** Lost Gold At The Dead Man's Mine ** A Miners Journal **

[GhostMiner]

   June 15   2002     Part One

 

   Last night we got into a bit of a disagreement. It was Jim who had first watch and when he was getting ready to head up the mountain Jacob handed him a bottle of Bushmills. Jacob told him it would help keep him warm and be good company. I spoke up because the night guards were always armed and I didn’t think it was a good idea to mix guns with alcohol. We’d already had plenty of trouble out here. 

   When I spoke up about it Jacob and Vern came to Jim’s defense. They said that even though it was hot during the day at night the temperature dropped into the 40’s and 50’s and a little whisky wouldn’t hurt any. I didn’t want to make a bigger deal out of it than it was but I stuck to my thoughts. Then Jacob spoke up saying I wasn’t the crew boss and shouldn’t say anything. He said that he was actually the boss and to let Jim be. I didn’t want an argument with my good friend Jacob so I just waved my hand to Jim and said to stay safe. And that was that and the drama was over.

   Jacob rolled a smoke and poured a cup of whisky for the three of us at camp. I think he knew he had offended me slightly but I was not angry in the least. I smiled and offered up a toast to the gold we would still be digging out of the ground and everything was normal again. And then we heard gunfire up on the mountain. I grabbed the walkie talkie and tried to raise Jim but there was no reply.

   TO BE CONTINUED .............

[dig4gold]

Ohhh.... bugger.

D4G

[GhostMiner]

   June 15   2002     Part Two

 

   Jacob was out of his chair and walking up the trail towards the gunfire with Thompson in hand. There was no stopping him. I asked Vern to stay at camp in case someone was trying to lure us away and headed up the trail with Jacob. I continued to try to contact Jim on the radio but there was no answer. I was fearing the worst but hoping for the best.

   By the time we got up to the location of the pump everything was stone quiet with no sign of Jim. I decided to holler out to him. There was no answer. Jacob and I had taken some cover behind a boulder and I was trying to shine my flashlight into the wooded area of the mountain to see if anyone was out there. It was a waste of time because the trees were thick. Jacob said he didn’t like the setup we were in and now Vern was alone at camp. He told me to go back to camp with Vern and he would keep an eye out for Jim up here. Reluctantly, I agreed and left him with a walkie talkie and I headed back to camp.

      TO BE CONTINUED ...................

[GhostMiner]

   June 15   2002     Part Three

 

   When I got back to camp Vern was pretty upset that we didn’t find Jim. I told him it was dark, we had tried the radio as well as calling out, but there was just no way to know where he had gone. I figured it was probably the same goons that seemed to be against our mining activities. 

   Vern wanted to go charging out into the woods and find Jim. I asked him just where he would start and he replied somewhere up in the area Jim had last been. I said we didn’t know which direction he had gone. He may have taken off trying to pursue the thugs or he could now be lost. He also may have been taken captive. Jacob was up there in case he returned. We couldn’t leave camp unguarded and I was unwilling to risk Vern’s life. I thought about letting the law know about this but decided to wait until morning. Besides, I figured they wouldn’t want to risk deputies' lives on a wild goose chase into the mountains at night. So Vern and I sat at camp and kept in contact with Jacob via the radios. All I could think of was how Jim had wanted to leave the mine and go home because of the danger out here but I had talked him out of it. I felt responsible for the crew. I knew they were out here on their own choice but still felt horrible. I was beginning to think about what had happened to the crews in 1936 & 1937. It gave me the creeps.

   TO BE CONTINUED ............

[Old Miner Don]

39 minutes ago, GhostMiner said:

   June 15   2002     Part Three

 

   When I got back to camp Vern was pretty upset that we didn’t find Jim. I told him it was dark, we had tried the radio as well as calling out, but there was just no way to know where he had gone. I figured it was probably the same goons that seemed to be against our mining activities. 

