Rocky Mountain Prospectors &

Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News
v. 20, n. 02 February 2016

Going for the Gold

Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents
1
2
4
6
10
11
12
13
14

Spanish Treasure Battle Update

About The News
Find Of The Month
Old Mining Notes
Calendar of Events
Calendars
The Hackney Double Eagles
Life In The 1500s
Gold Panning & Placering in
Colorado
16 Trading Post
18 2016 Schedule of Events
19 Contact List

Spanish Treasure
Battle Update
Spain allows first glimpse of shipwreck treasure
won from US salvage firm. Five-year legal battle
ruled in favor of Spain enables it to put on display treasure from ship that sank in Atlantic in
1804
Associated Press
Friday 30 November 2012

panish cultural officials have allowed the first

glimpse at some of the 14.5 tons of shipwreck
treasure, worth an estimated 300m, that a US
salvage company gave up this year after a five-year ownership dispute.

Only a tiny portion of the haul from the Nuestra Seora

de las Mercedes, a galleon that sank off Portugal's Atlantic coast near the straits of Gibraltar in 1804, was shown
to the media: 12 individual silver coins, a block of encrusted silver coins stuck together after centuries underwater, two gold tobacco boxes and a bronze pulley.
Authorities who have been inventorying the treasure
since it was flown from Florida to Spain in February
said it would be transferred later this year from Madrid
to the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in
the Mediterranean city of Cartagena. Displays are expected to start next year, with some items put on rotating temporary displays at museums across the country.

"If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend

the first hour sharpening the axe."
- Abraham Lincoln

Though previous estimates have put the value of the

treasure at 300m, Spanish officials said they weren't
trying to determine an amount because the haul was part
of the nation's cultural heritage and could never be sold
under Spanish law.
"It's invaluable," said Elisa de Cabo, the culture minis(Continued on page 3)

About The News

he News is the official newsletter of the Rocky

Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters
Club (RMPTH): our mailing address is 278
Sierra Vista Drive, Fort Collins, CO. 80524.
Opinions expressed in The News are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the
club or its members. Publication of information in
The News constitutes no guarantee of accuracy. Use
of any information found in this publication is at the
sole risk of the user. Neither RMPTH, nor its coordinators, nor The News, nor its editors or contributors
assume any liability for damages resulting from use
of information in this publication.
Submissions

Articles, letters and short items of interest on prospecting, detecting and treasure hunting topics are
welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for
publication are subject to editing. Submittals for publication may be made in writing or, preferably, in ASCII text format on IBM-compatible disk. If you have
questions about a submission, please contact the editor for information.

Advertising
Classified advertising for topic related items is free
for non-business ads. See the Trading Post section
for donation pricing of camera-ready display ads. Donations for ad makeup from sketches, etc., are available on request.
About RMPTH
RMPTH is an independent nonprofit hobbyist social
club, open to anyone interested in prospecting, detecting or treasure hunting. Its purpose is to provide an
educational and social forum of mutual benefit for
members. RMPTH holds a monthly meeting and conducts various field outings, as well as offers special
presentations and seminars. Active participants have
voting privileges. The monthly newsletter, The News,
is readily available on the Internet. Annual dues are
$25 payable in June. Applicants joining in any month
other than June pay partial dues of $2 per month for
months remaining prior to following June plus $1.

Copyright
Unless otherwise noted, other nonprofit groups
may reprint or quote from any articles appearing in
The News without prior permission, provided that
proper author and publication credits are given and
that a copy of the publication in which the article appears is sent at no cost to RMPTH at the above mailing address. Clubs wishing to exchange newsletters
with RMPTH are invited to send a copy of their newsletter together with an exchange request.

CLUB MEMBERS TAKE NOTE

Club Hats, Shirts, Jackets, & Patches are again available.
Ask for info at the club meetings to purchase your club items!
We will be running a 50/50 Drawing at each club meeting. At the end of each
meeting Tom will split the pot 50/50 and a lucky member will go home with more
money than they came with.!
The remaining 50% goes to the club treasury.
Page 2

The News, February 2016

(Continued from page 1)

try's deputy director of national heritage. "How would

you put a price on the Mona Lisa?"
Spain took possession of the treasure after courts rejected arguments that Florida-based Odyssey Marine
Exploration was entitled to all or most of the treasure.
De Cabo said Spanish authorities were still trying to convince a judge in Tampa that the US company should also
be forced to pay Spain's legal costs.
Officials said on Friday that the weight of the treasure
was not the 15.5 tons reported during the legal fight because that included a ton of seawater used to help preserve many of the silver coins in storage containers.
The inventory counted 574,553 silver coins and 212 gold
coins.
Odyssey had argued that the wreck was never positively
identified as the Mercedes. And if it was that vessel, the
company contended, then the ship was on a commercial
trade trip not a sovereign mission at the time it sank,
meaning Spain would have no firm claim to the cargo.
International treaties generally hold that warships sunk
in battle are protected from treasure seekers.

