White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-13

Ing the failures of many expeditions
that had gone in search of the lost
mine during his lifetime.
The story did not interest Miller.
He had heard similar tales in every
mining camp in the southwest. In
his youth he had hunted for the
elusive wealth, only to meet with dis
appointments.
The imaginative mind of young
Lewis was stirred by the story told
by Pedro.
Il shall search for the Bravo
del Norte, and Pedro shall go with
me- he announced to Miller.
You are going on a wild goose
chase the old man replied.
Several days later the three men
arrived at Pilares. Mr.. Lewis was
eo~urteously shown the archives of the
church by the Catholic padre, and
and by mean of the good mans help
he made a translation of that chapter
which related to the Bravo del Norte
mine. According to this historic ac-
count of the mine. 1t was discovered
In 1886 by a Spaniard named Juan
Noriente, who interested other men
of his nationality in the development
of the property. For more than
fifteen years it produced enormous
quantities of rich silver ore, the out
put during that period being given
In the records as s17, 900, 900. A
large share of this wealth went to
the Spanish crown and the remainder
to the owners In the fall of 1906 a
band OF hostile Indians made an
attack upon the camp and m~assacred
every living human being at the
mine, including the principal own
er, Noriente.
The description of the mines
location. which forms a part of the
historic account of the property, is a
copy of the document. which was
sent to the home government of
Spain. and is now said to be among
the archives in Madrid. A transla-
ton of this portion of the records
reads:
ITO reach the Bravo del Norte
mine from Pilares without following
the beaten trail the wayfarer should
stand upon the stone step of the
parish church in the early morning,
when the sun is casting its first rays
upon the highest peak of the noun
tains that lie to the north. This
highest peak is to be seen rising in
the distance between two brother
mountains that stand close together.
When the light of the sun begins to
CLINT the great bald spot that is to
be seen upon the highest pinnacle of
the farthest mountain its reflected
rays are cast into the darkness be-
tween the brother peaks. Where the
shadow is first lifted there is the
Bravo del Norte mine. II is Just one
league from the pinnacle of the
farthest peak"
Mr.. Lewis made a copy of this
strange description. Next morning
he stood upon the stone step of the
little, ancient church and watched
the sun sun throw its first rays upon
tho distant. [ owering mountains of
the Vieda range, on the Texas side of
the river. He witnessed the lighting
up of the dark recesses between the
two brother peaks and noted with
interest that this part of the record
as to the traditional mine seemed to
be authentic as far as his observation
went. He brought his engineering
knowledge into use, carefully
measuring the elevation of the spot
upon the distant mountain where the
suns rays were reflected into the
valley. Quitting an expedition and
accompanied by Pedro, he started in
search of the ancient mine. He was
gone ten days.
To the surprise of the people of
Chispa. most of whom have heard
the story of the Bravo del Norte
man times. Mr.. Lewis came into
town the other day with two pack
mules loaded down with silver ore,
which he sent to FL Paso to be as
sayed. 1t shows to the eye that it is
of great richness.
Il have discovered the Bravo
del Norte mine,' Mr.. Lewis said. 1T
took me a few days to make the
measurements. but | finally got the
figures down correctly, and there at
my very feet was the long abandoned
shaft of the old mine. In a canyon
near by are large dumps of ore.
With the aid of Pedro ! partly ex-
nIored the underground workings.