The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-10-05
GOLD MINE WAS A CURSE.
Famous Lost Lode Responsible For Many HoTri-
bic Deaths In the Desert.

The series of longitudinal valley
that traverses the central-southern
portion of Nevada, terminating in the
Death Valley of California, formerly
bore the general narae of Ralston Des-
ert-a wide, arid region given over to
scrubby sagebrush and cacti, and to the
buzzards. for whose epicurian palate
the hapless miner who sought to short
en- his journey to California too often
provided a sumptuous repast.
Fingered Jack Hoover. herald
ed in song by our own Gene Field, was
the only man in the Wason district
who dared to drive a stage coach
straight through the Ralston. But
there came a day when Hoover found
something more interesting than spin
ming yarns about Red Hoss Mountain
days. For a score of yeal he had
been seeking, at odd times, the ia
nous Lost gold mine, vein in the
heart of the desert so rich that its
possessor would become at oNce a king
among millionaires, ana N the spring
of 81 he struck his lead.
Three Fingered Hoover was far too
shrewd a man TO take any one into his
confidence, for he knew the riffraff, the
offscourings o. civilization that COM
prised the society Of that goddess
country. He had passed the meridian
of life, and the fire of his nature could
no longer be kindled even by the sight
of gold; SO he kept his own counsel
while he toiled in the Wason silver
mines and boarded UP money where
with to develop his wonderful find.
At length the help of another man
seemed indispensable, and he selected
the stupidest man in the camp To
Dan West the sun was as likely to
rise in the north as anywhere else;
moreover, he could handle pick and
shovel with alacrity; but here his
catalogue of virtues came to an end.
Hoover had no fear that West would
betray his secret, for the obvious
reason that West knew as little about
the location of the claim after he had
VlSlleQ IL as ne Old DeIOre.
Twenty-Five miles from the Reese
range Joe Harris had pre-empted gem
of an oasis some 40 acres in area, and
here with the help of his fourteen
year-old boy, Billy and half a dozen
ranch hands, he managed to raise
enough beef and produce for old Wa
sons men.
/ To this delightful spot, known the
1<,I laIA
Hoover and West repaired late one
Saturday night. While they were feed
ing their horses they discussed, with
anguarded freedom, their plans for the
ensuing day. and Billy Harris, con-
oealed behind the haynow, drank in
every word of their thrilling CONVEX
sation.
'Lemme go long, Jack?' he pleaded,
when his eagerness had reached such
a pitch that ne could no longer remain
IN hiding.
Hoover laughed good-naturedly at
the boy and promised to take him next
time; but Billy was not to be put off
with next time Not a wink of sleep
came to his pillow that night, and be-
fore daybreak he was on the house
top watching for the departure of
Three-Fingered Hoover and his COM
panien.
On Tuesday word was received at the
Wason River mine that Billy had not
been seen since Sunday morning, and
that his father held Hoover and West
to account. Looks mighty dark for
YOU" the Sheriff said to Hoover. BILLY
told one of the hands that he knowed
what your claim wus, an the whole
business is a kind O. circumstaptia1
evidence again you"
Gimme 40 men an 10 days, en- eff
don't find the boy ole Harris kin hev
the fun o. stringin me up" Jack re-
turned doggedly.
AT daybreak next morning parry Of
40 mounted men set out for Cloverdale
ranch. Most of them had hunted men
in the desert before, and the prospect
was by no means pleasing one; but
there was something more than a feel
ing of pity for a comrade in trouble to
stimulate them. for somewhere in the
heart of the Ralston lay Three-Finger-
ed Hoover's Eldorado.
At the ranch the company broke up,
going in groups of TO- to each of the
points of the compass. They were
provided with a weeks supply of food
and water, and signals of distress and
triumph had previously been agreed
upon.
The party that set out toward the
south was headed by Three Fingered