   Vern wanted to go charging out into the woods and find Jim. I asked him just where he would start and he replied somewhere up in the area Jim had last been. I said we didn’t know which direction he had gone. He may have taken off trying to pursue the thugs or he could now be lost. He also may have been taken captive. Jacob was up there in case he returned. We couldn’t leave camp unguarded and I was unwilling to risk Vern’s life. I thought about letting the law know about this but decided to wait until morning. Besides, I figured they wouldn’t want to risk deputies' lives on a wild goose chase into the mountains at night. So Vern and I sat at camp and kept in contact with Jacob via the radios. All I could think of was how Jim had wanted to leave the mine and go home because of the danger out here but I had talked him out of it. I felt responsible for the crew. I knew they were out here on their own choice but still felt horrible. I was beginning to think about what had happened to the crews in 1936 & 1937. It gave me the creeps.

   TO BE CONTINUED ............

So I'm wondering if this is where Jacob takes his exit?

[GhostMiner]

 June 15   2002     Part Four

 

   We are late into the night with no word from Jim. Jacob said there has been not even a sound up on the mountain in the area near the pump. It will be dawn soon and we will need to make a decision on what we are going to do.I will have no choice but to involve the law as Jim is a missing person. I’m also going to have to contact Jim’s family and advise them of our situation. When my wife hears of this she will be beyond upset. I think that - wait - I am hearing the Thompson firing up on the mountain. I am stopping here to try and raise Jacob on the radio. I think that

[Mike Furness]

I see no good coming from this!😟

[GhostMiner]

   June 16   2002     PART ONE

 

   It is early morning and Vern and I are going to search the mountain for Jim. Jacob will remain at camp. He said that last night the trespassers had come back and he had fired in their general direction and they took off. He didn’t know if he had hit anyone. This is turning into a mess. Based on what Jacob told us about the direction the trespassers had come from we think that Jim may be somewhere in that direction. He may be lying somewhere hurt. I told the crew we will give it a try until early afternoon and if we can’t find Jim we will need to contact the law.

   TO BE CONTINUED ................

[GhostMiner]

  June 16   2002     Part Two

 

   Well glory be we found Jim. He was laying in a depression he had fallen into. His radio had hit a rock and broke and his knee is sprained. He was nearly ¾ of a mile from the pumps. We kept on calling and he finally heard us and hollered back. Aside from being a little dehydrated he seems to be ok except for his knee. He will have to rest it for a few days and see how it feels.

   When we eventually limped our way back into camp Jacob was full of questions. He wanted to know if he had hit any of the hooligans with his Thompson. Jim told him he didn’t think so. They must have come back around after Jim had fallen but were scared away by Jacob. Jim said there were three of them from what he could see and they were firing guns either at him or around him with the intention of running him off.

   We all needed a day of rest and that’s just what we did. Except for Jacob who did the gold cleanup from the previous day’s 40 yards of pay gravel. There was 13 ounces in the jar. We were all pleased except for Jacob. He just shook his head and said there’s that unlucky number again. When sundown came we had to send Vern up on first night watch. It was no fun up there alone with these thugs running around. I just wanted to get back to mining.

   TO BE CONTINUED ..................

[GhostMiner]

   June 17   2002

 

   Things were quiet last night. Jim refused to go to the hospital to get his knee checked out. It is badly swollen and he is out of commission. He volunteered to sit up at the pump today which would allow Vern to help me shovel gravel but I told him to wait until he is feeling better. Vern must guard the pump and water line during the day so with Jim out of commission it leaves just me to feed the tom. Jacob doesn’t have any concentrates to clean up so he will help me as much as he can. 

   The heat is not letting up but no one complains. Jacob says it will get even hotter come July and August. For someone who is 85 years old Jacob did more than could be expected today. The two of us were soaked in sweat and we sent  15 yards of gravel through the tom. We are hoping to get the trommel back up and running soon.

   TO BE CONTINUED ...............