The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-09

get yourself into such position as
M. j. Monnette, formerly of Bucy-
rus, now OF Goldfield, New, and at
this time here for q brief visit with
Shie sister, Mrs. George Wright. of
32t Pearl strC ,t. You might not be
abel to stand the shock Of finding
yourself one of four men who
cleaned up over five millions of dol
lars in eight months, or about a
million and quarter each.
But that is the story of Mr..
Monnette and nothing more chGrac
teristic of Dame Fortunes queer
tricks is found in the history of
mining. Mr.. Monnette Is not here
to, sell stock or "boost' anything,
and he smiles contentedly as he
fells his simple history of faith and
pluck which won whore other less
courageous spirits had failed.
Ten years ago, Mr.. Monnette left
Bucyrus with practically not
penny. his money having been swal-
lowed up in some unfortunate and
perhaps unwlse investment. He
went TO Colorado Springs, and nat
urally drifted into the Cripple Creek
territory. where he prospected with
out success, In small way. Two
years later found him in Nebraska
In the Cattle business, which he fol
lowed intelligently for six years
with such success that he found
himself in possession of about S25,-
600 at the end of that period.
The Cripple Creek taste was still
in his mouth and he. in common
with many other unterriGed drifted
into Goldfield, two years ago. Mr..
Monnette's brief mining experience
was put to good use. He got his
eye on the Mohawk mine, which was
being worked by company. The
company spent $4,000 in the Mo-
hawk and decided to give 1t up. 1t
seems that fate had lemon up her
sleeve to hand to the Mohawk min
Ing company. And so the company
got 1t.
Shortly before this AIonnette met
and became well acquainted with
q. II. Hayes, an old California
miner. Monnette told Hayes that
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Mohawk had been given up, he belev-
ell there was something doing there
Tor the fellow who had courage and
financial stamina TO work It. Hayes
thought the matter over and came
to the same conclusion. And thus
they waited for the Mohawk to be
pronounced mo good. II came short
~, and then Hayes and Monnette
calling themselves the Hayes and
Monnette development company.
leased the Mohawk for a period of
sixteen months. agreeing to pay the
company royalty of % IL per cent.
OF all the gold they took out.
For two months they worked their
new claim on what is called the
225 foot level. There was nothing
doing and things looked discourag-
Ing. But the lesees kept a stiff up-
PEI lip and their example inspired
j. w. Smith and Harry Benedict, of
Chicago with sufficient courage TO
take half interest in the lease for
$4,000. The four partners then
worked along for another weary six
months, doggedly, obstnately cling
ing to the idea that there was gold
inithe Mohawk. And the money
was getting lower in the company
wallet every day.
Etn1IlV
they abandon the 225 foot level and
try the 150-foot. 1t was a chance
and seemed likely to produce as
great result as had their past
labors anyhow, and so work was
started at the new level In few
days things looked good and within
few more weeks the four part
ners uncovered a vein that made
them faint and weak. They hadn't
any idea how much gold there was
there. but they were certain that it.
was enough to make them all rich
men. And all this happened too,
gentle reader, on Auril IS. when
San Francisco was tottering to her
fall In the clutches of disaster
that left the nation breathless with
horror. On April IS, mother earth
revealed to the view of these men
raw wealth Sufficient to pay great
part of the damage she was inflict
irg on the Golden Gate state.
From this time forth, everything
was feverish activity in the Mo-
hawk AS soon as possible, addi-
tlonal machinery was installed, and
from that day until the expiration
o. the lease, the mine was worked
every minute, night and day. The
partners realized that they had but
short time in which to clean up,
and they set every energy to the ac-
complishment of this end.
But why 70 into the details Of
the affair. There are records on the
company books, showing that not
one day, but on many as high as
100000 worth of ore was taken from
the mine. Mr.. MOnnette mentions
one carload of ore weighing AZ ga