Old Bookaroo
Silver Member
- Dec 4, 2008
- 4,475
- 3,801
We don’t often get the origin story for lost mine accounts. According to the excellent Treasures of the Santa Catalina Mountains by Robert Zucker (2014) this is “the earliest published account…. This article was the first mention, in print, of a door actually made of iron that sealed off an old, Spanish mine.”
In yesterday’s STAR we promised to publish the balance of a communication received from the Santa Catarinas, and here it is:
Yesterday there were two men stopped here, and they had a very interesting story to tell, and I here furnish to the STAR for publication the text of it, but I do not authenticate it, as sometimes prospectors are liable to exaggerate. Probably all of the old Arizonans in this vicinity have heard the tradition of the Santa Catarinas, and for the benefit of those that have not I will give the outline of it: --
About one hundred years ago the Jesuits held full sway over the population in this territory, and at that time they had large fields under cultivation, and many men employed delving in the earth after the precious metals and the turquoise stone. At that time the principal gold mines were situated in these mountains, and there was a place called Nueva Mia Ciudad, having a monster church with a number of golden bells that were used to summon the laborers from the fields and mines, and a short distance from this city, which was situated on a plateau, was a mountain that had a mine of such fabulous richness that the miners used to cut the gold out with a hacheta.
At the time of the Francisans [sic] acquiring supremacy the Jesuits fled, leaving the city destitute of population; before their flight they placed an iron door on the mine and secured it in such a manner that it would require a considerable time to unfasten it. There were only two entrances to the city and they also were closed and all traces obliterated so as to throw the San Franciscans off the road to this Nueva Mia city.
These are the facts of the tradition as briefly stated herein, and now for the story of the prospectors, or whoever they may be.
They told me that they had come here on January 10th, 1880, for the express purpose of exploring the mountains for Nueva Mia Ciudad (nine mile city) and the mine of the iron door. We had heard for years of this place but did not put any credence in it; but about five months ago we were traveling in Sonora on a prospecting tour, and one night we stopped near the town of Caborea with an old Mexican and his wife, and he was asking of Arizona and other matters and at last about mining.
We gave him all the information we could, and told how Tombstone was booming camp, when he spoke up and asked us if we ever had heard of the mine of the iron door? We said yes, but that we did not place any confidence in the story. He says I do, because I have a book here that my grandfather had, and that he was one of the inhabitants of the Nueva Mia city.
We became excited over this statement and asked him to produce the book. He went into an inner room and returned with book covered with a black cloth and leaves of parchment. He gave it to us and we opened it and found that it was written in a bold, round hand, but very faded. We judge it had at least 400 pages, and contained a kind of a diary of events of those days, a history of his life, and a description of the Nueva Mia city and how to reach it; also full directions how to find the mine of the iron door. We offered to buy the book of the old man at a good round figure. No, he said, I don’t want to part with it, for it is the last remnant of this old family but we could copy any part of it that we wished. We camped there for several days, making extracts from the book, and one in particular which we now remember: “I worked to-day with ten other men, and we took out 200 pounds of gold.” You can imagine what excitement it caused with us. After getting all the information we desired from the old book we packed up our provision and started for Arizona.
We having business in Florence, we proceded [sic] there and outfitted. One of us was taken sick, and we were consequently delayed until January 10.
When we arrived in the Canada del Oro, from the descriptions we found it would be necessary to proceed on foot from this point, and turning our horses and burros loose to shift for themselves, we shouldered our packs, and took the middle canon that lead in an easterly direction from Canada del Oro. It was about noon as we started up the canyon, and we were not quite sure that we would reach the place where water was said to exist the year round by our directions, but we plodded onward and upward over the largest boulder, now passing through places where the very top of the canyon would fairly join, and then opening out larger in box shape. Toward evening we came to a living spring of water, and there we camped for the night. Everything passed off finely that night, with the exception of the bears coming uncomfortably close, and the thrilling scream of the panther.
In the morning we cooked our breakfast, and as we sat down to partake of it we took out our directions and examined them. We found that after we had traversed the canyon for a distance of about five miles we would come to where it was divided, and that we must take the right hand canyon and journey up it for a half mile when it would come to an abrupt end with precipitous sides, and that on close scrutiny would find on the left side steps cut that would lead upward to a shelving rock, and there would appear to be a mouth to a cave, and to push onward through this and you would come out on a shelf of rock on the other side.
