El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-08
MYSTERIOUS GOLD MINE Of FL PASO COUNTY

\ of that name in st. Louis. In early life
| the call of the wilds" and the lure of
| gold led him to go to the Rocky noun
| tains with his young wife and three
babies, whom he took on all trips while
prospecting. For years luck never ia
vored him and while others found mines
and grew rich, he continued poor. He
was in rags, and his wife and children
hungry They passed through the
Guadalupes, and finally located III
Odessa, Tex. Here they made their
home in little hut, Mrs. Sublett doing
| children, while Sublett worked on a
ranch just long enough to get money
to buy a ''rickety old blackboard, and
bony horse.
He spent most of his time in the
GuaGalupes. He had the 'hunch" that
in its labyrinthine solitudes he would
find gold. Occasionally he brought in a
little nugget, hardly of value enough TO
buy grub" for his return trip. His
wife vainly begged him to quit the
mountains, to settle down TO some avo-
cation in which was a sure living; but
he was stubborn, taking no advice from
anyone.
Although the mountains were then
filled with the blOodthirsty MescalerO
Apaches, ever ready to kill the lonely
prospector. or trapper, Sublett never
carried arms, and by some strange fate,
was never mOleSted, although, almost
daily there came reports of milan raids
and masacres- The old prospector
laughed at those who warned and adj
vised him to be careful. These trips con-
tinued; and every time he returned, It
was surprise to the people of the town.
They scoffed at his crazy mode of life
Strike Is Finally Made.
One day the old man drove up to Abe
~ OII Il
and strobe boldly to the bar, inviting
everybody present to Join" him. For
the moment they thought it a joke as he
was supposed TO be penniless. But when
Old Ben threw down a buckskin sack
filled with nuggets and told them that
he had found mine that was rich
with gold and he could buy out the
whole town and have plenty left, the
crowd was wild with excitement and
readily accepted his invitation TO drink.
Richest Mine in World.
After several rounds at his expense,
the saloon man suggested that he had
better take the remainder Of the gold in
the sack home to his family as they need
ed it worse than the loungers needed
drinks. Without a word odd Ben went
out to his blackboard and dragged in a
canvass sack, filled with gold so pure,
it is said. that a jeweler could ham
mer it out.
My friends, have all the drinks You
want" he said, for 1 have at last found |
the richest gold mine in the world. |
can buy Texas, and make a backyard |
out OF 1t for my children to play in.
After that Sublett would frequently |
slip out to the mountains (neyer being !
gone longer than 10 days.. and return !
with about $500 worth of gold. These (
trips were made often. He built a fine !
home for his family, and provided for |
all their wants; but he would not take |
out more gold at time than he could /
carry in his blackboard.
Carries Secret to Grave.
He of course made lots of prosperity |
friends" All tried TO get him TO show !
them the location of his mine, but he I
declined the favor to all except two \
persons, his own son Ross Sublett. ana /
Nike Wilson, an old chum, for wnom he l
had a great liking
IF anyone wants my mine, let him !
go and hunt for it like did," he woIld Z
say
Il hunted "a years, wasting the best
part of my life at it There was a time
when my father would be ready to re-
urn home. Father got the gold out of
he states, and lived happily en- my
money, but now I am old and do not /
are for the ways of civilized folk.
The valley of the Pecos, and the