Lost Wagoner Mine
hardluck:
Here a Treasure legend that deserves some deeper investigation on a discovery by a man called Wagoner at the end of the 19th century.
This legend is some what overshadowed by the more famous lost dutchan mine story. A classic legend in its own right, Some thing for the curious to investgate.
The rugged Superstition range contains some of the most forbidding country in North America. Two famous landmarks tower over the surrounding hills and canyons, Weaver's Needle and Miner's Needle. Weaver's Needle is a narrow pinnacle of rock that juts up into the sky at the heads of Needle Canyon and East Boulder Canyon. Miner's Needle lies 3 miles southeast of Weaver's Needle.
Miner's Needle is connected to at least two other lost gold mines in the area. One of them was discovered by a prospector known only as Wagoner in the early 1890's. Wagoner lived in the 1890,s in Pinal City. The mill in Pinal City which served the rich silver mines at nearby and also processed ore from other mines in the area. Wagoner saw many examples of rich ore living at Pinal City. Wagoner spent a lot of time in the Superstitions prospecting.
One day he found himself passing through the northern part of the Superstitions near Tortilla Flat. Wagoner decided to take a short cut straight through the Superstitions, using La Barge Canyon as his trail. On the second day of the journey, he found himself skirting the famous landmark known as Miner's Needle. Wagoner continued southward and then made the discovery of his life. Somewhere along the southern slope of the range, he stumbled on an outcrop of gold-bearing rose quartz!
Wagoner filled his pack with ore and resumed his journey to Pinal City where he sold the ore and celebrated his good fortune. He returned to the ledge several times, always entering the mountains just north of the Whitlow Ranch. Wagoner left the territory, but not before concealing the alleged mine with rocks and debris. He never returned to the area and no one has ever found the mine. Was there more gold to be recovered?
Perhaps somewhere out there there is lost mine of rose red quatz spinkled with gold awaiting the luck finder?
Have fun
Hardluck
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Idaho Jones:
Interesting tale Hardluck :) quite a few landmarks to guide a search too. Just don't go in summer....
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hardluck:
Hello Idaho jones
Its one of those legends I do not now much about? Perhaps there are others here with some more knowlege of the story?
Anyway interesting to see what people come up with?
Hardluck
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ArfieBoy:
Great story, Hardluck. Thanks for sharing! Don't think I'll be going after that one. I'll leave it the the people already there and looking for it! We've got plenty of local stories around here like that, and chances are, at my age, I won't get out after many of them anymore! But I sure enjoy the stories! [detecting]
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Idaho Jones:
I enjoy the stories as well Arfie. Many times we can poke up some details and possibly someone local might find something. Even if I won't go hunting a treasure it's as much fun tossing ideas and info back and forth as looking for leads on stories I'm actually pursuing. Kind of relaxing when you hit a wall to pick up something new. :)
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ArfieBoy:
I agree with you whole-heartedly Idaho Jones! Sometimes you can even get new clues to the one you're chasing from the new story! [detecting]
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loke:
I see that TomK's story has been removed - I'm sorry about that.
However, the last link (You are not allowed to view links.
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) is still there and even provides a map as to the suggested/guessed position.
As I indicated on another topic - its at the southern part of LaBarge, slightly south of Weavers Needle, and north of Miners Needle.
I believe most people have tended to look too far south - a couple of the stories indicate that he _passed_ Miners Needle going southwards.
It is supposed to be a ledge - and it was hidden/covered over after each visit.
I know there are many armchair TH'ers who like to use GoogleEarth, but I believe this outcropping is rather small and I do not believe it will ever show up on GE - I believe the only way someone will ever find it will be with 'feet on the ground'. However, the possible area is not all that large (for the LDM we have guesses anywhere from weavers needle to Tortilla Creek/Flats and anywhere inbetween.
Remember that Wagoner was heading to Pinal from Tortilla Creek using Labarge - surely, this must be a far 'easier' (hmmm - I guess nothing is 'easy' in the Superstitions) target than the LDM?
Loke
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oroblanco:
Great story Hardluck, thank you for posting this thread! For those not too familiar with gold ores, this is what Wagoner was mining:
That is gold in rose quartz, which is what Wagoner was mining. Several witnesses who saw and handled it described as such, which is very different from the ore Jacob Waltz had.
I have to agree with Loke, there are a couple old newspaper accounts that have been leading folks to search south of Miners Needle, which was based on someone seeing Wagoner hiking out, as he was spotted there. As far as I know no one ever saw him mining there, for all we know he was already on his way out from the mine when he was seen south of Miners Needle.
Perhaps a key point is Whitlows ranch? Wagoner supposedly headed to his mine from that point on several occasions, so perhaps that was the shortest or easiest way?
I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts, opinions, theories etc, thank you in advance and muchas gracias to our amigo Hardluck for posting the thread!
Oroblanco
Coffee?
[coffee] [coffee] [coffee]
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oroblanco
loke:
Maybe something almost as interesting as the gold itself - what happened to him?
It is said that he came to AZ because of health reason (not an unusual thing to do), he apparently did not spend any of his new-found wealth, but hoarded it all.
When he thought he had enough - he went back east - and no-one has either seen nor heard from him since.
It would be rather interesting to learn what happened to him - and equally - if he let anyone in on his secret.
Loke
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oroblanco:
Agreed amigo Loke - unfortunately without a first name to work with, it is quite a task to try to track down his movements or whereabouts. There are three men named Wagoner living in Arizona in the 1870s and 1880s, Charles Wagoner of Tucson living there in 1880 (census) says he was born in Germany about 1847, James C. Wagoner living in Prescott in 1880 and was born about 1859 in Illinois, and Charles T. Wagoner living in Skull Valley (near Prescott) in 1870, born about 1845 in NY. Was the Wagoner who came to Arizona for his health one of these men? Or was he like smoke, came there for health reasons, struck it rich and headed for parts unknown without leaving much permanent record?
The stage driver is the only person that I know of, that Wagoner gave the location of the mine to and he failed to find it. Perhaps the map and directions have some error in it?
Oroblanco
[coffee] [coffee]
PS I think you will find a tidbit of interest in the Lost Pick mine thread, when i get that part typed up. Something that will "jump out" at you in fact. [great] [worms]
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