Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-06-15
A MOUNTAIN OF SILVER.
Mineral wealth IN C0IOradO-Dis
eOvery of Immense DepOstts-hn
teresifng and Amusing Incidents

Mineral wealth 1n COIOradO-Dis
eOvery of Immense DepOstts-ln
teresfing and Amusing Incidents
A correspondent of the Denver New
giyes a detailed account Of the discovery
of Leavenworth Mountain, near little
village in Colorado known as George
town. From this letter we make an in
teresting abstract of the discovery, to
gether with other and subsequent mat
tiers of interest connected Herewith.
The News correspondent says that tn,
mountain village of Georgetown is still
wild with excitement over the discovery
Leayenworth mountain is within n mil,
and a half of the village, and the placer
diggings on its sides were discovered by
the Ingraham brothers, two expert
miners, sometime in December last
They were in the employ of the Equator
Company, and were drifting when they
came across large quantities Of mineral
imbedded in the slides both above
and below the main vein. After con.
GLIDING their work for the Equator, they
went quietly to work for themselves, and
in the course of three weeks had taken
out from $1,000 to $500 worth. One
solid chunk weighed seven hundred and
sixty pounds, and from it they realized
over $500.
The work, however, could not long
remain a secret, and the Silver Patch
Diggings" become the rage. The. ex-
element spread, and soon Leavenworth
mountain was scene of busy activity
seldom witnessed. Old and young, tall
and short, lean and fat natives, each
armed with pick, shovel and ore-saek
were scattered over the mountain, dig
cling gopher holes" and unearthing the
loose mineral At distance the noun
tain resembled mammoth ant hill, so
thickly was it beset with amateur and
professional miners. The scene was an
amusing and interesting one.
Many would pitch in" dig hole
about large enough TO enter large cat,
and failing to strike it. would wend
their way down the mountain giving
vent to their disappointment in such
expressions as dig for float, h-l;
Its id American humbug !" ITS
an open fraud on the American peo-
pie. Those having the sand" bent
themselves on their work, and few failed
in being well rewarded.
1--we struck it, was the prevailing
expression, and when an usually large
piece was taken out there was a rush to
examine it and congratulate the lucky
finder. The largest solid piece that has
vet been found turned the scales at four
hundred and thirty-two pounds. We
saw several pieces of pure mineral aver
aging from two hundred to three hun
bred pounds each, which, when assayed,
gave return of from 1900 TO 1000
ounces per ton.
There are many theories as to how
this mineral became scattered through
the mountain slide, but nothing satisfac-
tory has been given. 1t would be diff
cult to ascertain the exact amount
which has been taken out, but it is very
large, and the mountain is still alive
with miners who are daily bringing down
large quantities Of ore.
During the search for the " float
some three valuable lodes have been
struck. One company, consisting OF
Messrs. Robinson, Scott, Wycoff and
Sargent, all old miners. have taken out
two tons of frst-class. float ore during
the last three weeks, and during their
operations they discovered very valua-
BILE lode, having crevice over eight
feet in width. The ore they have taken
out will run about 1900 ounces per ton.
Messrs. George O'Connor and John
Mcdonald also struck very fine lode
Immediately above the Equator, and are
preparing to work it during the summer.