New-York tribune., 1900-12-10
LANTRTS GOLD TANISHES.
AT MIDNIGHT HE HAS A PRECIOUS
NUGGET EXAMINED-IRON PYRITES
THE VERDICT.

The gold which Commissioner Lantry believed
he had discovered on Riker's Island has proved
70 be no more precious a metal than iron
pyrites. After four days OF prayer and fasting,
during which the Commissioner kept his secret
from the incredulous world and carried the yell
low scanned nuggets around in his pockets he
sent one Of the humps on Saturday TO the Assay
once.
Now. the Assay Office has rule Of closing
early on Saturday and not all the gold which
Blackwell's Island Riker's Island or any other
island could turn out even If they al were en-
tirely made Of this metal and % carat fine. could
induce these good assayers to work overtime.
One reason is that two OF them live in New
Jersey, where the lines Of communication often
are as disconnected the road to Peking was
before the legations escaped
Consequently. when Mr. Lantry's lump came
down late, # put the shelf for inspec-
tion this morning. But between Saturday
night and Monday morning there are thirty
six more hours, and for a man who has dis
covered gold. and especially gold on Black
wells Island. and yet is not sure il Is gold and
is waiting 10 find out for sure, the suspense OF
-hirty-six hours demands a constitution of
seel The Commissioner has a pretty strong
constitution, but he could not wait He tried TO
sleep, but, like Pickwick before reading "the
madman's confession, he could not sleep. He
Tammany Hall undisturbed by Ice Trust
scandal or vice crusade. But even such a theme
was not sufficient TO calm the Commissioners
mind That gold would come into his thoughts
de must ind out how pure his Jumps were.
Accordingly he started out 10 the home OF a
friend on the Aqueduct Commission whom he
Familiarity called Fleming. Fleming had been
IN California in the days OF the gold fever and
had panned many sand heap for the spark
Ilhg grams Commissioner Lantry found him
about midnight.
Say. Fleming" began the Commissioner.
mere some Jumps ! picked up last Wednes-
day on Riker's Island. They came from the
quarry on Blackweu's. See those streaks OF
yellow stun? See how they sort Of glitter when
! turn the rock in my hand? Fleming if that's
gold. there's millions Of the stuff where these
hunks came from. There's millions," The
commissioner handed over one Of the Jumps for
MS friends inspection. and continued:
tlemlng, there's millions over there at Black
wells; there's strata after strata and wide
strata, too. and they reach from one end of the
enough TO pay our taxes and
Ihe speaker was cut short by hearty laugh
from Fleming, who said:
'Iantry, they're pyrites only pyrites
Flrates- exclaimed the Commissioners some
what startled 10y what ne took 10 be a sugges-
ton OF thieves when his nuggets were lying
around loose. Pirates? What do you mean?'
Why Frank, don't YOU see they're iron py-
rites, iron, just irOn-same as the nails in vour
shoes, only little rustier"
The commissioner went home and to sleep.
--e said last night 10 a Tribune reporter:
Well there was nothing I'm H. To-day the
Archbishop asked about the BlackWelPs
Island gold mine and I said that / had decided
10 lay up my treasures in heaven"