Odyssey lost every round in federal courts as the Spanish government painted the company as modern-day pirates. The company has said in earnings statements that
it has spent 1.6m salvaging, transporting, storing and
conserving the treasure.
The metals were mined and the coins minted in the Andes, from places that are now in Bolivia, Chile and Peru.
Spain overcame a last-minute effort by the Peruvian government to block the transfer of the treasure back to
Spain. Peru did not gain its independence until 1824,
but the country's lawyers argued it was more than a simple colony at the time because it was the local seat of the
Spanish crown when the ship sank.
Spain's Queen Sofia promised in a visit to Bolivia several
months ago that some of the treasure would be loaned to
the country for display in museums.

Clump of coins from the huge haul.

The News, February 2016

Page 3

Find of the Month

Winners

I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People move out

of the way much faster now!

January, 2016
Most Valuable Coin:
Ray Hettinger - 1959-O Dime
Oldest Coin:
Rick Lesquier - 1904 Indian
Head Cent
Largest Raw Gold: No Entry
Most Raw Gold: No Entry
Best Bottle Joe Johnston: Antique Bottle
With Glass Stopper and Etching
Best Jewelry:
Tom Marschall Pendant
Most Unique Find (Excavated):
Rick Lesquier Sterling Silver
Bridle Roundel
Token:
Tom Marschall Rotary Token
Rock, Gem, Mineral & Fossil:
Barb Schuldt - Stone With Letters

Gold Glossary
Rocker Box or Cradle - Today, the rocker box is not
used as extensively as the sluice, but still is an effective method of recovering gold in dryer than
usual areas. Like a sluice box the rocker box has riffles and a carpet in it to trap the gold. It was designed to be used in areas with less water than a
sluice box. The process involves pouring water out of
a small cup and then rocking the small sluice box like
a cradle, thus the name rocker box or cradle.

TREASURE HUNTERS
CODE OF ETHICS

I WILL respect private property and do no treasure

hunting without the owner's permission.
I WILL fill all excavations.
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural
resources, wildlife, and private property.
I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy
at all times.

Not bad considering the wintry

weather!

I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only.

I WILL leave gates as found.
I WILL remove and properly dispose of any trash that I
find.
I WILL NOT litter.
I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings, or what is left
of ghost towns and deserted structures.
I WILL NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities, or
equipment.

Page 4

The News, February 2016

As I have grown older:

Mineral Specimen Identification

I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible but

pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

As part of their community outreach, Metropolitan State

College of Denver, Dep. of Earth & Atmospheric
Science, Professional Services Division offers FREE
MINERAL SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION. Participants
will aid in the education of future Geoscientists!

Condoms don't guarantee safe sex any more.

A friend of mine was wearing one when he was shot
by the woman's husband.
Lance Armstrong
I think it is just terrible and disgusting how everyone has treated Lance Armstrong, e specially after what he achieved, winning 7 Tour de France
races while on drugs. When I was on drugs, I couldn't even find my bike.

Details and specimen submittal forms with instructions

can be downloaded
from:
SPECIAL OFFER FREE MINERAL SPECIMEN
http://college.earthscienceeducation.net/MINPET/
MINID.pdf

Drive By
A guy broke into my apartment last week. He didn't
take my TV, just the remote. Now he drives by and
changes the channels. Sick bastard!
The Agony of Aging
On the morning that Daylight Savings Time ended I
stopped in to visit my aging friend. He was busy covering his penis with black shoe polish. I said to him
you better get your hearing checked. You're supposed to turn your clock back".
Video Scam
Just got scammed out of $25. Bought Tiger Woods
DVD entitled "My Favorite 18 Holes." Turns out it's
all about golf. Absolute waste of money! Pass this on
so others don't get scammed.

Refreshment Volunteers
February Tim Coatman
March Dick & Sharon French
April Fred Sugden
May Volunteer Needed
June Volunteer Needed
July Volunteer Needed
August Volunteer Needed
September - Volunteer Needed
October - Volunteer Needed
NovemberVolunteer Needed
The News, February 2016

Property Wanted
For Detector Hunt
RMPTH is looking for private property on which to hold
an organized club detector hunt. Obviously, it would be
most ideal if this property is known to have seen some
past historical activity. If you have such property or
know of someone who does, please contact Rick
Mattingly to plan a club field outing event.

Page 5

Old Mining Notes

A miners perspective from 1896
that still has value

he following is a chapter from a publication stated

to be: A practical treatise for prospectors, miners
and students and was written in 1897 by J.C.F.
Johnson, Federation of Geological Societies, a member
of the Australian Institute of Mining Engineers, and the
author of Practical Mining and The Genealogy of
Gold.
CHAPTER 12
RULES OF THUMB MINING APPLIANCES AND METHODS

