River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-09-03
MINES OF GREAT RICHES.
Navajo Reservation in Arizona, Said
to Contain Much Gold, May
BE Opened Up.

| 1t is probable that at the coming ses-
sion of congress movement will be
| inaugurated for the removal OF the
Navajo Indians from the great reserva-
| ton in northeastern Arizona. For years
men who wish to make fortunes in min
| ing have been looking with longing
| toward the lands held by this tribe, and
it is now hoped to interest President
Roosevelt in plan to set aside certain
valleys in partition to the Indians and
throw open the mountains to prospect
ors, reports the Philadelphia Ledger.
There has always been resentment
among the citizens there because one
of the richest, parts of the territory was
set apart for the redmen. This feeling
has been diminished by the fact that
the chief men of the Navajo tribes and
their so-called princesses exhibit at the
settlements at times brides, saddles
and clothing weighted down with gold
and silver which they admit have been
taken from mines on the reservation.
Far away in the middle of the tract
they hold can be seen high mountain
which shines brightly on sunny day
as it rises abruptly from the plain, and
tradition that comes from the Indians
says that in this are found rich veins OF
silver. 1t is called Silver mountain, be-
cause of this fact On clear day it
can be seen for 100 miles in Utah, Ari-
IONA, New Mexico and Colorado, and
many are the men eagerly hunting for
gold and silver who have looked at it and
wished that they might explore it's re-
cesses.
The Navajos, however, are extremely
jealous of their land. They have been
approached at times by men who wished
to buy the privilege of exploiting their
mines, but the head men of their tribe
have always placed an emphatic veto on
all such schemes They have said con-
stantly that if the white men should once
learn of the riches in the mountains
they would take away the land from the
Indians. In consequence, the only trad
ing that the tribe does with outsiders
is in the Navajo blankets, which are
woven by the women. The gold and
silver they mine are beaten into fan
tastic shapes with great skill, and worn
by the tribesmen. When the Navajo
takes trading pilgrimage, however, he
lays aside his riches and appears only
in clothes of white cotton stuff, using
one of the blankets made by the squaws
to kxep him warm. Asked of his wealth,
he draws himself up to his full height
of six feet or over and gives reply with
contemptuous stare.
There are traditions about men who
have ventured to explore the Navajo
country and get some of the gold that is
believed to lie in the beds of the streams.
There is one that prospector once did
| find the mines of the chiefs and returned
to civilization with a burro laden with
gold, which brought him thousands OF
dollars. He fell into the hands of the
| gamblers, and lost his money and set
out again to duplicate the feat. Within
a month a Navajo came to Flagstaff
wearing hat like that worn by the pros
pector, and persons who visited the
agency told of other Indians who had a
saddle and other possessions that
seemed very similar to those that had
been taken away by the venturesome
prospector. Nothing was ever heard OF
him, and the Indians always professed
ignorance of any visit when asked about
his fate.