In the early part of the last century mining parties composed
principally of Mexicans, but usually led by two or more white men, were
quite common in the mineral belt of Texas. The mining was carried on
under great difficulties and in a crude way. The country was a
wilderness inhabited only by roving bands of hostile Indians and wild
animals. The only means of transportation were the small Mexican
burros. Panniers made of cowhide and packed with provisions, tools, and
other necessaries of the miners, were strapped to the backs of these
patient, docile little animals. After the furnace was constructed, the
burros conveyed ore from the mine to the furnace.
The mineral was buried as it came from the smelter, for no one knew at
what moment the Indians might sweep down. It was also a rule among the
miners, when moving or returning to the settlements, to bury their
mineral treasure at night and build their campfire over it, thus having
it securely hidden in case of an attack by the Indians.
In the year 1865 an ancient man came to San Saba County in search of an
old furnace. After searching for it alone for several days, he confided
to some ranchmen in the vicinity that in 1834 he and another white man
and thirty-five Mexicans were engaged in mining near the Little Llano
River. They had found, he said, a rich mine and had taken out 1200
pounds of gold and silver, which they buried together with $500 in
Mexican silver coin. It was their custom to conceal the opening to the
mine after conveying a month’s supply to the furnace. They had just
completed a month’s run and were preparing to return to the mine for
another supply when the Indians swooped down upon them, killing all
except the two white men and a Mexican girl, who were at the spring
some distance from the furnace.
The stranger went on to say that the treasure was buried on a high hill
half a mile due north from the furnace; that seventy-five yards from
the furnace, in a direct line between the furnace and the spot where
the treasure was buried, stood a pin oak tree, in a knot hole of which
a rock had been driven. He offered $500 to anyone who would guide him
to the furnace. Some half-dozen men turned out to assist in the search,
but it proved fruitless. He then informed the ranchmen that he and his
partner and the Mexican girl, after their escape from the Indians, made
their way to Mexico, where they filed a chart of the mine in the
Mexican archives, as was required by the laws of Mexico, of which Texas
was at that time a part. A copy of the chart was retained by his
partner, who was then (1865) living in St. Louis, he having married the
Mexican girl. The old man then started on a long overland ride to St.
Louis to induce his partner to aid him in the search for the treasure
buried in 1834. A short time afterwards it was learned that while he
was mounting his horse in Williamson County, his gun was accidentally
discharged, killing him instantly.
No further attempt was made to locate the furnace till 1878, when a man
named Medlin, hearing the story, engaged to herd sheep for a ranchman
whose ranch was situated in that section of the country. Every day
while herding sheep he prosecuted his search for the furnace. Within
the year his search was rewarded with success. He found the ruins of
the old furnace, the spring, the tree with the rock in the knot hole,
and also the high hill half a mile due north, but he did not find the
treasure.
He did find, however, on digging into the furnace, the skeleton of a
man, and by its side a “miner’s spoon” made of burnt soapstone, used
for amalgamating minerals with quicksilver. Nancy Evans Bower, who told
this story in the News, says that Medlin, while showing her the spoon,
told her the story substantially as related above. Shortly afterwards
Medlin left for South America. She, too, from Medlin’s description,
found the furnace and the tree with the rock in the knot hole. She
believes that the story is true; that the treasure is there; and that
anyone who will take the trouble to procure a copy of the chart from
the archives of Mexico can easily find it.