HOW TO MAKE A DOLLY

I have seen some rather elaborate dollies, intended to be
worked with amalgamating tables, but the usual prototype of the quartz mill is set up, more or less, as follows:
A tree stump, from 9 in. to a foot diameter, is leveled off
smoothly at about 2 ft. from the ground; on this is firmly
fixed a circular plate of 1/2 in. iron, say 9 in. in diameter; a band of 3/16 in. iron, about 8 or 9 in. in height, fits
more or less closely round the plate. This is the battery
box. A beam of heavy wood, about 3 in. diameter and 6
ft. long, shod with iron, is vertically suspended, about 9
in. above the stump, from a flexible sapling with just sufficient spring in it to raise the pestle to the required
height. About 2 ft. from the bottom the hanging beam is
pierced with an augur hole and a rounded piece of wood,
1 1/2 in. by 18 in., is driven through to serve as a handle
for the man who is to do the pounding. His mate breaks
the stone to about 2 in. gauge and feeds the box, lifting
the ring from time to time to sweep off the triturated
gangue, which he screens through a sieve into a pan and
washes off, either by means of a cradle or simply by
panning. In dollying it generally pays to burn the stone,
as so much labor in crushing is thus saved. A couple of
small kilns to hold about a ton each dug out of a clay
bank will be found to save fuel where firewood is scarce,
and will more thoroughly burn the stone and dissipate
the base metals, but it must be remembered that gold
from burnt stone is liable to become so encrusted with
the base metal oxides as to be difficult to amalgamate.
ROUGH WINDLASS
Make two St. Andrew's crosses with four saplings, the
upper angle being shorter than the lower; fix these upright, one at each end of the shaft; stay them together by
cross pieces till you have constructed something like a
"horse," such as is used for sawing wood, the crutch being a little over 3 feet high.
Select a leg for a windlass barrel, about 6 in. diameter
and a foot longer than the distance between the supports, as straight as is procurable; cut in it two circular
slots about an inch deep by 2 in. wide to fit into the
forks; at one end cut a straight slot 2 in. deep across the
face. Now get a crooked bough, as nearly the shape of a
handle as nature has produced it, and trim it into right
angular shape, fit one end into the barrel, and you have a
windlass that will pull up many a ton of stuff.

PUDDLER
This is made by excavating a circular hole about 2 ft. 9
in. deep and, say 12 ft. in diameter. An outer and inner
wall are then constructed of slabs 2 ft. 6 in. in height to
ground level, the outer wall being thus 30 ft. and the inner 15 ft. in circumference. The circular space between
is floored with smooth hardwood slabs or boards, and
the whole made secure and water-tight. In the middle of
the inner enclosure a stout post is planted, to stand a
few inches above the wall, and the surrounding space is
filled up with clay rammed tight. A strong iron pin is
inserted in the centre of the post, on which is fitted a
revolving beam, which hangs across the whole circumference of the machine and protrudes a couple of feet or so
on each side.
To this beam are attached, with short chains, a couple of
drags made like V- shaped harrows by driving a piece of
red iron through a heavy frame, shaped as a rectangular
triangle.
To one end of the beam an old horse is attached, who, as
he slowly walks round the circular track, causes the harrows and drags to so puddle the wash dirt and water in
the great wooden enclosure that the clay is gradually disintegrated, and flows off with the water which is from
time to time admitted. The clean gravel is then run
through a "cradle, "long Tom," or "sluice," and the gold
saved.
This, of course, is the simplest form of gold mining. In
the great alluvial mines other and more intricate appliances are used but the principle of extraction is the
same.
A MAKESHIFT PUMP
To make a temporary small "draw-lift" pump, which will
work down to a hundred feet or more if required, take a
large size common suction Douglas pump, and, after
removing the top and handle, fix the pump as close to
the highest level of the water in the shaft as can be arranged. Now make a square water-tight wooden column
of slightly greater capacity than the suction pipe, fix this
to the top of the pump, and by means of wooden rods,
work the whole from the surface, using either a longer
levered handle or, with a little ingenuity, horsepower.
If you can get it the iron downpipe used to carry the water from the guttering of houses is more easily adapted
for the pipe column; then, also, iron pump rods can be
used but I have raised water between 60 and 70 feet with
a large size Douglas pump provided only with a wooden
column and rods.
SQUEEZING AMALGAM
For squeezing amalgam, strong calico, not too coarse,
previously soaked in clean water, is quite as good as ordinary chamois leather. Some gold is fine enough to escape through either.
MERCURY EXTRACTOR
The mercury extractor or amalgam separator is a machine which is very simple in construction, and is stated
to be most efficient in extracting quicksilver from amalgam, as it requires but from two to three minutes to extract the bulk of the mercury from one hundred pounds
(Continued on page 7)

Page 6

The News, February 2016

(Continued from page 6)

A Short Story
One day, long, long ago,
there lived a woman who did
not whine, nag or bitch.
But it was a long time ago,
and it was just that one day.
The End

