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    EDITOR WATTERSON is still hopeful that fortune will smile on his labors. In one of his silvery periods he says:
    "Perhaps in some shady glen on the banks of an unknown tributary of the vast Congo he will find the purse of Fortunatus. Who can tell! And far up near the borders of Lake Tchad, stuck away in the hut of some naked and hebitudinous African, who knows not its value, he may run across Aladdin's lamp, the philosopher's stone or the glittering city of Eldorada, with its golden houses and streets, and its trimmings of diamonds and saphires, rubies and pearls, which is located samewhere [sic] in Africa and not in South America. If so, such an ardent and persevering gentleman as Mr. Wynkoop can scarcely miss it, and he will be sure to bring back to us some instantaneous photographic views of the solid gold town hall and the silver-lined baseball park of El Dorado. He might even pluck a few diamonds from the lamp posts and preserve them as souvenirs of his visit. We also believe Ponce de Leon's fountain of eternal youth, instead of being in Florida, is bubbling and sparkling several hundred miles to the northwest of Lake Albert Nyanza, and M. Wynkoop, if he looks about him, can find a trustworthy Hottentot to take him to it."

Source:

Watterson, "Editorial Comment," The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Monday, 28 September 1891, page 4.

    The M. Wynkoop referred to here is William Conklin Wynkoop, also known as W. C. Wynkoop. He was a Colorado miner and editor of the Mining Industry. In September of 1891 he was hired by a London Syndicate to go to Africa to search for King Solomon's Mines. You can read the announcement of his expedition here as well as my notes on where he fits into the family tree.

    All my best,

    Chris