The silver star., 1900-12-14


work 90 mon and that ~ mino would nnally
produces him elskteo month- That he would
dad the Old workings to bo = tunnel y feet
high and 10 fees vide.
Mr.. otrouse left dolores Immediately, We'd
needay. November 3ath. and following tho
route described came to point about six
miles from Monticello ON tho south slops OF
the Blue Mountains and about lx miles from
the saw mill aud found the place indicated,
where he began to dig and soon uncovered
what was the mouth of an old tunnel work.
ing that had been carefully covered over,
and uncovered large, nat stone covering an
entrance and found the opening with every
thing ~ tho spirits description gave It, Sat.
lsficd I at he had found what was wanted he
came ut oncc 10 Monticello to put his discov-
cry on record. and this was the location Mr.
Ryan had hlled out.
1t ID matter Of old spanish-M Mexican his
tory, records Of which have been found nmong
the archives Of Mexico, that rich mine
known as the Josephine mine had been work
ed by the Spanish, from the records, which
were rather obscure, It was thought to have
been in the Blue. Elk, La Sal or Henry noun
tains, in southeastern Utah, and many pros
pectors have searched for it. Tho story Of
he find reads like a fairy tale. but the fact
OF its being found and by persons strangers in
the country who came II long distance across
country and direct to the spot, Is beyond
question. Mr.. Ryan saw the description, as
written out by the little girl as directed By the
spirit, aud knowing personally much of the
route over which they passed said 1t Tailed ex-
actly n, d he Is convinced that NJ one person
unfamiliar with the route could possible have
described II. It is also matter of genersl
knowledge that the Indians, wherever they
could, covered up all Indications of the places
where the Spanish worked in early days, the
desi being to prevent as far as possible
new foothold for the whites after they had
succeeded In driving back the Spanish. The
pla,e fouLd b. Mr. Strouse showed no surface
indications Of having been explored before
| and II was at point where the usual pros.
pector would rarely conclude TO look for
mineral.
| While Mr.. Ryan was at the camp OF Mr..
Strouse he informed him he had no faith in
spi ritual communications, but asked II the
girl could receive communications for others
and was told yes, and at his request said she
would try. The girl with her face turned
away from the slate at once wrote: 'Your
mother Is ve.y ill.," and Mr.. Ryan said sharp
ly, "Whatr and the girl wrote at once. mo,
no: 1t Is your father He asked then,
Where does he reslde2" and she wrote. Yer
mont" He asked IL he would live long, and
she wrote, mot over two or three weeks"
Mr.. Ryan's parents home Is In Vermont, but
the strouse girl had certainly never had any
inform ,tion OF It. A considerable amount Of
other correct details OF his home in Vermont
was also given. Mr.. Ryan on reaching Moab
today, found two messages here from ver-
mont, one was that his father was very III,
~ q 3 Aut 49, "A
having taken place within three days of the
communication.
Whether the find will prove to b. as vaiu-
able as described by the spir { remains 10 be
demonstrated, but so far the details have
proven as given. Mr.. John Peachman,
prospector. returned today from trip to the
colorado river nnrr Anndy crossing and came
through Monticello. Mr.. Peachmus.s' Inns
spent several years prospecting In the Blue
mountains and has q number Of valuable
claims not far from where this discovery was
mnde. lie confirms the report given by Mr..
Ryan and talked with several ut Monticello
who had visited the place and says there IL
much excitement In that district over the dis
covery Durango Democrat.
Mr.. A. ]. Strouse, mentioned in
the above, is resident of this city,
and was seen by representative of
THE STAR on Wednesday last. Mr..
Strouse is tie contractor and keeps
his family here to send his children
to school. He was rather reticent
regarding the above and said he
was very sorry that anything re-
garding it had become public; that
he did not want any notoriety. He
says, however, that in the main it
is true but that a part of it is the
product Of the imagination of the
person who wrote it. He was di.
rected in his movements by spirit
communication as reported and the
statement regarding the death of
Mr.. Ryan's father is true. Mr..
Strouse says that they have not
done any digging nor uncovered
anything, and that he told no one
how many men would be worked or
the amount that would be produced
from the mine. Further than this
he would say nothing. except to
express his hopes that it would
turn out as he expects.