Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-05-02


tH54SEEEJ5ssE 20 a time possible. Even after the
ks4<6ES1S&t& completion of the roads there was
sAs ,s5S difficulty in obtaining water for the
~ #YSssrSSSss4a purpose OF supplying the engines or
~ the little stations necessary wher-
ever there siding.
In order to secure water In abundance, the
Santa Fe railroad had ordered tunnel bored III
the Clipper range, located in San Bernardino
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
Schofield of LOS Angeles.
Tiring of work one day in early June of 1894,
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 surprising and even startling was
the trail that led up the canyon, stopping at the
watering place.
The trail at times very indstinct because of
the solid rock formation led three four
smalk 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 1t 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 well
packed to enter.
And just beyond the portal stood an isolated
rock. There beside the black boulder of enor
size stood the shreds OF what had been
camp. The wooden upright supports were 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 was bench Of boughs,
still covered with blanket, which was like the
tent covering dilapidated and ragged. The still
ness of the place and the fact that man had been
m4king his habitaton there struck Schofeld like
blow from fist
A pile Of railroad ties, number OF rusty old
axes which had been used as wedges for splitting
the ties for tagging few other mining tools
and some badly decomposed food still lay about
the place. indicating very sudden abandonment
of the camp by It's owner. The most conspicuous
of all things about the place was an oldfashoned,
heavily rusted Dutch oven. the largest Schofed
had ever seen and a trife over two feet in diam
eter. So oppressive 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 came to shaft
where considerable work had been done. 1t was
sunk upon 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. ''horning" great strings of coarse gold.
The surrounding ore was OF an indigo-blue
quartz formation, and ito me the stringers. pass
ing through the dark porphyry, appeared a bed OF
roses OF golden hues hidden in the depths of a
giant bed Of vioets,' said Schoheld In telling OF
his discovery. 81 traced these lines of high-grade
ore for a distance-o nearly 5000 feet and found
them widening and enlargng as 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 and even the fear OF
that night shall forget. Was in the
haunt of a 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 off by
some else? Was the victim of some strange
phantasmagoria, or would / awaken to find all
the wealth and the adventure of the day dreami
These and countless other suggestions coursed
through my throbbng brain. and slept little thai
night.
4 "In the morning explored the shaft at the
first light of breaking sun above the Jagged sky
line of broken peaks. found that the shaft hat
been sunk to possibly seventy or eighty feet tina
It was equipped with a windlass. rope and buckle
and that 1t had been well timbered all the way
TO the bottom. Outside discovered a large pile
Of ore indicative of the fact that little o
the product of the mine had ever been carried
away.
AFTER gathering a number of fine samples an,
q large quantity of the horned gold. ! went bacl
to the camp and there again was attracted b.
the Dutch oven Something seemed to draw m
toward 1t. 1t contained gold Half oft was ful
of the product and there was | unable to cart !
away All marks of those who resided there wer
of such an old stamp that never thought whetf
er 1t would be right wrong. The idea of pos
session Of 30 much wealth nearly overwhelme
me- and after graspng some Of 1t | started bac
to the camp by the tunnel, planning a trip to Lo
Angeles to whether II really gold that
had found"
And when Schofeld had his and his meta
tested he found that 1t the real article an
that he had made himself richer by several hui
l-IIau rrttfI, i,,ot l,oh ha
been able to lug out on his person. 1t fired hli
with the desire to return at and obtain a
OF the treasure II the right owners had not r.
turned But he has never been able to get bac
to the Dutch oven
In coming back from the mine he had paid II
tie heed to the general direction taken. He ha
followed the trail blindly on his way up an
again on his return Journey. Consequently afte