Door Prize Donors

For January

Cigar Box - Rick Mattingly

State Quarter Book - Tim
Coatman
Spotter Cards - Chuck Russell
Screen Sprayer Ring - Wolf
Stumpf
Gold Pan - RMPTH Stores
RMPTH Club Patch - RMPTH
Stores
Silver Quarter- RMPTH Stores
2 Silver Dimes - RMPTH
Stores

of amalgam, leaving the amalgam drier than when

strained in the ordinary way by squeezing through chamois leather or calico. The principle is that of the De Laval
cream separator--i.e., rapid centrifugal motion. The appliance is easily put together, and as easily taken apart.
The cylinder is made of steel, and is run at a very high
rate of speed.
The general construction of the appliance is as follows:
The casing or receiver is a steel cylinder, which has a
pivot at the bottom to receive the step for an upright hollow shaft, to which a second cylinder of smaller diameter
is attached. The second cylinder is perforated, and a fine
wire cloth is inserted. The mercury, after passing
through the cloth, is discharged through the perforations. When the machine is revolved at great speed, the
mercury is forced into the outside cylinder, leaving the
amalgam, which has been first placed in a calico or canvas bag, in a much drier state than it could be strained
by hand.
While not prepared to endorse absolutely all that is
claimed for this appliance, I consider that it has mechanical probability on its side, and that where large
quantities of amalgam have to be treated it will be found
useful and effective.
SLUICE PLATES
I am indebted to Mr. F. W. Drake for the following account of sluice plates, which I have never tried, but think
the device worth attention: "An addition has been made
to the gold-saving appliances by the placing of what are
called in America, 'sluice plates' below the ordinary table. The pulp now flows over an amalgamating surface,
14 ft. long by 4 ft. wide, sloping 1 1/2 in. to the foot, and
is then contracted into a copper-plated sluice 15 ft. long
by 14 in. wide, having a fall of 1 in. to the foot. Our mill
manager (Mr. G. C. Knapp) advocated these sluice plates
for a long time before I would consent to a trial. I
contended that as we got little or no amalgam from the
lower end of our table plates there was no gold going
away capable of being recovered by copper plates; and
even if it were, narrow sluice plates were a step in the
wrong direction. If anything the amalgamating surface
should be widened to give the particles of gold a better
chance to settle. His argument was that the conditions
should be changed; by narrowing the stream and giving
it less fall, gold, which was incapable of amalgamation
on the wide plates, would be saved. We finally put one in,
and it proved so successful that we now have one at the
end of each table. The percentage recovered on the sluice
plates, of the total yield, varies, and has been as follows:- October, 9.1 per cent; November, 6.9 per cent; December, 6.4 per cent; January, 4.3 per cent; February, 9.3
per cent."
MEASURING INACCESSIBLE DISTANCES
To ascertain the width of a difficult gorge, a deep river,
or treacherous swamp without crossing and measuring,
sight a conspicuous object at the edge of the bank on the
farther side; then as nearly opposite and square as possible plant a stake about five feet high, walk along the
nearer margin to what you guess to be half the distance
across (exactitude in this respect is not material to the
result), there plant another stake, and continuing in a
(Continued on page 8)

The News, February 2016

Page 7

(Continued from page 7)

straight line put in a third. The stakes must be equal

distances apart and as nearly as possible at a right angle
to the first line. Now, carrying in hand a fourth stake,
strike a line inland at right angles to the base and as
soon as sighting over the fourth stake, you can get the
fourth and second stakes and the object on the opposite
shore in line your problem is complete. The distance
between No. 4 and No. 3 stakes is the same as that between No. 1 and the opposite bank.
TO SET OUT A RIGHT ANGLE WITH A TAPE
Measure 40 ft. on the line to which you wish to run at
right angles, and put pegs at A and B; then, with the end
of the tape held carefully at A, take 80 ft., and have the
80 ft. mark held at B. Take the 50 ft. mark and pull
from A and B until the tape lies straight and even, you
will then have the point C perpendicular to AB. Continue
straight lines by sighting over two sticks in the wellknown way.
/Another method/.--Stick a pin in each corner of a square
board, and look diagonally across them, first in the direction of the line to which you wish to run at right angles, and then for the new line sight across the other two
pins.
A SIMPLE LEVELLING INSTRUMENT
Fasten a common carpenter's square in a slit to the top
of a stake by means of a screw, and then tie a plumb-line
at the angle so that it may hang along the short arm,
when the plumb-line hangs vertically and sights may be
taken over it. A carpenter's spirit-level set on an adjustable stand will do as well. The other arm will then be a
level.
Another very simple, but effective, device for finding a
level line is by means of a triangle of wood made of halfinch boards from 9 to 12 ft. long. To make the legs level,
set the triangle up on fairly level ground, suspend a
plummet from the top and mark on the crosspiece
where the line touches it. Then reverse the triangle, end
for end, exactly, and mark the new line the plumb-line
makes. Now make a new mark exactly half way between
the two, and when the plumb-line coincides with this,
the two legs are standing on level ground. For short water races this is a very handy method of laying out a level
line.
TO MEASURE THE HEIGHT OF A STANDING TREE
Take a stake about your own height, and walking from
the butt of the tree to what you judge to be the height of
the timber portion you want, drive your stake into the
ground till the top is level with your eyes; now lie
straight out on your back, placing your feet against the
stake, and sight a point on the tree. AB equals BC. If BC
is, say 40 ft., that will be the height of your "stick of tim-

