OLD NEWS

[EarnieP]

OLD 'NEWS'

Here’s a little ‘nugget’ I dug up that some of you miners might enjoy.
(I did not change any of the original punctuation but did break the article up into paragraphs for easier reading online.
-----------------------------------------------------

From the Weekly Arizona Miner Oct. 19, 1877

The Golden Mirage
from the Territorial (Nev) Enterprise

Yesterday Chas. Tozer called upon us and in ten minutes told us that during the early summer he was in Arizona; named several mines in that Territory which he believes are to become famous in the near future, and a dozen more of less extent which are comfortable for the owners. He could stay but a few minutes, being obliged to hurry his arrangements to take the train for Tuscarora last night.

When he had gone we could not help but think of the life he has lived for years on the coast, which is but typical of thousands of other lives in our midst. When we knew him first - a dozen years ago - he was an old miner then. At that time he was sure that his fortune was secured in a copper mine in Gennessee valley, Plumas county, California. Since then he has been to every mining camp on the coast; every hill and every sagebrush in this great desert basin is familiar to him; he can give dimension of every mine in Nevada; tell the nature of the ores which they contain and in what formation they are found. He knows nothing about fatigue; is at home alike in city and in the wilderness, and expects sometime to secure a bonanza and gather to his bank account a few million.

Every day we see such men; not many who are gifted like Tozer - who is competent to take charge of mines and mills - but men who are following a golden dream all over the coast. Every little while we hear that one of them has grown weary of prospecting and fallen asleep; their eyes fixed on the silver hills beyond, and they did not see the grave which had opened across their trail until they stepped into it and disappeared. Those graves are everywhere amid our hills and mark where strong hearts, at last worn out, cease to beat. But the race seems ever renewed. When one falls by the way another takes up the burden and struggles on toward the beautiful coast which shines ahead, and though, to nine out of ten, it is but a mirage; the fact does not discourage them.

If the history of the lives which have been worn out in this way within the past twenty eight years could be written it would be a study for thoughtful men ever afterward. It has not been a miser’s search for gold, for these men are always generous and always brave - two attributes which misers do not possess. With the majority of them the dream has been not to gain fortunes for the sake of being called rich, but rather with gold to hush the sorrows of those who are dear to them, and to shield others from hardships which they had grown so familiar that to bear them uncomplainingly had become second nature. It was these men who made the skirmish line for the army of civilization which followed them; who beat back the savages; who lit the wilderness with signal lights; who blazed the trails; who marked where the streams could be forded; who measured the deserts and found the springs; who made it possible for cities to be built; for homes to be made and order to be established.

We should never forget these things, and when we meet one of these men we should remember that he has braved more than soldiers have in battle; has endured marches and bivouacs which the bravest soldier would shrink from, and generally his only reward has been the hope which kept him company through the years and the dream of joy which should come when the hardships should all be past.

 

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[EarnieP]

And just for the fun of it;

From the same Oct 19 1877 Weekly Arizona Miner

"It is thought that B. Young ought to have
recovered from his cholera morbus, but when
it came to fighting with twenty-seven women,
each one with a different kind of mustard plaster
for her dear husband, and a new kind of herb tea, it was too much for him.
Every woman laid her plaster where there was room,
and the prophet went down to his grave like a sandwich. ---Hawkeye."

 

[EarnieP]

From the Arizona Weekly Miner;

Prescott, Arizona Friday Evening June 5, 1874

Letter from Maryville
Maryville, A.T. (Arizona Territory) May 25

To the Editor of the Arizona Miner:

Wishing to give your readers a letter of interest,
I have made arrangements with several friends
to furnish me all the current items transpiring in
their several localities.

The following extract from a private letter
received from Camp McDowell, underdate
of the 24th inst., will, I think, prove highly
satisfactory to your numerous patrons:

“Lieut Parkhurst, and detachment, returning
to this post yesterday, from a ten day’s scout.
Lieut P. accompanied Lieut Schuyler’s expedition.
The result may be summed up as follows;
On the 17th inst, in the vicinity of Four Peaks,
a rancheria was jumped and 23 Indians were
made forever peaceable, and seven squaws
made prisoners. On the next day five more Indians
were made good. Plenty of “sign” was seen north of
Salt river, and in the direction of Superstition mountain.
It is the belief of some that the party of “unreconstructed”
Apaches are still lurking in these mountains. The region
scouted abounds with water, etc. Al Seber, one of
General Crook’s most trusted guides, made a narrow
escape. An Indian was in the act of drawing his bow
to shoot him, when he (Seber) fired, killing his antagonist
instantly.”

