The San Francisco call., 1899-09-24
On the Top of Sierra Blanca, 135OO Feet High It's
Discovery Results i'm the Finding of the Long Lost
Aztec Trail, Which May Lead to the Rich
Mines Whence 1.-The Egyptians of the
New World" Extracted
Their Riches

~ - AS tho lost tran OF ths Astsos,
leading to one OF natures vast
reservoirs Of golden treasure,
been discovered on the rugged
= sides OF Sierra Blanca, the loft
5aac and greatest mountain Of Colorado?
Wu u the uncovertng of this trail lead to
Ehe reopeuing OF one or more OF the won
GssuRlas Of Mexico drew their golden
wealth. which tempted Cortez and his
Spanish fresboOtsrs and led TO the down
EAU and virtual exttHotion Of the people
sslled the Egyptians Of the new World1
VIII the result be the establishment OF q
ginning section whioh viii add millions in
sold each year 70 ths wealth Of ColOrs6o
Ebd the nationf
These Rrs questions which most deeply
E7neern the people OF Alanosa, the
ssstropeHs Of the fertile Ban Juan Valley,
Fhs archa0ologists and the merchants
Wh0 Goresse g great future for the town
sehess questions have resulted IN ths gath
eEtnS on the rugged sides and IN the
Nalches Of Sierra Blanca Of nearly two
8houssad hardy miners, with about two
shOusand more uasn OF ths tsnderfoot
variety.
Sierra Blanca, IA every respect the
greatest mountain IA Colorado, IL the
southern terminus Of the Berrated sangrs
SS CT1stO Range, which forms the eastern
eoundaTv OF the San Luis Park. or valley.
which WAS oncs & gigantic lake, and is
29ow 1900 feet above the gea level. Blanca
tteelf rises Is 488 feet above sea levsi. more
than three hundred feet higher than re-
nownsd Pixies Peak. L is tweuty-thres
miles around at timber line and about
seventy miles IN circumference at its
base. Il IS about eighteen miles east Of
rAlamosa and sixteen miles north OF old
Bort Garland now the town OF Garland
When rNa rIfl-a . f-iv-ar-
from the San Luis Valley thirty odd years
ago and white men took their place the
6rst Of these adventurous settlers learned
GrCm tho last Of the red men traditions Of
another race of men who came from the
south with great pack trains Of burrCs
and strong guards Of armed men. These
EoutherneTs, the story ran, had delved IN
the sides Of the huge peak and had car
ried away On ths burros vast quantities
CT gold
These strangers, the Navajo story teuers
HyerTed. had made great trails over the
valley and even To the apex Of the noun
tains, bur many moons before they had
suddenly ceased their visits and the trail
had been covered up by the sands Of the
plain and the detritus of the mountain.
These stories Interested few. who sought
90 trace the trail from historic interest,
while a few others made desultory efforts
70 prospect the gllcEes Of the peak. Eor
years. however, both classes met only
failure IN their work.
Finally the story OF the lost trail was
forgotten by all except Judge Holbrook
q the District Court of that section: for
saer Governor Head. for years agent Of
the Navajo and Ute Indians; Crescentio
Valdez, well-educated Spanish Mexican,
Eid a few others. who said little about f.
because moc6ng laughter always greeted
their references to the legend
Prospctors found rich "doat" about
Ghe gigantic base Of the mountain, but no
enc was able TO trace the vein or veins
from which II came; and IL was once
agreed that this float had been borne an
unknown distance by the passing OF tbs
waters which undoubtedly covered the
valley iu prehistoric ages.
Discoveries II vast bodies of zlfve- -
Creede and Stlverton and OF gold at Tel
iurtde attracted miners and prospectors
from Sierra Blanca. and for nearly a
score Of years little or nothing was dona
IN the vicinity until new processes Of ex-
tracting free gold from the black sand Of
placer deposits attracted renewed atten-
tion to the beds Of the Sangre de Cristo.
A company OF st. Louis and Louisville
capitalists became interested IN Sierra
Blanca about two years ago and SAINT a