davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-09-06

CONDITION or THE WHEAT FARMER
-.
The partial failure Of grain crops IN
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19
Lost Mines Of the Southwest
Many Human Lives Sacrificed In Search For Hidden
Treasure---One Shaft Located Four Times

developed brain fever and died. But
the story got out of course, and the
search for the Pegleg treasure began.
A number of men were in possession
of clues, and had they at that time COM
bined their knowledge, something
might have been done; but the secreti-
veness of prospectors on the track of q
good thing stood In the way, so each
man followed his own path to COM
mon failure.
Other men, with no clue whatever
to guide them. trusted bliudly to luck,
and overran the rugged and waterless
wastes to no profitable end. Then by
chanc. the Pegleg was again dis
covered.
A discharged soldier from Forty una
lost the Los Angeles trail and met with
az experience similar to Smiths
Clim bing one of the three low hills to
| catch sight of Warmers pass he found
at bis feet the same black and burned
looking metal. But the soldier knew
what 1t was.
Loading himself with as much as he
could carry OF the coarse gold neggets
he made his way to Los Angeles. He
told his story there to every man who
took his fancy, promising them for
tunes with the generosity of an auto
crst in his cups, and asserting that
buefS "ES Rolu cHouSb Ou tue Hill II .
would lead them to make a regiment
of millionsires. Presently the soldier
aud his gang started back with a big
outfit of mule teams and wagons.
For some reason that can only be
guessed at the party did not strike back
through Warmers pass and out by the
old Caros Springs station, now a pic
turesque ruin. Probably the country
in which the Pegleg was found was not
psssahle for vehicles from the pass, and
they decided upon shorter route. Be
this as 1t may, not one of the party was
again seen alive.
For years their fate remained one of
the innumerable mysteries of the
desert until one day some prospectors
whose burros hid stampeded came
upon the skeletons of men and mules in
the foothills o: the Cuymaccss that
overlook the maddening desolation of
the SaltOn sea.
Tradition has 1t that one of the skele-
tons had a bull ct hole through the
skull. 1t may have been the soldier.
whose companions ,lured to their death,
were probably ripe for any violence
when their plight rs discovered.
The next finder of the Pegleg was a
Soboba squaw. 1t was when the
Southern Pacific was building across
the waterless wastes from Yuma to the
San Gorgonio Passo-through the pur-
gatory of the desert to the paradise of
irrigated california beyond.
One day, when the rails we're down
as far IS Sslton. half naked sQuaw
crawleC TO the construction train from
the blazing south. They gave her
water and ssved her life, though she
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19

There comes q time in the life OF
every desert prospectOr In the south
west when he has to 60 forth and look
for the famous Pegleg placers.
In some cases one experience is
suffi cient, says the Minneapolis Tri-
bune, and if he Ia lucky enough TO come
through it alive, he Is satisfied 10 let
Others do the hunting thereafter.
Then, again, the disease may become
chronic, and he Is known iu the camps
upon the edge of the desert IS a "Peg.
Logger" No one is surprised II he
disappears utterly, because that ia the
general fate of the Peelegeers who dc
not have the luck to die by accident
within the Jurisdiction Of coroner.
Every winter men take up the quest.
Few mineral regions in the west are
found and lost. Up in Wyoming there
10 the Lost Cabin" in Washington
men hunt for the deposit that Schiffi in,
the diamond king who founded Tomb
stone, discovered just before his lonely
death.
Somewhere around Mono lake, in
California, lies the WhIteman mine OF
which Mark Twain wrote in the book
that M ade him famous. Southern Cali
fornia has the Breyfogle and The Gun
sig hL In the Death Valley region; there
county, the Pegleg and the last mines
OF ths SDaniards in Sau Diego ty,
with many mvre whLse very existence
has been forgotten.
Among lost miues the Pegleg occu-
pies q un que place in that IL has been
found and lost at least four times. 1t
has been hunted for in California
Arizona and across the line in Mexican
territory. Its story is record OF
tragedy, and the number of its victims
will not be known until the desert,
like the sea. gives up it's dead.
In 1881 trapper nam Smith. Who
was subsequently Known as "P nleg"
because OF an &C -iGeut that left sin
with one leg, started from Yuma for
Lo- Angeles.
The OLD trail, which IS still Travelled,
Zlgzags westward a ong the Mexican
line between infreqneDt aad uncertain
water holes, until 1t elm bs out of the
desert, north, by Warmers pass, over
the PalOms, and so down into The fertile
Mission grants that now fern the
orange belt OF California.
Somewhere east of the pass Smith
lost the trail in attempting II short cut,
AND climbed the highest OF three low
hills to regain his bearings. While re-
ennoitering he picked up some Jumps
Of black and burned looking metal
with which the hill was literally COW
cred, which he suppose to be native
copper.
Years afterward he showed tie cop
per" to miner, to whom he related
the inoid ent. The stuff WIS pure gold
PegleR. on learning what he bad found
promptly went crazy with excitement,
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19

was delirious for q time.

