Arizona republican., 1905-09-09
LOST MINES
A Late Republican Story Sets an Old
PrOspector to Talking

Charlie Wilbur an old time miner
ard prospector on the Pacific coast,
arrived in town the other day from Ore
gon. where he has been prospecting
and incidentally looking for the Lost
Squaw mine in that country for the
past few years. Mr.. Wilbur read the
story published in The Republican Fri
day morning of the finding of the Lost
Soldiers mine in themountains Of PinaI
county by Dan McHughes, and this
awakened in him "reminiscences of lost
mines and his conversation flowed flu
emily and interestingly on this sub
ject.
way, there is nothing in it," he
said, land it is only gotten up to cause
a rush of people to the locality for the
purpose of getting new men and money
into the camp.
1.-The Lost Soldier mine is not situat-
ed in Pinal county, anyway. The sol
der that found rich gold rock and re-
turned to camp was in Yuma county,
and the command to which he belong
ed was garrisoned at Yuma. Now
there are a number of lost mines in the
west extending over an area of coun-
try from British Columbia south to old
Mexico and from Colorado west to the
Pacific coast Old Mexico has 'em.
too, and the story of a lost Spanish
mine being rediscovered thirty miles
south of Douglas in old Mexico as was
published in this mornings Republic
can, is only one of many that can be
enumerated and heard Of in the land
of manana and frijoles.
But among the most vivid and pic
turesque stories of lost mines is that
of the Lost Frencnman mine, an
nouncement of the redlscovery Of which
is made from time to time This was
in Yuma county, and since it was dis
covered and lost about thirty-five
years ago, many parties have QUILTED
for the especial purpose of rediscover-
ing the lost mine. But despite the
occasional reports that It has been
found again it continues to elude the
prospector eXpectant of finding the hid
den treasure. Now, have been tramp
in and punching burros over this
country for thirty-nve years and the
Lost Frenchman mine and its exact
whereabouts are yet mythical but the
report of its location is the most rea-
sonabIe conclusion that can be arriv-
ed at But about this Lost Frenchman
1 am pretty well familiar for spent
some time in Yuma county looking for
it myself and listening to the white
people and Indians talk; and, like all
the balance of the lost mines, it has an
interesting and romantic legend attach
ed to it, although woman is not men
toned in the story.
about thirty or more years ago"
continued the old prospector, "a lead
ing business firm of Yuma received
nearly $50 900 worth of gold nuggets
and coarse gold from three Frenchmen
who had mysteriously made their ad-
vent into town. After purchasing sup
plies and packing their burros, they
just as mysteriously disappeared up the
river valley as it was heard after they
had gone. There were some MeXicans
who had an eye on them while they
were in town who quietly followed in
their wake. The three Frenchmen,
apprehensive of being followed, watch
ed to their destination, made a back
fire movement and met the MeXicans
face to face. A return was then made
to a camping place where there were
water and grass and a permanent
camp was made. During the stiffness
and quiet hours of the night, however.
the Frenchmen stealthily pulled up
stakes and departed under cover of
darkness. The Mexicans when they
found that they had been so nicely
eluded, took up the trail again and fol-
lowed it to a point in the mountains
where the three Frenchmen had separ-
ated. each taking different direction.
The Mexicans returned to Yuma.
''After a long lapse of time the Lost
Frenchman mine was heard Of again
and then not until a few years ago was
it resurrected and placed on the gossip