Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-09-01
MONEY WAITING
For an Unknown Man at Galena
Kansas.

"Wanted, at Galena, Kan, an old ma,
a college professor, name unknown. bome
unknown, missing % years, discoverer ~
the richest zinc and lead mines in tho
world, heir to a vast fortune" This is tbo
strange want ad" of certain wealthy nio-
neer mine owners of the Missouri-Kansas
lead and zinc mining district; it is. in
brief, the story of man, a stranger. who
% years ago came into southeastern Kan
sas, and through a profound knowledge ~
geology and mineralogy OWNED natures
hieroglyphics in rock and soil, ''staked off,
the most fertile lead and zinc field vet die
covered, designated the exact spots wbera
lay hidden vast vaults of mineral wealth
revealed his secrets to one man-and then
departed.
During the years that have passed since
that stranger" stood where the little citv
of Galena, Kan, has since been built. over
$50. DOC, 900 worth of lead and zinc ore has
been added to the worlds mineral wealth
as a result of his visit to Kansas. He
paved the way whereby many men have
become rich. He caused an uuinhabited
country to become the home of thousands
of prosperous people, but their prosperity
he never shared-he disappeared and left
no sign"
The story of this stranger is both allur.
ing and pathetic. and yet it is so faithful To
facts that the Historical society of Kansas
has filed it among the important records of
the state.
Col. W. II. Stone, the oldest pioneer of
Galena, and one of the widest known and
most successful lead and zinc mine opera
tors in the United States, is the man to
whom the "discoverer of Galenan told bis
geological secrets.
Col. Stone relates the following strange
story of the discovery of the Kansas lead
and zinc felds-felds that during the last
six months have become the Mecca of zinc
miners in every part of the world
''In April, 1877, l, in company with sew
eral marshals and deputy marshals, was
near Joulin, Mo-, in pursuit of cattle
thieves.
1.-The excitement increased until 1000
men, more rather than less, assembled each
day on the slope below our camp. l, my
self, became imbued with the spirit Of
| things, and while the marshals were away
in pursuit of the cattle thieves l would
often Join the throng of fortune hunters
1t was during my second trip down the
slope that l first saw the man who has fig
ured so much in my destiny. His hair was
dark, and yet streaked with gray. I be-
| lieved him TO be a man who had seen at
least so years of life and just as much Of
sorrow.
81 asked him where he lived, and he
looked away and began talking of the
prospects of finding ore where the men
were working.
"When he spoke of the geological forma-
ton of the place, where the greater part of
the work was being done, l realized in
moment that he was a man of high culture.
His language was pure and beautiful. He
seemed, moreover, to be profound scholar
especially along the line of geology.
He expressed the opinion that they
were digging in the wrong place to find
mineral. He seemed very positive in his
views. DO you know said he, that this
country has a regular geological formation,
and the rocks and minerals are in place
here Just as much as they are in the great
camps of the Rocky Mountainsl
"'This is not the place to Dig he said
rather impulsively. Il know the place to
dig, and it is quite a distance from here
"'Can you prove to me that this district
has a regular geological formationf l in
quired. "A formation by which veins may
be traced and the location of minerals be
more accurately determined
|
"'How much will you charge mer l
asked
"'Would s. be too muchf he inquired,
hesitatingly.
81 was thunderstorm. 1 expected him
to say at least 500, and perhaps much
more. l told him that would gladly give
him SO to show me where the formation
was plain at the surface.
I'VE agreed upon plan, and soon after
separated for the night, he going to Joplin,
Mo-, and to Baxter Springs, Kan.
I'VE were several hours in marking the
places where he was positive that mineral
lay in rich deposits. When we came to the
edge of the woods and looked off toward
the west we saw the men at work. paid
him the S. and he thanked me as if he
were satisfied, although he acted with in
difference when 1 spoke to him of money
matters.
ION the following day 1 made arrange
ments to purchase so acres of land along
the big flint vein or GiSe, and on the sec
ond day l again met the stranger in the
crowd. l told him what had done in re-
gard to buying the land, and he said; 1t
will make you rich. 1t will bring fortunes
to many l told him that had decided to
give him an interest with me in the prop
eTtN. Az bnls ne turned away us ueau
and when he again looked at me there wert
tears in his eyes.
Sir" he said, Il do not care for money
do not even care for life itself. Once
had home-a splendid home. had I
family-a wife and two beautiful daughters
held the chair of geology in one Of th'
greatest universities in America. was I
man of financial means, man of honorable
reputation, a happy man. In "a hours
became deprived of family, home, position
and honor. l became a wanderer. l hav'
spent years in the great mines of tn
mountains, but my sorrow is no lighter
The land that have pointed out to yo'
will make you rich. Around it will b.
opened one of the greatest mining district
in the world. Homes will here be mad
, for thousands of prosperous people, but
, shall never share the fruits of my accumu
lated knowledge of geology. You hav
paid me So for that which will some da,
have produced many times that many mil
lions.'
''He ceased speaking, and long silenc
followed. He arose and left me withou
another word.
"Now for 20 years has that strange, sa
face haunted me day and night. hay
done everything within my power to OF
tain the slightest clue to the whereabout
of the man to whom the people of the Kar
} sas lead and zinc fields owe so much. y