Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-09-28


and miners who believe that the in
PRODUCTION of modern scientific meth
DDS in the southern states would
greatly increase the yield of gold,
and would return a good profit on
the investment.
Placer mining has not been carried
on here to any extent, although the
gelogocial survey experts think it
could be done at a profit. The sands
from the bottom of the Catawba
river are now being raised by
dredges and washed for gold. While
some metal is being recovered, it is
doubtful II the experiment will pay,
on account of the heavy expense. The
bottom of the river is very rough
and rocky, and it is exceedingly diff
ficult to get at the sands.
When the great gold discoveries
were made in California in 1S47
there was a large gold mining popu-
lation in this section. The new Ell
Dorado tempted them, and the ex-
odus was well nigh complete, For a.
time the local mines were paralyzed,
but the news of the discoveries in
the west eventually aided the mines
here and work was begun with re-
newed vigor, not to b stopped until
the war came on and interfered with
1 everything in the south, Among the
"forty-niners" who left this country
was a miner named Smith. He per-
suaded his sweetheart, a Miss Bell,
to 20 with him to the golden west.
She left a younger brother here. The
families ceased to correspond when
the older members died, and the
North Carolina branch hardly knew
that the cousins in the west existed.
But In California, where there were
no other kith or kin. the family con-
~versation more often turned TO the
folks back east" One day not long
ago. Mr.. Charles A., Bell, a well
known Charlotte lawyer, received a
letter from a Miss Smith OF Califor-
mia. in which she said she intended
to stop off in Charlotte TO see him or
her way to New York. Mr.. Bell did
not know who Miss Smith was, anC
could not understand the letter. But
when a beautiful young lady stepped
into his Office a few weeks later anC
made herself known as his first cou
sin. he remembered the story Of hi
aunt who had Joined the Argonaut
many years ago. Miss Smith visitet
with Mr.. and Mrs. Bell a few day
and while here met Mr.. L. W Hum
phrey, a young lawyer. She return
+, Cd to California. Mr.. Humphrey fol
, lowed her and brought her back Z
North Carolina as his bride. True I
/, her ancestral instincts she take
great interest IN the gold mining Cos
sip. inheriting, as she did, q for
!. tune begun in these southern mine
and enlarged in the western sol
fields: and owning as she does,
! romance which connects North Can
, DINA and California In a peculia
> way.
! Many are the stories OF lives was
/, ed in searching for the gold in thes
= hillsides, many are the stories {
lucky strikes. many the tales OF in
mense nuggets, but the really SUI
= cessful gold miners are few. Cha
. lotte itself pays little attention TO th
a gold business. It knows there al
. mines all about, but It Is far moi
= interested in the mills which spi
, and weave the cotton fibre ini
!, cloth, and those that crush the 80
= ton seed into oil. The Mine
h pointed out TO the stranger as II
place where most of the gold can
fro min the days "befo' de war az
!, many citizens know that the tot
!, coinage there in the TWENTY-FIVE yea
!, d was operated was over $5,000,o0
a. Few know that the gold deposited
. that building for coinage and for a
- saying has IN all amounted TO OK.
+, $4,000, 600, all of which was talk
;. from the mines in this vicinity. o.
! mine, only FIVE miles from town, p
a. produced 100000 worth Of 20
"A and is now deserted,
~
r Not Ear from Charlotte is the itl
ut village of Rutherfordton, where
d. the old days the Bechtlers coin
IN money at a private mint, operate
by under the permission Of Consre'
%. The Bechtler coins were OF gre
ar beauty and each bore the stamp
lls its " natural degree OF iinene
an The coins were So, $3.50 and
Is pieces. There are a few OF them
as be seer here now. but most of th'
OF known To be in existence are in
re hands of coin collectors, by WHIT
nd they are greatly priced. \ 81.
go Bechtler coin in good condition
worth from $40 to SIS,
in The present prosperity OF this $