ber." Thus, much labor may be saved in felling trees the

timber portion of which may afterwards be found to be
too short for your purpose.
LEVELLING BY ANEROID BAROMETER
This should be used more for ascertaining relatively
large differences in altitudes than for purposes where
any great nicety is required. For hills under 2000 ft., the
following rule will give a very close approximation, and is
easily remembered, because 55 degrees, the assumed
temperature, agrees with 55 degrees, the significant figures in the 55,000 factor, while the fractional correction
contains /two fours/. Observe the altitudes and also the
temperatures on the Fahrenheit thermometer at top and
bottom respectively, of the hill, and take the mean between them. Let B represent the mean altitude and b the
mean temperature. Then 55000 X B - b/B + b = height
of the hill in feet for the temperature of 55 degrees. Add
1/440 of this result for every degree the mean temperature exceeds 55 degrees; or subtract as much for every
degree below 55 degrees.
TO DETERMINE HEIGHTS OF OBJECTS BY SHADOWS
Set up vertically a stick of known length, and measure
the length of its shadow upon a horizontal or other
plane; measure also the length of the shadow thrown by
the object whose height is required. Then it will be: --As
the length of the stick's shadow is to the length of the
stick itself, so is the length of the shadow of the object to
the object's height.
By Reflection
Place a vessel of water upon the ground and recede from
it until you see the top of the object reflected from the
surface of the water. Then it will be: -- As your horizontal
distance from the point of reflection is to the height of
your eye above the reflecting surface, so is the horizontal
distance of the foot of the object from the vessel to its
altitude above the said surface.
Instrumentally
Read the vertical angle, and multiply its natural tangent
by the distance between instrument and foot of object;
the result is the height. When much accuracy is not required vertical angles can be measured by means of a
quadrant of simple construction. The arc AB is a quadrant, graduated in degrees from B to A; C, the point from
which the plummet P is suspended, being the centre of
the quadrant.
When the sights AC are directed towards any object, S,
the degrees in the arc, BP, are the measure of the angle
of elevation, SAD, of the object.
(Continued on page 9)

Before You Buy That Metal Detector Handbook Check:

http://www.mdhtalk.org/articles/before-you-buy-hb/before-you-buy-handbook.pdf
Page 8

The News, February 2016

(Continued from page 8)

TO FIND THE DEPTH OF A SHAFT

Rule: -- Square the number of seconds a stone takes to
reach the bottom and multiply by 16. Thus, if a stone
takes 5 seconds to fall to the bottom of a shaft -- 5
squared = 25; and 25 X 16 = 400 feet, the required
depth of shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF PLAN FOR REUSING WATER
Where water is scarce it may be necessary to use it repeatedly. In a case of this kind in Egypt, the Arab miners
have adopted an ingenious method which may be
adapted to almost any set of conditions. At a is a sump
or water-pit; b is an inclined plane on which the mineral
is washed and whence the water escapes into a tank c; d
is a conduit for taking the water back to a; e is a conduit
or lever pump for raising the water. A certain amount of
filtration could easily be managed during the passage
from c to a.
COOLING COMPOUND FOR HEATED BEARINGS
Mercurial ointment mixed with black cylinder oil and
applied every quarter of an hour, or as often as expedient. The following is also recommended as a good cooling compound for heavy bearings: -- Tallow 2 lb., plumbage 6 oz., sugar of lead 4 oz. Melt the tallow with gentle
heat and add the other ingredients, stirring until cold.

Do not wear steel

toe boots while
detecting .....
MAY CAUSE
BRAIN
DAMAGE!!!

CLEANING GREASY PLUMMER BLOCKS

When, through carelessness or unpreventable cause,
plummer blocks and other detachable portions of machinery become clogged with sticky deposits of grease
and impurities, a simple mode of cleansing the same is
to take about 1000 parts by weight of boiling water, to
which add about 10 or 15 parts of ordinary washing
soda. Keep the water on the boil and place therein the
portions of the machine that are to be cleaned; this treatment has the effect of quickly loosening all grease, oil,
and dirt, after which the metal is thoroughly washed and
dried. The action of the lye is to form with the grease a
soap soluble in water. To prevent lubricating oil hardening upon the parts of the machinery when in use, add a
third part of kerosene.
AN EXCELLENT ANTI-FRICTION COMPOUND
For use on cams and stamper shanks, which will be
harmless should it drop into the mortar or stamper
boxes, is graphite (blacklead) and soft soap. When the
guides are wooden, the soft soap need not be added;
black-lead made into a paste with water will act admirably.
TO CLEAN BRASS
Oxalic acid 1 oz., rotten stone 6 oz., powdered gum arabic 1/2 oz., sweet oil 1 oz. Rub on with a piece of rag.
A SOLVENT FOR RUST
It is often very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to
remove rust from articles made of iron. Those which are
very thickly coated are most easily cleaned by being immersed in a nearly saturated solution of chloride of tin.
The length of time they remain in this bath is determined by the thickness of the coating of rust. Generally
from twelve to twenty-four hours is long enough.
TO PROTECT IRON AND STEEL FROM RUST
(Continued on page 12)
The News, February 2016

Page 9

Calendar of Events
February Meeting
Wednesday, February 3. We will meet at the Pulliam
Building in downtown Loveland at 6:00PM. Refer to
the adjoining map for directions.
Meeting Agenda
6:00 - 7:00 Social Hour & Finds Program
7:00 - 7:30 Business, Announcements & Find of
the Month Program
7:30 - 7:45 Break
7:45 - 9:00 "Demo of RMPTH Prospecting/
Detecting DVD and A Wyoming Treasure Hunt
Story by RMPTH members.