was delirious for time.
Knotted in a handkerchief she had
several pounds OF the burnt black golC
Of the Pegleg, some nuggets of which
she gave to the engineer. She had LEFT
the SOboba reservation, on the edge o.
Warmers ranch, with her buck to gC
to the Koopagh settlement down below
Yuma, near Blythe colony.
They had somehow got off the trai
east of the pass, and had run out o
water. At last she had assembled the
highest of Tres Picachos'(.hree peaks
or Eills) and from 1t had seen the smoke
of the construction locomotive mile,
away.
On this peak she had picked up the
nuggets; on the way to the railroad hel
man" had given up and died of thirst
All efforts to get further information
from her proved futile
AS she recovered she refused to talk
aud in a Gay or two went back to her
own people. Every Southwestern knows
the futility of asking an Indian any
thing about gold. Their strsnges'
superstition is 30 the effect that to
lead white man to gold
field involves not only physi.
cal death bat spiritual torments in the
hereafter.
The only person who appears to
have got any good out Of the PegleR
was Mexican, hard riding vaquero,
who punched cattle and herded horses
on Warmers ranch, Is or 20 years
ago.
This Mexican suddenly appeared
with great wealth, wore gorgeous
raiment, bucked every monte game
between the Aqua Caiiente and En-
senad0 and lorded 1t over the dark
eyed damsels of his race
Whenever MS furds ran low he left
Warner y ranch aluue and rttur &c In
two Gays with Is few thousand dollars
in the burnt block gel Of the Peel cg,
er at the ranch.
Gold-that is. placer ecld-bas an
individuality of lis own, lad an expert
enced miner can tell py looking at a
nugget just where it was found provid-
ed, OF course, that he mas worked the
same ground. And there is no mists K
ing the Pegleg gold, which "a top,
where It has been exposed TO the
action of the sun, is as black es Stag.
OF course ate mpts we're made 20
follow the Mexican, but ne rode Tie
best horse In the south and at q certain
point his pursuers always lost him.
From this point be was Invariably alb
sent one day, SO it ia certain that the
Pegleg is half days ride or less
from the place where the trail disap-
peared. He cid not live long to ell 10y
his prosperity.
A Mexican with whom he quarreled
carved him with knife and be never
spoke afterwards. He left 81, 600 in
nuggets and coarse gold at the ranch
store, and the storekeeper spent years
in futile effort to relocate the lost
bonanza. 1t WAS through him that
Ia al cd
the first time, were obtained. The
storekeeper finally gave up the search,
but other men, less fortunate have left
their bones in the desert.
One of these was Tom Cover, ex-
sheriff of San Bernardino county, who
started up canon on foot, leaving his
companion TO wait for him in q buck
board on the trail. Dead or alive,
Cover was never seen again, though
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19

