Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-10-26
WINFIELD MAKES
Strange PURCHASE
ave FANCY PRICE FOR RANCH
THAT MAY HAVE GOLD
BEARING GRAVEL.

George Wingfeld, the young Ne
yada millionaire, who, If the Mohawk
,,scloses a few more of its wonderful
,raaslre vaults will be in a fair way
20 compete with the Guggenheims,
oockefeller and other rich men for
no honor of being the richest ma In
no world. last week purchased what
4 known as the Cook ranch MAUI
burn. Cal. This ranch consists of
about 500 acres and Is covered with
aid fruit trees. 1t has a small house
mon It and is not considered a very
valuable property and the people of
Auburn have been considering why
George Wingfeld paid a large price
for the property. Some state that it
Is on the line surveyed by the South
ern Pacific company to onnec with
he tunnel through the high Sierras
and that Wingield purchased it as
Inc agent Of the railroad company.
Others state that Wingield bought
this land for his parents in Oregon,
and that he intends to build a mag
nifcent 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
gorm-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 %Spaniards who
worked the claim. The Spaniards
worked this channel in a primitive
manner and at last lost the pay
streak. They then covered up as
far 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 latep by an old
miner, who n day drifted into Au-
burn, and the owner of the Cook
ranch e~ndeavored TO find It. He
searched his property. digging shafts
and tunneling, but located the
g~old-bearing gravel that had made
other men rich. He soon gave up the
search and returned to his business
Of raising fruit and managed to exc
out a living by tilling the soil and
caring for his fruit trees.
One day an agent of George Wing
fields 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 mp 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 hin,
with a check for $4,000, signed by
George Wlngfeld.
Wingfield has never discussed thu
purchase OF this ranch with any Of
his friends and his agents have never
given out a statement about what tn,
young gold king of Nevada intends
70 do with his fruit ranch, but thos,
who claim to know the plans of Tho
millionaire and his assistants STATE
that IN a short time a number of ex
perieneed miners will visit this rancl
and viii begin to prospect It, digging
tunnels, sinking shafts and exploring
me ground for that lost river bed. i
may add 70 the riches Of one OF Ne
Vada's wealthiest men and II ma!
never be found. but Wingfeld il
lucky and is daring IN the way of in
SeStments, and it is ten chances I,
one so the wise ones say, that h,
VIII not only locate the river bed
'ut VIII open up the pay streak ant
add a few more golden heaps to tn,
millions which have been dug from
me golden-lined treasure houses OF
me southern deserts of Nevada,
Reno Gazette.