The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1907-05-14
LONG LOST Mine
FOUND AT
LAST
THE SAN SABA Mine
WITH SKELETONS
OF EIGHT Miners
LOCATED

G. l.. Dignowity, Governor Sparks
aud other mining men OF Reno were
formerly interested in the mining field
of Texas and will no doubt recall the
many searches which have been made
in years past for the San Saba mine,
which was supposed to be a jewel store
house of precious metal. The following
clipping from the San Saba News will
be of interest to those who know its
history:
"The press dispatches have already
briefly told of the discovery in the Frio
mountains, about twenty-five miles
south of here, of an ancient Spanish
mine by w. b. Chambers. Further in
vestigation leaves little room for doubt
that the mine is the long lost San Saba
gold and silver property, which, accord
ing to the musty records, contains ore
of fabulous richness. Many expeditions
have gone in search of this mine, and
thousands Of dollars have been ex-
pended in trying to locate it.
"Mr. Chambers is a veteran miner
and has had much experience through
out the western mining camps. He
heard of the alleged existence of the
San Saba mine several years ago, but
it was not until recently that he began
an active search for it. He obtained a
copy of the old Spanish records relating
10 the mine, which are among the arch
ives of the State of Coahuila, of which
Stuta Tawos wna anna a nort az Sol.
tillo. Mexico. These records describe
the mine as an exceedingly large pro
Queer Of rich gold and silver ores dur
ing the early part of the last century.
1t is stated in the records that more
than 100 men were employed in the
mine and that they were all attacked
and massacred by Indians, who are be-
lieved to have covered up the shaft
and to have c6aced other evidences
of the mine, 80 as to prevent it's re-
discovery. That the Indians did their
work well 10 shown by the long years
that have passed since then in which
continual but neffectual efforts we're
made to locate the hidden store of
wealth.
Mr.. Chambers, in setting about his
search, decided that the Frio noun
tains were more likely to be mineral
bearing than the hills of Gillespie
county, where most of the search had
heretofore peen made. He went to
a point in the Frio mountains, located
about seventy-fve miles a little north
of west of San Antonio and started TO
hunt for the hidden mine. He secured
assistance and the rocks were removed
and the shaft of the mine was uncov-
cred.
ssMr. Chambers exploited the mine
in mpa with several men of that
neighborhood. They discovered that
the shaft opened into a large chamber
at a depth of only twelve feet from
the surface. In this chamber was a
huge pile of skeletons, numbering
eighty. These were the remains OF
the miners who, were massacred by
Indians at the time the min was lost
In the same compartment were found
a great many ancient tools, such rs
picks, shovels, drills, dumping cars,
hammers and axes. More than fifty
etsns of ancient make were also
found. These weapons as well as the
tools, are in good state of preserva-
tion.
GAS further evidence that the mine
is the famous San Saba property, Mr..
Chambers has discovered in a canyon
near the old shaft the ruins of the
ancient smelling furnaces that were
operated in connection with the nine
The ruin of the old ore crusher Is also
still standing. There were -four OF
these furnaces and their large capacity
shows that the mine was a big pro
ducer of ore.
s'The rediscovery of the mine has
produced much excitement throughout
this part Of the State. Mr.. Chambers
has staked several claims adjacent &c
the property, and there has been a
rush of other mining prospectors 10