Visit RMPTH On The Internet At

http://rmpth.com

RMPTH DUES
RMPTH is an unincorporated Social Club with
no income generated. All
expenses are covered by
$25 annual dues. Members are requested to
consider minor donations
at each monthly meeting
to cover refreshments.

MAP TO THE MEETING PLACE

Pulliam Community Building
545 Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, Colorado

Directions:
The Pulliam Community Building is situated on the west side of Cleveland Avenue in Loveland,
Colorado. Park at the rear of the building (west side). Entry to the meeting room is from
the doorway on the south side of the building (not the main entrance on Cleveland Avenue!).
Page 10

The News, February 2016

February 2016
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

11

12

13

RMPTH Finds Program

& Social 6:00P
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

10

RMPTH Board Meeting

6:00P

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

March 2016
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

10

11

12

RMPTH Finds Program

& Social 6:00P
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

RMPTH Board Meeting

6:00P

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Easter

The News, February 2016

Page 11

(Continued from page 9)

The following method is but little known, although it deserves preference over many others. Add 7 oz. of quicklime to 1 3/4 pints of cold water. Let the mixture stand
until the supernatant fluid is entirely clear. Then pour
this off, and mix with it enough olive oil to form a thick
cream, or rather to the consistency of melted and recongealed butter. Grease the articles of iron or steel with
this compound, and then wrap them up in paper, or if
this cannot be done, apply the mixture somewhat more
thickly.
TO KEEP MACHINERY FROM RUSTING
Take 1 oz. of camphor, dissolve it in 1 lb. of melted lard;
mix with it (after removing the scum) as much fine black
-lead as will give it an iron color; clean the machinery,
and smear it with this mixture. After twenty-four hours
rub off and clean with soft, linen cloth. This mixture will
keep machinery clean for months under ordinary circumstances.
FIRE-LUTE
An excellent fire-lute is made of eight parts sharp sand,
two parts good clay, and one part horse-dung; mix and
temper like mortar.

The Hackney Double

Eagles

erence Castle discovered this hoard of 80 gold

Double Eagles dating from 1854 to 1913 while
he was digging a pond in his backyard in the
Hackney borough of London in 2007. The coins were
buried by the family of Martin Sulzbacher, a Jewish
refugee from Germany, in the early days of World War I
when the possibility of a German invasion and raids on
banks loomed large. Upon his return from internment
as an enemy alien on the Isle of Man, Sulzbacher found
his house destroyed and his extended family killed by
a direct hit during the Blitz. His four children, also interned on the Isle of Man, survived the war, and his
son Max, 81, claimed the hoard on April 18, 2011.
Msn.com

ROPE-SPLICING
A short splice is made by unlaying the ends of two pieces
of rope to a sufficient length, then interlaying them, draw
them close and push the strands of one under the
strands of the other several times. This
splice makes a thick lump on the rope and is only used
for slings, block-straps, cables, etc.
WASHINGTON PROSPECTORS
November / December 2009

RMPTH Field Outing Statement

NOTE: The Coordinators and participants stay in touch
and continue to review and plan upcoming presentations
and outings for the year on a monthly basis. Our editor
Rick Mattingly needs timely event information for each
issue of The News. Please get information about any particular event to him by the 15th of the month to meet the
printing deadline for the next issue.

Beautiful pile of Double Eagles

Planned trips, outings, activities, and meeting programs

are in the newsletter and on line at the clubs website.
Planning is a work in progress and additional outings and
activities are added and sometimes deleted on an ongoing basis. Events planned in the upcoming month are
emphasized to the attendees at the monthly meetings.
Contact the Presentations Coordinators or Editor if you
have any suggestions or ideas throughout the year for
fieldtrips, outings, and programs.
The best made plans may change at the last minute due
to the illness of the Trail Boss, weather, land access, vehicles breaking down, wrong meeting sites, etc. Please
be understanding of extenuating circumstances and contact the coordinator or Trail Boss of a specific event if
there is any question of an event being cancelled or
changed at the last minute.
Page 12

The News, February 2016

Life In The 1500's

These are interesting facts about the old days...

ost people got married in June because they

took their yearly bath in May, and still
smelled pretty good by June. However, they
were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of
flowers to hide the body odor. Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The
man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean
water, then all the other sons and men, then the
women and finally the children. Last of all the babies.
By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose
someone in it. Hence the saying "Don't throw the baby
out with the bath water".
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high,
with no wood underneath. It was the only place for
animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small
animals (mice, bugs, etc.) lived in the roof. When it
rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals
would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's
raining cats and dogs".
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the
house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom
where bugs and other droppings could mess up your
nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a
sheet hung over the top afforded some protection.
That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something
other than dirt. Hence the saying "Dirt Poor". The
wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the
winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on
floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on,
they added more thresh until, when you opened the
door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of
wood was placed in the entrance way. Hence the saying a "Thresh hold".

feel quite special. When visitors came over, they

would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign
of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon".
They would cut off a little to share with guests and
would all sit around and "chew the fat".
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food
with high acid content caused some of the lead to
leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death.
This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the
next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got
the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the "upper crust".
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The
combination would sometimes knock the imbibers
out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for
dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out
on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait
and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of
"holding a wake".
England is old and small and the local folks started
running out of places to bury people. So they would
dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bonehouse, and reuse the grave. When reopening these
coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch
marks on the inside and they realized they had been
burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the
wrist of the corpse, thread it through the coffin and
up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone
would have to sit out in the graveyard all night ("the
graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone
could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead
ringer".

