, 1870-09-10
COLORADO.
The Recently Discovered Grand
Island Mining District.
The Rush to Secure Claims, and
Some Observations
Thereon,

.rhe bush to Secure claims, and
Some Observations
Thereon.
Correspondence n he Caieaao Tribune.
GRAND ISLAND, Sept 8
THE GRAND ISLAND MISrEa DISTRICT
The excitement over this new district il
nothing ahort Of wonderful. People are rush.
ing in here from the surrounding country By
hundreds. eager to be the hrst to se:ure
Black Havk, Georgetown, Denver, Evans,
Greeley, Cheyenne, almost crazy With e1-
element over the great prospects, offered in
this region. Some Of the mining campa in
this locality, which, = few weeks ago, were in |
a very f1ourishing condition, nov have the ap- |
pearsnce OF deserted towns. Nor is the ex-
cisement confined to this territory alone. Old |
psoepectors aud miners from White Pine and |
the other districts in Nevada are already On |
the ground. Many have come from the Sweet |
water district. and not a few from tho South. !
who were On the way to the new diggiugs in |
Arlzona. One Thousand ava hundred would
be low estimate Of the people already A.
rived here. where. one month ago, a Single
cabin was the only evidence of the white man.
The Grand IAland district is situated about
twenty miles from Central City, between the
North and South Bouldess, very near to the
Snowy Range. It is on the Same ailvar belt
north Of ua, and in Arizona On the south.
The p1oapcctors. who discovered it ware
guided, il great uoasure: by these
regions. knowing that this belt must run
through Colorado, and believing, from the dis
not be vary faf from tgere, they determined
to make q thorough examination OF the sur
rounding country, until they found the silver
bloseo1n (as the outczopning on tho surface Is
called) or were satisfied oi the absence Of any
perseverance was 1t length rewarded, aud now
| they are seapipg r;ch latsest-the result OF
months Of f1uitless labor. This is the ite
Of the miner To-day, he is living on his
b4cou and beans, away from all the softening
influences Of civilization, coming into his
cabin at night, weary and footsore, with dis
appointment, and, oftentimes, despair in his
heart Tomorrow, riches and the realization
| OF hopes long cherished make his happiness
complete. The diseoverers Of the Grand
Island District arc wealthy men to-day, who
month ago we're glad to get the supplies
necessary to enable them to prosecute their
labors. They have undoubtedly found one Of
the richest silver mining regions ever known
Old White piness say that tlle ore is not only
uc1e vAluzble than that taken out ia Nevada.
but also that there is more OF it, While manT
claims hare been taken up, and some opened,
there still seems to be plenty for all.
Ore from the Cariboo and Idaho leads haa
been sent to the smelting works 1t Central
City for reduction, and paid very largely,
one lot assayiug 3, 200 ounces to the ton But
it ia questionable il much can be done in de-
yeloplng the mines this ftll aud winter, ow-
ing TO the heavy SHOWS which will soon cover
up evesything. We have already had a SNOW
storm, when couple Of inches fell and re-
hours, However, there. is no evidence vt Of
any cessation in work. Three stages run
daily between Central City aud here, and W.
hicles Of erety description can be seen on the
road, Many poor fellow may be met, lead
i9g the little pack-mule,--on whose back are
not stand the rapacions grasp OF stage COM
panies; but whose heart Is cheeTed aud an-
coura6ed On the way by the brightest visions
o. nch ailvet-lodes and future wealth How
many will so away with disappointed hopes,
sore hearts. and poorer fortunes than brought
them here! Sometimes, A. one looks upon Ibis
motley crowd, composed Of every variety Of
men, representing nearly every nation, irom
, the great, broad ahouldered, bushy -whiskered
adventurcr, who has secn the ups and downs
: Of mining lie dozen uss.--u.ed either to
success OF adsersity,-to the beardleas youth,
Whose brain is full Of glistening castles in
the nir, whose experience in this rough life
IL Just beginning, and to whom SUCCESS
. means eything-it il very hard to seprass
) the feeling OF sadness that will como into the
, who are. But in the miuing camps thero is
no lack OF hospitality, and sometimes there
r !s deal Of Kindness, md even gentleuess.
