The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-05-08

ever LleTo was
In order to secure water In abundance, the
Santa Fee railroad had ordered tunnel bored III
the Clipper range. located in San Bernardlno
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, 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 day in early June OF 1884,
he started on 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 was
the trail that led up the canyon stopping at the
watering place.
The TRAIL at times very indlstinct 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 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. rvaling the towers
of old English CASTLE They seemed to form
the portal to the wealth beyond and nature had
set them closely together that they allowed
just sufficient passageway to permit burro we'll
packed to enter.
And just beyond the portal stood an isolated
rock. There beside the black boulder of
nous size stood the shreds of what had been
camp. The wooden upright supports still
standing, and draped from Them floating in the
breeze, the shreds Of what had been
tent Brush had been carefully piled up around
the sides. Inside there was bench of boughs
still covered with blanket. which was, like the
tent covering dilapidated and ragged The still.
Of the place and the fact that man had been
making his habitation there struck Schofed like
blow from fist.
A pile of railroad ties, number of rusty OLD
axes which had been used as wedges for splitting
ties
and badly decomposed food still lay about
the place, indicating very sudden abandonment
Of the camp by its owner. The most conspicuous
OF all things about the place od-fashioned,
heavily rusted Dutch oven, the largest Schofeld
had ever seen and trife over two feet in diam
eter. So oppressive was the place and so nerve
racking the immediate strain. that he continued
on the trail which led away from the camp.
Just short distance away he to shaft
where considerable work had been done. 1t
sunk upon series of small stringers that ran
parallel to 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, "horning" great strings of coarse gold
/ The surrounding Of indgo-bue
quartz formation, and "to me the strngers, pass
ing through the dark porphyry, appeared a bed Of
roses of golden hues hidden in the depths of
giant bed of volets,' said schofeld in telling of
his discovery. 81 traced these lines of high-grade
ore for a distance of nearly 5000 feet, and found
them widening and charging as they went. They
interested that failed to notice for hours
that the day fast waning and that would be
forced to remain there over night
THE mystery. the and the fear Of
that night I shall never forget Was l in the
haunt of robber crew who had found wealth far
richer than could be obtained from their nefar.
ious trade in the city? Had the been
cruelty murdered and their wealth carried off by
some one else? Was the victim of some strange
phantasmagoria, would I awaken to find all
the wealth and the adventure of the day dream?
These and countless other suggestions coursed
through my throbbng brain, and slept little that
night.
''In the morning l explored the shaft at the
first light of breaking above the Jagged sky
line of broken peaks. I found that the shaft had
been sunk to possibly seventy eighty feet, that
1t was equipped with windass, rope and bucket
and that it had been we'll timbered all the way
to the bottom Outside discovered large pile
of ore, indicative of the fact that little or none of
the product of the mine had been carried
away.
After gathering a 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
toward it. 1t contained gold. Half Of 1t full
of the product and there l unable to cart 1t
away. All marks of those who resided there we're
of such old stamp that never thought wheth-
er 1t would be right or wrong. The idea Of pos
session of much wealth nearly overwhelmed
me, and after grasping some of 1t started back
to the camp by the tunnel. planning trip to Los
Angeles to see whether 1t really gold that !
had found"
And when Schoheld had his ore and his metal
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 on his person 1t fired him
with the desire to return at once and obtain all
of the treasure If the right owners had not re-
turned But he has never been able to get back
to the Dutch oven!
In coming back from the mine he had paid lit.
tie heed to the general direction taken. He had
followed the trail blindy on his way up and
again his return journey. Consequently after
number of weeks, when he returned with part
to look for the treasure and found that some
terrific rains and even a waterspout had been