The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-04
TIE COURSE OF EMPIRE.


10 Georgetcwn--Soia sprinss OF Idaho
Ma-..s u si.. GEsc., rI ,..----sitnntio" OF the
Ts,,er t,enfre-A.ines ana s.i.,s IA The Vicinity
OF Observation-Disclosures of the Brown,
Equator, Terrible and Griffith 1iines--Tun-
nels Being II ored into the Mountains.
DENVER, Colorado Territory. Nov. Is, 1869.
Tho gold ana silver mines OF Colorado are ex-
tensiyely rlcn in the precious metals. AS have
heretofore remarked they won the prize at the Paris
Exposition. They are, however, exceedingly refrac-
tory. In1nitesma particles OF gold and SILVER cling
TO The IRON aud copper pyrltes with telacity winch
the machinery employed Is inadequate to overcome.
No process yet In use has been able to eYtrcate all
the shining particles, and large percentage OF the
real value OF the hardest ores Is never realized
Accurate assays OF certain specimens show that they
represent an intrinsic value OF from under sl0O to
over $4,000 to the ton lying locked IN the recesses
of the mine. But practical experiences OF many
miners prove that after the ores have been mined
ana hauled, crushed and smelted, insured and
shipped remanipulated and reassay cd, they repre-.
sent an Infinitely smaller market value, as shown by
the final stamping in tho mint. Different systems
are employed III mining and In manipulating ores.
Clutches are searched for the native nugget and the
streams diverted into artificial suices to wash the
precious particles from the sand and soil. This pro-
cess Of digging and washing ia SO simple compared
with deep mountain mlnlng and tho subsequent
reducing that where the native article Is plenty poor
men have tangible profit every day and chance
Of getting rich within reasonable period. On the
other hand, shafts are sunk aud tunnels run, stamp
mills are used to crush the quartz and smelling
works to separate the gold and silver the rock
and the baser metals that assimilate with them.
More or less success has attended the mining and
milling operations, and yet the mining business, In
the aggregate, has not been profitable one. 1t Is
said that for every million dollars taken out
million and o half have been put In. Not that 1t
actually costs million and half in cash to pro-
duce million dollars worth OF bullion, but that an
immense amount of money has been spent In 'pros-
peciingn and wasted In erecting needlessly elabo-
rate or improperly situated works.
While some men have made money through care
ful fnanciering and sklful operations, many more
have lost through lavishly expensive preparations
aud the unskilful management OF uneducaied
agents. Altogether some 10000 lodes have been
discovered and recorded; many have been opened,
fewer have been worked and fewer still have yielded
satisfactory dividends. Generally speaking, pract-
cal miners have made a "raise," while stock conf
panies have sunk capital. A visit to the gold and
silver mines and an examination Of the ores Is suf
fcent to show any one that enormous wealth lies
buried IN the mountains. win any one show how
to get it outa That Is q question which Colorado
mining men are deeply interested In. Ii some skill
ful metalurgist Will afirmatvely answer It he
Will not only distinguish and enrich himself, but
render valuable service to this future State Should
q casual visitor to the silver centre OF Clear Creek
county and the gold OF Gilpin look at all the shafts
that are being sunk and leveled, with the buckets
continually gliding up and down, all the tunnels
being bored aud stopped the drilling ano blasting caiy
aud nightly going on, all the wagons CONVEYING
ores to different reduction works, all the mills In
operation near the mines and III the towns, ana
look INTO all the banks and business houses he
might imagine that we were the eve OF liquiia-
ton OF our national debt and return TO specie pay
ment5. Ana he might be equally astoniShed by the
statement that altogether more money has been put
into the mines than has been taken out. But some
OF them are now being worked at highly remunera-
tive profit. In others operations are only tempo
owners being .busted,n and others, which have
onty been 'prospectei," have never vet been
opened. Miners must nave been as busy as bees all
around those diggins',n for the hils are honey
comped vita 'prospect' holes. Some have
hundreds OF claims, and few have even thousands.
met many men who are miliionnaires in theory,
but none who are milllonnaires in fact; some VINO
had struck paying streak sold part of thelrindi-
vianai interest 10 company for $4,000 or 100000
cash. and getting porllon OF the stock and others
VINO had only struck "bed rock" who had spent
their capital In ''prospecingn or IN opening "bos-
sonl,n and are now dead brcke.r
There are many valuable lodes which have hitherto
oniy been "prospecteon and the claims to them re-
corded. Capital Is required TO open and develop
them with profit. Few, II any, OF the original
owners have the necessary capital themselves.
companies are organized. In some instances the
former owners retain an interest, and II they
per;enced miners are appointed to conduct the
mining and milling operations. in other cases mines
have purchased IN the East on tho strength OF
verbal representations or Of specimens" expen-
sye machinery has been sent out, costly works have
been constructed and men assigned to supeEntend
the operations VINO, comparatively speaking never
saw o SHAFT, could not distinguish cretaccous for
matlon from aglacia deposit, piece OF iron pvries
from piece OF sandstone, or $4,000 ore from solid
granite. Those are the organizations that have SUI
SDmo finc9t lOtea Clpqp
the top, gradually separate as they sink into tho
mountain; but others, distant from each other on
vein. Some OF these have given rise to litlga-
ton. An immense amount OF undermining,
manipulating has been done in those mining
regions since the precious metals discovered.
But undermining mas not been limited to lodes.
blasting TO rocks, crushing to quartz reduction to
ores, nor manipulation to metais. There have been
some undermining OF rights, blasting OF hopes,
crushing OF schemes, reduction OF incomes and
manipulation OF stocks. There Is now considera-
Bile activity among the mines and mills In Clear
Creek and in Giipin. Some Of the works are run by
water power, but most OF them by steam. Some OF
those propelled Dy water can not be In winter.
In the steam mills wood is used Tor fuel Tho noun
tam slopes In the vicinity have hitherto furnished
pine wood at the cost or cutting. Taere Ia abund
auce left Tor the immediate fuIure; but eventually
coal can be obtained from the foot OF the nauks
OF the Sierras, dozen miles from Denver Or after
the contemplated railroad shall have been con-
atructed, ores may be brought down from the noun
lain regions and reduced where coal Ia convenient
and water power perpetual. More extensive opera
tions are TO be carried on next spring and summer
IL Is evident that, with cheaper labor and moro
economic means Of reducing che rich ores OF Colo
RADIO, gold and silver bullion can be produced in
quantities proportionate to the skill rnat may Dc em
pl0yed and the capital invested.
Georgetown is the silver centre. II has the royal
soubrtQtet OF Silver Queen. 1t IL situate near lha
head OF the south branch or Clear CREEK at the base
or the snowy range about fifty miles from Denver
Stages run 10 and fro daily except Sunday Leav
Ing Denver In the morning they arrive az GEORGE
town IN tue evening" and pice versa. The road lies
through region repeto with wild ami splendid
scenery. Immediately on entering the foot hills you
are introduced TO the interior beauties OF the I'M
mortal mountain system. Nor do they ever cease
during all the journey. When well within the can.
yon q little village by It's name recalls the sacred
associations OF Mount Vernon. The road turns
through 1t 10 the west but the glance you get OF an
opening 10 the south through to Bear creek canyon
Is soul Inspiring. Around the base OF many noun
talns, up aud down hill and vale but still ascending.
the grand and beautiful IN nature, now wild and
ragged, now soft and soplng, allure you twenty
Virginia canyon There. In n lovely little valley IA