/ behind all the uncouth exterior,
GRAND ISLAND,
, though only month old, boasts OF several
!, storea,, and two hotels. It would rathe,
astonihh some Of you people in the Giles to
t zee the goods in tho former, and to pa1taks
Of the accommodations Of tha latter. The
i me1enants haSe everything for sale, needed
, needles and thread. The hotels ofrer YOU
, blanket and soft plsce On tho rough boar
: door, and charge as il You were facing III
i handeoms and polished Cashier at The SheI
/ themselves build cabins, buy their own PIC
visions, do their own cooling, aud a1u r1,
+, tirely independent. They usually pair Oh
J, and two Of them i've together, work togethe
t and have everything IN common. This cut
IS tom is vorT necessary, as we'll as pleasant
n and often friendships arc formed in thes
= rough places, by services rendered to eac
s, other in times Of danger or sickness, whic
Ts bind them together closer even than ties {
bsck on his pa.tner2 fsut We hare all Of D
NJ heard, and many Eeen, when noble and haro
a. deeds havc .een doue in behalf Of eac
N other. To euppoee that these men, mere]
becauHe they arc ehut out from ciyiIize
Ia society, 1iEe poorly, is very erroneous. Sint
,me m ny arrival in this carap, have besu onjoyiu own
I tho hospitality Of cabin, and I eau a.su1
h any doubsets that we have Jared right royal
7e It is true that the cooking mav not hare bee
a. done quite 70 neatly or landi1y AZ female
ID would Ike to SEQ, but in this camp they has
1e smode peculiar to themselves. and mar
M dishes are served up which would tempt Il
mort fastidious. have no hesitation in
know1edEiug that this mountain air il the be
eauce in the world, and that re always q
down TO our meals With good apstitcs, wh1c
no doubt, hAs great deal to do With the g.
, Jog ment OF the viaude.
" TIE rHARt1ASIs or GRAxp 1sEAND
le are, on the whole, very happy and hopef
p lot Of people. they ballevs that their regic
T. Is the richest yet found. as we'll as the mo
j, extensive, and al are confident Of succes
u ! Island. It is situated near to markets, u,
r supplies can be freighted there at rates Whic
o will make them cost but little more than
+ Denver, where they leave tho cars. Then the
II ores can be easily conveyed t. reducing worl
J. until they have time to establish those Of the
y oTn.
+ THE MINES.
l. The largest mine get opened keeps six team
3 hauling to Central City, aud any Of them I.
, quire from two to three. 1IanY who own i,
!
chinesy, and as coon as It arrives, and can I
put into operation, the yield will be largely i,
creased. 4 dergree of activity prevails th'
!. reminds the few ~ boys IN our canp Of the
i early days. when fortunes were taken out in
+ few weeks. But as have before said. it
It doubtful il much will be done, or cau he dou
= before spring. When the SNOW begins to fs
I in any quantity, the roads must be so hocke
}, up that it will be next to impossible to NAL
e any progress over them The ores cannot the
f5fE 1UuI<Aff tHN
It supplies cannot be conveyed to the mines. a
l. prospecting must cease, as it would be ratht
= difHcu1t to accomplish any ythlng in the way
Z discovery with from ten to twelve feet
Q SNOW On the ground But in the spring r
u auctiou works will be erected near the mine
when the ores can be treated without mar
% Of the expenses nov necessary. Maehiuef
II I too, will then be shipped from the States
,, this region, and We can hardly fail in pr
% ducinga large amount Of eilver. Wha: .
70 coach, aze to do the coming vinte
70 IL moro than csn imagine. II th'
l. succeed in securing the richest lie,
y N mo *orld, Ind are prevented from wor1l
= II, they VIII ind eilve1 ae hard food for The
8, Is gold was for Midas. Many poor devil
"a and spring. un1ess something entirely una
pected turns up to relieve him But sui M
:, UiN come in the face Of al reason and COZ
,; mon sonss Surely their folly. and eagerne
.oA "0A4tA oAbAs ~ 1&1Ak Uu kQem Eom8 pu
1e ishment- I am Nraid. however, that Il
1t troubles Of rot few VIII Increase to sctu
suffering. But many Of them have done i
u esne thing before, aad each one, Ieuppos
= imagines himself the lucky man, and that
y the others ire taking dreadful chances. It
|; very ludictons to heaz the accounts some ri
\. sf these new discoveries o. THAR way to the
III little a1Aggezation from each one who te
r. the story, econ msgni6es the richness OF t
3 region, until one would suppose that Ill /
to Isbor necessary to secure the precirne ms
ct would BE- to PICK it up and cas1y it away. B.
r. | As nna views the rouch Tnuuutaiua vf1are 1