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Show ANCIENT MINES. Capitan. N. M.. March 1. It is a mighty poor New Mexican county that I cannot boast of one or two "lost mines" within its borders which are said to have produced fabulously in the days of the Montezumas and added untold riches to the Spanish treasure vaults. Especially is this true of the southern tier of counties, and Lincoln county is no exception. There are many traditions tradi-tions among the Mexicans of this county coun-ty which have been handed down from father to son regarding an old mine in this section which was worked years ago by the Spaniards. Many attempts have been made to locate this mine, but all proved futile. This tradition was unexpectedly revived re-vived a few days since by the discovery of an old shaft on the upper Bonito, n-hiH hears nnmistflkflhle Sl'E-nS of being a very old mine. The discovery has had the effect of electrifying the people of that part of the country, and as a result another rush similar to the one experienced on the New Klondike has been inaugurated. Near the shaft is an old tree bearing a strange inscription which no one has thus far been able to decipher, which lends additional color to the belief that it is an old Spanish or Aztec mine. The day following the discovery of the old shaft about fifty claims were staked off In that vicinity. These were located as placer claims, as it has developed de-veloped that the dirt in that vicinity washes out big values. This last discovery dis-covery was made by the purest accident. acci-dent. The eld shaft was discovered by a man by the name of Jennings, who had been prospecting in that vicinity for several - months past. No one as yet has tried to enter the shaft, as it Is filled up with rocks and boulders. |