The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-01-30
Golden
ID antOIllS
FASCINATING TALES
OF LOST M L N e s
Gw.H.U. Bv Edjflsa L. Watson
SPANISH BULLION

tdlnS TOT some time, anu rs WlnleF was
drawing near they were short-cutting
across the ranges toward home. They
were somewhere In Thorough country
which comprises the southwestern cor
ner of the state.
Late one afternoon, snow began to
fall. "We'n have to hole up for the
night, George" said one of the men
to the other. First likely-looking cave
we come to, Wen call 1t day."
Looks like one ahead, there" said
the other, and they quickened their
steps. The cave proved to be a fair
sized cavern, but they built fire near
its mouth to keep warmth in and wild
animals out, and soon they were COM
fortably frying bacon and boiling
coffee.
After supper, relaxed before the fire,
they looked about them. At the far
end of the cave a second, smaller hole
appeared, some 10 feet up the rocky
wall. The snow had stopped falling,
and everything was peaceful.
"Wel, we didn't find any hidden
treasure this trip" said the man called
George.
mo, and we never will. There isn't
any, that's why"
"Oh, I don't know. I've heard
listen, Bill, did anyone ever tell you
about the lost treasure of the Golden
Giant?"
"Nope; sounds like a fairy tale.
suppose the giant ate up all the"
mo, this Golden Giant is mine at
Pinos Altos, south of here. 1t has been
gophered just under the surface, and
from the extent of the workings I'd
say that a lot of ore was taken out
of that mine, one time and another.
It's supposed to have been worked by
the Spaniards who lived at Santa Rita.
The local legend says that the Span
iards got out fabulous fortune, what
ever that means, and the next thing to
do was to take 1t over to Santa Rita,
where the fort was. SO they loaded
it on burros and set out.
Santa Rita is about % miles south
but burros don't fly, and they had to
go around. The got up above where
Hurley now stands, and suppose they
were congratulating themselves that
they were on the last lap, when"
when the Golden Giant woke up
and came after them?" politely in
quired Bill.
mo. you dummy! Nothing like that
1t was Indians that showed up about
then, good old hostile Apaches. The
priest in charge of the pack-train just
had time to get them up on the mesa
and hastily bury the gold. Then the
Apaches got too near for comfort, and
although the Spaniards put up a brave
fight, they were all killed"
IN bet that right in these very
mountains there's treasure cached
away, If a person could know where
to look"
That's a big it," moralized Bill.
"What do you say we get some sleep?''
The next morning Bill, looking about
him with a practiced eye for traces of
ore, noticed again the small cave in
the rear of their lodging. 1t was an
ordinary-looking hole, but for some un-
defined reason he felt lively inter-
est In 1t.
"I'm going to look and see what's
lin that little cave" he told his part
:ner, who was ready to start on.
snow who's got funny ideas about
hidden treasure" jeered George.
:"Come on; no use climbing up in that
hole"
"I'm going to look, anyway" replied
Bill. "Here goes!"
He managed to scramble up the
rocky wall, and landed safely in the
darkness of the little cave. 1t was
hard to see anything; he lit match
!. another =. "Hey, George" he
called, urgently.
George, who had started on, heard
the summons and came back. what
!: do you want?" he demanded, rather
Grossly.
. "Give me fiashlight, and hurry
iup!'
whats the matter now?" He un-
packed the flashlight and handed it up
to Bill, whose hand trembled little.
what have you got?''
For answer Bill threw down dusty,
heavy, small oblong that fell with a
.thud on the floor of the cave. George
bent over to pick 1t up, but he straight
lened up again and looked at Bill as If
he were seeing ghost.
"G-goldr' he stammered, weakly,
,-'G-gold b-bars!'
"You will talk about Golden Giants,
will you? roared Bill. "Well, here's
hidden treasure for you-more than
you and / can carry!" He jumped
down, went over to the door of the
cave and looked out. Then he turned
back.
"Or am l going crazy?" '.e mumbled.
No. he was not crazy, though the two
behaved like idiots for while in the
exuberance of their emotions. Finally
they Gained down long enough to plan
that they would take the gold home,
then return in the spring and hunt for
the mine from which It came.
And here "Bill'' and George" pass
into the yalhalla of legendary heroes
No one knows anything further about
them. And whether they ever returned
and found the mine remains secret.
Not even legend remains to explain
the source of that hidden treasure.