his friends organized searching parties
| and left no stone unturned in q vain ef-
| fort to recover his body.
! To one who knows the country it
would seem simple matter to relocate
the Pegleg. But there are hundreds
OF square miles SO broken that the
prOspector cannot zee fifty yards in
any direction, and to lose his bearings
means death by thirst. 1t is a volcanic
region, broken down and sown with
ashes and lava, gloomy waste where
death and silence stand guard over q
hill of gold.
The Lee mine has q different his
tory, though none the less tragic.
Years ago Old Man Lee came into San
Barnardtno and recorded q quartz To-
cation describing 1T as nearly as he
could In the absence of a survey.
He hired q man to help him develop
The ledge, and from that time forward
until his death made periodical visits
TO town to buy supplies and ship the
bullion that he brought in, for he re-
duced his own ore by means of an aras-
| ira.
He was q sociable man and had many
friends and made no effort to conceal
the whereabouts of his bonanza.
There are men still living in San
Bernardino whom he invited to. come
out and look at the property, for which
Elk Gov. Waterman, who founded
Julian, was eager to buy half interest
IN the Lee, but the owner gave IL out
positively that he would sell to no one.
For that reason, and because the loca-
ton was remote and difficult of access,
no one ever went out there.
One night Lee left San Bernsrdino
to return to his mine, and was picked
up next morning just outside the town
with bullet In his heart. The object
of the murder was not robbery, as q
sum of money and valuable watch
were found on the body. The assassin
was never caught.
Lee had remarked In town that his
employe was about out of supplies, SO
party, including the public admins
traitor. at once started for the mine,
They failed to find 1t, nor has it been
found to this day.
In time the location became void.
and ex-Gov. Waterman published
standing offer OF $4,000 for a half
interest in the mine, without investi-
CATION, to be paid to anyone who
found it. But mine, machinery,
buildings and dumps have disappeared
utterly, nor was the man employed by
Lee ever heard of again.
1t is generally believed that when
the old shaft ia relocated the skeleton
of the miner will be found at the bottom,
one of those accidents that constantly
happen under ground having killed or
crippled him in Lees absence.
There is an old mine back from the
Potholes in San Diego county that was
worked by the Spaniards a century
and more ago. When the Indians
arose and killed their task-masters
they filed the shaft and obliterated
the trail. but they know where it is to
this day.
few years ago a Yuma agreed to
show the spot to DR.. DeCourcey, OF
Yuma, but on the journey he became
frightened and turned back. There ia
also q mine in the ella range that an
Indian started to uncover to q white,
but he, too, yielded to his superstition
on the road and GOULD not be induced
to 90 on
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19
FOR A SHORTDTIME ONLY.

For those opportunity
better their conditions
BRIEF ILLUSTRATIONS.
the inquire into the results of
large mining properties sometimes will
"Whats of buying thousand shares In mil
dollar 1t don amount anythipg To such
give examples of hundreds of companies that
their stock would in
which beginning of their sale
treasury bought very moderate
history of good mines under experienced
faithful judge of the future only
the experiences of the past
Quincy would insure
The number of
would about s33 600 annually The
we'll about 81 500 annually thous
while the Hometake South Dakota 0OO
The mine of Nova Scotia each thous
from that only about $25
Engineering Mining Journal of February
gives a 236 dividend paying mines that
n of them would very
spectacle rule sells its first issue of
treasury q low price. share
would high estimate of the if estimates
basis cost he is receiving all the from 200
per on actual cash example
sold for about when
stared this stock is quoted in London
Isabella Cripple Greek sold low
originally worth 81 2S that's
shares for $50 which worth
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19

1920 The buying of they being
sng property both profitable and legitimate There
ly profitable.
We consider Mexican Company
equal in promise any above cited,
pleasure in calling attention the sale of
placed on the market at twenty five cents share.
Following engineers estimate profits
will derive from working concentrating
plant concentrating
concentrating plant with
would produce 23 daily
70 lead silver
value OF the days product would be follows:
16 23 of al D
lead, %, 1892 pounds lerd 81 .25
bring.
One thousand ounces of silver a So
per Observation-Disclosures.
Thus giving gross value for each days
The cost of mining and concentrating 100
would $3.50 90
The freight smelter would $50 90 300 90
The daily d profits would .......... S1241
The monthly profits would 3724S 80
Flstteng u.s. still underesimated
the development work in the mine shows large
of that will 35 lead, which would
This would increase daily
centrste and corresponding increase in the daily profits
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-19

The Public purchase shares at %
IN the .rpes. Silver mine in the Southwest
mine that dividends from the starting OF its
mineral in sight that work In
disputed this fact-no dispute
it 1t mammoth mine
For short time only will the
nublic have these price, When
exhausted the Company starts Its
dividend the stock cannot
had is undecided will then wish he
had acted with decision stock
when the promoters giving cent the
of actual value
In tho two months been developing their
resulted in discovering all the water
thew need in time they have mined and
OneTh of Concentrating Ore, and
covered shipping which from SO 60
written said about the
this
the will surely miss the
portunity lifetime
call for have no
Office, write for to
their orders by mail
through bank
FOR REFERENCES PROSPECTUS
purchasing large number OF
paid and mine II
find in prospectus supstau
their Investigation
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
Other Matters of General Inter

