The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-08-01
Golden
~ lantOIllS
FASCINATING TALES
OF LOST M l ~ Z 5
THE HILL OF SILVER
ny Edifhs L. WsfseH

4 4 ago, a company Of eleven men set
out from San Antonio. Texas, to search
for 4 wonderful silver mine. This
mine was supposed to be near the old
fort of San Luis de las Amarillas, on
the San Saba river. 1t was known to
legend as the Hill OF Silver, and
vast fortune In that valuable metal
awaited the man, or men, who should
be lucky enough to find 1t.
It-or something like it-had been
found" many times before. The In
dams knew about 1t, and rumors of
Its wonders had reached the Spaniards
of Mexico as early as the Eighteenth
century. The Apaches indicated Its
direction: the Lipans brought silver
from its veins to San Antonio; the
Comanches knew It's location, and the
Caddos, Wacos, and Tehuacanas, who
survive only by their names ON maps
Of the south, fought off the white men
who travelled near 1t. Don Fernando
de Miranda. lieutenant general of the
province of Texas, found mine which
he claimed was OF vast extent, and
from which he brought samples OF ore
and reported that he had been told OF
even richer mines farther on. Early
eastern adventures established little
smelter for gold and silver; some dis
lance away they had mine, which
they claimed had been worked by the
Spaniards; all this was somewhere In
the extensive territory Of the Hill OF
Silver.
The little group OF eleven men from
San Antonio were not hunting bllndly.
Their leaders were James and Rein
Bowie, who were supposed to have
seen with their own eyes the fabulous
wealth OF this hidden mine to which
they were going. James Bowie, who
was to become one OF the martyred
heroes of the Alamo, was said to have
Joined the tribe OF Llpans who guarded
the mine, for the express purpose OF
learning Its location. Having succeed
ed, he organized this company to 60
back, fight off the Indians, and secure
as much as they could OF the rich
ore.
The old fort was only $50 miles from
San Antonio; both Bowies had been at
the mine. Putting these facts to-
gether, one might suppose that the
travellers would head straight for the
source OF the treasure. But for some
obscure reason. they wandered about
for three weeks, following james
Bowie, who was Hooking over the lay
OF the land" and finally wound up
about six miles east OF the fort-where
they were attacked by large band OF
hostile Indians A day or SO before,
a friendly Comanche had warned them
of the projected rald, so they were
prepared to fight, but one man was
killed and three were wounded, and
there were no means OF caring for the
Injured. So, as soon as they could
move them. they took their casualties
back to San Antonio, making the trip.
though crippled and haltIng, In ten
days.
Perhaps reasoning that II he had
gone straight on to his objective the
expedition would have met success,
James Bowie organized another party
OF thirty men this time. and started
out again for the silver treasure. This
time he led them to the right location,
but legend disngrees as to whether he
found the mine or not.
That there actually Is a Hill Of Sil-
yer In that region Is substantlated by
records In the archives OF Mexico.
According to these records, the mine
was worked In the early days OF the
San Saba mission. When the local
Indians uprose and killed everyone at
the mine, 1t was considered polite to
abandon the place for while, until 1t
should be safe to return and continue
operations. But during the years after
this massacre, so many things OF great
Importance occurred to the SpanIards,
and so many OF those who knew the
location Of the mine were killed or re-
turned to Mexico, that the Hin Of
Silver became actually lost.
Several years ago silver bullets were
found In the bottom OF San Saba
springs, and this find served to bring
the lost site to notice again. 1t is said
that treasure seekers are now hunting
over an area Of more than $500 square
miles, hoping to find the wonderful
silver hill.
Other lost and hidden treasures OF
Texas include the famous Niger
head" In the wild country along the
Rio Grande border. There Is not much
Of story to go on In the search for
this mine, but 1t Is said that negro
who worked for ranch below San
derson found the ore and brought
specimens OF 1t into camp. He dis
appeared shortly afterward, and ever
since then the hunt has been keen but
with no results Then there Is that
deep spring one hundred miles south
west OF San Antonio, where "seven
jackloads OF silver" were thrown In
early days when bandits attacked the
transporting party. Not long ago
drouth caused the water to become
much lower than ever hnfora and a