The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1902-08-14
LOCATED \ GRAVEYARD.

Levi W. Taylor was one of the char
arfcrs on the COmstOck during the
boom DAYS. in the COS He was one
Of the early arrivals. had staked out
several hundreds of acres of ground,
but he had failed to score 4 success.
lie was a fine specimen of physical
manhood. stood six feet one inch in
his stocking feet, and was built pro-
portionately. He wore a long, flow
ing beard reaching nearly to his
waistbaud. and he presented truly
patriarchal appearance. Among other
things. he was location fiend, a Veri
table mound builder, and any mOnu-
mcnt found lying around loose could
consistently be claimed by him. Every
rock found projecting from the sur
face of the ground within reasonable
radius of the old mans dOmiciie, bore
a Taylor mark, and they were re-
respected accordingly. The Old man
had been dubbed Il colonel by some
one. at some time, and he always in
sisted upon being designated by his
military title The boys frequently
had Il lot OF fun with the old man, but
he always took their jokes gOod-na
turedIy. Upon one occasion, only,
was the old colonel known to get
wrathy, and that was when the boys
pat up Il job on him and the old man
took it all in.
The colonel lived in Silver City, one
of the several towns strung along the
Comstock, and one dark and rainy
night a gang OF the boys met al the
Central hotel TO perfect arrangements.
TWO of them were in earnest CONVEX
satiOn with the night clerk, and they
spoke sufficiently loud to be overheard
by the colonel, who sat near and was
presumably reading Il newspaper.
Instead of reading the old man was
eavesdropping, and after the depar
;ure OF the visitors he approached the
night clerk and adroitly led the con-
VcrsatiOn to the subject nearest his
heart. He evidently gained the
confidence of the clerk, for he was
shown some rich samples of ore aud
under the promise OF secrecy he was
let into the scheme. y select few,
no were presumed TO be in the swim,
were to meet at Il certain place at mid
night and nOiselessly proceed to their
dies tinatlOn.
As may be supposed, the old man
was close by when the crowd started
out on its mdnighr mission The
night was propitious, and as the con-
spiratOrs started the Old colonel was
hot on their trail. They lodged in
and out through all the alleys aud by
ways they could find. and after trav-
cling several miles in n circuitous
route, they finally came TO il halt
about Il half-mile west of town. where
they Int their lanterns and silently
commenced to work. The colonel. to
avoid suspicion, proceeded cautiously
at distance, and taking a hurried
survey of his surroundings, he com
mcuccd to work vigorously. The boys
who had put up the job worked faith
fully for couple of hours, but when
they found that everything was going
smoothly they gathered up their tools
and rctraccd their steps hOmGWard.
The colonel continued working, and
so intent was he that he did not note
the Hight of time, and when he finally
realized the situation it was near day
break. Bundliug his tools he went
home, probably the angriest man on
the Comstock, and if anyone wanted Il
scrap out OF the old man all they had
to do was to allude To the fact that he
had located an extension on the grave
ward