The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-17
THE WONDERFUL WEST.

Its Extraordinary Mineral Resources--Al-
most Fabulous Wealth Mt Our Doors
Mountains and Lakes oflIineraIs--A WoD-
derful Discovery
/ Occasionally there are to be found in
Western papers stories of the fabulous
mineral wealth of the West, which are
too often received with that incredulity
which is bestowed on any stories that
smack of the great West. But New
York gentleman, Mr.. d. P. Webster, of
the head smelling works, well known
for his connection with mining works,
has recently visited Utah. Territory, and
of some portions of that region he sends
an account which seems to justify much
of what in previous reports has appear
ed extravagant. Writing from Salt
Lake City he says:
| Thinking it might be interesting to
you to hear something from this new
Eldorado l will try and give you an ac-
count of what have seen and know,
and what have heard and believe. 1
arrived here on July 13 for the purpose
of purchasing silver, lead, and silver
lead ores for our smelling works. 1
found plenty of bullion and ores for
| oulOs lulu il0 lulhco LULU VI CNCly uC-
scription. There are within a radius of
100 miles more than one hundred silver,
silver lead, and copper mines, two or
three antimony mines, and one bismuth
mine, where the ore crops out on the
surface for more than 1000 feet. Metallic
bismuth is worth in the New York mar
ket $3.50 per pound. An English COM
pany has bought one-half interest in
the Bottsford mines in Bingham Canyon,
for 100000 in gold. visited the Emma
mine with party of scientific gentle
men. We spent two days there and ex-
smined every part of it. 1t is wonder
of the world, perfect Monte Cristo
cave. After passing through tunnel
375 feet in length we came into vast
chamber about so feet high, 70 feet long,
and 40 wide, from which there has been
taken within year 10000 tons of first
class ore. From the 18th of June to the
18th of July there were $500 tons
taken out, of which 5000 tons were
sent to England, and 800 sold to smelters
here. That ore brought them net pro-
fit of $17S per ton. About fifty miners
are at work breaking down ore from the
solid banks of ore on every side, and one
man with pick can break down ton
in half an hour. 1t is as soft as an ord
mary earth band, requiring nothing but
a pick and shovel to mine it. We went
down shaft about 60 feet through the
solid mass of first-class ore, and there
were no signs of reaching the bottom.
Underlying the whole area of the cham
ber, and as they go down, the ore be-
comes richer in silver. From the devel-
opments already made, it is believed
that there are millions of tons of it in
the mine. The mine declared dividend
last month of per cent. on its capital
of $5,O0O,000, and it will declare another
this month. They are now taking out
from so to 100 tons of first class ore per
day. Besides the Emma mine there are
eight or ten other mines within few
hundred yards taking out from five to
twenty tons of good ore per day, among
which are the Flagstaff, Montezuma,
Bruner, and Davenport. These are all
in Little Cottonwood In Big Cotton
wood there are as many more getting
out good ore. In the American Fork
there are about the same number, among
which is the Miller mine, almost equal
to the famous Emma. Bingham Canyon
has about twenty mines taking out good
ore. The New English Smelling Com
pany has five or six of the best, and it
is getting ready to put up eight smelling
furnaces, which will be completed in
about ninety days. Stockton, Tintle,
Ophir, and other mining districts have
not visited, but have good reports from
them in the shape of bullion from each
of those places. But the precious metals
are not the only resources of this coun-
try. Yesterday gentleman showed me
! piece of pure muriate OF ammonia
chemically pure, which was taken from
J mountain of the same material. In
that there is enough to supply the whole
J United States with fertilizer. Another
} gentleman told me he knew of q solid
hill of alum. In conversation with Sen
ator Nye, he said there were in Nevads
| vast mine of nitre, solid mountain oi
} sulphur, and salt enough to salt the
: world. 1 know of mines of sal soda
where there are millions of tons. About
thirty miles from the railroad, near the
} Humboldt, is borax lake belonging to
an English company. That company
are making a canal to bring the water
to the railroad and there erect evapora.
ting works. The latest discovery, though
not the least by any MEANS is the dis.
covery of an ore, an assay from which
being made gave button containing
, an alloy of antimony and aluminium
7 1 have specimen of the ore and meta
! which intend to get analysed, to find
out what combination is necessary tc
> smelt it as we smelt ores of other metals
If this should prove true it will be the
> greatest discovery of the age. Every
3 body in Utah is down upon the UnioI
3 Pacific Railroad for raising freights OF
: ore from $40 per ton to $2S per ton from
3 Ogden to Omaha. Steps have been ia
!, ken to build narrow gauge railroad
: from point about 200 miles below thi
5 over to Georgetown and Denver through
r the Middle Park--a distance from tn,
Y Utah Central road, now building, of 40t
: miles. The Utah Central will be com
S pleted down to point opposite to Den
: yer in about year, and should the,
9 connect with Denver, goodbye U. P.
v d. P. WEBSTER.
!. A correspondent of the Boston 1rao
I eZler records the following "A brigh