After finishing our breakfast we followed up this large canyon about four miles, when we came to where it divided into two. We took the right hand one, and in the course of half an hour we came to where the canyon suddenly became walled in on three sides, and after a considerable hunting we discovered what seemed to be an old stairway cut in the rock; we had a terrible time in getting up them as they were nearly obliterated by the decade of time, and we kept slipping back and back but at last we reached a shelving rock, and on the face of the perpendicular wall was an opening that would admit of an entrance to a full grown person. We held a consultation together as whether we had better proceed or return, and at twig-pulling [?] it was decided that we should enter.
We took some candles from our pack, unslung our “Henry’s” [rifles?] in case of emergency, and passed in the opening. We had not got far when a large flock of bats commenced circling around us, attracted by our lights.
The place was chilly but perfectly dry; in size it varied, first opening in a vaulted chamber of large proportions, and then closing into a narrow passage, and in one place we noticed an inspection engraven in the wall in Latin – Dominus vobiscum [“The Lord be with you”], and from that we commenced to gain more confidence that we were on the right track.
In about an hour we saw a light ahead, and in a few minutes we came to an opening, we passed through, and down about 200 feet below us was the finest scenery that we ever beheld. It was a tract of land covered with pines and oaks, broken by small hills, and through it passed a stream of water that glistened like silver. We looked for a place to descent but could find none. We took the ropes of our packs and spliced them together, and secured them in such a manner around a jutting rock that they could be unlodged from below.
We lowered our packs and guns, and then descended, hand over hand. We sat at the bottom for some time examining our directions; they told us that by traveling in an easterly direction we would come to the Nueva Mia Ciudad.
They did not give us the distance, so we concluded we would find water and pitch stakes for the night, in about twenty minutes we came to the stream of water that we mentioned before; it was literally alive with trout, and without any difficulty we secured enough for supper, and as we were cleaning them we notice shining particles in the stream.
We took our bread pan and washed it and in it was about a dollar’s worth of gold. You cannot imagine what en [sic – an] exciting time it caused. I don’t think we will ever forget it in our life. Then we were doubly anxious to look for the old city and the mine with the iron door; but we had to content ourselves for the night, but I can assure you we did not get much sleep. Before daybreak we had our breakfast and had everything packed for an early start. We set our compass and started easterly, and had not gone more than a mile before we came on to ruins, which, as we proceeded, grew larger and could be seen for two miles in width. We think, probably, that we had worked four miles when we came upon a stone building (granite and marble) that was in a fair state of preservation excepting the roof which had fallen in; the structure was something after the style of the old Cocospari [sic] church in Sonora, and we decided that this must have been the place of worship for the people of this once populus city. Here we spent some time in looking over this edifice searching for gold and silver which was buried in the church, but having no tools we could do nothing.
We camped here for several days looking over the old ruins, and found several stones bearing inscriptions in Latin. We then changed our camping ground and commenced to look for the mine of the Iron door, and after three days of searching we found it. The old door was eaten off by rust, and the bars of iron that secured it laying down at the mount of the tunnel.
We were afraid to enter for fear of wild beasts; but the love of excitement got the best of us and we entered. We saw at the commencement that the vein was about ten inches wide with a talk gouge, and, as we neared the end of the tunnel, which must have been about 400 feet in length, the air became very foul, but we pushed through; there we found some old iron resembling in shape the pick, we took it up and struck it in the vein and to our amazement the gold rolled down in nuggets to the floor.
Such a sight we never before saw. We worked for several days on the mine with the old tools there, and we will show you what we took out.
[Here the two men unpacked from their burros and showed me, I should judge, 100 pounds of pure gold in nuggets.] We put on our location notice and packed up, and have got back as far as this. We go to Florence and will return as soon as possible. I asked them if they thought it would pay me to go and locate placer claims, and they told me most assuredly. I and my partners leave to-morrow for the Nine Mile City. If a lie we will stand it; if not, so much the better. I tell you those golden nuggets give us a good deal of faith; and further, I am one of the oldest prospectors in these mountains and I have never known anyone to go up these canyons. I will write you as soon as I return.
Respectfully,
REDOUBTABLE.
~ Arizona Daily Star [Tucson, Arizona [Territory] 28 February 1880
~ Arizona Weekly Star [Tucson, A.T.] 4 March 1880 [Vol. 3. NO. 7.]
As noted, the above follows an article from the previous day’s newspaper. This piece has nothing to do with the Mine With The Iron Door or the Nueva Mia Cuidad (mistranslated, of course, as “Nine Mile” City when it should be “New Mia City” – but, as Father Polzer pointed out, bad Spanish is sometimes an essential element in lost mine yarns).
