Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-28
c. w. ROACH
Former Los Angeles Policeman stum-
bIes on Papers Which Lead
to Discovery of FabuIousIy
Rich Gold Mine

When C. w. Roach, formerly a mem
ber of the Los Angeles police depart
ment, stumbled onto a baking powder
can near Barstow several months ago
he little realized that the key to what
promises to be n fabulously rich mine
was before him, but such it proved
to be.
Within the can was still another can,
and within the second can was a de-
scription of Ferdinand Egberts lost
mine. The location was given and full
details of its discovery confronted Mr.
Roach.
This was three months ago, although
Egbert has been dead for ten years.
Today the Barstow Mining and Mill
ing company is a reality, and a tunnel
10S feet long, which opens up veins of
ore worth from STA to $345 ton, awaits
further development work of the COM
pany
Chinese Furnish Money
Soon after Mr.. Roach discovered the
papers, and long before he was aware
just how rich the property was upon
which he filed his claim Wong Kee.
the Chinese banker, restaurant keeper
and general store owner at Barstow,
was appealed to for funds to carry on
the development work.
Recognizing in Mr. Roach a man
upon whom he could depend, and hav-
ing more or less knowledge of the value
of mining claims, Wong Kee produced
the necessary cash and became the first
vice president of the company
Then followed active development
work. Several tunnels were started.
the two richest veins were cross-cut
again and again, and finally at the
present time the company finds itself
in position to begin removing ore run
ming as high as $345 to the ton.
Milling Proposition
The ore is a milling proposition pure
and simple, and although carrying a
trace Of silver. there are no minerals
present except gold that will pay for
the trouble in getting them to market.
AS soon as possible a twenty stamp
mill will be built, and as the mine is
located near the Mojave river, which at
present IS nearly a mile wide, there will
be an abundance of water available.
The claim is but one of eleven claims
owned by the company. They are di-
rectly in line with the survey Of the
Salt Lake route, and when that COM
panys tracks are laid from San Ber-
nardino to Dagget they will pass within
few rods of the property.
The vicinity surrounding the claims
is notable because of the early history
of the state and incidents connected
with the old Santa Fe trail. Here it
was that a graveyard was established
in an early day, at a time when few
words were spoken but many shots
were fired. No less than thirty-seven
distinct graves are to be found at the
present time, and probably fifty others
have become obscured from the wash
ing of the ground at that point.
Human Bones Exposed
Coyotes have, from time to time
dragged the CHASTITY remains from their
visits the mine will see human bones,
whitened and fast going to decay,
scattered around in prOfusiOn.
A short distance from the graveyard
stands the ruins of an old building
which once served as a halfway house.
tavern and relay station, patronized
principally by the early settlers, miners
and the employees of the government
who carried mail from place to place
and formed an endless mail service be
tween California and the east.
The spot is also on the trail to the
famous Scotty mines, and Mr.. Roach
has often seen Walter Scott on his way
to that mysterious place which thou
sands have tried to find.
Officers of the Company
The officers of the company are as
| follows:
C. w. Roach president and manager.
Wong Kee, first vice president.
r. A. Smithson, second vice president,
Mr.. Roach is we'll known to many
Los Angeles people, having been at one
time a member of the local police de-
partment.
He has been employed by the Santa
Fe and Southern Pacific companies as
special officer at different times and
for a year or two was constable at
Fullerton. From this time on, how
ever, he will give his undivided atten-
ton to the mine which he discovered
in such a peculiar manner three
months ago.
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