Silver City Enterprise — 1891 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1891-09-25
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

Clark Rogers is an inventive genius. He has mastered the prairie dog question. “Buy some good sized fish hooks with eyelets on top,” said Mr. Rogers, “and nail two or three of them on a narrow board. Put the board in the dogs den. The dogs will come up all right, but they will always slide down, when they are impaled on the hooks. It never fails to catch them, and the method is both cheap and rapid. By proper attention one man can catch a whole town of prairie dogs in a few days.” ( 86 ) A HARD FIGHT How the Miners Found Geronimo in Sonora While on the train the other day an Enter- prise man met John M. Clayton, a miner who had been employed for three years on the Oso Negro, Arispe district, Sonora. The mine is owned and operated by Tombstone parties and is situated about 125 miles south of Tombstone, which is the nearest supply point.

day an Enter- prise man met John M. Clayton, a miner who had been employed for three years on the Oso Negro, Arispe district, Sonora. The mine is owned and operated by Tombstone parties and is situated about 125 miles south of Tombstone, which is the nearest supply point. During the fall of 1885 a rancher came to the mine and informed the foreman, James H. Kirker, that he had missed some horses, and from indications thought that Geronimo and his band of about thirty Indians were in the neigh- borhood. At the noon hour Mr. Kirker informed the miners of the situation and asked for volun- teers to go and hunt down the Apaches, and the following Americans came to the front: James H. Kirker, Floyd McMann, John Thomp- son, Jack Ophner, Tim O’Brien and Press Hatcher, the ranchman, six in all. The party was well armed and mounted, and took to the mountains. Late in the evening they camped in the bottom of a canyon. Early the next morning they continued their journey up the canyon, and as they reached the summit of the mountain they were fired on by Geronimo and his band who were concealed in the tall grass, and only a few feet distant. Thompson and O’Brien fell dead from their horses. Hatcher, who was still coming up the hill, was shot downward through the shoulder and body. Ophner was shot through the leg and the arm, both being broken. McMann was wounded but managed to make his escape, and eventually reached the camp. Kirker ran first to Hatcher, in time to hear his death message: “Tell the

, was shot downward through the shoulder and body. Ophner was shot through the leg and the arm, both being broken. McMann was wounded but managed to make his escape, and eventually reached the camp. Kirker ran first to Hatcher, in time to hear his death message: “Tell the boys I’ve gone.’’ Kirker then turned his atten- tion to Ophner whom he picked up and started to run down the canyon. They had not gone far when a bullet struck Ophner’s cartridge belt in the rear of his person, exploding two cartridges, from which his body was terribly lacerated. Kirker continued running until his companion fainted. The Indians, feeling sure of getting their men a little later, had ceased firing and were given their attention to the horses and the pack animals. Kirker left his companion behind some rocks and ran to a spring, about three hundred yards distant. He filled his hat with water and started back to

e of getting their men a little later, had ceased firing and were given their attention to the horses and the pack animals. Kirker left his companion behind some rocks and ran to a spring, about three hundred yards distant. He filled his hat with water and started back to his badly wounded comrade. The Indians saw him and opened fire, but Kirker ran on, reach- ing his partner in safety. Ophner was soon revived, and while helplessly wounded, was still able to use his Winchester, and the two Ameri- cans soon made it so interesting that Mr. Lo retreated and waited for a better opportunity. As soon as the firing ceased Kirker again pick- ed up his comrade and started for the spring, realizing that without water his friend could not live through the day. The Indians again commenced firing and another halt was made. During the day Kirker made three trips to the spring for water, under a steady fire from the Indians’ rifles, each time carrying his com- panion a little nearer the water. How he es- caped without a scratch the Lord only knows, as he was shot at several scores of times during the day. The long hours of sunshine finally wore away, when under cover of the darkness, Kirker carried his fainting companion five miles, then secured a horse and again returned to the can- yon. Ophner was tied onto the horse, and the animal led into camp. Other horses were then secured, and with fresh assistants, Kirker re- turned to the scene of the fight where the man- gled remains of the three brave boys killed early in the morning were secured and brought back to camp.

