New-York tribune., 1901-11-25
OLD SILVER MINE FOUND.
ONCE FAMOUS "NINETY-NINE- LEDGE
HAD BEEN LOST FOR SEVENTY
FIVE YEARS

FIVE YEARS.
After being lost for seventy-fve years through
| the care with which it's Indian ewner guarded
/ his valuable secret, the Ninety nine silver
mine, once famous through the whole CatskilI
range, has been found again. with all its store
of mineral wealth At least that is the belief OF
J. o. Poole mining expert, who is said to live
| in Trenton. N. j.
| He has discovered a cave in the heart Of the
Shawangunk Mountains. far from Ellen
vile, Ulster County, N Y. which exposes a
wide vein of peculiar ore Numerous assays
show heavy value in silver. lead and other min
erals.
Every effort has been made to keep the dis
covery a secret until mineral rights to the
rounding mountain property could be purchased.
Poole and the Jersey men who are backing him
| have secured such rights on more than five
thousand acres. it is said and are preparing to
start active mining operations. News OF this
activity has reached the OF number of old
] mountaineers. and has started them prospecting
for other lodges.
SOUNDS LIKE ROMANCE
The story OF the lost Nnety-nine mine
| reads like of those tales of missing mines
which come from time to time from the West
| The story of it's accidental discovery and the
| subsequent developments brought to this
city yesterday from Kingston. Judge A +.
Clearwater of Kingston. returned from Ellen
| VILE few days ago, and brought some speci-
| mems of the ore.
| 1T seems that the long lost Ninety-Nine mine
| has been found at last he said yesterday to a.
| Tribune reporter "and. of course, it took a.
stranger in the district locate it, J. o. Poole
| a mining expert, who, believe lives in Tren-
/ ton, N. j., spent portion OF last summer at
| Mohonk Lake. He heard the story of the miss
4 iue min of he STR yUbo
| geared among the settlers from time to timer
| with quantities OF lead and silver which he ex-
! changed for whiskey and the necessaries OF life.
| Poole laughed at the story. every else has
| done for years.
| - few weeks later, while tramping through
| the hills, he noticed what seemed to be CROP
| pings of silver and copper bearing at this
| base of the Shawangunks- He followed up the
lead and made extensive excavations, with the
| result that he found a cave opening In the
| mountains from which he has since taken large
| quantities of almost pure lead ore. as well as
quartz which bears silver and zinc in large pro-
portions.
BUYING UP RIGHTS
"As soon as he made his discovery Poole start
ed TO acquire mineral rights to the surrounding
| property. He found that former owner, be-
ueving that the NinetyNine mine was to be-
found in that vicinity had reserved the mining
rights. His heirs were sadly scattered and ic
| took a great deal Of time to get hold of the
desired acreage Some of it was purchased OUT
| right at very low prices, the land is rough
| as to be practically valueless. Old mountains
| eers who have been permitted to visit the cava
say they do not doubt that it is the lost mine
| THE entrance to the cave has been closed
| with heavy oaken door. and will remain so,
| under guard until Mr.. Poole is ready to COM
| mence mining operations. At Ellenville I was
told that the ledge eight feet wide and
| twenty feet deep and that the assays very
high. brought several samples Of the ore back
| with In the mountains there is consider
| able excitement over the discovery, and a num-
| ber have gone prospecting in the hope OF strik-
ing the same OF other lodges. The can be
| mined with ease. and 1t viii not be difficult to
| transport it to the railroad. Mr.. Poole has been
offered $4,000 for the property as it stands
| The story of the lost mine is known by many
| residents of Kingston. and is vouched for by
| Judge Clearwater and others, who have talked
| with those who knew the old Indian The mine
| takes its name from Wawarsing Indian named
| Neopakiptic, but better known as Ninety Nine
| because of his reputation as a whiskey drinker.
| 1t said that it took ninety-nine drinks OF
native applejack thoroughly to 1ntoxicate the
/ Indian, and as that very much more than
any white man stood 1t gave him new
| name in place OF his unpronouncaole one.
! THE INDIANS SECRET.
\ Ninety Nine lived near Sockanissing. on tha
/ upper waters Of Vernooy Kill and was accus-
| toned to come among the settlers Of the valley
! with chunks of almost pure lead and silver.
which he exchanged for rum. gunpowder and
provisions. He said that he dug the ore I'm a
cave in the Shawangunk Mountains and re-
| duced it by a method known TO the Indians HS
was often pressed to reveal the location OF the
| cave, and bribes of large amounts were offered
him. but all in vain \ white friend, Ben De
Puy. at last succeeded in persuading Ninety
Nine to lead him TO the cave with his eyes
| tightly bandaged. De Puy returned with tales
of wonderfully rich ledge. which seemed al
| most inexhaustible. He did not succeed IN md
i ing the mine again. however, and Ninety Nina
| died with his secret untold
About fifty years ago two Western prospec>
tors 1t is said, appeared in the mountains. acs
companied by a Wisconsin Indian They were
provided with Indian maps and diagrams. They
searched for several weeks without success and
finally returned to the West. Since that time no
systematic search has been made. and the pres
ent generation has considered the story or tns
missing mine in the light Of a pretty legend.
| Now that Poole's discovery is becoming known
| the old settlers are digging up evidence which,