Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1906-12-14
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Tho Caiiente Lode-Express is sponsor
Tor the banner queer gold siory Of The
week. Major John A. Wilkins and q
party Of Boston men made De Lamar
headquarters for prospecting in the
neiGhborhood. Among the party was a
MIR. John Black, who tolls what hap.
pened as follows:
-Atter leaving the camp this morning
| struck ont in a westerly dinrctI,n to.
ward a prominent butte or mountain
which had attracted my attention for
several days. The distance proved to he
greater than 1 anticipated md l was
afraid my canteen would go dry. Still
the country looked gcod to rue. The
formation seemed all night and l de.
cided 70 go or. All the hills had been
denuded o; their timber, cat | suppose
by wood hnulers from De Lamar. Ow
ing to TINT fact one could see quite a
distance. This circumstances helped
me out, for just as [ was about to turn
back in the direction Of the camp J saw
some willows in a gulch at come dis
tance, which indicated the presence OF
water. While gong around the point OF
hill | noticed II cedar tree which had
been overturned by the wind. Quite a
lot Of rock was at tho roots. You know
a prospector will always stop to examine
anything like that. As BEN over to
pick up a piece OF rock | noticed what
seemed to be a cavity OF opening. Tear.
ing away u portion Of the rock aud soil
quite an entrance was exposed. Bend
ing down | placed the light Of my candle
in the hole, which seemed TO be Of con.
siderable size. After eDlnrging the hole
sufficiently climbed down into q tunnel
which ran into the hill. 1t had caved
here and there, but one could easily get
through. After gong through the ,up-
mel for about fifty feet it opeued up into
a o about twenty feet square, as
near as | could estimate. In one corner
was a pile Ct something which proved to
be stone pots, stone ham mers aud such.
Looking closely at the pote, they seemed
to have something in them that looked
Like elag. l used my knife to cut it and
found 1t to be metal. carried the pot
back TO the entrance OF the tunnel, and
taking one OF the stone hammers. broke
the pot TO get out the chunk OF metal
and found that it was pure gold. | fell
like going straight up. / could hardl,
realize where / was or just what lac
happened. After Il little l went back t
the room and brought out eyerythin,
thnt seemed to have amy extra weight h
it, What seemed to be i~rregula
chunks OF iron proved to he gold. Ex
aiming the room closely, I fount
another DRIFT, but rs it was getting lat
and l was Il long distance from camp
concluded TO come IN and tell you al
about it, 30 we could go back and OK
plore the mine or cave thoroughly"
In yerificatiop OF the foregoing Majo
Wilkins eaid:
The next forming | took my Who'll
force OF men, and under the guidance @
Black, started for til. place where b
had made his wonderful discovery. Ut
on our arrival ut the spot we ioun
everything as Blnck had described II
W made quite M extended explore
ton OF the tunnel or cav and foun
many valuable specimens Of gold IAN
, silver. While we did not find a ledge G
pure gold. we found enough to justii
me in saying that within twelve miles @
Do Lamar there ID gold enough TO pa
the national debt"