Show 7 E MINING PLOT A UNIQUE WAY OF SALTING A WORTHLESS CLAIM Selling Out to And After Atter AUtho All AU this the Celestials Celestial Had the tho Host o of or tho the thonA nA Loaded Gun fuel a n Sunke I In 1851 3 a party of ot American miners had been bean working a n claim near neat Colum bin bia Tuolumne County California anc and not having even found the tho color n they became discouraged the tho more moro so as a I company of a short dis sits tanco above them wore were doing very verj welL elL The Americans having expressed a n willingness to sell one day went to look at the claim They talked it over among themselves veil and und finally asked the owners at what price lines they would selL Of Ot course courso the tho Americans made it out rich and put a it high figure on it though in tact fact they were resolved resol to sell it out at tiny any price being sure that the tho ground WI was worthless It was decided that tho the should bring their picks am and pans the next day to 10 prospect ar ard d i If they were Iere satisfied they would buy at atthe tho the figure agreed upon The Tho miners thinking it would probably probably probably ably be bo their last chanco chance to sell determined de do- determined to salt the claim It was a a. large piece of ground and tho the trouble was as where to put salt dalt salt One o otho of tho bo men soon hit upon a It ver vory ingenious plan llan He took a gun and anti went wont ns as ho be said to get a quail or two but in reality to kill a snake As there were u It great many about the tho place he soon killed a largo gopher snake which resembles resembles re- re the tho large largo rattle snake in appearance ap up- but is perfectly harmless to man Putting his game into a bag ho he i to camp On being asked by his companions what ho he had bad brought back for supper he be shook out the snake and explained pis idea thus t N Now Nv v. bo boys boj s. s when the come como morrow to-morrow they wont won't allow any of ot us to o be too near because they're afraid of salt Well Jim you walk along on top of the tho bank und and have that dead snake in your pocket Billand Billand Bill Billand and mo me will stay talking to the Johns Ill I'll have bave my gun over my shoulder asif as asif asit if it I vas was going for lor a 1 rabbit only you see Ill I'll put salt saIl into the gun instead of sh shot t. t Well We'll find out where bere they are going r to pan out next and you be he looking on on innocent like with the ready to drop where I toll tell you Jou When thorn them fellers tellers start to walk here liere 1 just slide him down the bank d when we wo all get t there Ill I'll holler 7 Hold I-Hold on boys bOJ's and before they know what's up Til ru fire the salt all around there and make mako believe I killed the snake that do N Next ext morning four came p prepared for work They tried a few places but of course did not got get the color The Americans kept at a a. distance so that there could be no complaint com corn plaint Well VeIl John said the schemer I where you try next over in that corner The Tho were suspicious in a mom moment nt They were familiar with salted saIled claims and were wore well veIl on their theil guns guard No No dis corn The him ni corn pointing to the tho opposite site sito one S Jim with his hands hands in in his nock t. t t was l above bo on the th-b th bank c many nany feet t e away watching when he saw baw them point in that direction his partner gave o n nod and he ho pitched the snake on the ground near the place The Tue leader exclaimed Hold on boys and fired before they could tell which way uy to look Going up to the snake he pushed the gun under it and carried it away hanging over the barrel Jim walked sit eff and Bill sat on a wheelbarrow wheelbarrow wheel wheel- barrow on the opposite side sido from where they were at work Tho The China China- men mon had no suspicion They carried away several pans of dirt to wash in a stream near by and when they returned returned returned re re- re- re turned Bill felt pretty sure they had struck some seine of ot the salt alt but the said nothing except Claim no good man too The Americans knowing the game gamo refused to take less than tho the specified price which tho the finally paid and ind nd In two days the sellers wore were off to new diggings The strangest part of the tho ston story is that tho the claim turned out to be bo one of the richest in the tho district The China China- men made a great deal of money sold out and went home hom The Tho The Century |