The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-12-27
TRUE STORY OF
THE BRYFOGLE
Told by One Who Accompanied
the Discoverer of the
Famous Mine


Mr.. J. F. TripIett has contributed a
true history of the Breyfogle mine to the
Wells Herald. Mr.. Triplett says:
II have recently returned from an
eight months sojourn at the greatest gold
mining camp In the world, !. e., Gold
field. Whilst there heard many absurd
stories purporting to be the true history
of the Breyfogle mine. 1 have just fin
ished reading an account in the Reno
Gazette of the finding of the lost mine,
something over hundred miles south
erly from Goldfield, by one Frank Hyde.
Now, I do not pretend to doubt that Mr.
Hyde discovered a rich mine in the sec
tion Of country indicated by the dispatch
to the Gazette, but l am sure the find
was not the lost Breyfogle.
''It Is related that the find was made
by the accidental discovery of the point
of pick sticking out OF the ground near
the ledge. Anyone possessing the least
in the Death Valley country should know
that pick that had lain there for over
forty years would be so badly eaten by
rust as not to retain the least resem-
blance of its former self
Then, the name of Mr.. Breyfogle is
given as Henry. a blacksmith OF Austin
III. Al.
1866 and the place marked by the burying
OF his saddles. etc.
Il knew C. c. Breyfogle personally at
Austin. He was not blacksmith, but,
while living at Austin, worked for a
short time at Big Greek in Dave Buel's
quartz mill. in 1868. He made periodical
prospecting trips. and when he started
on his last and most perilous trip he out
fitted at Austin. I was working in
livery stable at the time. and saddled his
horses, adjusted his packs and hung a
small canvas bag over his shoulder when
he started. l was still at the stable when
the old gentleman returned. and know
that he brought back the same saddles
and animals he started with and that
mans hat would hold all of the ore that
he brought in.
when he returned he was in a sad
plight, his head being still sore from blis-
tering by the hot sun. He told me that
1t was his custom to stop wherever he
could find water prospect the neighbor-
ing hills for a few days. then move on in
search of another watering place; that
when he found the rich quartz he brought
In he had left his horses as usual at the
foot of hill while he explored 1t; that
when he found the rich ore he became
excited. forgot for time to look after
his horses until the day was nearly spent,
then descended the hill and discovered
they had disappeared; that he followed
their tracks till dark, slept on their trail
and resumed his search for them the next
day. The tracks of the animals were
dim, the wind having blown hard all
night. He had nothing to eat the supply.
of water In his canteen became exhausted
and he realized for a time that he was
lost. Then there came time when he
had no knowledge of passing events
When he became conscious he was in
camp of friendly Indians, hatless and
with very sore head. His horses were
grazing near by. AS he could not under
stand the language of the Indians he had
no idea how long he had been with them.
nor how he got to their camp, but as
soon as he could make them understand
that he wanted to go to Austin one of
them piloted him to the trail leading
from the Death Valley to Austin.
"Mr. Breyfogle being a man of great
deal of force and energy soon regained
his strength. About ten days after his
return to Austin he started with Dave
Buel and others to go to the mine They
had no trouble finding the spring and the
friendly Indians. but Mr.. Breyfogle could
not tell what direction to go from the