The evening times., 1899-03-09
| GREAT FALLS GOLD
| STORIES REVIVED
Sale Of Land Resurrects Ru.
mOrs of a Rich Find.
Smelling Works May Soon Be Erect
ed There.
History of Previous Searchers for
the Precious NetaI-Fishermnn
Who Possessed Nuggets.

The sale of large tract of land on the
Virginia side of the Potomac, in the vi
cinity of Great Falls, several days ago 10
the Potomac Electric Power Company, of
Philadelphia, has revived the rumors OF a
rich find OF gold near the falls. For sew
eral months past indefinite stories of there
being a still hunt in progress for the yell
low metal in the section of the country
along the river, both within and outside
the District have reached Georgetown.
1t is we'll known that traces of gold have
been found in this direction and in the
immediate vicinity Of the city. About fif-
teen years ago gold was discovered near
Great Falls. The discovery caused con-
siderable excitement for a time and the
owners Of the property on which the strike
was made, sunk a shaft several hundred
feet in depth with numerous drift tun-
nels. The gold was found in a quartz for
nation, but unlike quartz of the Western
mines, did not run In distinct vein, be-
ing scattered through the rock in all dl-
rections This made ii necessary to blast
large quantity of rock in order TO get
the quartz and the operation entailed great
expense. A large and costly crushing mill
was set up and the mine worked for some
time 1t was finally abandoned on account
of the small quantity of gold-bearing rock
in sight. The quartz was of such quality
that had there been any large amount the
mine would have yielded fortune.
A Second Venture.
Another shaft was sunk near Bethesda,
few miles from the Great Falls location,
at about the same time, but also proved
Improbable. About five years ago the
property changed hands and the mine was
reopened. 1t was found, however, that the
amount of quartz was insufficient TO JUS
tify a long continuation of the work and
after operating it for several months it
was decided to discontinue. Since that
time nothing has been done toward re-
suming the gold industry at either OF the
mines.
When the excitement was at its height
geologists were called upon to render an
opinion as to the likelihood of there being
gold in the soil of that section. 1t seemed
TO be the general opinion among these eX-
perts that the character of the soil indi
Gated the presence of gold. They further
stated that there is a strip OF country eX-
tending from the Potomac near Washing
ton. through Virginia to Fredericksburg
bearing mountains of North Carolina,
Tennessee. and Georgia.
In the gold bearing districts of the
South, especially in North Carolina and
Georgia. mines have been found and are
being operated today very profitably.
Opinions of Experts.
Expert miners who lave examined the
mines at Great Falls and Bethesda have
expressed the opinion that while the
quartz is scattered in these two PAGES,
there must be at no great distance from
them a place where the precious metal is
TO be found in a compact but exceedingly
rich vein. The traces of gold in the rock
indicate, they say. the existence OF a
mother vein from which the particles of
gold were washed al some period during
the geological formation of the world.
They said that it was extremely probable
that this vein when found would produce
millions.
Ever since the abandonment OF the
mines il has been reported with more or
less frequency that prospector5 were look
ing for the mother vein. Within the past
three or four days a farmer from the ru-
raj districts in the locality of the mines
stated that he had seen men at work ap
parently prospecting.
Another rumor states that a syndicate
has purchased the old mine near Great
Falls on the strength of reported new
finds in the interior Of the mine after
some little prospecting. If the mother
vein has been discovered, say those fa
miliar with mining, there can be no doubt
that the discovery is a rich one Should
this report be true, it is fully apparent
that the interested syndicate is working
cautiously and with the greatest secrecy
Smelling Company Formed.
Last summer q company was formed in
this city for the purpose of establishing
and operating gold and silver smelling
works near the Great Falls mine. 1t was
proposed to refine the product of TIE
mine there and those of the south 1t is
expected that the company will start the
building of the plant the coming summer
For years before the discovery of god
near the Potomac at Great Falls it was
suspected by many Georgetown people
that the precious metal was to be found
in the vicinity.
The Reicent FiSherman