ROJAS' SILVER BELL

[Jim Hatt]

Hello TH,

If the treasure had already been found, and the event had already been made public. It would already be past the Treasure Trove stage. Those are normally issued for someone to dig where they suspect, (and can convince the Forest Service) that some kind of buried valuables exist.

I believe we would be looking at a very long legal process, to determine who would end up with the treasure in the example I gave.

It would not surprise me if the Catholic Church produced a very detailed itemized list (in such a trial) of everything that would be contained in an actual Jesuit Treasure cache, and a very convincing argument about why it should be returned to them.

Looking for it is fun. Finding it would be even more fun! But owning it? I don't see much hope for that.

Jim

[JoeyW]

Jim,

If you believe that any Jesuit Treasure found, would ultimately be awarded to the Catholic Church. Why bother searching for it?

Joey

[davin]

Jim,

If you believe that any Jesuit Treasure found, would ultimately be awarded to the Catholic Church. Why bother searching for it?

Joey

joey, you make a very good point and it will be interesting to hear some of the replies.
thanks. ron

[JoeyW]

Ron,

I was just checking in to see if Jim had replied yet. I though it was a fair question. Glad to see someone agrees!

Where are you Jim?

Joey

[cubfan64]

I know the question was posed to Jim, but for the fun of it, I'll give you my answer.

While the ultimate goal may be the chance of finding something(s) worth a fortune, the hunt (journey) is a significant portion of the fun and excitement for me. The memory of the trials and tribulations, ups and downs, excitement and disappointment is a treasure in itself.

On top of that, there would the personal satisfaction of proving to myself that I was correct in some of my theories and ideas, and whether I was ever publicly recognized for that, I'd always know inside that I was right and succeeded where others couldn't.

I haven't met all that many "old timer" treasure hunters, but the ones I have met are unanimous in their statement that despite everything, they "wouldn't trade one second of their search for anything."

I'll be curious to hear what Jim and possibly others have to say here.

[Jim Hatt]

Nicely put Cubfan!

You posted half of my "Thunder" before I could rattle it!

As I have heard Clay Worst say many times. "If I were only interested in the gold, I would have given up many years ago".

I think it took me a full five years and several hundred trips into the mountains, before I fully understood how high the odds were stacked against me ever finding the LDM. It was about that time that I became interested in the stone maps. Had that not happened, I probably would have faded totally out of the picture and back to the life I had left behind me.

The stone maps breathed new life into an old dream. Eventually I was able to meld them into the same dream. Instead of just the LDM to search for, I had Jesuit mines and possibly a buried Jesuit Treasure. Looking at the time frames involved. I could see how the possibility existed that the Jesuits were the first people to work the gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. Followed by the Mexicans (Peraltas) which leads us into the story of Jacob Waltz. None of it can be proven (without finding a mine that fits the bill) but so far, none of it can be disproven either.

As far as Jesuit Treasure is concerned. In my mind, it is probably the least likely thing to exist out there. The only thing that keeps the possibility alive in my mind is the stone crosses. "The Treasure of the church of Santa Fe". More than once those words have given me the extra "Gut" needed to get me over one more ridge, just to see what was on the other side.

If the Jesuits did in fact bury treasure out in the mountains. I don't believe they would have dug a new hole to do it in. It makes a lot more sense that they would have hidden it in an existing old mine that they had worked. Probably the most valuable one they knew of, so they could hide the treasure, and conceal the mine at the same time.

If I found that treasure, I would not even attempt to fight the Catholic church for ownership of it. I would let the government and the church fight over that. What I would fight for... Is the MINE it was buried in! That is something I feel is achievable, and if my guess is correct, the mine known today as the LDM is probably situated along the very same vein, close enough to it to be included in a single 20 acre mining claim. Who knows? Rojas' Silver Bell could even be buried nearby!

It WAS a fair question Joey. I hope you appreciate the sincerity of my reply.

Jim

[davin]

Nicely put Cubfan!

You posted half of my "Thunder" before I could rattle it!

As I have heard Clay Worst say many times. "If I were only interested in the gold, I would have given up many years ago".

I think it took me a full five years and several hundred trips into the mountains, before I fully understood how high the odds were stacked against me ever finding the LDM. It was about that time that I became interested in the stone maps. Had that not happened, I probably would have faded totally out of the picture and back to the life I had left behind me.

The stone maps breathed new life into an old dream. Eventually I was able to meld them into the same dream. Instead of just the LDM to search for, I had Jesuit mines and possibly a buried Jesuit Treasure. Looking at the time frames involved. I could see how the possibility existed that the Jesuits were the first people to work the gold deposits in the Superstition Mountains. Followed by the Mexicans (Peraltas) which leads us into the story of Jacob Waltz. None of it can be proven (without finding a mine that fits the bill) but none of it can be disproven either.

As far as Jesuit Treasure is concerned. In my mind, it is probably the least likely thing to exist out there. The only thing that keeps the possibility alive in my mind is the stone crosses. "The Treasure of the church of Santa Fe". More than once those words have given me the extra "Gut" needed to get me over one more ridge, just to see what was on the other side.

If the Jesuits did in fact bury treasure out in the mountains. I don't believe they would have dug a new hole to do it in. It makes a lot more sense that they would have hidden it in an existing old mine that they had worked. Probably the most valuable one they knew of, so they could hide the treasure, and conceal the mine at the same time.

If I found that treasure, I would not even attempt to fight the Catholic church for ownership of it. I would let the government and the church fight over that. What I would fight for... Is the MINE it was buried in! That is something I feel is achievable, and if my guess is correct, the mine known today as the LDM is probably situated along the very same vein, close enough to it to be included in a single 20 acre mining claim.

It WAS a fair question Joey. I hope you appreciate the sincerity of my reply.

Jim

jim, i agree with what you are saying about trying to keep the mine, the mine itself would be very interesting along with the contents. i am still fairly new at this, but i have to say that it is very interesting and addicting. thanks jim for this great site. ron

[Guz]

There would be a nice finders fee regardless of who won ownership of the treasure I'm sure. Well worth it to succeed at something you love doing anyways, right?

[JoeyW]

Guz,

I agree but if I ever found something like that, I would "hedge-my-bets" by moving some of it to another place before I told anybody I found it. Just to be sure I got some of it!

Especially if I had been searching for it as long as Jim has.

Joey

[treasurehntr]

Joey,
Not a bad idea to hustle a little bit away, because you might just end up with a pat on the back and a hey thanks alot pal.
Sure lots of things to take into condsideration.
Myself, I kind of like the "finders keepers" theory. Gold over Glory, so to speak.

I do believe the Jesuit Treasure is out there, "The Cave of Hat Mountain" .
I believe, you find Hat Mountain your half way there, still need to find the entrance in. Most likely it is consealed.

Jim,
Am I tipping over into the Stone Crosses thread ?
treasurehntr ........