The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-12-26
"GOLD NOT WORTH
A BIT A BARREL 4"
Gorgeous Pipe Dream Of a
Colorado Boomer.

VSVe kSV'S"e's . was w seo">
a number Of years ago, was Of the i'm
preston you had fine state--a STATE
where there were opportunities for invest
ment and profit In mining-but II Is all of
now. Why, the fact Is. from knowledge
In my possession, | am justified In stating
that, II all the mines In Idaho were put W
for sale at auction they couldn't bs
knocked off for six bits. Not at the pres
ent moment. but within a week, when the
facts ! will now relate to yJu will be the
property OF the wOrld-and when gold
will not be worth q bit barrel. To come
down TO the pth Of the story, and then
tell II IN It's proper order will simply
make the statement.
"rhere has been discovered, underly'
ing the town OF Gillette, Colorado, blan.
ket Of ore IS miles square In extent, and
five feet thick, all running 5000 or more
per toni
"These are the facts, IN a nutshell.
Gillette, as you all know, is adjicen, ia
Cripple Creek, the great camp, where
is the only deposit Of phonolite in the
world"
Then John Watson Cork stopped a mo
ment tor breath aud TO see IN what man.
ner the listeners had taken the statement.
II was given In the presence OF a number
OF mining men IN the rotunda OF the
Overland hotel Sunday evening just after
dinner, and the author had enjoyed the
meal heartily and was sitting smoking
one ot that hotels best cigars. His aud.
itors gasped. But one man spoke tor
several moments, and he had the hardi.
hood to suggest that there was a defined
deposit Of phonolite within tive miles OF
Boise. Cork simply squelched him with
u look, and then proceeded:
"Thete Is no such thing as phonolite
outside Of Cripple Greek or the adjoining
section. II Is a gold bearing material
simply, aud from what ! know II Is the
material IN which the gold Of centuries
has deposited. making the greatest blank.
et ledge the world has ever known and
VNbV otVtUS w VNVU
ancients. who to me seem to have been
more avaficious than the people OF later
day.
"rhe story Of the discovery is this: A
Swede came to Cripple Creek a couple Of
years ago, aud looked about q bit for a
chance 10 get to work. tie had some
money, and could not secure work he.
cause he had never been In mine In his
HE, and had not the least knowledge OF
the simplest portion ot the work. So, dis.
eourased In this, he thought he would
buy a farm and 20 to raising truck, or
something Of that nature. he had some
money. tie was around town six months
or 50, aud being rather shrewd, soon
learned all he wanted TO know Of mining
tie noted that a great number Of people
had sunk shafts and found such ore as to
make them rich. II was. to him. simply
a question oi luck or chance. One morn
INK he began huying provisions, and
when questioned stated he had determined
TO SO into mining for business and thus
make a fortune. Asked where his prop.
er,y Vas, he said he had none, but that
he Il find vacant ground somewhere, and
work IT, 81 he started out, reached the
top o, the plateau west OF Cripple Creek
and found this had no locations whatever.
|, was believed Nv all mining men TO be
barren, But /, was good enough Tor the
Sweie. and he set his stakes on the level
and hrean sinkine a shaft.
"he hired men, good miners, and began