The above is certainly cheering. All honor
to Crook and his brave officers and men.
A wag says that “Gen Crook’s scouts have
killed so many Indians this spring, that the
buzzards are three weeks behind with the eyes.”

“Nil Desperandum” Tells you that the
farmers north of the Gila are obliged to
employ a night watchman for the safety of
their stock. We are obliged to employ two
and three for the same purpose.

We are having the whooping cough here merely for pastime.

Weather hot enough to roast an egg. I
gave the “old Fellow” a trial yesterday, and
he did it to perfection.
Maniac.

----------------
[Apologies to Native American citizens for the ‘tone’ of this old article, particularly to Apache who may be reading this 1874 article. A vicious war was being waged at the time and the feelings of all involved were understandably running high.]

 

[EarnieP]

For those who like reading these type of old stories, here's a site with archives of the Arizona Weekly Miner;
(Maybe we'll find Jacob Waltz' name mentioned in there somewhere?)

About Arizona weekly miner. (Prescott, Ariz.) 1874-1877 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

In the days before radio, before TV, before movies, there were newspapers.
Some of those old stories were written to be very entertaining.
(The old medical advertisements can be hilarious.)

 

[EarnieP]

Reading these old 1870's newspapers has led me to understand that a common saying in those days was "via Robin Hood's barn", which was used to state "the long way around".

Now I'm not saying that this was in anyway connected to old Jacob saying,
"To find my mine you must pass a cow barn.", but...?

 

[captain1965]

Here’s a little ‘nugget’ I dug up that some of you miners might enjoy.
(I did not change any of the original punctuation but did break the article up into paragraphs for easier reading online.
-----------------------------------------------------

From the Weekly Arizona Miner Oct. 19, 1877

The Golden Mirage
from the Territorial (Nev) Enterprise

Yesterday Chas. Tozer called upon us and in ten minutes told us that during the early summer he was in Arizona; named several mines in that Territory which he believes are to become famous in the near future, and a dozen more of less extent which are comfortable for the owners. He could stay but a few minutes, being obliged to hurry his arrangements to take the train for Tuscarora last night.

When he had gone we could not help but think of the life he has lived for years on the coast, which is but typical of thousands of other lives in our midst. When we knew him first - a dozen years ago - he was an old miner then. At that time he was sure that his fortune was secured in a copper mine in Gennessee valley, Plumas county, California. Since then he has been to every mining camp on the coast; every hill and every sagebrush in this great desert basin is familiar to him; he can give dimension of every mine in Nevada; tell the nature of the ores which they contain and in what formation they are found. He knows nothing about fatigue; is at home alike in city and in the wilderness, and expects sometime to secure a bonanza and gather to his bank account a few million.

Every day we see such men; not many who are gifted like Tozer - who is competent to take charge of mines and mills - but men who are following a golden dream all over the coast. Every little while we hear that one of them has grown weary of prospecting and fallen asleep; their eyes fixed on the silver hills beyond, and they did not see the grave which had opened across their trail until they stepped into it and disappeared. Those graves are everywhere amid our hills and mark where strong hearts, at last worn out, cease to beat. But the race seems ever renewed. When one falls by the way another takes up the burden and struggles on toward the beautiful coast which shines ahead, and though, to nine out of ten, it is but a mirage; the fact does not discourage them.

If the history of the lives which have been worn out in this way within the past twenty eight years could be written it would be a study for thoughtful men ever afterward. It has not been a miser’s search for gold, for these men are always generous and always brave - two attributes which misers do not possess. With the majority of them the dream has been not to gain fortunes for the sake of being called rich, but rather with gold to hush the sorrows of those who are dear to them, and to shield others from hardships which they had grown so familiar that to bear them uncomplainingly had become second nature. It was these men who made the skirmish line for the army of civilization which followed them; who beat back the savages; who lit the wilderness with signal lights; who blazed the trails; who marked where the streams could be forded; who measured the deserts and found the springs; who made it possible for cities to be built; for homes to be made and order to be established.