However, since it is mentioned, to save the serious researcher the time and effort to locate a copy only to learn that it has no useful information, the first part is below.
From a long correspondence, received to-day, from the Old Hat district, we dense the following:
Developments are being steadily pushed on the American Flag mine, bonded by Messrs. Laurens and Henicke to James and Abbott, of Globe. At a depth of fifty feet it shows three feet and nine inches of black sulphuret ore, with fine walls and a good gouge. Assays give from $500 to $2,000 per ton. The Black Bear mine, also bonded by the same parties, is showing some fine ore.
The Silver Price mine, owned by Stegman & Co., is developed to a depth of forty feet, and gives large assays in gold and silver.
The Lee mine, near the “Summit House,” is now being worked and a large body of ore has been struck.
Developments on the Silver Shield mine will soon be commenced. This mine is situated about five miles from Marble peak, are showing some fine and rich bodies of ore.
A fine ledge of ore, in our estimation, is on a mine near the American Flag; it is called the Silver Die, and is owned by Stegman and Dumfrey.
There are some immense bodies of lead and copper ore, near the head of Canada del Oro, which, in time, will be valuable properties.
For want of space, we are unable to publish the full correspondence to-day; but, look for it to-morrow.
~ Arizona Daily Star [Tucson, A.T.] February 27, 1880 [VOL. 1., NO. 208]
Editor's Note:
“. Here we spent some time in looking over this edifice searching for gold and silver which was buried in the church, but having no tools we could do nothing.” All too often, treasure seekers have destroyed churches and other buildings seeking legendary plants. For just a few sad examples, see the excellent “Legends of Lost Missions and Mines” by Charles W. Polzer, S.J. in The Smoke Signal [The Tucson Corral of the Westerns, Tucson, Arizona] Fall 1968 (No. 18) and the equally worthwhile Fantasies of Gold; Legends of Treasures and How They Grew by E.B. “Ted” Sayles (1968).
This is vandalism, not legitimate treasure hunting, and it must be whole-heartedly contemned.
The text of the newspaper articles is presented here as it was published, except that the 19th century fondness for long paragraph blocks has been edited for the modern reader.
The Old Bookaroo
THE IRON DOOR MINE.
---
The Nine Mile City of the
Santa Catarinas.
---
The Story as Told to Our Corres-
Pendent.
---
---
The Nine Mile City of the
Santa Catarinas.
---
The Story as Told to Our Corres-
Pendent.
---
In yesterday’s STAR we promised to publish the balance of a communication received from the Santa Catarinas, and here it is:
MARTIN & WELDON’s CAMP. }
Feb. 24, 1880 }
Feb. 24, 1880 }
Yesterday there were two men stopped here, and they had a very interesting story to tell, and I here furnish to the STAR for publication the text of it, but I do not authenticate it, as sometimes prospectors are liable to exaggerate. Probably all of the old Arizonans in this vicinity have heard the tradition of the Santa Catarinas, and for the benefit of those that have not I will give the outline of it: --
About one hundred years ago the Jesuits held full sway over the population in this territory, and at that time they had large fields under cultivation, and many men employed delving in the earth after the precious metals and the turquoise stone. At that time the principal gold mines were situated in these mountains, and there was a place called Nueva Mia Ciudad, having a monster church with a number of golden bells that were used to summon the laborers from the fields and mines, and a short distance from this city, which was situated on a plateau, was a mountain that had a mine of such fabulous richness that the miners used to cut the gold out with a hacheta.
At the time of the Francisans [sic] acquiring supremacy the Jesuits fled, leaving the city destitute of population; before their flight they placed an iron door on the mine and secured it in such a manner that it would require a considerable time to unfasten it. There were only two entrances to the city and they also were closed and all traces obliterated so as to throw the San Franciscans off the road to this Nueva Mia city.
These are the facts of the tradition as briefly stated herein, and now for the story of the prospectors, or whoever they may be.
They told me that they had come here on January 10th, 1880, for the express purpose of exploring the mountains for Nueva Mia Ciudad (nine mile city) and the mine of the iron door. We had heard for years of this place but did not put any credence in it; but about five months ago we were traveling in Sonora on a prospecting tour, and one night we stopped near the town of Caborea with an old Mexican and his wife, and he was asking of Arizona and other matters and at last about mining.
We gave him all the information we could, and told how Tombstone was booming camp, when he spoke up and asked us if we ever had heard of the mine of the iron door? We said yes, but that we did not place any confidence in the story. He says I do, because I have a book here that my grandfather had, and that he was one of the inhabitants of the Nueva Mia city.
