turning back, left our determined hero to pursue his westward journey across the plains in the society of such friends as he might find on the way. Meanwhile the old homestead and the old folks were receding farther and farther as distance is measured, but not from his affectionate remembrance, as we shall see. News went back across the waters that Mathew had gone across the plains-where the Indians roamed; and, finally, that Mathew had been killed by the Indians. This was confirmed, seemingly, by the silence that followed, no word coming back for five years from that then almost unknown land.

Meanwhile, Mathew had reached the Rocky Mountains, spending a portion of the time in Clear Creek Canon at Central, California Gulch and Georgetown, thence prospecting his way to Leadville-before it was Leadville. Fortune favored, but did not smile full-orbed upon him. The star he looked for added its light to the firmament above, but was still below the horizon far to the south. This he felt, and upon hearing of gold discoveries in New Mexico, he turned his prospecting course in that direction. He had exchanged the emerald fields of Ireland for the great snowy range of Western America. The exchange was an irrevocable one, and whatever may have been the loneliness, and even that home-sick feeling that certainly, now and then, touched his manly heart-the die was cast, and his determination was as

unalterable as a Medean law to go on to success or perish in the attemptand he did both. This continued until 1867, when Mathew Lynch and Timothy Foley went to the Morena Valley and prospected for placer mines; next crossed the range to the Ute creek district, and, in the spring of 1868, found the float that led to the discovery of the Aztec mine in June of that year. Gold! The reward has come for the search. Gold! for the wearisome mountain-climbing. Gold! for the perilous adventure, the nights spent by campfires where lurked stealthy Indians. and the still stealthier reptile. The veins opened and out of their depths came riches. Out of their depths. came such an answer to this prolonged labor-question. And thus Mathew Lynch of county Cavan became the co-discoverer of the Aztec gold mine, whose wealth is incomputable.

But what were the thoughts of this fortunate Irish-American upon this acquiring riches? They turned immediately to the old folks in the old homestead in the old world.

He had not heard from them, nor they from him, in the long interval. He had been counted among the dead. It was not long, therefore, after the discovery that Mathew Lynch started for the States. Upon arriving in New York City, he sought. and found there his brothers, Andrew and Philip. Joyful meeting. The old folks still lived. The brothers write to Erin that "Mathew is alive,

is the discoverer and owner of a gold mine in America. Enclosed find a draft for $500, signed by Mathew." The home-circle thus gladdened, consisted then of the father and mother, Peter and Alice (McGovern) Lynch; a daughter, Mary; the sons at home, John, Peter and James: Philip and Andrew in New York, and Patrick in Philadelphia.

Baldy Mountain is situated in Colfax county and upon the Maxwell Land Grant. The mine, by prearrangement, belonged one-half to Maxwell and the other half to the discoverers. The developments proved extraordinarily rich, dissatisfaction arose on the part of the company as to the co-partnership, and a suspension of work ensued, lasting from 1873 to 1884. Meanwhile, Mathew Lynch engaged in placer mining. upon the west side of the Baldy Mountain. This was the origin of

the

LYNCH GOLD PLACER MINES.

These rich gold-fields are located upon the east bank of Morena river opposite Elizabethtown. The claim includes the territory lying between. Humbug and Big Nigger Gulches on the north,Grouse Gulch on the south and Morena river on the west and the Big Ditch,high up on the mountain,on the east. The auriferous deposits of the claim have their origin in the porphyry range of mountains of which Baldy is the center. These mountains have a general northeasterly and southwesterly course. During the

glacial period they were torn and broken and a portion of the detritus thus made were deposited on the ground. The melting of the snow that followed made large streams of water whose ancient channels,in many places, have been covered by more recent over-flows of detritus. Almost the entire claim is covered by gold-bearing detritus of gravel, varying from a few to eighty feet in depth.

The other principal placer mines thus situated are the Morena Gold Gravel Mining Company, of which Mr. James E. Bloomer is president; the Willow Gulch, a very valuable property, of which Mr. G. G. Brown is the owner; the Humbug Gulch (badly misnamed for it is a great mine) controlled and owned by Mr. Joseph Lowery; and Grouse Gulch, of which Thomas Rich, Esq., is the fortunate owner. Besides, there are many very rich gulches not as yet touched, having their source in Baldy Mountain waiting the touch of capital and enterprise to develop their half-concealed riches. Baldy Mountain, at whose base lies the great mining camp of Elizabethtown, is the center of vast gold deposits and vast gold fields. Leads are apparent upon all its sides—it is a gold mountain, cast up by that igno-agneous force, which ages upon ages ago refined the gold that glitters upon the fragments of porphyry now lying on my table.

