The Story Of A Salted Mine

A man, now a prominent merchatit of Virginia City, won at poker an undeveloped gravel claim near Nevada City, worth in tlie nei);liborhood of $200. His friends had the laugh on him for several dayg, regarding his " inyestment," and asked him what proportionof the taxes he would pay in case they aecepted the property as a gift. He finally got mad at tlieir iücessant guying, and told theni they would aee that he was not such a fool as they took him for, before he got through wiih that mine. He then wrote to somo capitalist acouaintances that he bad a claim worth a fabulous suin, whiob he would sell for $2,000, being hard pressed financially. The bank was next visited, $500 worth of gold durt and nuggetsbought, and theclaitn thoroughly "salted." When the intending purchasers arrived, they prospeoted the ground a little, and the panning-out was attended by big clean-ups. They paid the $2,000 the same day, and got pot-session of' the ground. Work was at once bouun, and they took out $8,000 inside of' thne weeks. The "salter" was $o taken ahauk tlint he did Dot siuile for a mend), and tlic partios to whom he couñded h shrcwdness at the time of itf perpe tration, never nieet him to this day but thev a.sk him if he has another eravel mine to