The Placer herald., 1868-02-29
Colfax Correspondence.
CoLFAx, February 26th,

Mr. EDITOR: started in company with
friend a few days ago, to take view of the
mines in this nsighborhood, and from him l
learned the history Of the principal lodges
where we travelled. lie is reliable man and
an old settler, and his information is truthful
as we'll as interesting.
A little over half mile west from Colfax.
we came to the old "Star LEDGE" now known
as the montana" This claim was first 10.
Gated in 1861, and known as the Star
Mining Company" Considerable money
was expended on the claim at the time, 10
sinking shafts, running drifts, ETC., and fair
prospects were found. The rock was not
tried by mill process. Assays then made
proved very satisfactory. The proprietors,
not understanding much about quartz min
ing, concluded the mine must pay dividends
from the grass roots or it would not pay to
work it. Some of the company loft, and
others were tardy in paying assessments, and
work stopped altogether and the company
broke up. Some of the original owners,
however, still had faith in the mine, aud on
the l4th OF April, 1866, relocated under the
name Of the Montana" Sufficient work
was done from time to time to keep posses.
sion The claim is 240O fet, running With
the dips and angles of the ledge, which is
three feet wide and shows considerable free
gold. The Company organized on the 10Th
inst by eleetiug permanent officers for
stated time, adopting Bylaws, and prepared
for thorough test. They have let con-
tract for sinking shaft IS feet deep, parties
are now at work sinking, and without some
Hpic in fo
weeks. Success attend you gentlemen, may
you soon become rich.
Two hundred yards down the hill brings
US to the Lafayette Tunnel" This ledge
was located in the early part of 1866, and
tunnel run 800 feet; the ledge varies in
width from two to six feet. The quartz is
mixed with "Cal" but shows very rich sui
phurets and some free gold. The owners
are men of limited means, in consequence of
which no work has been done on the claim
for some time, but l am told that they will
soon resume work. as their prospects are en-
couragng.
We crossed the ravine 10 the "Colfax
Ledge" This ground was taken up also in
1866, by A. W. Sisson and others. About
81, 900 was uselessly expended on it at the
time in sinking shafts and tuuneIlng. Good
prospects were found and quite an excitement
raised at the time, but dividends were few
and far between, owners became discouraged
and work was temporarily suspended. l am
told they were much elated at the prospects
of their neighbors of the Kissing Sun" and
" Montana and will resume work at once.
Three hundred yards further west we are
in sight of the Rising Sun" The noise of
attracts your attention to the spot,
on entering you see everything going like
;lock.woTk, and the polite Superintendent is
always ready to give you any desired in
formation. This claim was discovered in the
beginning Of 1866 by Mike Curly. while EN-
ployed working on the Grass Valley Turn
pike. Nike discovered the ledge while drag
ging brush to the road, he found some rich
specimens on the surface, made up com,
pany, and located the ground; further work
sho wed lich and permanent ledge. This
led the owners to erect machinery for hosting
and pumping, and have been prosecuting
their work vigorously for three months At
HE depth they have now reached, (ll5 feet),
the ledge is two feet in thickness and is very
rich. 1t is said by competent judges it will
pay, at least, $40 per ton. The Company
intend 10 put up ten stamp battery at
once, when they will soon be able to reap
a golden harvest. The western extension of
this ledge was locatad by Sutton & Co., and
work done. Some rock was
sent to Grass Valley but the yield was not
known outside the Company. lu the Spring
work will be resumed.
On the western brow OF the bill and over
locking Bear River, is situated the "Bear
River Mining Co.'S. claim. did not learn
the date OF its location. This ledge runs at
right angles with the Rising Sun" and re-
sembles that rock very much. They have
sunk shaft forty.tive feet deep, and have
found at that depth a ledge that shows very
rich sulphurets and some free gold The
ledge is three feet in thickness ard shows
fa'tering prospect. The Company intend to
run tunnel to tap the ledge at the depth of
one hundred feet.
There are mary more lodges in this vicin.
ity that deserve notice but time and space
will not permit. Suffice it to say that the
bills around Colfax are rich with good paying
quartz, and they will soon be developed with
out the aid of outside capital and from the
energy displayed at present by our citizens,
in two years hence we can boast of as rich a
mining section as can be found in the State.
MINER.