The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-11
Old MEXICAN SHELTER
Found by William Cooley in
the Wichita Mountains.
RUINS OF A MEXICAN TOWN
Dangers Where Indian Sen
tries Guard Hid Treasure.


from my journal of February 8, 1895:
IAN old Mexican smelter discovered
this day by the writer Of this article
This morning I commenced to clean out
an old Mexican dugout Some men said
it was an old COW camp, but in clearing
away the debris around the chimney and
fireplace 1 discovered that it was an old
Mexican smelter. The rocks were placed
in such a peculiar position and manner
that it gave me a sign that it was no
| fireplace. 1 then proceeded with my
work very carefully. 1 noticed the rocks
were placed in q V shape, and in taking
my pocket knife and scraping around the
crucible, as I supposed II was, 1 discov-
cred the small round clay pot, burned
red, but crumbled I'D in small pieces, so
| that / could not save it, the loose, dry
| dirt having been mixed UP with it. In
! investigating the f1ue. or chimney, very
carefully, I discovered that it was a
| smelter and rooster combined. The hue
! was made on an incline of about 45 de-
grees, connecting with a low chimney. I
found some Of the rock material placed
in the crucible in very nice and neat
manner, or shape, so that the metal could
block the pot up. There is round hole
leading to the pot, so the metal could run
out onto the hard floor, made in a bowl
shape, with a small round hole in the
bowl for the metal to run in. On the
right hand side of the crucible there is
another hole one inch IN diameter, made
OF clay in a sloping position and a guam
tty of fine pulverized roasted rock, al
ready prepared to enter into the crucible
for smelling. There were also several re-
volver cartridges, placed in or near the
mouth of the crucible in a very peculiar
manner, the shells Of which were coated
with dull yellow substance resembling
gold, which I conclude it is, but am not
positive. The shells were loaded with the
black pulyerized rock which the MeXi-
cans had prepared for smelling.
Il therefore have, at last, after three
years of deep study and patient work.
discovered the key to the works of the
Mexican mines and mining, and the kind
of rock material they used to smet into
bullion and convey to Mexico, or trade it
off for supplies al trading posts stationed
along the trail at different points. I dis
cover also that their principal mining was
done on the surface"
Up to the time 1 wrote this article 1
had not discovered any old Mexican
shafts and tunnels, neither have 1 dis
covered any UP to this present day.
Where it is reported they existed and
were worked I have not even seen a sign
or trace but they are doubtless some
where in those Wichita mountains. but
are well covered I'D. I have, however,
my maps and charts, showing where
those places are, and the danger line of
Mr. Injun, with gun in hand waiting in
ambush for the paleface's approach, and
woe be to the man who attempts to wash
and pan out Mr. Injun's money rock
under their noses. 1 hereby caution all
men not to go there unless well armed
and prepared, because there have been
dead mems bones and tools found on
Sugar creek not very far from the cross
ing of the creek, on the Old Soldiers
road. Those shafts and tunnels are doubt
less well covered up, but there are two
or three parties who claim they have
discovered some of those places. I hope
they have.
The surface diggings are very plain TO
be seen. The Mexicans picked up the
surface rocks, the sand corbonates and
the brown and yellow carbonates-free
milling ore-and roasted them and ground
them up in arastras and concentrated the
minerals, and smelted the concentrates
into bullion. They roasted those silver
boulders and small mineral rocks, which
are lying scattered all over those noun
tains; also those white and blue tale, min
eral ashes and veins, which lie in a fat
or blanket shape, they being the works
and diggings of the old Mexican miners.
That kind of diggings shows up very
plain all over the Kiowa and Comanche
country. and in Greer county. northwest
Of Navajoe ten or fifteen miles on the
main Travelled road leading due north to
the Quartz mountain. there has been
some considerable mining done and there
are very plain and evident signs of an old
Mexican town being built there before
the Indians murdered them or drove them
out Of the country. There are several
piles of brown, decomposed carbonate
quartz. gold-bearing, piled up in heaps
all over the town, broken up already for
roasting and crushing. or for the arastra.
Those diggings lie in a blanket shape.
The rock is about foot thick on the sur
face. and underneath this rock there is a
fat vein of bluish-white tale, or sticky
clay. or mineral ashes. containing small
chunks of green copper ore. These small
pieces of copper ore are scattered on the
surface. Below the vein, below this blue
and white tale. or sticky clay. there IS
a bed OF red Joint clay-minerai clay
What is below this red clay deposit IS IN
known. but my opinion is that II is IN
derlaid with red and decomposed
porphyry. gold and silver-bearing free
milling quartz, from the fact that signs
OF black ard brown burned quartz can
De seen scattered on the surface in many
places more especially west and north Of
Ra.ney Mountain school, and on East Elk
creek, where it crops out in The shape OF
round mounds. This burnt quartz is scat
tered on the surface very thick. in small
particles. or Jumps the veins lie fat and
crop out on the sides OF those singular
looking mounds. The red soil appears TO
have been washed away by the rains. but
on closer examination discover that
they have been worked IN clden times By
tlla Maxicans
Those digg!ngs are situated on East Elk
creek. on the road leading 70 Lone Volts
house. on the east side Of the road two
o ;hree miles north up the creek North
west OF Lone wolf's camp. six or seven
miles. and west Of Main Elk creek. there
Is a most wonderful DEPOSIT OF this
brown and yellow carbonate quartz.
Yours very truly.
wM. COOLEY. the Old Miner.
REMINISCENT or BOOM DAYS
What Horse and Mule Did for n