The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-07-23
Golden
PhanfOIllS
FASCINATING TALES
OF LOST M 1 N rs
Gw.N.U. nv Edifh0 L. Watson
LOST DUTCHMAN MINE

~
toms would be complete without a
story about the famous Lost Dutchman
mine. In fact, book might be writ
ten about it, because In the century
that has elapsed since its discovery
legends have sprung up about 1t that
would furnish a volume of Interesting
and often exciting, even blood curd-
ling-reading.
The very location of the mine Is IN
usual. 1t lies somewhere in Supersti-
ton mountain, that great, picturesque
labyrinth which stands out of the
desert forty miles from Phoenix, Ariz.
Yet, somewhere among these hiding
places where anything beautiful, grue-
some, or strange might be concealed,
at least one person lives. Who it Is,
how he manages to exist, what he
knows Of the secrets of Superstition
are questions which he alone can an
swer. But there he is, constituted
guardian of the mountain. He is
armed, and those who venture near his
place of concealment realize that fact
very soon, though all Of them have
not lived to warn others.
1S43 is nearly a century ago. 1t was
in 1S43 that young Mexican, Carlos,
the illegitimate son of Don Miguel
Peralto, fled from his fathers wrath
up into the winding ways Of Supersti-
ton. He was followed by two Indians
who had orders to bring him back, but
at last, after many weeks had passed,
only one returned.
This Indian had much to tell. Car
los had discovered ore Of incredible
richness, and had started for home
with the news, hoping to soften his
fathers heart. One of the sudden
mountain floods which sometimes catch
wayfarers had swept him away, how
ever, before he had come far, and
with him had gone the other Indian
and the horses. Carlos had lived only
long enough to tell the survivor his
story, and to point out the location of
the mine.
+: The Indian was able to show Don
Miguel the place, and the old don
worked the mine for five years, becom-
ing rich from its proceeds. Then the
United States became the owner Of
all that territory, and Don Miguel de-
cided to send in one last enormous ex-
petition, to take out all the gold pos
sible, and then to retire gracefully.
Four hundred men, accordingly, and a
th ar 50 nd r,11laS xuora Sant m fha y,,ipo
There were Apaches in the region
in those days, as soldiers Of a later
generation could relate. They had
seen the miners and their mules, and
they decided to stop this increasing
procession Of strangers who made free
Of the land. So they suddenly gath
cred about the pack-train, in such
numbers and with such violence that
the MeXicans were unable to stand
against them. Only two boys crawled
away and managed to keep out Of
sight. All the rest persisted.
Carlos gave the mine its first bloody
baptism; the four hundred miners
wrote the second chapter with their
gore. But that was only the start of
the story.
Several years later German prospec-
tor named Jacob Walz lost his way
among the twisted canyons of the eerie
mountain. Wandering about without any
idea where he was going, he finally
stumbled onto a camp where three
Mexicans received him with native
hospitality and gave him food and
water. Two of the men were the boys
who had escaped from the Apache
raid; the other was a compadre who
was to share their labor and their
riches. They were working wonderful
mine, they told Walz.
The German pretended to be re-
markably ignorant Of such things as
mines. He acted Indifferent, but he
looked and listened avidly, and watched
for a chance to do something that
should make the mine his-alone. The
chance came: he caught up his rifle
and fired three times. The third san
guine chapter was written. +;
And now, having gained sole pos
session of the golden secret, the 'Dutch-;
man" did a characteristic thing: he
gathered up load of nuggets, took
them to Phoenix, grew garrulously
drunk, and told all who would heed
that he had very fine mine!
Naturally, everyone wanted to know
This he would
not tell. The mystery pleased him.
The f1attery exalted him. But when
anyone tried to follow, he became a ,
stubborn old fellow who would not
lead; just sat down and waited until
they left Or got out of sight and
f1red-to kill.
Even murder did not keep back the
increasing number who tried to trail
Wall to the mine. He began to feel
worried: what If someone should find
it? The only safe thing was to hide
the place so thoroughly that no one
would know where 1t was. He covered
the opening with logs, concealed them
with rocks and dirt.
So he went to Phoenix, and there
he grew i'll and died.
As he felt himself going, the old
man tried to tell a friend about the
mine. He gave him a box full of
nuggets, and tried to describe where
they came from, but who can describe
one place in that mysterious mountain
and be understood?
The friend spent the rest Of his life
hunting the place. His son is carrying
on the search-and so are hundreds of
others. But the mine remains hidden.
Chrysanthemums as Food
The finest chrysanthemums in Eng
land were once used to provide the
first course for a party of diners at a