We became excited over this statement and asked him to produce the book. He went into an inner room and returned with book covered with a black cloth and leaves of parchment. He gave it to us and we opened it and found that it was written in a bold, round hand, but very faded. We judge it had at least 400 pages, and contained a kind of a diary of events of those days, a history of his life, and a description of the Nueva Mia city and how to reach it; also full directions how to find the mine of the iron door. We offered to buy the book of the old man at a good round figure. No, he said, I don’t want to part with it, for it is the last remnant of this old family but we could copy any part of it that we wished. We camped there for several days, making extracts from the book, and one in particular which we now remember: “I worked to-day with ten other men, and we took out 200 pounds of gold.” You can imagine what excitement it caused with us. After getting all the information we desired from the old book we packed up our provision and started for Arizona.
We having business in Florence, we proceded [sic] there and outfitted. One of us was taken sick, and we were consequently delayed until January 10.
When we arrived in the Canada del Oro, from the descriptions we found it would be necessary to proceed on foot from this point, and turning our horses and burros loose to shift for themselves, we shouldered our packs, and took the middle canon that lead in an easterly direction from Canada del Oro. It was about noon as we started up the canyon, and we were not quite sure that we would reach the place where water was said to exist the year round by our directions, but we plodded onward and upward over the largest boulder, now passing through places where the very top of the canyon would fairly join, and then opening out larger in box shape. Toward evening we came to a living spring of water, and there we camped for the night. Everything passed off finely that night, with the exception of the bears coming uncomfortably close, and the thrilling scream of the panther.
In the morning we cooked our breakfast, and as we sat down to partake of it we took out our directions and examined them. We found that after we had traversed the canyon for a distance of about five miles we would come to where it was divided, and that we must take the right hand canyon and journey up it for a half mile when it would come to an abrupt end with precipitous sides, and that on close scrutiny would find on the left side steps cut that would lead upward to a shelving rock, and there would appear to be a mouth to a cave, and to push onward through this and you would come out on a shelf of rock on the other side.
After finishing our breakfast we followed up this large canyon about four miles, when we came to where it divided into two. We took the right hand one, and in the course of half an hour we came to where the canyon suddenly became walled in on three sides, and after a considerable hunting we discovered what seemed to be an old stairway cut in the rock; we had a terrible time in getting up them as they were nearly obliterated by the decade of time, and we kept slipping back and back but at last we reached a shelving rock, and on the face of the perpendicular wall was an opening that would admit of an entrance to a full grown person. We held a consultation together as whether we had better proceed or return, and at twig-pulling [?] it was decided that we should enter.
We took some candles from our pack, unslung our “Henry’s” [rifles?] in case of emergency, and passed in the opening. We had not got far when a large flock of bats commenced circling around us, attracted by our lights.
The place was chilly but perfectly dry; in size it varied, first opening in a vaulted chamber of large proportions, and then closing into a narrow passage, and in one place we noticed an inspection engraven in the wall in Latin – Dominus vobiscum [“The Lord be with you”], and from that we commenced to gain more confidence that we were on the right track.
In about an hour we saw a light ahead, and in a few minutes we came to an opening, we passed through, and down about 200 feet below us was the finest scenery that we ever beheld. It was a tract of land covered with pines and oaks, broken by small hills, and through it passed a stream of water that glistened like silver. We looked for a place to descent but could find none. We took the ropes of our packs and spliced them together, and secured them in such a manner around a jutting rock that they could be unlodged from below.
We lowered our packs and guns, and then descended, hand over hand. We sat at the bottom for some time examining our directions; they told us that by traveling in an easterly direction we would come to the Nueva Mia Ciudad.
They did not give us the distance, so we concluded we would find water and pitch stakes for the night, in about twenty minutes we came to the stream of water that we mentioned before; it was literally alive with trout, and without any difficulty we secured enough for supper, and as we were cleaning them we notice shining particles in the stream.
We took our bread pan and washed it and in it was about a dollar’s worth of gold. You cannot imagine what en [sic – an] exciting time it caused. I don’t think we will ever forget it in our life. Then we were doubly anxious to look for the old city and the mine with the iron door; but we had to content ourselves for the night, but I can assure you we did not get much sleep. Before daybreak we had our breakfast and had everything packed for an early start. We set our compass and started easterly, and had not gone more than a mile before we came on to ruins, which, as we proceeded, grew larger and could be seen for two miles in width. We think, probably, that we had worked four miles when we came upon a stone building (granite and marble) that was in a fair state of preservation excepting the roof which had fallen in; the structure was something after the style of the old Cocospari [sic] church in Sonora, and we decided that this must have been the place of worship for the people of this once populus city. Here we spent some time in looking over this edifice searching for gold and silver which was buried in the church, but having no tools we could do nothing.
