(South Central Utah's Henry Mountains.)A Tale of Arrastres, Smelters, and Gold
The fact that early Spanish explorers traveled parts of Utah are well known and nearly as well documented. With their dominant peak of Mount Ellen rising to 11,500 feet above the surrounding desert floor, the Henry Mountains of south central Utah are said to be the location of a substantial hard-rock gold strike 
by the Spanish in the early days of the American West.
by the Spanish in the early days of the American West.Gold Concentrators
In my next post I'll tell you the rest of Al and "Pancho's" story as well as provide you with their waybill to the possible location of Spanish gold in Utah's Henry Mountains.
According to legend, the vein material the Spanish discovered was very rich, in fact rich enough to warrant the building of a number of arrastras for crushing ore as well as rudimentary smelters for transforming the gold into crude gold bars or dores. (Note: An arrastra was usually composed of a circular stone "patio" or dragging surface over which a large rock or stone wheel was pulled by a burro or mule which was hitched to a central wooden post. Pieces of ore
were placed in the path of the grinding rock and subsequently crushed, freeing the precious metal for recovery. Many old arrastras can still be found here in the West and are easily recognized by experienced prospectors
, miners, and treasure hunters. J.R.)
were placed in the path of the grinding rock and subsequently crushed, freeing the precious metal for recovery. Many old arrastras can still be found here in the West and are easily recognized by experienced prospectors, miners, and treasure hunters. J.R.)Fear of Death Kept Them Away
The Spanish worked this mine only briefly before hostile Indians in the region drove them out of the Henry Mountains. Much of the gold they had already mined and processed had to be hidden and left behind in caches to await recovery at a later date.
Unfortunately for the discoverers of this rich mine, that later date never came as the members of the initial Spanish mining party fled headlong back to New Mexico. Fear of a prolonged and painful death at the hands of the Indians kept most away, while the remainder died of disease or in untimely accidents.
Two "Down-and-Outers" Go for the Gold
Although rumors and campfire stories kept the legend of Spanish gold in the Henrys alive and well, it wasn't until the 1930s that anyone decided to do anything about it. At the height of America's "Great Depression," a crusty old down-and-outer named Al Hainey decided he'd had enough of soup lines and hooked up with a U.S. citizen of Hispanic descent named Francisco Olgean. (Note: I suspect this spelling of Francisco's surname is phoenetic in nature...the real spelling was probably Olguin which is pronounced similarly. J.R.) Francisco, better known as Frank or "Pancho," was well versed in interpreting Spanish treasure signs 
and symbols and had a strong hankering to "strike it rich."
and symbols and had a strong hankering to "strike it rich." This odd couple, Al and "Pancho," were essentially dead broke when they started out to search for Spanish gold in the Henry Mountains. Despite their poverty and lack of provisions, neither Al nor "Pancho" hesitated for an instant. They were going for the gold and all else be damned. After all, what did they have to lose?
In my next post I'll tell you the rest of Al and "Pancho's" story as well as provide you with their waybill to the possible location of Spanish gold in Utah's Henry Mountains.
Until then, good hunting!
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Detector Reviews: Minelab's 'Eureka Gold'"
(c) J.R. 2010
Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com
" ($760.00-$900.00) is a gold detector I have field knowledge of and experience with, thanks to my mining "pard" Kane Fisher (no relation to the manufacturer, by the way). Although I am a sad substitute for the more successful nugget hunters out there, I must say I was impressed with the "Gold Bug 2's" sensitivity to small pieces of gold in home field tests and its overall performance in highly mineralized conditions out in the field.
(nuggets) as well. Additionally, the optimum operating threshold for the "Gold Bug 2" is very easy to set, something that is not always true of some detectors.
. Pogue's Station was the main rest, layover, and resupply point for freight and passenger wagons transiting this part of Nevada.
. It was a well-known fact among the folks in 
and those who were forced to use his services that Jim Pogue was as stingy and miserly as they come, spending money only to buy necessary supplies and to fuel his tobacco addiction.
specie ($25,000 or more). Of course, misers never quite understand that hoarding does them no good once the plug is pulled in this life....none of them ever take their treasures along for that final ride.
down on his luck decide to give treasure hunting a try on the old Jim Pogue property. John Hoyt was his name and to date he is the only person known to have recovered a cache buried by Jim Pogue....a small strongbox containing the grand total of 11 dollars in silver coin.
