1913-] HEYL— PLATINUM IN NORTH CAROLINA. 23 



j\Ir. Wilson also put down a hole in the ground by the creek 

 side and took some rock out which yielded nothing but blanks. He 

 seems then to have become discouraged, and soon afterwards died, 

 being over 80 years of age. His assistant went to Mexico, where 

 all trace of him was lost. 



I have given the story thus far somewhat in detail, as it illustrates 

 so well the characteristic features of the deposit, and the experience 

 of every one who has worked with it. The details were given me 

 personally by Mr. Harralson. As this occurred about the time of 

 the gold discoveries in Alaska the particular spot where the platinum 

 was found was called the Klondike, which name it bears to this day. 



A few years after this the matter came to the attention of Dr. 

 C. D. W. Colby, then of Dillsboro, Jackson county, N. C, now of 

 Asheville, who has been since that time its most earnest and per- 

 sistent advocate. Much credit is due him in this matter. Starting, 

 as he himself states, with the very elementary knowledge of platinum 

 possessed by the average practicing physician, and with the still 

 more elementary facilities at his disposal in a mountain village of 

 western North Carolina, he was able to satisfy himself that the rock 

 contained platinum, and in what he believed to be paying quantities. 



Following are the results of certain assays made for Dr. Colby 

 by a Mr. Jenkins, chemist for a copper company operating in the 

 western part of North Carolina. 



3.27 0.65 1.31 0.65 



1.31 1.31 trace 0.71 



373 3-85 0.16 trace 



3.60 3,76 0.24 



3.92 0.71 0.32 



These assays were all made by the wet method, and in addition 

 to these figures many blanks were obtained. Dr. Colby also obtained 

 the following figures, together with a number of blanks, from well- 

 known professional assayers : 



F. F. Hunt, New York 2.6 



Trubeck 3.1 



Ledoux and Co 3.07 



G. C. Childress, Knoxville i.o 



