The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1903-09-03

I to procure provisions. tools and other
necessary Articles. and also to inform
their frienGs of rheir good luck. IL "a5
thought that the round trip wouIu
consume six weeks. Twelve men
were selected To make the journey. the
others agreeing to remain ana "oih
the Gains for the benefit OF all
90. Six weeks passed away but the
party did not return. After "aiui'2
two weeks longer, two OF the party
volunteered 10 20 and meet thein' d
the food supply was running 10" az"
they were on short ratlon-. the httL''
being nearly full again. They leit the
camp at daybreak and assembled the
side of the CANYON To the mesa, or
plateau. which they had no sooner
reached than they heard the sound oil
firearms in their rear. Looking back
they discover ed that the camp had
been attacked by large body OF IN
dian-. who were slaug htering thelF
comrades before their eyes ana puth-
ina, their cabins. They became panic
stricken. aud started i'm haste for the
Cha river. y bout noon, while pass
ing through rocky gorge, they were
Mortified by behOldlug the bleaching
bones Of their twelve companions VINO,
ryo months before, had started for
! una. bul lilt gnu W - i4A7'lii-- 80
remainder Of the story is as told by IA
captain Of the United states army,
who at the time was stationed at Fort
Bliss
.'.This officer stated that he left
Fort Bliss under orders to proceed To
the ella river and explore the country
"a far to the west as the MogolIons
mountains. He had detachment
with him When thew reached the
river they were unable 10 cross by rea-
son of the high water, so they went
into camp on the river bank. The next
morning two objects were discovered
wandering aimlessly about on the OPP
posite side of the river. Their appear
ance puzzled the soldiers, for they had
no idea there was anybody IN the VI
cinity \ field glass was brought into
requisition, and it was finally deter
mined that the objects were white
men, but what they meant by their
erratic movements was still a puzzle.
\ sergeant and two privates vOlun-
teered to cross rhe dangerous stream
and investigate. They succeeded III
crossing safely. and after much man
oeuvering succeeded in capturing the
men. who were in II daZed condltIOn
and offered no resistance.
"'They proved, in fact, entirely in
sane from the lack of food and by rea-
son of exposure. With careful nurs-
ing they were. in few days, partially
restored to reason; and they were abe
to tell the story of their adventures
and sufferings in n sort of coherent
manner They had in their possess
sion number of nuggets of gold to
the amount of several hundreds of
dollars Adams for that is the name
of one of the unfortunate mem and his
companion were taken to Fort Bliss.
From thence they went to HrownVllie,
Texas, and afterwards to California.
- shortly after their arrival in Cali
fDrnia y dams companion was stricken
with paralysis as result of his terrible
exposure, and was thereby rendered
helpless for life. Adams joined the
California volunteers, with whom he
served during the war. After the
close of the war he embarked in bust
ness in San Francisco and pros pered.
AS soon "a he had accumulated sufil-
Gent money he organized party to
go to New Mexico and endeavor to
find the mine which he had left there.
Indians repul-ed them, and several
subsequent expeditions with the same
object met with failure by reason of
being unable to locate the mine.
"A forwards he came to Lake Val
ley to organize II party to make final
effort to find :he mine. The captain
vino rescued him and his companion,
had retired from the service, but he
was located in New York and con-
firmed the story. | joined the party,
and we went to CHA Hot springs,
thence west into the MogollOn noun
tans, prospecting the gulches and
canyons as we went along, but we
failed to find the mine or any other
placer ground. The three mountain
peaks we We're unable to locate. and
we returned to Lake Valley, having
spent two months in the vain search.
| am now inclined to think that the
mine is located at the headwaterS of
the San Francisco river in the Blue
which lie to the west of
the MoCOllOns. The Mexican guide
proba bly, confused the above named
stream with the north fork of the
ella river. Adams returned to Cali
fornia soon after the trip and died
there. 1t is firmly believed by old
timers that the placer diggings exist,
anG that some day they will he found !
to give up their great wealth, together |
with the kettleful of gold left there"
w. w. WILLIAMS.