Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1881 — GOLD AND BOLTER. [ARTICLE]

GOLD AND BOLTER.

Homo Ut«lt Stories #f AeeMeatal “Flad*” of the Pifckl Metals. Oh. Onuhi (M. > BtoiMlni. Tliat rich mines are often discovered by accident, history, both ancient and modern, verifies. Numerous instances of this kind have come under my own observation. This is said to be luek, but it matters not whether it is luck or science, so long as the “find” la a good one. In such cases it would seem that it is even better to be bora lucky than industrious. Only last spring a prospector, not twenty miles from here, after hunting many days for a quartz ledge, tired In the search and threw down his pick and shovel In disgust and took up his rifle and sauntered forth for game. Fortune fevored him; his luck came suddenly to him, as it were, He shot a deer, which, in its death-struggle, fell over the rocks and rolled down the mountain - side. When the hunter reached his game he found it lying on the outcrop of an immense galena ledge, which he soon after sold for a gooa round sum—figures not stated. In the early days of California, a poor prospector, sadly out of luck,was returning to his camp after night, when he was assailed by a vicious dog. Having no weapon with which to stand off his enemy, he felt around in the dark and laid hold of the first thing he could catch, which was a hefty rock. The dog had sloped, of course, and the man kept the stone in his hand until he was safe in his own cabin. In the morning he saw something bright on the missile of war, and on closer examination he found that the rock was full of gold. He returned and found the ledge from which the quartz-boulder had floated, sold it for a large amount of money, returned to the states, bought a farm, married, and raised a large family of children. About four years ago a poor but industrious prospector in this county had the misfortune (or good fortune) to lose his horse. It was an old bay horse, and, like his master, was a wandering prospector, only that he prospected for grass, while the owner prosjiected for quartz. This particular day tlie old bay wandered further than he ugas wont to do, probably because the bunch-grass was few and far between. At any rate, the prospector desired to move camp, but could not do so without the assistance of his bay companion. He mu9t needs find him. He was at last successful, and while returning with the truant he noticed the head of a mountain rani sticking in the rocks. Stopping to examine it, he saw rich-looking quartz scattered about, and, following it up, lie hit upon what is now the noted Ramshorn mine, —the longest and richest silver ledge that we know of. The distriet was named Bay Horse, as it should have been, and is the richest silver district in the Salmon River country. I knew a man once who followed mining and prospecting for a period of forty years. He had been all through California, Colorado, and Montana, and had prospected twenty-five years in before coming west. He was not much on digging deep holes, hut lie would go round hunting for shallow diggings so long as the hoys would “stake him.” He was getting worn out prospecting out of luek, and when, on the 24th day of July, 1864, he called on a tributary of Priekley Pear Creek, in Northern Montana, he said to his three companions, “Let’s sink a hole on tills bar; its the last chance; if we can’t And it here I don’t know where next to prospect.” The younger members of the party put the hole ty bedrock, the diggings were named Last Chance, and two years later the old man threw away his tools and went home to Georgia with a Joyful heart and SIOO,000 in clean gold dust, but not until after he had seen the City of Helena, the metropolis of Montano, spring up about him.

Only last August a prospector in the Lower Wood River country, met with an unexpected streak of luck that astonished him. While on his way across from Bellvue to Croy Canon, tlie pack on the horse he was leading became loose, and in order to adjust it lie dismounted. While rearranging it he saw something at his feet that resembled rich silver “float.” He traced it up to the ledge, which was only a short distance away, and found that lie had one of the best “prospects” in Wood River. He located the original and two extensions, and the best ore in tlie vein assays up into tho/thousands. Becently he sold oyft for a snug little fortune. On a mountain trail in (California there used to be a big bowlder which furnished a favorite resting place for tired footman. Thousands of men had sat on that stone and rested their weary limbs. In fact it was of so peculiar shape that it seemed to fit every one who tried it. With long usage it had worn as smooth as ivory, and was greasy with frequent contact with miners’ clothing. One day an old prospector squatted himself upon this favorite resting-stone, and while getting his wind he carelesly and unconsciously pecked away at the boulder with his pick. A piece of the rock flew off und revealed to him the surprising truth that he was sitting on a rich chunk of quartz. He at once proceeded up the hill and found the ledge, and it was full of gold and brought him much wealth. The man who first found gold in California was working in a mill-race at the time ut very small wages, and didn’t expect any pay until the mill got to sawing.

Thus I might go <m and give many more instances of rich -mines being discovered by accident, but it will not aid the prospector. He will soon learn that it takes a close observer and a persistent digger to make a good prospector. Tlie new beginner is not long in noticing that accidental mines are rare. Experience teaches ail of us that mines do not walk around over the country asking somebody to find them. Oil the contrary, they seem to hide themselves in the mountains, and appear scared at the approach of a man with the pick and shovel. We are told that once upon a time a young man left the home of his childhowl, bid farewell to his weeping mother, kissed away the tears of his little sweetheart, and went out into the wilds of the west to become a miner. The tradition goes that he at last struck a mining camp, and being inexperienced lie sighted a veteran foT advice as to the best place to dig. Seeing his visitor was a “tenderfoot,” dressed in store clothes, the old man, in the kindness of his big heart, answered i “Young man, go up on the hillside, in the shade of yonder green tree, and dig, and fortune will smile.” The youth did not “tumble” to the sarcasm of the man of experience, but went forth with joy to tiie shade of the green tree as directed, dug, and found a fortune in less than an hour. But this is a lie—every word of it. I have heard the same old stoiy told as having happened In the lead mines of Wisconsin, ip the gold mines of California, Montana, Colorado, the Black Hills, and Nevada, and now I am only waiting to have some fellow spin ft to me and locate the scene in Idaho, and forbearance will then and there cease.