Gilpin observer., 1900-01-18
MADE RICH IN HASTE.
SOME NEW BONANZA STORIES
FROM SOUTHWEST.
Jake Kliner After Years of Weary
Flooding with Jackass In the
Mountains Discovers q FortunSNAn-
other Rich Find. I


there been such activity in mining
operations in that region as during the
past year, and never before has there
been anything like the number of men.
prowling over the mountains, search
ing across the desert wastes, in lonely
gulches, through desolate canons, and
among remote foothills or lodges and
deposits of wealth in ore. The way
some men have leaped from compare
tive poverty to large wealth in five or
six years is one of the wonders even
in land of quickly made fortunes.
For instance, there is Jacob Kliner,
who is copper and gold king of Ari-
zona and Sonora, Mexico. For twenty
four years of all manner of adversely,
patient, plodding search for luck in
prospects, and after a tremendous
amount of endurance in heat and cold,
he is enjoying an income of about
$4,000 month, and owns property that
he can sell almost any day for 1,200,-
600. He was born in Laban, Prussia,
forty-six years ago, and came to
America with s17 in his pocket He
was employed in q New York brewery
for two years at 70 cents day. In
1875 he went to Arizona and along
with thousands of other men became
mining prospector
He tramped over every mountain in
the territory, all the way from El Paso'
to Colorado, from Ration, N. NJ, back
to Albuquerque, from Tombstone to
Yuma. from Mexico to Chloride Jake
Kliner and his half-starved jackass
l.,
Kliner's perennial belief that he was
soon going to strike it rich became one
OF the jests of the miners camps.
At Inst Jake Kliner found copper
prospect in Gila county that looked
well. He had $40 that he had made by
doing day labor in the copper mines
at Bisbee, and, settling down in SO
tent with all his earthly possessions,
consisting of frying-pan, kettle, a
coffee pot, two blankets and a few
mining tools, he went u work to open
his copper claim. He worked alone on
it for eleven weeks in 1893 when cop
per was at its lowest market value, and
capital was a scarce article in the
territories. After months of vain seek
ing for some one to come and look at
his copper ledge, Kliner trudged over
the mountains and alkali desert across
the Superstition and San Rita noun
tains. down to Sonora, Mexico, where
he got work at day wages in a silver
mine. He still owned the copper prop
erty, and had done enough work on 1t
to hold the claim for a year. After he
had saved 800 he went to prospecting
again. He Travelled along with his
jackass some 300 miles altogether,
sleeping out Of doors, eating vile food
and watching out for hostile Yaquis.
And now his luck was due. He found
two claims in five months.
One was a base of ore-a combina-
ton of lead and silver-and the other
was gold ore that ran about $14 to the
ton. He met at Hermosillo, Mexico.
a man who bought the base ore
promptly for $4,000. That was Jake
Kliner's first real capital after his
years of poverty and hardship. With
that sum he began the development of
his gold mine, and in a year he got
out and shipped ore that brought him
5000 clear profit. Then the Mexicans
who owned the reduction mill where
he sent his ore became interested and
offered $4,000 for a half interest in
the gold mine. Kllner was tempted to
take the offer, but he says he knew he
had good thing and that 1t was worth
more money. A week later he sold
half the mine for $4,000. This was in
March, 1895.
Kliners fortune has grown rapidly
from that time. The Armadijo mine
has paid some 100000 in profits since
then, and is still yielding from $1,000
to $4,000 a month. Four years ago
kliner returned with ample means to
his copper mine in ella county, Ariz
He put in the best machinery he could
buy, sunk shafts, and drifted and
crosscut into the ledge. Copper was
not profitable then, and many copper
mines were idle. 1t took much hope
and confidence to put $1S,0 into ma
chinery to get out copper ore that had
no buyers at living prices. In 1897,
however, copper rose from to ~
cents. The Kliner mine began to
make more money. Extra laborers
were hired and the mine was deepened
and explored the more. In 1898 tho
price of copper advanced to II cents
n pound. Last winter 1t touched 10
cents. II has since varied from II to
10, and the copper miners all over the
west have prospered more than ever
before. Kliner has steadily declined
to sell his mine In Gila county He
had an offer of 100000 for 1t in May.
1898. Last December he declined six
offers of 100000 and within thirty
days he could have sold II out for
S650,0