Silverlock and Malm

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Wiz
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Silverlock and Malm

Post by Wiz »

Now for something completely different:

Who were these two guys really, anyway? I've read that they were partners, that Malm was Silverlock's nephew (there's that nephew thing again - wasn't Weiser Waltz's nephew?), that Malm was called Goldlock, that he was called Goldleaf, etc.

Anyone have any reasonable documentation as to who they were? Where did they come from, how did they happen to throw in together, how much gold did they really find, was it really in the Massacre Grounds, etc etc.

Just trying to throw out a new topic. The old ones are getting worn out.
Gregory E. Davis
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Location: Tempe, Arizona

Post by Gregory E. Davis »

Wiz; If you want stop by my home in Tempe I can show you an entire notebook full of documents pertaining to these two individuals. Cordially, Greg Davis
S.C.
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Post by S.C. »

Wiz,

I have been meaning to post something in regards to this topic but have failed to do so. But, I wanted to go ahead and mention a couple of things today - though I do not have exact information to give you. But something is better than nothing.

Greg Davis obviously has a lot of info on the two individuals in question. In fact, he wrote an excellent article for the SM Journal on them. I do not remember what issue it was in. But, I can look that up and post that later.

The interesting thing about the article is that Greg found something that may throw a wet blanket onto the previously held versions of their activities. Sometimes truth is hard to swallow.

Common lore has they found $20,000 or so worth of ore over near what is called the Massacre Grounds. This caused them to doggedly dig and dig "not only where there is no gold, but no hope..."

Obviously something made them dig. The finding of ore is what is commonly assume to be the cause. In fact, they "must have" found a lot (like $20,000 or so...) because they had quite a grubstake. At least in the beginning...

Greg's article has lots of details about the two and their activities. But, the interesting thing is that Greg found out that Silverlock sold a ranch before they came to the Superstitions. And it was for around $20,000 or so. This could be the source of their grubstake. Not the finding of large quantities of ore. But, if that was the case... why did they doggedly dig and dig? There must have been some reason.

S.C.
P
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Post by P »

Pardon my prospecting ignorance, but I do believe the old-timers would be able to tell the difference between float (that is, ore laying around) and an outcrop. What would be the point of digging a hole beneath some float you found, when there was no evidence of a quartz outcrop in the vicinity.
Doesnt make sense to me.

I know of a couple of quartz outcrops in the Superstitions: both have signs of being worked in the past. I just can not believe S&M (hey can I say that on the forum too?) decided to dig in a random hole in the ground near their ore find.

P
Wiz
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Post by Wiz »

Gregory E. Davis wrote:Wiz; If you want stop by my home in Tempe I can show you an entire notebook full of documents pertaining to these two individuals. Cordially, Greg Davis
Thank you, Greg, that's a very gracious offer.
Joe Ribaudo
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Moving the Dirt

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

P,

No one today really knows if they found $20,000. worth of ore laying on the ground, or not. It's just a guess, but I think if they found that much ore, they would have no doubts that it was not float.

In those days, that would have been a lot of rocks.

So why were they really digging there? I think there was something they were keeping to themselves. Then again, they just may have been crazy.

Men do funny things where gold is involved. Friends curse, steel from and kill each other. Family turns into "friends". I am ready to give it all up after 47 years.

Respectfully,

Joe Ribaudo
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