The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-05-05

expected FOR years the pfece OF float
gave returns of $3.50 in gold to the
ton.
Bright and early the next marning
Lowe and Womack set out from camp,
ostensibly to round up bunch of cat
tie, but in reality to revisit the scene
Of their discovery in what is now
known as Poverty gulch, just outside
the limits Of the present town Of Grip
pie Greek. Once on the ground again,
Lowe expressed the opinion that they
were on a wild goose chase. and went
on about his ranch work.
But Bob was persistent and stayed
with it, exercising the same patience
that had characterized his early
search for the elusive gold This was
in the winter of 10000. In Janu-
airy Womack dug prospect hole on
what is now known as the Ell Paso
lode of the Gold King property,
which soon after developed into one
of the biggest mines of the great gold
camp. A few days later he fired a
blast into a bonanza vein which
glistened with sylvanite.
Could Not Stand Prosperity.
But he could not stand prosperity
in those days. When sober he was
modesty personified, but while in
Colorado Springs one day to interest
friends in his new discovery, he
thanked up" and disposed of his
bonanza for $500 cash. His mind
fairly crazed with drink and success,
Bob jumped on his bronco and rode
through the streets, waving his six
shooter in the air and proclaiming his
secret The next few days witnessed
one of the biggest rushes to the scene
of his discovery that the west has
ever seen.
1t is said to Womack's credit that
he has never touched a drop of liquor
since those reckless days.
Two or three days later. when he
sobered up, Womack returned to the
district, but only to find that the
best mining property had been To-
Gated by others. The camp was then
literally swarming with humanity.
He staked out a claim or two, but
they proved to be worthless and
within a short time he was COM
PEELED to go to work at day wages
again to make a living. He never
complained, however, and many
times, after saving a few dollars,
went out into the other regions of
the Pixies Peak district, intend upon
opening another great mineral-bear-
ing area.
One day three years ago, just as
success seemed for the second time
to be within his grasp, he was re-
turning from the hills. Sitting alone
in seat of a Colorado Midland pas
senger coach, he raised a window,
leaned against the sill, and dropped
off to sleep. When he awOke he
tried to lift his arm, but there was
no sign of life it it. He had been
stricken with paralysis.
Since that time Womack. together
with his aged father, has been solely
dependent upon a faithful sister,
Miss Elizabeth Womack, who has
been forced to run a boarding house
to make a living for her father and
brother.
Pay Rock Passed Over.
There is an interesting sidelight
on Womack's discovery of gold in
the Cripple Creek district. Search
for the metal in that region dates
back almost to the arrival of the first
white man. Repeated trials were
made prior to 1901 to find "pay
rock,'' but so cunningly had the
storehouse of wealth been concealed
that even the most expert miners
were deceived There are thousands
of Colorado people who remember
the mad rush to Mount Pisgah, at
the foot of which the city of Cripple
Creek is now situated. in April,
1885. A rich deposit of gold was
found at that time, but it had been
placed there by human hands. The
ground had been sailed.