There was q meeting of the CITY gov
eminent last evening called primarily
to consider the question Of the aims
house, and after a somewhat prolonged
discussion the matter was indefinitely
postponed. Alderman Jordan absent.
Alderman Small made an informal re-
port saying that MIR. Anthoine was will
ing to sell the building and seven acres
OF land for about $500, and the board OF
overseers, who were present, were asked
for an expression Of opinion. MIR. Cole
said the almshouse was too small and
II enlarged 1t would be a saving In the
end to the city for they could take In
about one half of the insane patients
and the number OF the outside poor
would most likely be reduced If they
could be accommodated at the aims
house. He thought, however, that II the
number Of inmates was not increased
they could get through the winter all
right AS the building had been put in
a comfortable condition. The other
members of the board, Mr.. Malta and
MIR. Cash, concurred with Mr.. Cole and
Alderman Small asked MIR. Cash II be
Thought the people would support the
council in an approximation tor the
purchase of the land and buildings.
MIR. Cash replied: al think they would
in view of the large saving"
Mr.. Jordan, the keeper, spoke OF the
present condition of the building and
Capt. Davis had something to say
about the valuation Of the building and
land which he liked at about $1,000.
On motion OF Alderman Small the mat
ter was indefinitely postponed and 1t
was voted that the city solicitor be d.
rcted to inform Mr.. Antholne that 1t had
been decided not to purchase and to
further await his action.
Alderman Small moved that $!200 be
taken from the contingent fund and
placed to the credit of the sinking fund.
All voted in the negative except Mr..
Small,
THE SALARY ORDINANCE.
Alderman Small then moved that the
ordinance relating to salaries of various
officials which was introduced May by
Alderman Spear be disDosed Of and
moved that 1t be amended to read as
follows:
BE 1t ordained that the salaries OF the
following officials in tbs employ OF city
OF South Portland shall be and are here
by established as follows:
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20

are Dusiiy engaged in putting on the out
side finish.
Miss g. Belle Reed is1spsnding fe
days at her home In South Portland.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Willard have
returned from visit of several days to
Boston.
The Desring Sanitary Company are ut
work building new drains and putting
in sewerage pipes for the old Wing house
at Knightyille.
PLEASANTDALE.
Miss Carrie Waterhouse, Kelsey street,
is reported Ill with appendicitis.
Miss Gertrude low of Sprirgvale is the
guest OF her sistsr, Mrs. #. O. Plummer,
Summer street.
Captain William Thompson has re-
turned from o brief visit al the home of
his daughter, Mrs. A. K. Skillins OF
Buokfield.
Mr.. Artemus Wing OF Lewiston passed
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
Per annun

lily UFehburcf, Wv
City clerk, Gu
City solicitor, 300
City physician, as
City auditor, ROU
Assessors, each, loO
Board Of health, each, 20
street commissioner, 500
Inspector of buildings, 50
Oversesrs of the poor, chairman, gu
Uverseers of the poor, other men,
bers, each, 20
All fees collected by the city treasurer
and the city clerk from all souces, to
be turned into the city treasury for
the use OF the city.
This ordinance to take effect from
March /, 1901.
The subject provoked very spirited
discussion. Alderman Small maintained
that, as provided by the charter, 1t was
the duty of the council to attend to
this important question OF salaries be-
fore tina end Of the year. Alderman
Seaman thought the matter had been
sprung too abruptly, and Alderman
Spear showed considerable feeling in the
matter and challenged the faith" OF AL
derman Small in bringing the ordi-
nance up without duly consulting 9TH
ers. Personal explanations followed and
Alderman Spears motion to lay the ordi-
nance ON the table was carried.
Yeas-Willard, Spear, Hilton, Scam
man.
No.-Small, Pickett.
OTHER MATTERS.
The petition OF the Consolidated cleo
trio Light company to place lights, etc.,
was considered and a hearing was ordered
January 8.
W. X, Wood, president of the Portland
Railroad company gave notice that the
legislature would be asked permission
to extend road through Cash's Corner
to- Ssco. PlAcad on file.
A communication from the municipal
Officers of Scarboro In regard to
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
anrounoe departures at the room jus
mentioned.
ELECTIoN OF OFFICERS.

