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

[GhostMiner]

  August 7   2002     Part Two

 

   Conor had worked his way up the line on the railroad and retired as a high ranking company supervisor. He knew very little about gold mining but was eager to learn. He asked us to give him a tour of the mine so that’s what we did for the rest of the day. 

   The first place he wanted to see was where the big gold strike of 1936 had taken place. When we took him there he was stunned. He turned to his uncle and told him how incredible this dig site was. He could hardly believe how much ground had been moved and all by hand to boot. Jacob gave him a wink and simply told him they had a great crew and everyone was determined. Conor said that his dad and uncle were one of a kind and great men. He admired them to the fullest.

   We showed Conor all around and showed him a little of the gold and his eyes glazed over. We ended up at the Hidden Mine and Bill was telling him all about how rich it might be. Conor asked us if we thought we could actually move enough rock and gravel to make an entry. Bill told him that he figured we could. Conor was up for working with us and he looked like he was in shape for the job. However, I warned him it would take him some time to get used to the hard life here. There was nothing easy about any of it.

   When we got back to camp it was nearly dusk and we cooked up a nice supper and found out that Conor enjoyed a good cup of whisky just like the rest of our crew. He seemed like a good fit. Tomorrow the four of us will get back to the task of moving a mountain.

   TO BE CONTINUED ................

[Old Miner Don]

So I guess it is now safe to say that after showing Conor around the mine, Bill knows who Jacob is? I had the impression up to now that Jacob and you weren't filling Bill in on all of those details from decades ago.

[Mike Furness]

Bedrocker I thought the same thing. LOL, Great minds think alike! 😂

[GhostMiner]

42 minutes ago, Bedrocker said:

So I guess it is now safe to say that after showing Conor around the mine, Bill knows who Jacob is? I had the impression up to now that Jacob and you weren't filling Bill in on all of those details from decades ago.

Bill knows that Jacob worked at the mine with his brother back in 1936 now. He still doesn't know the entire story. However, anyone researching that area would be aware of some of the goings on including the killings because it was common knowledge. 

[GhostMiner]

2 hours ago, GhostMiner said:

Bill knows that Jacob worked at the mine with his brother back in 1936 now. He still doesn't know the entire story. However, anyone researching that area would be aware of some of the goings on including the killings because it was common knowledge. 

   It also seems like one happy little mining crew has been formed now. Or has it? This infamous mining property is always full of surprises.

[Old Miner Don]

4 hours ago, GhostMiner said:

   It also seems like one happy little mining crew has been formed now. Or has it? This infamous mining property is always full of surprises.

You can say that again!

[GhostMiner]

  August 8   2002          Part One     Attempting The Impossible

 

   Conor and Jacob were up before dawn and they made the crew’s breakfast while talking up a storm. There was a full pot of hot coffee awaiting Bill and I and Jacob spiked our cups with Irish whisky. The bacon and eggs with biscuits tasted great in the cool mountain air.

   Conor was beyond excited and straining at the bit to get up to the Hidden Mine and start digging. He had armed himself with a Colt 45 and carried it in a holster on his hip with a band of extra rounds strapped across his shoulder and chest like a Bandelero. We trudged up the mountain with barely enough daylight to see where we were treading. There was no slowing down Conor.

   Eventually we made it up to the mine. It was a sight to behold. The sun had just made it over the big pine trees and was shining down on our digging tools laying in front of the work area. The shovels were actually reflecting the light and glistening. Some of the white quartz that was laying in chunks looked to be lit up as well. I thought to myself that this was all surreal and what a hell of an adventure we were on up here in the Sierra Nevada. 

   Jacob stayed down at the bottom of the slide and worked slowly at moving rocks while the rest of us climbed up the slide and began the work of pitching and pushing rocks off the side. They would tumble down and crash to the right of where Jacob was working. When we had enough rock moved we worked the picks and shovels moving smaller rocks and gravel. By mid morning the temperature was already 80 degrees and we were drenched in sweat. I looked over at Conor and he was working like a mad man on fire. I tried to warn him to slow his pace but it was no use. He had the worst case of gold fever I have ever witnessed.

   TO BE CONTINUED ...............

[Old Miner Don]

2 hours ago, GhostMiner said:

I tried to warn him to slow his pace but it was no use. He had the worst case of gold fever I have ever witnessed.

Uh oh...

[GhostMiner]

  August 8   2002     Part Two

 

   We stopped for a lunch break around noon. The temperature was starting to climb but we do have some nice large pines up in this area. I was advising Conor to make sure he drank lots of water. When we got back to work Conor was still outpacing Bill and I by quite a bit. We had learned that a slower and steadier pace was more productive in the long run as well as being easier on the body. I always like to place a thermometer near the work area and by 3:00 PM it had climbed to 103 degrees. All of us were ready for another break in the shade except for Conor who refused to stop. Bill told him to take it easy and that he wasn’t going to open the mine in a day. It fell on deaf ears.

   After our break we resumed the digging and rock moving. Conor was off to my left and I had heard his pick and shovel banging away all day but it suddenly went silent. When I turned to look Conor was on his knees with his head down. His clothes were soaked with sweat. Then he rolled over on his side. I hollered over to him but there was no reply. I hollered for Bill and we headed over to where he was lying. He appeared to be unconscious. I grabbed my water canteen and poured some of it over his head. Bill did the same. He seemed to come out of the stupor and was groning a bit. I gave him a little water and then Bill and I carried him down the slide and into some nice shade. He finally started talking to us and said he felt sick. Jacob came over and was shaking his head. He told him he needed to slow down. Conor nodded in agreement. We left him in the shade with water and Jacob stayed with him while Bill and I resumed our work. I told Jacob to give us a holler if anything changed with him. 

   We worked for another two hours and decided we’d had enough. Conor said his legs felt weak but he thought he could walk back to camp. We took our time and finally made it back after several breaks. Conor had learned the hard way that the big heat out here in the Summer was no joke and could take you out.

   TO BE CONTINUED ................

[dig4gold]

You are on a roll with this story now. 

D4G