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A HAUNTED Ml IK STATE OF TEXASNo Man Has Yet Been Able to Make an Exploration.Another futile effort has Just been made to explore the shaft and underground workings of the so-called haunted Refugio ralne In the Chlspa mountain, CO miles southwest of A1 pine, Texas.The mine was worked by the Spaniards more than a century ago. It was abandoned and forgotten until about 20 years ago, when an American mining engineer, Henry Boyd, while tened to. “I was lifed off my fee and thrown against the rock walls of the shaft with such force that I was badly bruised and almost knocked senseless. The rush of air gradually subsided, and as It did so there came echoing out of the murky drift one of the most piercing and plaintive cries I have ever heard.It was a wall that produced Indescribable and uncontrolable terror In mo. I fled to the rope, and, quickly tying It around my body, I yelled to the Mexican to draw me up.There was no response ffora above. I yelled and yelled, but Pedro did not como to the rope. I then realized that he had heard the mysterious demonstration and had fled In his superstitious terror.It was lucky that the rope was fas-mosquito trunk oh tho surlooking up tho title to a Mexican mining property, came across a mention of It in the archives of tho state of Coahulla at Saltillo, Mexico.The records gavo a careful description of tho property and ItB location. They showed that It wns worked forface, as I was able to draw myself out of tho shaft hand over hand, bracing my feet against tho walls. Just as I reached the surfaco tho underground phenomena was repeated.Mr. Meade then took chargo of the expedition. They spent three monthsrnc'y biiuwt'u mat ■*. www-—-— ---♦ 1-Q1 nml that it DrO- the mln®* but °n,‘ 000 attempt WiS40 years prior to 1*91. and tnat u pro-3 tn oxnlore the undergroundduced during that time more than $7, 000,000 of silver ore, a large share of the revcnuo derived from tho mine going to the Crown of Spain.Mr. Boyd was greatly surprised at the information contained In the records, and proceeded to make a copy of them with the view of locating the lost mine. Accompanied by a Mexican guide, he left Saltillo for the Chlspa mountains.The records showed In a general way where tho mine was situated, but the exact spot could not be found until a Mexican sheep herder Informed Boydmade to explore the underground workings, and that experience was eo terlfylng tint the men, lnculdlng ilie Americans n:;l Mexicans, throatenel to leave If forced to make ooo wr effort.They sunk a shaft near tho o’d one to a depth of 50 feet, but the noise becaroo so proncuneed that the fork men rcluscd to to on with It. and the whole project was abandoned.Since then many attempts have been made to explore the mine, but the experience has proved more than any man Is willing to sumd a secondthat he could show him the ruins of time.an ancient smelter. These ruins were situated In a deep canyon, and after a patient search Mr. Boyd came upon tho mouth of the shaft.A crude ladder, made of the hides ofCap‘a'o I ouls Sefton was at tho head of the lr.test expod’.Mon to tho haunted mine. He Is one of the most prominent stockmen In Western Tex as, and has a reputation for greata cruuu muut. 11 l . . . •wild animals, still hung in the shaft courage In a spirit of adventure he . . ..... .k... taft hia ranch Id Suttoo county a fewand other evidences of a sudden abandonment of the mine were seen. What occurred when Mr. Boyd attempted to explore the bine Is told In a letter which he wrote to James E. Meade, who resided in San Antonio at that time, but has been engaged In business in Alpine, Texas, for several years. The letter said:“A horrible and most astonishing thing happened to me when I attempted to explore the mine. My mozo, Pedro, let me down to tho bottom of the shaft, a distance of about 100 feet, by means of a rope.The candle gave mo very poor light, but I could sec that a great deal of ore still remained Is th? workings. I had started tq explore one of the drifts wheg a poise like the bursting of a thousand capnoq sounded la n* * ears, and «raa frUPWOd bjr a most ter, rtbl# rvrt) of ftIf wblek caw from thj 0rift tlntlwftftftboftttdftfttfr
Newspaper Details
Athens Weekly Banner
Athens, Georgia, US
Fri, Apr 07, 1905
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 27 Jun 2024
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