My thoughts on the Fever, Ruth, the Secret, and Waltz the person
Marius,
Thank You for the (Stories) about the LDM, Peralta's, Waltz.
Some of which I had read in the past and most details forgotten.
Gold Fever,
as I remember is a condition where your mind creates chemicals in the body
that will allow you to perform in ways that may be totally out of character. I
would think most Everyone in this Broad Forum "T/N" has had this Fever more
or less, at one time or another.
Ruth I would think is No exception. Or those who found his body thinking
he had found the LDM.
Ruth was a greenhorn, tenderfoot, someone not tested for the elements he was
about to undertake.
Ruths
skull as I recall had a bullet hole or two in it. I saw a picture of his skull on the ground,
searchers in view. But I believe I read this photo was staged, because they did not
have a camera when the search party found the remains.
I think the story of Ruth is sensationalized because of the (paper) note found in
the check book, Veni Vede Vici. I Came, I Saw, I Conquered. The Fever set in
on the Search Party, the Search changed to "Looking for Gold !" Remember
they were the Search Party, the Search was Over, but after the "Huddle" they
decided to retrace Ruth's tracks that could only have been done by the (paper)
they had, and No new evidence on the LDM as I remember. Quote: "Tex led them
- it certainly was a Rough Trip !" A rough trip for Men experienced in this part of the
country. But most likely the first time out for most following the Clues.
What is missing is Ruth never found the LDM. "Vici", there was no Conquered !
Secret,
ever had a secret that someone or some people kept asking you what it was that
you Knew ? To the point of Irritability ? To the point of creating an incidence that
you might otherwise like to forget about ? I have, and was not comfortable about
the whole mess. And it was No Big Deal !
There were two couples having dinner in a restaurant. The two men sitting across
from each other noticed an ash tray on the table that each wanted to take home
after the meal. A discussion occurred on who should have it. One of them said,
"I'll take this off the table and you will never see me take it, if you do, then it's
yours !" when the meal was almost over, the woman on the other side of the
table noticed the ash tray was missing. The man on her side realized he had lost.
The wife, her sister, and the "Looser" kept after him, a 30 mile trip back home. He
kept silent, to analyze the event of the evening. Not the dinner, but the actions of
the group prying to get the Secret of the ash tray. Later that evening the wife of
the "Winner" caused such a commotion on how the Secret was performed that he
eventually had to give in as to "Save The Marriage !" He could not believe how the
situation escalated over something as simple as it was, and we were Not Talking
About A Fabulous Gold Mine !
Jacob Waltz was an educated man. He knew when he turned in his gold for currency
he was a Marked man, a Target. As a prospector, he knew this Gold was exceptional.
His assayed Gold would be the talk of the town, and the next town, and the next.
Because of this, he had cache's placed on the trail back to town.
How smart was Jacob Waltz ?
To be a successful prospector, live out his life to an old age, and No one with the
Fever ever found the Mine, and lived to talk about it !
According to the Stories of those who were looking for the LDM, based on the clues
given by Waltz, this was fairly rugged country. And in this No Man's Land, a place
that no one could work out a living, is this Rock formed by God, known today as
Weavers Needle. I would ask, "How long did it take Waltz before he gave out his
first Clue ? The time for his Second, his Third, Forth. And what time of the year
was it ? Why would he give out any clues at all ? Remember the Ash Tray ? He
gave out clues to get people Off His Back !
Imagine this, people running through town screaming "We Have a Clue to the
Dutchman's Mine !" And eventually "We Have A New Clue !" and everyone would
know exactly what you are screaming about. People running around getting their
gear together and others begging for a "Grub Stake" for a share of the Mine. More
people gathered in lines at the Mercantile with their grub stake money buying
up coffee, bacon, beans & bullets. The lucky one's have already left town, not
boggled down begging for a "Stake". The News travels to the next town, and
the next. Laborer's have now become a shortage everywhere. Those laborers
who have stayed in town can now seek out the best pay, supply and demand
economics also felt at the Mercantile.
Now we are headed out to the Needle. Hundreds of people following the same
trail. Campfires at night, seekers sitting around talking about what they would
do if they found It ! Where ? 5 miles from the Needle, from the North I can see
the 4 Peaks. Essentially, that would put a few people within sight of each other
causing additional stress, immediacy. Someone has to file a claim so you have to
travel together. Locked on to the Needle & 4 Peaks can keep a lot of people off
your back for a while. Concentrated on some of the worst terrain experienced.
Eventually people have come back to town, grub stakes have run out. The
pestering starts all over again, you learn by experience to let out a clue in a timely
manor. Probably in the worst conditions (summer/winter) for Revenge.
You learn over time to talk in parables/fables, this keeps everyone's attention
off him and on the directions (Needle/4 Peaks). I believe Waltz put a lot of
thought of where he wanted to send the Seekers. A place he was familiar with,
"Tex led them, it certainly was a Rough Trip !" Each time the process starts all
over again. Waltz learns the Parasites who have not learned to go out on first
notice, are keeping an eye on him. He may feel safer out on the trail so he goes
to the Fort (McDowell) to report those he suspects may do him harm. He doesn't
trust anyone but the Army, they are the only one's not looking for the Mine.
I would think the only time Waltz could/would give out the actual location of
the Mine would be under duress/illness. If Waltz wanted to give out the site
of the Mine, he would have done that before he died of old age. He would
have taken that someone there. So based on the hardships of a Prospector
to make a living, why would Waltz give away his Mine to anyone who hasn't
paid the price ? There is speculation that Waltz killed his friend Jacob. There
is the part of the story that the friend was at the Mine, together (Mine of 6
Mexicans ?). The friend did not survive, did Waltz kill him because he later
violated the Sacredness of the Mine ?
The Easiest information to follow with the greatest amount of hardship ?
I don't think we are giving the "Dutchman" enough credit !
Lastly, weighing all the evidence that I am concerned with, the Mine exists,
but not in the Superstitions, not around Weavers Needle, not 4 Peaks to the
North. One place (2) entrances and possibly three (3) tunnels within.
Based on my analysis of the words of Waltz, two (2) places to enter the Mine,
Not a ledge of Gold. Due to natural erosion, a ledge would reveal itself. How
does one think a ledge got there in the first place.
This (actual drawing ?) of the entrance, I believe is Real. Red Mountain area.
The left the image is on the Right side of the Arroyo looking up hill. The Picacho/Red Mountain.
Jack
Just assuming 