In order to systematically conduct placer mining Mr. Lynch made a trip

to California. Returning, he introduced scientific methods and was among the first to do so in the Morena Valley.

He purchased the famous

BIG DITCH,

which extended from the head of Red river in Taos Mountain across the divide into the Morena Valley, a distance of forty-two miles. It was the object of the promoters of this Ditch Company to sell the water to the miners, and when the high tariff caused no demand for it, it was run to waste at a loss to the company. Their official expenses continued the same and were unnecessarily large, including those of a new ditch, which is well known to be much more expensive than one in use for years. This resulted in the winding up of the affairs of the Company and a transfer to the Maxwell Land Grant and R. R. Company. This Ditch has eight miles of branch ditches and a delivering capacity of five hundred inches of water. It is supplied by the Red River (whose source is in the Taos mountain range) and was constructed at a cost of $280,000, including its seven reservoirs, lakes, and all other appurtenances, to render these avail

able.

Connected with this property, is a large building, utilized as a storehouse and dwelling-also stables, all being in good condition, conveniently located, and cost some ten thousand dollars to erect. There were also the necessary mining tools and sluices,

including three giants for conveying the water used for hydraulic purposes, with uniformly favorable results. Since the death of Matthew Lynch the property has been worked under the supervision of his brother James. Owing to the cold weather. and extreme depths of snow, washing occurs only during the summer months. This working period, however, can be lenghtened by sundry improvements, that it would be advisable to consider. These immense placer fields can not be exhausted by continuous work in a century.

The Morena Valley placer mines extend for many miles in length and from one and a half to two in width, running in value from 25 to 50 cents (coarse gold) per cubic yard, this having been shown by actual work and by the many prospect shafts sunk upon the property. They are free from all surface obstructions and well situated for hydraulic work, with ample dump room.

This great placer region can only be worked with the waters of this ditch, there being no other water supply available.

Mathew Lynch, being an expert miner, saved a great fortune in the mining business and purchased the ditch.

THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH

of Mr. Mathew Lynch in 1880, while at work upon these placer mines, pathetically ended a life of vicissitudes crowned at last with glorious success. It caused a thrill of sympa

camp in the Rocky Mountains that has not yet ceased to vibrate. He was an exalted type of manhood, one that had stood the test of trial and disappointment, but through perseverance and self-denial had come out of it as pure as the gold that he discovered nearly six thousand miles from the paternal hearthstone. Misjudging the course a tree would fall that was being cut down above him upon the mountain side, he was struck as it fell, upon the back of the head and instantly killed. For a while his body rested at Elizabethtown, but affectionate hands removed it soon after to Calvary Cemetery, in West Philadelphia, where a suitable monument indicates the last earthly resting place of Mathew Lynch whose portrait we present. His death necessi

tated the removal of his father to America. He came and is now a resident of Philadelphia, being hale and unbent with his years, though he has reached four-score.

In 1870 Mr. Lynch sent for his brother James, with whom also came Mary, his sister. James (who is now president of the American Savings Bank of Trinidad) was placed in La Salle College, Philadelphia, to complete his education, while Mary entered the Sisters' Convent at Chestnut Hill for the same purpose, both at the expense of their affectionate brother Mathew.

The estate, estimated at about $1,000,000, passed by law to the

trator. Of the family thus made wealthy by Mathew it may be said, the father and Mary, live in Philadelphia; John and Andrew upon the old homestead. There the mother died in 1876. Philip died in Philadelphia in 1878. Peter died in 1887, while Patrick and James reside in Elizabethtown, New Mexico, operating their mines. James is also engaged in banking, as intimated before, being president of the American Savings Bank of Trinidad. The latter came to Trinidad in 1874, at Mathew's request, to clerk in the bank of Boyles & Lynch. This did not continue long. It had an unfortunate end, but, it is well known that it was not the fault of Mathew Lynch. The latter dissolved the partnership himself and paid every valid claim made against it, though in no measure morally responsible for many of the debts created.

In 1875 James went to Elizabethtown to take charge of his brother's books, in which capacity he was serving at the time of his brother's death. He and his partners Col. Shelby and Thomas B. Catron, of Santa Fe, are now the owners of the Aztec.

Mr. Lynch, in 1887, built the Lynch block in Trinidad; in one of these buildings is the American Savings Bank. Mr. Lynch now resides in Elizabethtown, in whose present and future he takes a pronounced interest, believing it to be one of the most promising mineral regions in the