Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-05-09

a time possible Even after the
completion OF the roads there was
assSse%NS difficulty In obtaining water for the
ASS purpose of supplying the engines or
the little stations necessary wher-
there was siding
In order to secure water in abundance. the
Santa Fe railroad had ordered tunnel bored In
the Clipper range, located In San Bernardno
county from eight to ten miles northwest Of
Dandy the station to which 1t. was to be piped II
discovered in large quantity. This all happened
within a score OF years. The man who volun-
teered for the work, a competent mining man.
who was well acquainted with the sinking Of
shafts and the boring OF tunnels was Thomas
Schofeld Of Los Angeles
firing of work one day in early June Of 1894
he started on a prospecting trip, something which
he did whenever he felt In need of relaxation
He wandered into one of the canyons close at
hand and discovered there spring What to
him was more surprising and even startling
the trail that led up the canyon. stopping at the
watering place.
The trail at times very indistinct because OF
the solid rock formation, led over three or four
small hills, the hogback of two ranges and then
into another canyon. This he followed until 1t
ended In q blank wall and he realized that the
trail had been lost Going back short distance
he discovered It winding up the side OF the hill
1t led to two immense rocks, rivaling the towers
of an old English castle. They seemed to form
the portal to the wealth beyond and nature had
set them SO closely together that they allowed
packed to enter.
And just beyond the portal stood an isolated
rock. There beside the black boulder of enor-
nous size stood the shreds Of what had been
camp. The wooden upright supports still
standing, and draped from them, floating in the
breeze, were the shreds Of what had been
tent Brush had been carefully piled up around
the sides Inside there bench OF boughs.
still covered with blanket, which was like the
tent covering. dilapidated and ragged. The still
Of ha MIA and fho fart NE haI hoarR
making his habitaton there struck Schoheld like
q blow from fst
pile of railroad ties number of rusty old
axes which had been used wedges for splitting
the ties for Tagging q few other mining tools
and some badly decomposed food stiil lay about
the place. indicating very sudden abandonment
of the camp by its owner. The most conspicuous
of all things about the place was oldfashioned.
heavily rusted Dutch oven, the largest Schoheld
had ever seen and trife over two feet in diam
eter. So oppressive the place and nerve
racking the immediate strain, that he continued
on the trail which led away from the camp
Just s short distance away he came to a shaft
where considerable work had been done It was
sunk upon a series Of small stringers that ran
parallel to one another for long distance and
at intervals of about six inches He counted
twelve Of these peculiar formations in the rock
and they were of almost solid gold! He tested
them, morning" great strings of gold.
The surrounding Of indigobiue
quartz formation, and ito me the stringers, pass
ing through the dark porphyry appeared bed of
roses of golden hues hidden in the depths of
giant bed Of violets" said Sehofeld In telling of
his discovery. 4 traced these lines Of hlghgrade
ore for distance of nearly 5000 feet, and found
them widening and enarging they went They
interested me that failed to notice for hours
that the day was fast waning and that would be
forced to remain there over night.
THE mystery the awe and the fear of
that night I shall never forget. Was in the
haunt of q robber crew who had found wealth far
richer than could be obtained from their nefar-
ious trade In the city? Had the owners been
cruelty murdered and their wealth carried on by
some one else? Was the victim of some strange
phantasmagoria, or would awaken to find all
the wealth and the adventure Of the day dream 7
These and countless other suggestions coursed
through my throbbfng BRAIN and slept little that
night
I'm the morning explored the shaft at the
first light of breaking sun above the Jagged sky
line of broken peaks. | found that the shaft had
been sunk to possibly seventy eighty feet. that
it was equipped with windlass rope and bucket
and that 1t had been well timhered all the way
to the bottom. Outside discovered large pile
OF ore Indicative of the fact that little none of
the product Of the mine had ever been carried
away.
after gathering q number OF fine samples and
large quantity of the horned gold went back
to the camp and there again was attracted BY
the Dutch oven. Something seemed to draw me
toward 1t. It contained gold Half Of II was full
Of the product and there WAS unable to cart It
away All marks of those who resided there were
OF such an old stamp that never thought wheth
er 1t would be right wrong. The idea OF pos
session of SO much wealth nearly overwhelmed
me and after grasping some of It / started back
to the camp by the tunnel. planning trip to Los
Angeles to see whether it was really gold that
had found
And when schoneid had his ore and his meta
tested he found that 1t was the real article and
that he had made himself richer by several hun
dred dollars with just the small amount he had
been able to lug out his person. II fired him
with the desire to return at once and obtain al
of the treasure II the right owners had not re
turned But he has never been able to get baca
to the Dutch oven.
In CO ling back from the mine he had paid tie
tie heed TO the general direction taken he hae
followed the trail bllRdiy Oh his way up am
again on his return journey. Consequently afteI
4 number OF weeks, when be returned with part
ner to look for the treasure and found that some
terrific rains and even waterspout had beer