The trustees of the charity fund OF
Hiram Lodge, +. and A. M'' met Tues
day afternoon at the oftioe OF W. n.
Anthoine, on Exchange street, Portland
and after the transaction of routine ousi-
ness elected thess officers;
President-Thomas b. HASKELL.
Ssoretary-Frad u Hamilton.
Treasurer-W. X. Anthoins.
Capt. Henry willard is erecting a cot
tage at the corner of Beach street and
MYRTLE avenue, willard. He will aisa
have ono built ON Willard street in the
near future.
Work is progressing rapidly on TINS
three tenement house on Main street,
Willard, which MIR. John b. Woodbury.
is having erected. The nsw structure
has been boarded In, and tbs workmen
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20

Sunday as a guest of Miss May Water
house, Kelsey street.
Mrs. Geo. Goodwin, Chapel street, is
entertaining Mrs. Oscar Clarke OF Ken
nebunk.
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
sToCKBRIDGE PIANOS.

MIR. Ira q. Stookhrldge has fine line
of high grade planes at his warerooms
over Owen and Moore. The famous
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
The Palmer Shoe Co.
dee2022

"Stsck" pianos, the ''old reliable" Me-
PhaiI- Behr Brothers, jacob Brothers and
the "Bollermann," also the Needham
Organ. Call and see him II do not
not purchase.
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20
A WAITING ROOM.

The managers of the Portland railroad
have kindly placed at the disposal of the
patrons OF the Cape Elizabeth branch,
the waiting room on Congress street
under the United States hotel, to be used
jointly with the patrons OF the Yarmouth
road. A bulletin was issued yesterday,
directing tbs conductors OF all cara. be-
fore starting from Monument square, to
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-20

perambulnting the lIne. was laid on the
table.
Request OF Postal Telegraph company
received at last meeting, was granted,
subject to approval Of COMMITTEES on
streets.
Mr.. Eaton, inspector Of public build
ings, reported that the school buildings
were enthusiastically repaired and the re-
port OF the committee on laying out Mar
riner ana Fourth streets was acc epted
ana the streets established.
Mr.. II. E. Willard was given permits
sion to erect q wooden building, and
Fred II. Rundlett was drawn as q
traverse juror.
The council then adjourned to Janu-
AIRY 8.
The zyIpha orchestra gave another
very pleasant dance ct the Union Opera
house last evening which was attended
by a aoodly number of their friends, In.
Guiding many from Portland.
At Trefsthen's alley large party from
gr.y's Business college passed very
enjoyable evening in bowling.
CITIZEN REPLIES no "ADVER-
TISER.'
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-18
an opPoRruNITY.

During these days of holiday shopping
when everyone seems on the qui vive ar
ter something new to give to friends, but
really the chief object is to give to others
Christmas joy.-an opportunity is at our
very door to give pleasure BY passing
on the good things OF other years. The
toys OF last year and the old dolls win
make some children as happy as IL Santa
Claus had just rought them from the
stores.
Among the tw snty -four little children
OF our Temporary Home, most OF them
taken from homes OF poverty or drunken
meas, there are eleven old enough to enjoy
dolls aud toys, and to these little ones, an
old toy lie ~ good as new onsi rag
baby is as welcome as new china doll
dressed in sllk, and torn picture books
are better than none at all.
Any package OF warm clothing or toys
or other things good for little children
win be gladly received at Mrs Whitman
sawyer's, 600 Congress street, and win
be carried 60 the Home In time for their
Christmas tree, Monday, December gath.
Harriet A. Deertng,
Chairman Christmas Committee.
The Portland daily press., 1900-12-18

duties as fireman on the b. s. NJ, after
q short vacation.
Do not Tell 70 attend the sale ~ the
home Of Mrs. John A. $. Dyer, Summer
street, on Tuesday and Wednesday Of this
week.
Miss Mabel Tanner Is enjoying short
vacation.
Mrs. Howard Latham Is reported quite
III at her home, Chestnut street.
Mr.. Penney, Of Wells. Is passing the
winter months at the home OF his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Il. o. Hatch, Palmer street.
Miss LOUISE Howard OF Burnham street
IL passing some weeks at Pine Point at
tending Mrs. Asa Downss, who lie serious
ly III.
Miss May waterhouss, Kelsey street. is
clerking at Folsom's, Congress street.
during the holidays.
The young son OF Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Gsvett, Kelsey street, broke his COLLAR
bone while cossting few days ago.
Daniel Jones, new Elm street, enter
tanned the members OF the Y. p. >. Q.
Il. Monday evening. which proved very
pleasant occasion.