El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-19

, of the toughest sections he was ever
in. and the hardest to get through.
Richness is Traditional.
The indians and scouts often told
| the officers in charge Of Fort Wingate
| that this range of mountains was the
toughest and most difficult to pene-
! trate of any of their knoWledge-so
rough that few ever attempted the
task.
1t seems from all reports from indian
scouts and indian stories that there is
but one entrance to this mountain. and
this is on the south side. Undoubted-
ly. this is the same entrance through
which the half breed indian led the p
miners to the rich gold fields.
The officer in charge of Fort Win
gate told Mr.. Shaw that the indians
often showed him specimens OF ore
that had come out of this malpai noun
tain to the south, stating that there
was the largest vein OF gold in that
mountain that indians or anyone else,
had ever found. But in those days
stories and traditions Of rich gold finds
were very common and the public paid
but little attention to them. Adams
often told Mr.. Shaw that no miner nor
prospector would ever find this gold
field; because whenever prospectors or
miners find the malpai beds, or noun
tains they turn back. as ore bodies
and ore veins are seldom found in a
malpai mountain.
He also stated that il this rich find
was ever made known to the world. it
would cause the greatest mining boom
ever heard Of, as it was not one or two
claims, but must extend for over 20 or
25 miles, and that they had not gone
with their guide to the section Of the
ledge richest in gold.
Mexican Party Disappear.
Many stories are told Of the diseov-
cry of the Adams "diggins," and Of the
fabulous rich gold ore that comes out
Of this same mountain; therefore, the
Adams story Is not the only one.
A number Of years afterwards,
party Of 30 Mexicans (claimed to be
from old Mexico) led by an indian
scout POSSIBLY the same one who led
the Adams miners of p mem headed
for this same mountain. Having ex-
cess baggage, they deposited it with
rancher on the Frisco river, in the
western part of SocOrrO county. The
direction this party took was directly
in line with the Malpais mountains
where Adams found his gold field. This
party was gone but few weeks. On
their return. they seemed very happy.
paid the rancher for the storage OF
their excess baggage. and, before TAX
ing their departure told him they would
be back next year.
In about u months, the same num-
Der, and seeming to be the same men,
came and. as before. cached excess
baggage with the rancher and happily
started in the same direction as the
previous year--towards the Malpais
mountains The rancher earnestly
asked that he might accompany them.
They earnestly refused him. stated that
they had a rich gold mine and that
they would be back next year, and
then he would be permitted to go with
them. The rancher waited weeks,
months, and years, but not one ever
returned TO tell the fate that befell the
partss which Ho doliDt was the same IS
that which befell the Adams party
Small Rock Worth $40.
Another story of the fabulous wealth
OF gold found in this mountain was
told by a man who. after travelling
through the range and after starva-
tiOn had driven him out on the oppo-
site side, brought with him one piece
of rock which he said he got about the
center of the'mountains- This specimen
he showed to a section gang. Upon
pounding up the rock and seeing its
immense richness, there was much ex-
element among the men, who tried
to persuade him to lead them 20 the
mountain and show them the range
from whence came the rock, but he
was a criminal who had killed his wife
in the southern part Of the state and I
had been hotly pursued by sheriff and
posse until he reached and disappeared
in these mountains, when the officers
turned back. During the mans stay
in this mountain, which was short. ne
found this gold. Because he was tlee-
ing from Justice he refused to go back. I
The rock he brought out was about
the size of a mans fist, yet II yielded 1
$50 worth OF gold
All Point In One Direction
All Of the big gold stories told BY |
indians. government scouts, old timers I
and miners. nearly all point in the
direction Of this malpai mountain as