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a

big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day
they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate
mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They
would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the
pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next
day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been
there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot
nine days old".
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them
The News, February 2016

Page 13

Gold Panning &

Placering in Colorado
a Book Review by Rick Mattingly

f you are at all interested in gold prospecting in Colorado you simply must get your hands on a copy of
this publication from the Colorado Geological Survey.
The full title of this publication (at 83 pages I would call
it a book!) is Information Series 33, Gold Panning and
Placering in Colorado, How and Where by Dr. Ben H.
Parker, Jr., published in 1992.
In the Forward of this publication it is explained that
due to the numerous inquiries to the State regarding this
subject it was decided that a short booklet should be
prepared. The Colorado Geological Survey contracted
with Dr. Parker to accomplish this task and in the process the booklet grew into a book. A masterpiece of information on gold occurrences and the gold mining history of this state.
Dr. Parker explains the geology of gold placers in Colorado and, along the way, provides complete instructions
on panning and sluicing including excellent photographs.
He also provides very detailed instructions and plans for
constructing various sluice boxes and rockers.
The book goes on to describe every area of major gold
occurrence in the state complete with detailed maps and
history of each area. In each instance he also provides

Page 14

very precise recommendations as to the best location

within each area in which to prospect for gold today.
Short of someone guiding you by the hand this is the
next best thing!
The history of these mining areas is really fascinating
and the book is chock full of historic photographs of
miners and mining equipment in action. The photos of
some of the old dredges and hydraulic equipment at
work are amazing. In most cases Dr. Parker has also
cited from mining record the documented amount of
gold extracted from these locations from 1862 forward
in dollars, ounces and parts per volume.
All in all, this is one fascinating book. If gold strikes your
fancy you must see this thing! To order your very own
copy contact the Colorado Geological Survey at:
Colorado Geological Survey
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 715
Denver, Colorado 80203
Ph: (303) 866-2611
Now thats tax dollars well spent!
Reprinted from the Premier Issue of The News, July,
1996. For the benefit of all our newer members, this
publication is a treasure trove of information regarding
recovery of gold in Colorado and is a must have for
your library.

The News, February 2016

Gold Glossary
Shaker Table - Shaker tables are like giant gold pans. An engine drives a belt that
vibrates a huge bucket. Instead of the
junk material being separated from the
gold, the gold is separated from the junk.
The vibration of the bucket causes the
gold to settle to the bottom, the junk goes
into a small classifier and is dumped out
into a tailing pile.

Gold Facts
Symbol: AU
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Weight: 196.967
Melting Point: 1063 (1945 F)
Specific Gravity: 19.2
MOHs Scale of Hardness:
2.5 - 3
Karat
24K = 100% Pure Gold
18K = 75% Pure Gold
14K = 58% Pure Gold
10K = 42% Pure Gold
Troy Weights
1 grain = 0.0648 grams
24 grains = 1 penny
weight (DWT) = 1.552 grams
20 DWT = 1 ounce =
480 grains = 31.10 grams

YOUR
ADVERTISEMENT
COULD BE HERE!
Call Rick Mattingly
at 970-669-1205
or rickmatt@q.com
The News, February 2016

Page 15

Trading Post
FOR SALE: Jewelers propane/oxygen torch, many cabochons, beads and tools. Contact Ann at
(970) 6667-3705.
FOR SALE: Minelab SD2200 Gold Nugget Metal Detector:
10-1/2" Mono Super Coil, 10-1/2" SD Series Super Coil, two
batteries w/wall & car charger, headphones, backpack,
waist battery pack, signal enhancer, extra lower stem, instruction booklet & video, carry case. Ready to go for the
gold. New Price: $1200. Contact Paul at (970) 482-7846.
FOR SALE: 5HP pump motor, Gold King 3" Hi-banker with
dredge attachment w/adjustable stand, Gold Grabber Hibanker, 125 feet hose, Rock net and steel cable, misc. fittings and valves & large metal bucket. Prefer to sell all together for $1,350 but negotiable. Call Eric Stickland at
(303) 833-6848 or
estick@live.com.
WANTED: Used lapidary equipment. Call Kathie 970-2211623
WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or used. Contact John Hart at (307) 778-3993.

NOTE:
Purchase arrangements are between the buyer and
seller only and involves no financial benefit to RMPTH.

