Bisbee daily review., 1909-05-01
M|A|NG SHELTERS AND STOCK QUOTATIONS
STORY OF LOST PEClEG MINE
 TOLD. BY WELL KNOWN MINER

NJ M Rice. Poet Larlat'' of Ari. zona, who is now liying at Fairbanks, Alaska has written an article entitled True Story of the Peg Leg Mine. which is probably the first authentic account of old Peg Leg Smith and his fabulously rich ore specimens that has ever been published. The article was Dublished in a recent issue of the Fairbanks Times, and is a follows:
 The recent telegraphic reports de tailing the discovery of the famous Peg Line Mine. on the Colorado desert, in southern California, is but an an npal repetition of that notorious fic- ton.
 The writer of this article has spent the major portion of nine long years chasing the desert phantom. suffering hardships and priyations indescribable and inconceivabls, and yet l was but a unit of hundreds of adventurous spirits. who banked faith and risked life in an endeavor to locate the place where Peg Leg Smith, punched the impressions of his wooden leg into the verdureless soil of the Colorado des- ert
 That Peg Leg Smith" was no myth, but a real human parsonage and enig- ma can be attested by men living to- day and that he brought into civilized settlements rich specimens of gold ore, from time to time during his brief and checkered career is susceptible to more proof by reliable authority.
 The Hon. Charles Binlsy, a resi- dent of Yuma. Arizona and gentle saal. xt~hN word is unquestionable. knew Smith intimately and on divers occasions saw and handled the ore that Peg Leg found on the desert. MT. Binley has been resident of Yuma for if ty years coming in the quartermas- ter's department when the post was first established.
 In his position he came in contact with all of the adventurous spirits of that early day. as the governments stores wer the only source of supply for the emiil ant and prospector. His knowledge or Smith and the circum- stances surrounding his periodical trips to his secret Eldorado was such that Mir Binley spent thousands of dollars equipping prospectors and sometimes took the field himself in quest of the red knolls" in the Sal ton basin, now known as the Salton sea.
 Other old residents of San Diego and San Bernardino counties have at- tested to their knowledge and ac- auaintance with Smith; chief in re liability was Captain Frink, the pio- neer freighter on the Colorado des- ert between San Pedro harbor and Yuma and Ehrenburg.. Frink was the first settler in the San Timitea can yon: his ranch was situated near the present town of Banning on the line of the Southern Pacific railroad and at the gateway to the Salton sink. It was the first watering place for the western bound traveller and the last for the desert explorer in those days.
 The writer of this article was em- ployed in carrying the United States mail between Julian. San Diego coun- ty. and Ivanpah. on the Moiave des- ert. in ls71-ss. and Captain Frink' s ranch was one of his relay stations on the route. Frink's wife was 8 Mexican lady, loved and respected by all in the early days of the over land travel, and for her kindness 10 the distressed and weary wanderer, and she often befriended Peg Leg Smith From Captain Frink and his wife the writer, on many occasions, received accounts of Smiths discov- cry and assurances that they had handled the first gold that he brought from the desert.
 Smith who lost his leg in ques- tiunable encounter, was hanger-on around the Yuma military post, eX' isting on the bounty of the generous. He finally attached himself to an emf grant train bound for California. This was about 1854. The outfit left Yuma for Los Angeles by what was known as the New river and Warmers ranch route. They camped at water tank