We should never forget these things, and when we meet one of these men we should remember that he has braved more than soldiers have in battle; has endured marches and bivouacs which the bravest soldier would shrink from, and generally his only reward has been the hope which kept him company through the years and the dream of joy which should come when the hardships should all be past.

There is a mountain in the Superstitions that has "Tozer" carved on a stone. Interesting

 

[EarnieP]

Another great source for many of the old newspapers;

Arizona Digital Newspaper Program

 

[cactusjumper]

There is a mountain in the Superstitions that has "Tozer" carved on a stone. Interesting

Many of you have met my Cousin, Sam Tozer. He has been with me for many trips into the Superstitions. Charles Tozer, not the one in the newspaper article, was Sam's brother. We all grew up together in Ramona, CA. Here is what happened to Cousin Chuck:

 

[gollum]

Many of you have met my Cousin, Sam Tozer. He has been with me for many trips into the Superstitions. Charles Tozer, not the one in the newspaper article, was Sam's brother. We all grew up together in Ramona, CA. Here is what happened to Cousin Chuck:

AAAAAAH Ramona! Been there a million times. Even dated a girl named Ramona. HAHAHA A buddy from Ramona told me about a large boulder near the reservoir that has a large cross carved on it. Not too far away (uphill) is supposed to be a cave full of buzztails and some gold ornaments and plates. Haven't looked for that one yet.

Mike
..............oh yeah! And what happened to your cousin Chuck?

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Gollum, Northern calif, where I spent the first 1/3 of my life, minus a war or two, hosts many decendents from Ramona, it was a quiet peaceful lil town til you hit it.

For our readers Romana lies east of San Diego, southern Callif.

It is the source of a love story , no, not mikes, and song. Seems the rich landowner ruthlessly murders our herion's Mexican love, and is not charged with anything..

 

[cactusjumper]

Gollum, Northern calif, where I spent the first 1/3 of my life, minus a war or two, hosts many decendents from Ramona, it was a quiet peaceful lil town til you hit it.

For our readers Romana lies east of San Diego, southern Callif.

It is the source of a love story , no, not mikes, and song. Seems the rich landowner ruthlessly murders our herion's Mexican love, and is not charged with anything..

Don Jose,

You are mistaken here. Ramona, CA was named after the novel by Helen Hunt Jackson. It was not the source for the novel.

Take care,

Joe

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

So the horse was placed before the cart. If you are correct - and you usually are -- I stand corrected

You have had eough time to get cured/ well, so you are able to swill a cupa coffee I'll join you.

p.s. don't tell Mike

 

[cactusjumper]

So the horse was placed before the cart. If you are correct - and you usually are -- I stand corrected

You have had eough time to get cured/ well, so you are able to swill a cupa coffee I'll join you.

p.s. don't tell Mike

Don Jose,

I was raised in Ramona. My grandparents were, basically, pioneers there. At one time they owned a very large part of main street......both sides. My grandfather was Sam Huston Stoker, brother to Obie Stoker, one of the early Dutch Hunters.

Take care,

Joe

 

[cactusjumper]

Sorry I took so long to reply to Mike's question, "..............oh yeah! And what happened to your cousin Chuck?"

There is a mountain in the Superstitions that has "Tozer" carved on a stone. Interesting

Many of you have met my Cousin, Sam Tozer. He has been with me for many trips into the Superstitions. Charles Tozer, not the one in the newspaper article, was Sam's brother. We all grew up together in Ramona, CA. Here is what happened to Cousin Chuck: In November of 1966, Chuck was in a helicopter that went down in the ocean just west of San Diego. His body was never recovered. I was one month away from coming home from Viet Nam. It was a very bad time for the family. He was also a Viet Nam Vet.

Good luck to all,

Joe Ribaudo

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Joe, so you are a decendent of that rich landowner that murded tha Indian ( not a Mexican) You should be ashamed of yourself My steak still in the freeser ?