ]
finally discovered what believe to be one
of the richest mines in Colorado. and win
carry out with me all the gold can manage
with my limited facilities. To find the dis
covery shaft of the property, which have
purposely filled up. you will stand with
your back 70 the west side of the cabin,
alongside the door. walk in a westerly direc-
ton about p PAGES to a ravine or gulch;
los PAGES; then turn to the right and walk
20 PAGES. when you win arrive at the place.
The lead is a blind one. and accidentally
found II while digging near the roots of
tree that had been blown over. Should
any person find this letter inside of one
year It will avail him nothing, as ! have
compiled with the law sufficiently TO hold
the property for that length of time. II
do not return within that time the property
can be located by anyone. The only request
have to make is that the finder Of this
note notify my brother at the above ad-
dress.
"The brother was row thoroughly
convinced that some harm had be-
fallen his brother, and without telling
anyone of his discovery, determined to
set out in the spring and endeavor to
solve the mystery of his disappearance.
The SHOWS of that winter were un-
usually severe, and heavy slides were
often heard tearing down the mountain
sides. sweeping everything before them.
With the opening of spring the snow on
the south and east sides of the noun
tains rapidly disappeared, and early in
March Mr.. Skinner and his guide
struck into the mountains. the guide
being informed that they would take
up the search where they left of the
year before. When they arrived at what
they supposed was the place where
the old cabin had been found, every
thing was changed. The heavy SHOWS
and the terrific snowslides had COM
pletely changed the face of nature, and
they were unable to find even a vestigc
of the cabin. Trees had been swept
away. heavy powders removed. and
the general appearance Of the country
completely altered.
Nothing daunted. Mr.. Skinner de-
termined TO spend the summer in that
locality in the hope of obtaining some
clew of his missing brother. and, II
possible. of locating the lost mine. All
their efforts were without avail. and
when fail set in they reluctantly aban-
doned the search and again started for
the foothills. Mr.. Skinner had de-
cided to organize party and make
systematic search the following year.
after returning home and arranging
necessary business affairs. One days
travel from where they started on
the return trip the mountain broke of
very abruptly. the dim trail which the
party was following leading them
along the rocky side of the precipitous
mountain. overhanging chasm hum
dreds of feet deep. While carefully
picking their way along this dangerous
trail. one of the burros became fright
ened at some imaginary object. and in
his plunging and buclSing jumped off
the cliff and rolled down into the gulch
below. AS several articles of value
were in the pack, the two men secured
the remaining burro and carefully
picked their way to the bottom OF
the gulch to save what they could OF
the wreck. At the place where the
burro had lodged. some 200 feet below
the trail, they were Mortified to find
the skeletons of a man and some an
imal lodged on a small shelf of rock
near where their burro had struck.
Portions of the pack were still on the
animal, and some of the clothing still
hung to the skeleton.
"Among the articles found near the
dead man was a book containing
diary. a perusal of which soon showed
that the skeleton was that of George
Skinner, the missing man. the last
entry in the diary referring to the
writing of the latter, telling the secret
of the mine, and indicating that it had
been written on the day prior to his
death. An examination of the skele-
ton showed that the skull had been
split in two, and Skinner thought II
had been the work of Indians. Rob
berry could not have been the motive,
however. as considerable gold and all
the paraphernalia Of camping outfit
were found near by.
1.-THE remains were buried under
large pine tree on the mountain side
near where they had lain so long, ana
Mr.. Skinner resumed his homewaro
trip. which saddened the fate of his
lasL.~ -o+ e,4;SHad IN know that he