Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1907-10-13
WINGFIELD MAKES
STRANGE PURCHASE
PAYS FANCY PRICE FOR RANCH
THAT MAY HAVE GOLD
BEARING GRAVEL.

George Wingf1eld, the young Ne
vada millionaire, who, if the Mohawk
discloses few more of its wonderful
treasure vaults will be in fair way
to compete with the Guggenheims,
Rockefeller and other rich men for
the honor of being the richest man in
the world, last week purchased what
is known as the Cook ranch in Au-
burn, Cal. This ranch consists of
about 800 acres and is covered with
old fruit trees. 1t has a small house
upon it and is not considered a very
valuable property and the people of
Auburn have been considering why
George Wingfeld paid large price
for the property Some state that it
is on the line surveyed by the South
ern Pacific company to connect with
the tunnel through the high Sierras
and that Wingfield purchased it az
the agent of the railroad company.
Others state that Wingfield bought
this land for his parents in Oregon,
and that he intends to build mag
nfticent home upon it for them. But
those who are acquainted with the
early history of California, state that
he bought this old ranch, with it's
worm-eaten fruit trees, for another
purpose.
Those who have followed the min
ing history of Placer county, state
that during the early days of the
Golden State there was on what is
known as the Cook ranch, an old
river channel which was scanned with
veins of gold and which produced
millions for the old Spapiards who
worked the claim. The Spaniards
worked this channel in primitive
manner and at last lost the nav
streak. They then covered up as
Tar as possible the traces of their
workings, and left that particular
district, selling the land for fruit
growing purposes.
This old river bed in the later gold
excitement in other parts of Placer
county and in other counties of Cali
fornia was soon forgotten and has
FOR many years been unexplored. The
story of this river bed of gold. how
ever, was revived later by an ola
miner, who one day drifted into An
burn. and the owner of the Cook
ranch endeavored to find it. He
searched his property, digging shafts
and tunneling, but never located the
gold-bearing gravel that had made
other men rich. He soon gave M the
search and returned to his business
OF raising fruit and managed to exc
out living by tillihg the soil and
caring for his fruit trees.
One day an-agent of George Wing
field's happened into Auburn. He reg
istered at the Freeman hotel, and
after inquiring around among the old
fruit raisers gathered around the
card table in the hotel office about the
different river channels that had for
merly produced thousands and thou
sands of dollars in the yellow metal.
brought up the story of the ancient
river bed on the Cook ranch. He
heard the story of this hidden treas
ure house and the next day made his
way to the Cook ranch. There he
inspected the ground and later re-
turned to Nevada. Last week this
same man again visited Auburn and
closed a deal with the owner of the
ranch for the property, paying him
with check for $25, 900, signed by
George Wingield.
Wlngtield has never discussed the
purchase of this ranch with any of
his friends and his agents have never
given out statement about what the
young gold king of Nevada intends
to do with his fruit ranch, but those
who claim to know the plans of the
millionaire and his assistants state
that in short time number of ex-
perienced miners will visit this ranch
and will, begin to prospect it, digging
tunnels, sinking shafts and exploring
the ground for that lost river bed. 1t
may add to the riches of one of Ne
yada's wealthiest men and ii NAV
never be found, but Wingfield is
lucky and is daring in the way of in
4 vestments. and it is ten chances to
one. SO the wise ones say, that he
will not only locate the river bed,
but will open up the pay streak and
add few more golden heaps to the
millions which have been dug from
the golden-lined treasure houses on
the southern deserts of Nevada. -
Reno Gazette.