San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
SAN ANTONIO EXPLORERS
SET OUT TO FIND. THE
MISSING SUBLETT MINE
Supposed to Be Richest Gold Mine in the World
One Man Believed to Have Lost His Life in
Search-Treasure Hunters Here Have Mar
row Escapes on Expedition.

This r. the second OF . series Of
articles dealing with the adventu--
ers OF a group OF San Antonio men
who form the Universal Exploration
Company They have spent years in
tracing down famous missing treas
The Light published the story Of the
search for the treasure OF the buc-
cancer, Jean Lafitte. Today the adj
vsnturers go into n wild mountain
range seeking the richest gold mine
in the world"
Out in a jumbled wilderness Of hills
and mountains on the Texas-New Mex
leo border where nature seemingly has
run wild, there is a gold mine so rich
that its discoverer said that he could
buy Texas for playground for his
children. Since he died, five persons
have seen it. Two were unable to
ever retraee their steps Another set
forth into. the wilderness after dis
covering it. and he has never been seen
since. Two more were reported to
have found it, but they suddenly dis
appeared.
This strange tale lured the men,
bers Of the Universal Exploration COM
pany of San Antonio to spend great
deal of time and money in an effort
to locate the fabulous mine. Readers
of The Light two Sundays ago will
recall the search the company made
for the buried treasure of the pirate,
Jean Lafitte. This same company a
few years ago set out to find the miss
ing Sublett mine in the Guadalupe
mountain range of New Mexico, close
to the Texas border.
The Call OF Adventure.
]. G. Wise of San Antonio, general
manager Of the exploration company,
who was on this expedition with his
treasure finding instruments detailed
an account of the "trip into the wilder
ness after the following tale about the
famous mine had been unearthed.
Tradition says that the richest treas
ure in the world is located in these
mountains and it is known as the Lost
Sublett Mine. According to one leg
end. il is located in the highest and
most PERCEPTIONS mountain in the
Southwest. towering five thousand feet
above the plains.
The mine was discovered by Ben
Sublett. He was a native Of Missouri.
In his youth lie responded to the call
of adventure and set out from his home
in st. Louis with his wife and three
small children. He came to Texas
journeying across the plains and fin
ally settled at Odessa. Texas. While
working here he heard the rumors OF
the rich gold mine in the mountains
Finally its lure proved too strong and
he set out one dav with a horse and
light wagon and went up into the
Guadalupe range. He was gone for
monthe and came back one day. emnty
handed. He tried again and again
and at last his efforts were rewarded
for he drove IN into the little town.
stopped in front Of a saloon. walked
in and plunked down a buckskin sack
full of gold upon the bar. 1t was filled
with nuggets.
Shows Mine 10 His Son.
The little town went wild with ex-
element. He told his cronies that he
had found the richest gold mine in the
world. He said that he could buy
the whole state of Texas il he wanted
to and make backyard of it for his
children to play in. He was lavish
in his expenditures and when his sup.
ply was exhausted he would slip away
into the mountains, get another sack
full of gold and come back. He built
a big fine home for his family and pro.
vided for all Of their wants. He re-
fused TO tell any one the location III
the mine and never took out more gold
from the mine than he needed. To
pleas of his friends that he take
them to the mine. he was obdurate
until after several years he at last
took one Mike Wilson and his owr
son, Ross Sublett, along on one OF
the trips.
Some time after they came hack. III,
elder Sublett died. On his deathbed
the boy tried TO get his father to tel
him how to return. but the dying mar
shook his head and smiled. and sait
that II was no use. that neither h,
nor Wilson would be able TO find tn,
mine. again.
However. after his death. Mike vii
son was said 10 have found the min,
and to have brought back a sack o.
gold. He got on big spree to celp
brate and when his gold was gone h,
'set out again, but lost his bearings an,