We camped here for several days looking over the old ruins, and found several stones bearing inscriptions in Latin. We then changed our camping ground and commenced to look for the mine of the Iron door, and after three days of searching we found it. The old door was eaten off by rust, and the bars of iron that secured it laying down at the mount of the tunnel.
We were afraid to enter for fear of wild beasts; but the love of excitement got the best of us and we entered. We saw at the commencement that the vein was about ten inches wide with a talk gouge, and, as we neared the end of the tunnel, which must have been about 400 feet in length, the air became very foul, but we pushed through; there we found some old iron resembling in shape the pick, we took it up and struck it in the vein and to our amazement the gold rolled down in nuggets to the floor.
Such a sight we never before saw. We worked for several days on the mine with the old tools there, and we will show you what we took out.
[Here the two men unpacked from their burros and showed me, I should judge, 100 pounds of pure gold in nuggets.] We put on our location notice and packed up, and have got back as far as this. We go to Florence and will return as soon as possible. I asked them if they thought it would pay me to go and locate placer claims, and they told me most assuredly. I and my partners leave to-morrow for the Nine Mile City. If a lie we will stand it; if not, so much the better. I tell you those golden nuggets give us a good deal of faith; and further, I am one of the oldest prospectors in these mountains and I have never known anyone to go up these canyons. I will write you as soon as I return.
Respectfully,
REDOUBTABLE.
~ Arizona Daily Star [Tucson, Arizona [Territory] 28 February 1880
~ Arizona Weekly Star [Tucson, A.T.] 4 March 1880 [Vol. 3. NO. 7.]
------- o0o -------
As noted, the above follows an article from the previous day’s newspaper. This piece has nothing to do with the Mine With The Iron Door or the Nueva Mia Cuidad (mistranslated, of course, as “Nine Mile” City when it should be “New Mia City” – but, as Father Polzer pointed out, bad Spanish is sometimes an essential element in lost mine yarns).
However, since it is mentioned, to save the serious researcher the time and effort to locate a copy only to learn that it has no useful information, the first part is below.
Santa Catarinas.
From a long correspondence, received to-day, from the Old Hat district, we dense the following:
Developments are being steadily pushed on the American Flag mine, bonded by Messrs. Laurens and Henicke to James and Abbott, of Globe. At a depth of fifty feet it shows three feet and nine inches of black sulphuret ore, with fine walls and a good gouge. Assays give from $500 to $2,000 per ton. The Black Bear mine, also bonded by the same parties, is showing some fine ore.
The Silver Price mine, owned by Stegman & Co., is developed to a depth of forty feet, and gives large assays in gold and silver.
The Lee mine, near the “Summit House,” is now being worked and a large body of ore has been struck.
Developments on the Silver Shield mine will soon be commenced. This mine is situated about five miles from Marble peak, are showing some fine and rich bodies of ore.
A fine ledge of ore, in our estimation, is on a mine near the American Flag; it is called the Silver Die, and is owned by Stegman and Dumfrey.
There are some immense bodies of lead and copper ore, near the head of Canada del Oro, which, in time, will be valuable properties.
For want of space, we are unable to publish the full correspondence to-day; but, look for it to-morrow.
~ Arizona Daily Star [Tucson, A.T.] February 27, 1880 [VOL. 1., NO. 208]
------- o0o -------
Editor's Note:
“. Here we spent some time in looking over this edifice searching for gold and silver which was buried in the church, but having no tools we could do nothing.” All too often, treasure seekers have destroyed churches and other buildings seeking legendary plants. For just a few sad examples, see the excellent “Legends of Lost Missions and Mines” by Charles W. Polzer, S.J. in The Smoke Signal [The Tucson Corral of the Westerns, Tucson, Arizona] Fall 1968 (No. 18) and the equally worthwhile Fantasies of Gold; Legends of Treasures and How They Grew by E.B. “Ted” Sayles (1968).
This is vandalism, not legitimate treasure hunting, and it must be whole-heartedly contemned.
The text of the newspaper articles is presented here as it was published, except that the 19th century fondness for long paragraph blocks has been edited for the modern reader.
------- o0o -------
Good luck to all,The Old Bookaroo
