Marion Walker Claims

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Cubfan64
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Marion Walker Claims

Post by Cubfan64 »

I came across a news article from 1940 where someone named Marion Walker filed 5 claims (Called Lost Dutchman #1,2, 3, 4 & 5). In the article it stated that his claims were visited and verified by Barry Storm and mining engineer Walter Upson, saying "there is no doubt the mine contains an unbelievable store of gold."

Walker doesn't claim in this article that it is definitely the LDM, but says it was found in a small box canyon ~1 1/4 miles from Weaver's Needle with 4 entrances that were buried beneath alot of rock and shale. He claims that he crawled into some of the passageways and recovered evidence of rich gold ore that may assay more than $10K/ton.

I can't really find any other information other than some newspaper reports of this. Can anyone give additional information on Marion Walker and his claims? Did it end up being just yet another fabricated story, or was there ever anything real to it?

Just curious - thanks
zentull
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Post by zentull »

Oddly enough I just got off the phone with Clay Worst (He thanks you for the letters) and we talked about that subject from a different side. We were discussing changes to the wilderness and most of the historical sites that were eradicated by the Forestry service.

The other forum had some of the history of this: Marion"Tex"Walker found some prospects and caved in tunnels in the area of Williams camp. He brought in Linesba who brought in a crew and dug a pit that exists today to intercept where he believed the ore would be further down. Linesba died of a heart attack up north and never finished the project. The original tunnels were a honeycomb network of either Spanish or Mexican origin.

Linesba built a house and a barn at the Peralta trailhead that was torn down years ago.

Barry Storm filed claims around Linesbas claims with Walter Upton and Burbridge has pictures in his pamphlet of the area. There is a mention of the area in "Thunder Gods Gold"

Brownie Holmes mentions having seen these diggings before their re-discovery and Adam Stewart worked in that area as well.

The tunnels are collapsed and buried and other then the partially filled pit there is little left of the operation. There are a series of articles concerning the mines discovery and Linesbas involvement, but little after his death. There was no known statement concerning any gold being found other that in an assay report from a nearby prospect by Upton.
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Joe Ribaudo
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Old Spanish???

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Paul and Wayne,

I am at the store right now, but I am pretty sure that many of the mines and ranches hired Mexicans after the Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Keeping that in mind, many of the prospect holes and mines in the Southwest were worked using Mexican/Spanish labor and methods.

As I have mentioned before, old mines and arrastras.....etc. Which look Spanish/Mexican, are not necessarily from pre-1848. I am no expert on this subject, so someone else may have another opinion.

Many who have found an old Spanish (looking) arrastras, assume that it proves that there was early Spanish mining done in the area. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of such arrastras in the Southwest.

Just because you find work that looks to be early Spanish, does not mean that it is. Many of the early ranchers used Mexican labor in the Superstitions and on their ranches.

On the other hand, none of that should be construed to prove that it is not early Spanish. I prefer to let historical writings be my guide in reaching opinions on such things. Stories written by treasure hunters hold less weight for me.

The same can be said for some of the Spanish style structures that are found throughout the Southwest.

Just my opinions.

Joe Ribaudo
Cubfan64
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Thanks Wayne...

Post by Cubfan64 »

I'm having such a difficult time doing anything on the other forum that I just decided to ask the question rather than try to search. I thought I was able to search once last week under the name Marion Walker and nothing came up there, but I may have mistyped it or it was listed under Tex Walker or something - I just gave up eventually after a hundred or so F5's to refresh without any luck.

I'm glad Clay Worst got the collection of letters I sent - I had meant to call and ask him to make sure they arrived, but time has gotten away from me lately and I also didn't want to bother him.

It seems like the Marion Walker stuff might be an interesting line to follow up on one of these days.
zentull
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Post by zentull »

Joe,

I am pretty sure the initial diggings were Mexican, but it could be older. They are pretty small tunnels and I like being able to turn around and have timbering at the very least....these seem to have had neither. That could be the reason Linesba decided to sink his shaft and intercept them.

The cliff above has a crack that runs into the area and has made it all very unstable to say the least. I'm crazy, but not crazy enough to throw Randy down something like that.

Paul,

I have a series of articles which include Linesba's letter to the editor. I will bring copies out to the rendezvous for you. I will take you up there, just not much payoff other than to say you were there. John Pierces camp and Al Morrows camp are further on as well. A lot of activity through that area, but no paydirt that I ever heard of.
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Joe Ribaudo
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No Timber????

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Wayne,

Lot's of diggings and mines in and around the Supestitions without shoring of any kind. John Chunning comes to mind. What makes you think Mexican?

Thanks,

Joe
armchair
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Marion Walker Claims

Post by armchair »

I believe Barry Storm has a picture of the old tunnel entrances in one of his book editions. The 1940 article says that the tunnels had "crude timbering" and "ox-cart trails".

Most interesting to me, it says "Even the tailings ... contain plenty of gold ore." A November 1941 article then reports "Last year an abandoned Spanish workings with rich ore on the dump was discovered ... For a time over sixty-five miners were employed in closely guarded operations by W. W. Linesba ..."

