The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-13
QUEST FOR $5OO,OOO,OOO
Millions Guarded by the "Gilded Man. in q Lake

AT last, however, toward the end of
1900, the welcome news reached Lon
don that Mr.. Knowles and his staff of
engineers and workmen had succeeded
IN cutting through the basin of the
lake and the water had been drained
on successfully. There was great jubi-
latlon. and preparations were made for
the large consignments of gold, silver
ana Jewels which might be expected 10
arrive by the next boats
unfortunately, however the water is
ilol the only barrier ON which the "Gild-
eu Man has TO rely for the safe keep
ing of his treasure. The iubilation IN
London-wall was summarily ended by a
eapIegram stating that twenty-five feet
OF solld mud, or some $4,000, 600 cubic
rect In all, still lay between the treas
ure-seekers and their quest.
But what is 80 900. 900 cubic feet of
mud when &100,00O, 900 liz at stake? A
new engineering feat was decided on
the construction of a great dam across
the mole made in the side of the basin.
terminating in shaft through which
the mud should be washed and care
fully precipitated, so as to secure the
gold and silver treasures as thew were
disturbed from their hiding place of
centuries.
me dam was constructed. and with IL
the cleansing shaft, but while the work
was in progress a strange thing had
happened. The "Gilded Man" was evil
IDENTIFY at work again.
For over three years the engineers.
had worked in the rain, i'm such a down
pour, indeed, as was unprecedented IN
Central America. AS the water ran
from the lake, however, the rain had
stopped, and a drought equally without
parallel in the history of the country
set in. For more than two and a half
years not drop of rain has fallen at
the scene of the operations, and when
the engineers had completed the con-
stTuction Of the dam it was only to find
that the sun had baked the 10000. 900
cubic feet Of mud into the consistency
of hard rock
Hidden Wealth.
Then. metaphorically speaking, the
engineers sat down and went The
rock-like substance still lies as an i'm
penetrable bomb-proof lid over the
golden gods and the silver dishes and
ornaments, to say nothing of the jew
eled goddesses and their glitterIng
handmaidens
The few natives I'm the region rem
nants of the great race of Chibchas oc-
casionally visit the scene and smile
cheerfully at the dOwncast Bnglishmen.
at is all the work of the 'Gilded Man
who is watching over his treasure
mountain they say, and they plainly
hint that when the rain comes-if ever
ii does cOme-to soften the mud, some
other obstacle will defeat the desire Of
the treasure seekers.
Letter after letter from Mr.. Knowles
to the little office i'm the city dejectedly
refers to the determined opposition ma
tuTe has placed In his way.
Il regret 10 say rain absolutely re-
fuses to fall here" he writes in one Of
his letters. This is all the more heart
rendng as it falls all around. | have
been here hoping against hope. hearing
the thunder and seeing the storm pass
us by, which is an awful trial, as you
can imagine"
I'VE really ought TO get all the water
we want in May" he wrote again, but
nobody can guarantee this"
SO far his pessimism has been justi-
fed. The "Gilded Man" is taking care
Of bis own.