tied onto the horse, and the animal led into camp. Other horses were then secured, and with fresh assistants, Kirker re- turned to the scene of the fight where the man- gled remains of the three brave boys killed early in the morning were secured and brought back to camp. Ophner, after many months of suffering, recovered, but wears a wooden leg in place of the one with which he started out to hunt Ge- ronimo. During the same year Gene Kirker and Chas. Reese were going from Tombstone to the mine in a wagon when they were attack- ed by Indians. Reese was shot through the head but did not die for several minutes. Like his brother. Gene Kirker stayed with his friend until he was dead, then cut a mule out of the team and mounted. While cutting out the mule he was shot twice through the right leg, which was afterwards amputated. Of the ten Americans who originally went into the camp, but two are now alive, the others having been killed by Indians. The mine is now shut down temporarily, but run steadily for over two years. The mill contains 20-stamps, and the ore averages about $40. The great draw-back to mining in that section is the expense of securing supplies, which are mostly packed in on mules. Wood is also quite expensive as it had to be packed in on burros or mules. ( 87 ) Alhambra Via Saddle Rock Canon

amps, and the ore averages about $40. The great draw-back to mining in that section is the expense of securing supplies, which are mostly packed in on mules. Wood is also quite expensive as it had to be packed in on burros or mules. ( 87 ) Alhambra Via Saddle Rock Canon It is well worth the time of the New Mexi- can tourist to make a trip to the famous silver mines of Alhambra camp, probably better known to many by its earlier name Black Hawk. While the road over the hills from Whitehill’s well, in the Mangas valley, is shorter and in better repair, yet the grandeur of the scenery through Saddle Rock canyon amply repays one for the extra five miles of travel by the latter route. The canyon takes its name from the massive granite mountain situated near its mouth, and about half a mile from where the canyon emerges into the Mangas valley. The summit of this isolated mountain is an exact facsimile of a McClellan saddle seat, and as you approach, imagination forces the expecta- tion that the base of the monster monolith will prove a stony centaur, upon which the riderless saddle rests.

ges into the Mangas valley. The summit of this isolated mountain is an exact facsimile of a McClellan saddle seat, and as you approach, imagination forces the expecta- tion that the base of the monster monolith will prove a stony centaur, upon which the riderless saddle rests. Redford Job, the sixteen year old son of Alfred Job who lives on Whisky creek east of Silver City, was arrested and brought to town by Marshal Cantley last Wednesday, charged with robbing the house of Martin Mullen at Apache Tejo. The boy was working for Mr. Mullen and during the absence of the family and guests, robbed the room of Miss Downs, taking therefrom a pistol, one dollar and fifty cents in change and two receipts which he sup- posed to be checks. A Mexican employed on the ranch claims to have been robbed of seven- teen dollars and seventy-five cents and a gold watch chain. The young man denies having taken the money and chain from the Mexican but admits having taken the articles belonging to Miss Downs and has returned the property. He will probably be bound over to await the action of the grand jury.

venty-five cents and a gold watch chain. The young man denies having taken the money and chain from the Mexican but admits having taken the articles belonging to Miss Downs and has returned the property. He will probably be bound over to await the action of the grand jury. At four o’clock yesterday afternoon Prof. Waring and Milt Miller started with a team and buggy from the Flagler works at the lower end of town, to go to the railroad depot. A short distance above the works it was necessary to cross the gulch, the water which was flowing through the streets of Silver City was here con- centrated in one body. The horses were thrown down by the force of the current, the buggy smashed to pieces, and the occupants nearly drowned. Mr. Waring became entangled be- neath one of the horses and was only by great effort released. The horses were extricated some distance below by means of ropes; the vehicle was a total wreck. Sim Holstein, manager of the NAN ranch, was over this week.