The connection of this site with Adam Stewart is also interesting, a January 1935 article reports "The man was Adam Stewart, 78, who died in his tent deep in the canyons of the mountain only a few days after striking a rich vein in an old Spanish bonanza." It goes on to talk about a partner in the mine, Dr. Rolf Alexander, who "had acquired a map of an old Spanish mine from an Apache Indian."

65 miners seems to be a big operation and all the articles talk about value being found in the old workings. I think the stories about Dearing talk about the gold samples being picked up from a tailing pile. Isn't this location in a small box canyon into the side of Bluff Springs Mountain? This is the area that people originally thought the Dutchman sent them to. Isn't it possible that this site provides a simpler explanation of where the Dutchman actually got his gold?
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Post by zentull »

A picture of the tunnel site can be found in "Thunder Gods Gold" on page 140. It is the center photograph.

John Burbridge covers the site as well in "Arizonas Monument To Lost Mines". Page 37 has two photographs of the tunnel area.

I will post a few location pictures of the Linesba shaft/pit and the area in the Photo archives.
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Joe Ribaudo
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Walker Claims.....

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

AC,

I was going to suggest that the two people, who are still posting and would know the answers to your questions, would be Wayne and Greg Davis. Looking forward to what they have to say on the subject.

Despite his claims, I have my doubts that Storm ever found anything of value in the Superstitions.....Except for his book. :)

Joe Ribaudo
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Pictures of site

Post by armchair »

Zentull,

I looked at the pictures you posted. They are really good photos! Thanks!

From the description I originally had the impression the pit was on the cliffs above the tunnels but since it seems to start on the same level as the tunnels it seems the goal was to head down deeper under the mountain. It appears the tunnels may be covered by rockfall rather than collapsed?

Is this basically the way the site was left when Linesba died, or did the government do some remediation in there?

Do you know if the cave found by Charles Williams in 1940 was in this same box canyon? It was reported to look like it was used for smelting.

If I'm oriented correctly on the maps, the tunnel Magill found on the side of Bluff Spring Mtn is further to the north?
zentull
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Post by zentull »

Magills tunnel is on the north end on the westernly side. Pretty much unrelated to this site and it is higher up on the mountain. I thought Williams was in the Hackberry/Black Mesa area by his tale.

The area is pretty much the way it was left the way I see it. Greg has some pictures from years ago that show where folks had dug around where the tunnel openings were. That area is the dirt wall in the picture that Randy is standing above. The tunnels that remain are only partially exposed and while we are pretty crazy and will just about jump down any hole, these seemed risky. I would figure the are most likely snake infested too. As soon as my scanner is working correctly, I will post some older shots of the area for comparison.

Anyone looking to visit the area would find the easiest route is up Cardiac from the Peralta trailhead. Turn south towards Bluff Springs and cut across the the hill on the north side. There are game trails that aren't easy,but way easier than the southern route. About 1/2 way around as you gradually climb, just shoot for the top. From there work due east through the cholla field to the mountain base. From there work north along the base and the pit/shaft will appear first. The ravine where the original tunnels were is just a short distance north from there. It is about a 4 hour round trip from that route, add in a couple of hours each way from the Miners needle route.

We never found any claim markers, but there appears to be no restoration work on the area at this time. Watch for falling rocks from above though. Bluff Springs mountain likes to throw things at you....
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armchair
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Re: Marion Walker Claims

Post by armchair »

I happened to come across Tom Kollenborn's article which talks about Vance Bacon falling off Weaver's Needle. In there he mentions the "Linesbra ranch". Is that the same place (mispelled) as the house and barn built by Linesba which Zentull mentioned earlier in this string?

Shelby
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Re: Marion Walker Claims

Post by zentull »

It is one and the same. There are some pictures of it from a news article about linesba's work on his claims. It was by the Peralta trailhead. I believe he added to an existing structure there.
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armchair
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Re: Marion Walker Claims

Post by armchair »

Thanks Zentull,

I hope the weather out there is nice the next few weeks, I'm finally going to get a chance to see some of those sites I've read so much about.

Shelby
zentull
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Re: Marion Walker Claims

Post by zentull »

Will be a little cool in the mornings, but the afternoon can't be beat. It can get into the teens early in the morning back in the mountains, so dress appropriate.
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armchair
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Re: Marion Walker Claims

Post by armchair »

I finally fulfilled a long term dream last week of hiking to Bluff Springs Mountain. I also got the opportunity to listen to Clay Worst give his talk on the Lost Dutchman. He gives the Holmes version of things but he also said that that Waltz suggested he would go with Julia & Rheiney to the Cavaness ranch house and if Waltz couldn't make it further he would point out where to go. He then said something i never heard before, he said from Barkley Basin the trail past Miner's needle used to go to the left of the Needle rather than as currently to the right over Miner's Summit. Not sure where it went from there, but at least to that point, wouldn't it be almost on a direct line toward the Linesba workings?

Shelby
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