The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-19
STUMBLED
UPON LOST.
GOLD MINE
After 27 Years Search "lucky"
Mark LaI|y Accidentally Found
Shaft Once Worked by Jesuits

Santa Cruz. Mexico, Nov ls-History
and tradition both agree that 100 years or
more ago the Jesuit Fathers In the old
mission at Trmacacori. the . ruins OF
which are in a fair state OF preservation.
and are located I'm the valley Of the Santa
Cruz at point about six miles north
from Calabasas. and about four miles
south from Tubac. worked a very rich
mine in the Santa Rita mountains 10 the
eastward from thei- mission.
Many efforts have been made TO find
the lost mine whose value was so fabu-
lous. and In several places old workings
have been discovered but their extent
was SO limited and the character and
quality OF what little ores were found
were poor that there was precluded
any possibility OF their being the lost
Tumacacori.
1t has remained for Lucky Mark Lulley
after twenty-seven years OF search 10
stumble upon the famous lost mine I'm
his work upon the Wandering Jew
ground In following the work Of expos
ing the surface Of the ledge he Is devel-
oping In the Jew by sinking two
shafts and running a tunnel he came up
on an old trench from three 10 ten feet
deep which had been carefully covered
with mat OF dead moss and weeds, top
ped by rocks and loose earth laid on top
OF them. and above all the accumulation
OF more than a century OF debris.
10 tne lull ueptn OF tnls Wds a
defined streak OF high grade steel galena
varying from one 20 four feet In width.
which is now standing 10 verify this as
sertion. Working along the surface.
Mark cleared of the covering OF this
trench, extending a length Of lA feet land
the end is not yet reached). the same
ledge OF high grade gnlena from one 10
four feet in width running all the way
through.
Very evidently the antique workers.
finding that stress Of circumstances-ln-
dian depredatio ukely-wouid compel
abandonment of the mine, they carefully
covered and concealed tifsfr workings and
the rich ores therein.
Tradition has always been that the Jes-
uit fathers who conducted the mission at
Tumscacori has left concealed about the
premises a great deal OF valuable plate
and bullion. Some twenty-five years ago
q party OF mon went from Tucson and
spent several weeks at and In the vicin-
ity OF the church $50 the story goes) In
searching for the treasure. They dug
trenches crosswise across the earth floor
OF the interior OF the oldbuilding
Considerable time was also spent In ex-
cava ton in the blockhouse, small
building I'm the rear OF the church, which
had been constructed and used on nu-
merous occasions by the fathers as
place OF defence and refuge during at
tacks by unfriendly Indians. The EFFORTS
OF the searching party were unrewarded
couple OF years later the old ruins
were visited by a Jesuit priest from Spain
who brought with him a plan of the
church, with key to the secreted treas
ure, and with the aid OF couple Of In
dians quickly unearthed large quantity
OF both plate and bars OF silver and gold
bullion. Ii Is said that the treasure was
discovered directly beneath one or the
corners Of the altar. within foot or one
OF the trenches.