The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
a maenifying glass golden srecks glistened
everywhere in the rock.

Mr.. Mooers in recently speaking OF that day
april ~, 1S05) I'VE whacked of moro
chunks. and scrutinized each carefully through
our mngnlfyinC glass. The golden specks
atounded In the rock.
How much do you think there Ia OF it|
asked Singleton. looking up at the enormous
hill. which lowered above us and spread miles
to the east and west.
"'Oh, the whole hill e full OF this ore said l.
All we've got to do Is to shovel It into stamp
mill and get out the gold"
When Mooers Burcham and Singleton had
located all their mines and made sure that
they had claimed all the richest ore In sight.
the secret OF their find leaked out. A stampede
OF miners from all parts OF the Pacific Coast.
and from even Colorado and Montana, imme-
diatey set In toward Randsburg.
Tho goddess Fortune smiles upon prospec-
tors sometimes when they least expect it, and
wealth beyond their dreams has been almost
showed upon them. Adam Hendricks, who
discovered the Pcarce mine in Arizona. had
rrospected for seventeen years. and at his
wlie's entreaties had at last agreed to
quit his foolish search after buried
riches and go home to ranching in
MERGED county. California. The Pearce mine
Ia undeniablv the richest gold property
in southern Arizona. Hendricks began pros
pecting In 1864. and. with the exception OF
about four months each year. which he spent
with hin wife and children on the MERGED
county ranch. he was prospecting until 1881.
Every dollar that he could raise went into
prospecting. His parents in Germany left him
$4,000. and he gave one-haf to the family and
spent the rest in hunting gold. He located
several hundred claims and made partial de-
vclopments on several. One mine, the Black
Sheep NINE in Amador county. Col. he To-
cat al md goli for 81 ONO That gave him new
capital to seek for his great strike. His brothers
tried to persuade him to abandon hopeless
chase over the mountains for fortune and to
settle down to work while he yet had health
and strength. They argued that not one in
thousands OF miners ever made any money at
prospecting.
One day in the fall OF 1881. while Hendricks
was spending few days with a cowboy friend
on range in southern Arizona. and when he
had about come to the conclusion that he
had wasted lot Of money and his best years
in seeking something he was too unlucky to
win he went out hunting On the way hacl: to
the cabin he met on tho trail cattleman who
had big dog along with him. Hendricks
played with the beast. and picked up stones to
throw for the dogs retrieving A chunk Of
stained rock near his feet attracted his atten-
ton while he stopped to pick up stones. All
prospectors mechanically get samples OF rock
wherever they go in country where mineral
wealth may be found. and Hendricks got bit
OF the chunk. He carried 1t to his friends
cabin. and the next morning he looked 1t over
with his glass and tested 1t with acids. 1t was
the richest float he had ever found. Abandon
ing all else. Hendricks took up the search for
the ledge from which the float had been de-
tached. In few hours the parent ledge was
located. While Hendricks sold the Pearce
mine in 1884 for 100000. 1t has since paid
S1.S0O.O00 in dividends. 1t 1893 1t yielded
gold that sold for $43S,0OO.
The story OF how Nat @. Creole. who died by
his own hand In Los Angeles two years ago.
and left 900. came to his fortune after
years Of prospecting. hunger and poverty
among the Rocky Mountains is told in every
mining camp in the West. Creede came from
Indiana. He was OF an adventurous disposition.
and he Joined the regular army on the plains
as a scout when he was u years old AT the
age o, % he became miner He worked in
the mines in Idaho TWO years, and then went
to prospecting From 1871 until 1881 he
travelled over the Rocky Mountains from Idaho
NJ l. l,I