The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-01-03
STORY OF A LOST
RlNE IN ARIZONA
Belief That the Famous "Lost
Dutchman" Has Been
Rediscovered.
HAS ROMANTIC HISTORY
first Discovered by Mexicans Before
Arizona Was Annexed-Several
White Men Afterwards
Worked 1t.

Phoenix. Ariz., special: Old prospect
"ors who have made the search for the
Lost Dutchman" mine a lifetime work
are now positive that the fabulously
rich vein has been rediscovered. This
belief is based on the recent ~uncovering
or a very rich mineral streak In the
-Four Peak mountains, near the spot
where tradition has 1t that the Lost
Dutchman" mine is located. Nuggets Of
good size are plentiful on the surface,
ana the quartz outcroppings indicate
veins OF great size M wonderful rich
ness. Besides this there is an S0-foOt
shaft, with rusty picks and other min
ing implements, and close by are a
number of skulls. All of this CORES
ponds with the history of the Lost
Dutchman,' which is a long succession
or short, successful workings by white
men who in the end were either killed
or driven away by the A%paches.
Among the many stories dealing with
the lost mines those relating to the
Lost Dutchman" are most Interesting
because of the romantic circumstances
attending its discovery and the many
futile efforts that have been made from
time to time to find it again. This mine
was located on the south side Of Salt
river, near Weaver's Needle. A Ger.
man about thirty years ago met a Mex
lean who had worked the mine in the
Old days when Arizona was a part Of
sonora. His operations were interrupted
by attacks made on his employees by
Indians, and he abandoned the enter
prise. taking home with him rich gold
ore. This Mexican was a nan of means,
n not caring to undergo the risk Of
2 second attempt, gave the mine to his
German friend.
Scared Away by Murders.
Having obtained from his Mexican
acquaintance a map Of the country and
a fully detailed description of the prop
arty, the German went to Tucson and
enlisted the aid of a fellow country
man of his in searching for the lost
mine. Following their written direc-
lions. they proceeded in finding the
trail designated on the map. This led
them across the mountain and down a
dong ridge past Weaver's Needle into
a deep anyon thence up a side canyon
where the mine was situated. The I'M
dergrowth vas SO dense that they were
,. concealed from view until they had
reached their destination.
AS they drew near they heard sounds
that seemed to indicate that the mine
was still being worked. Upon approach
Ing cautiously they saw three men
whom they took to be ndian With
out stopping to investigate they opened
fire and killed all three. A closer ex-
animation showed that they had acted
too hastily n had killed former en-
.ployes of their Mexican friend, who
were still endeavoring to- work the
mine. Fearing the consequences of their
rash deed, they hastily gathered up the
sQre that was already taken out and
.retreated. The Apaches whom they had
feared, having been attracted to the
spot by the firing, made q furious at
tack upon them. During the course Of
"a desperate running fight the men be-
came separated, one turning off through
the mountains toward the Pima vii
lagos and the other making his way to
the settlement hat has since become
the city OF Phoenix. Each supposed the
other to AVE been killed, and it Is not
known that they ever met after their
marrow escape.
Secret OF Hermit Weaver.
Living with the Pimas st that time
wa the late John D.. Walker. One Of
the fugitives staggered into his camp,
nearly exhausted by the chase. In
spite of all efforts on the part Of Walker
to resuscitate the man he died. Be-
fore his death, however, he gave Walk
er instructions as to how to reach the
mine, and turned over to him the ore
he had brought away. The map and
written descriptions of the location of
the propertyhad been carried off by the
other German, who had come to the
Sl-SGIllGlllcIllE Liz llOl III Slle u lllC
Salt river. Being too busy at that
time to Investigate the story, Walker
allowed the matter to rest for several
years, n it was not until 1881 that he
took occasion to maxi it public. He
has never had time to investigate the
supposed location Of the mine, as he
was fully occupied in looking after the
affairs of the Vekol mine.
In 1895 it was found that the second
fugitive had been living in Mesa, AriZ.,
with a Mexican woman, and that he
made occasional excursions into the
Superstition mountains. bringing back
with him large gold nuggets. Two
years later, when he was at the point
82of death, he made an attempt to re-
veal: his secret, but died before he could
tell the story. He gasped the name OF
weaver. by which he probably in
tended to, convey that old John Weaver,
the hermit of the Superstition noun
Dutchman.'' If Weaver knew, he died
with the secret untold. Few ventured
to visit the old recluse, who, in the
heart of the Apache country, lived in
a cave, the opening of which was fes-
TONED by the scalps of Hesevelero's
in st. Louis, spent thirty years in g
lonely canyon in the mountains, caring
for 5$world matters M less fol
gold. lie picked off many an Apache
who endSavored to Invade the sanctitJ
of his cave, until the Indians avoided
him in the terror of their superstitions
opportunities of his friends to induce
him to minglea with the world were az
unavailing as their attempts to learr
from him the locations Of gold lodges
with which he was undoubtedly familiar
Experience of Charles Rodie.
living in Phoenix has beer
encouraged by the rediscovery of tht
Lost Dutchman" to make one NOR
search for a rich ledge somewhere neal
that property. His name is Charles Ro
dig. He discovered the ledge many years
ago, but after his first visit he has beer
unable to find it again. At intervals h.
still persists In the search, having made
Eve trips in all, and soon he will &c again
Rodig'a experiences date back to 1876
when he and his comrades were on tn
frontier facing pioneer privations ant
lodging behind big rocks to keep from
being S.ued by the Indians. With Jacl
Reed and Pete Martineli he set out TO
the hills on a prospecting tour. The!
went into the Four Peaks at q time Whcl
the Apaches and government troops wer'
struggling for supremacy, and honor
were not better than even. Prospective
~ g. @|@ EEAkZ ~ 49, ~ $500 II