About Trading Post

The News runs classified ads in Trading Post
for three consecutive issues. Trading Post ads
for topic related items up to 10 lines (or 70
words) long are free. To place an ad in Trading
Post contact Rick Mattingly at (970) 613-8968
evenings
or e-mail at: rickmatt@q.com
Commercial Advertising
Specifications
(Monthly Donation Rate)
Full Page (8 1/2" X 7")
Half Page (3 1/4" X 7")
One Third Page (3" X 4")
Business Card (2 3/4" X 1 1/2")

$30
$20
$15
$ 5

Ads must be received by the 15th of the

preceding month. Contact Rick Mattingly for information on this service at
(970) 613-6968 evenings or e-mail at:
rickmatt@q.com.

All mistakes and

misspellings were
intentionally made so
that you could have the
pleasure of finding them.
Colorado School of Mines
Geology Museum
Golden, Colorado
Contact us: 303-273-3815 or
geomuseum@mines.edu
Identification of specimens is performed
between 10 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays and
Thursdays.
Page 16

The News, February 2016

WEEKEND & SMALL-SCALE

MINERS CODE OF ETHICS
I WILL respect other prospectors claims and not work
those claims without the owners permission
I WILL have on-site all necessary permits and licenses
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only, and
in accordance with current State and Federal guidelines
I WILL be careful with fuels and motor oils and be cognizant of their potential destructive effect on the environment
I WILL remove and properly dispose of all trash and
debris that I find - I will not litter
I WILL be thoughtful, considerate and courteous to
those around me at all time
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural
resources, wildlife, fisheries and private property, and
respect all laws or ordinances governing prospecting
and mining
I WILL NOT remove stream bank material, destroy
natural vegetation or woody debris dams, nor discharge
excess silt into the waterways
I WILL NOT refuel motorized equipment in the stream
I WILL NOT allow oil from motorized
equipment to drip onto the ground or into the water
I WILL NOT prospect in areas closed to prospecting
and mining

Offer Your Assistance To Any

Of Our Program Coordinators
The News, February 2016

Page 17

Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club

2016 Schedule of Events
Month

Meeting Program

Trip/Activity

January

Artifact Hunting
By Bryan Morgan

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

February

Demo of RMPTH Prospecting/Detecting

DVD
A Wyoming Treasure Hunt Story

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

March

Packing a Metal Detecting Kit Bag

By RMPTH Members

Tour of Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne

April

Gold Wheels
By RMPTH Members

Local Detector Hunt

Map, Compass & GPS Clinic

May

Mining Camps Speak

Bill & Beth Sagstetter

Prospecting & Detecting Clinic at Lions Park

Lets Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas Event GPOC

June

Privy Hunting
By RMPTH Members

Clear Creek Gold Outing

Denver GPAA Show
State Annual Gold Panning Championships

July

Metal Detecting
By RMPTH Members
Boy Scouts Invited

Galeton Metal Detecting Outing

Phoenix Gold Mine Tour

August

Gold & Platinum in Wyoming

By Wayne Sutherland, WSGS

Vics Gold PanningBlackhawk

Galeton Metal Detecting Outing

September

Loveland Archeology Society and Stone

Age Fair
By Bryan Morgan

Annual Coin & Prize Hunt

Stone Age Fair
School of Mines Museum Tour

October

Map & Internet Research

By Rick Mattingly

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

November

Annual Show & Tell &

Silent Auction

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

December

Annual Find of the Year Awards &

Christmas Party

Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show

Good Hunting in 2016!

Page 18

The News, February 2016

Rocky Mountain
Prospectors & Treasure Hunters
Contact List
RMPTH Coordinators

Home

E-Mail

President

Tom Warne

1-970-635-0773

goldigger48@msn.com

Interim Vice President

Tim Coatman

1-970-353-1919

old37chev@aol.com

Treasurer

Dick & Sharon French

1-970-482-2110

dickyf99@centurylink.net

Secretary

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Finds Program

Dave Landes
Betsy Emond
Joe Johnston

1-720-985-4186
1-970-218-0290
1-303-696-6950

midnightoil45@aol.com
bemond@fcgov.com
cjoej1@peoplepc.com

Presentations

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Club Historian

Steve McNeill

1-970-556-0755

pawfullo@yahoo.com

Club Meeting Greeter

Barbara Schuldt

1-970-407-1336

Club Librarian

Joe Johnston

1-303-696-6950

cjoej1@peoplepc.com

Club Photo Librarian

Tom Warne

1-970-635-0773

goldigger48@msn.com

Meeting Setup

Jim Friedricks

1-720-270-8895

Door Prize

Tim Coatman

1-970-353-1919

old37chev@aol.com

Zinc Penny Project

Tom Marschall

1-970-396-0133

tmarschall47@gmail.com

50/50 Drawing

Woody Hogdon

1-970-667-5010

ftcolwoody@juno.com

Coin Raffle

Woody Hogdon

1-970-667-5010

ftcolwoody@juno.com

The News Staff

Editor-in-Chief
Internet Web Site
Web Master
Volunteers/Coordinators

General Information Contact: Rick Mattingly at 1-970-669-1205 or rickmatt@q.com

Visit RMPTH on the Internet at: http://rmpth.com

Lets Go For The Gold !

The News, February 2016

Page 19

The News
Rocky Mountain Prospectors &
Treasure Hunters Club
278 Sierra Vista Drive
Fort Collins, CO. 80524

FEBRUARY, 2016 ISSUE