Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-05-12
RESURRECTION OF THE HUM
BoLDT MINES.

Four hundred and ffty miles from Sacra.
mento by the Pacific Railroad, and 4,400
above the sea, is Vie Big Bend OF the
Humboldt River, Immediately south Of
which, covering o district Of about 70 miles
square, are the Humboldt silver mines.
These were discovered in 1860, and they ut
tracted a population Of 5000 or 1000. Sew
eraf Of the claims were sold in the San Fran.
cisco market readily for $500 per foot. The
ores were rich but rebellious, too reoeillous
to be profitable under the numerous draw
backs, including lack Of metallurgieal learn.
ing and experience. When the panic OF
1854 came, the Humboldt mines ieil into
great discredit, and were reported to be not
only worthless, but grave suspicious were NJ,
tached to those persons who had represented
them to be valuable. For years the dark
cloud Of adversely hung over the district, but
now it is giving way under the influence OF
the Pacific Railway, and there is q fair pros
pect that the sun of prosperity will shine
brighter than ever. The transportation OF
the ores by wagon to Sacramento was so
expensive that even the rich argentiferous
paiena Of Oreana would scarcely pay for the
freight, and those ores which could not be
reduced pro6tably ut the mines were thrown
aside to await for a better time. That time
has come. The ores Of Humboldt have
lately been sent to this city in considerable
quantities, and the reports Of the assayers
and mill men are very favorable. The ore Of
tho Arizona mine, which paid little more
than expenses when worked at U~nionyille,
yields from 800 to $500 per ton in this
city, and q large part Of it net. The Tallu-
lah Yields more, and the Sheba still more.
A sack Of red ore from the Whitcomb mine,
in the Indian District, six miles from Union
Vile, was worked by Mr.. Varney in this city
and yielded at the rate Of 5000 per ton,
and the bullion is Of fine quality.
The Humboldt ores were condemned be-
cause, as a class, they refused to yield their
silver to rude methods Of reduction. Some
Of them, it is said, can be reduced by ordi-
nary modes Of amalgamation, If the pulveri-
zation is superfne. The river cuts through
the Humboldt and Dun Glen ranges OF
mountains, and the deep erosion offers great
facilities for prospecting. The railroad
takes the laborer to the spot provisions are
plenty and cheap the climate is never i'm
moderate; game is plentiful fish abound in
the river, and wild hay covers the river
banks, and can be had for the cutting.
With this combination Of favorable CIR
c~umstances, having due regard to the reali-
ties Of White Pine, people who will soon be
in excess at Treasure Hill and Chloride Flat
might do worse than go to Humboldt, where
titles arc good and rich ore abundant.-AKa
California.
In addition TO the districts above
mentioned, we know Of W others in
Humboldt County which have valuable
lodges of gold and silver. We nlludc
to Desert District and to New Truckee
District. The former is within four
miles of the railroad, not far from
Humboldt Slough, and about fourteen
miles east Of Hot Springs railroad sta
ton. 1t was discovered in lSG4-is half
n mile wide and Il mile in length, and
has a number of really valuable gold
bearing lodges, assays Of the ores OF
which have readily yielded from fifty 10
four hundred dollars per ton. The best
lodges opened are the Great Eastern,
the Wide West, the Veui, Vidi, Wei, the
Almaden, etc. The owners Of these
lodges have applied for Government pat
ents, and have secured their ownership
10 these mines; but not much has been
done on them for several years because
of tho difficulty Of transporting the ores
TO mills, Some of the ore Of the Alma
den is now being tried at the English
c%ompany's mill, neat Reno. These gold
lodges in Desert District are likely to TIC
quite valuable within II year or two, now
that the railroad is completed. The
other district we refer 10 is tho New
Truckee, within six miles Of the railroad
at Hot Springs Station, and north OF
that point. The lodges are nrgentiferous
galena--and assays Of ore from the I'M
perial Consolidated mine hEre readily
Welded from one hundred to seven hun
dred dollars per ton. The right process
for smelling, reducing and saving the
silver in these argentifcrous ores is not
vet in our State ; but there is n pros.
pect, now that the railroad is com.
pleted, that men Of metallurgicnl knowl-
edge, energy and capital, from the East,
will find ont about these mines, and
will develop them within a yenr or two.
There is n bright future ahead for Hum
boldt County. .