Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-07-26
UTAH
OpHiA CRY, U. T. {.
July 18th, 1872.

Ma. EDITOR:
This energetic little mining camp is sit.
nated about fifty-fve Eiiles southwest Of
Salt Lake City, and in travelling here by
stage coach we keep salt Lake in view on
our right for the distance of some twenty
Eve miles, when we arrive at its south
Western boundary. This wonderful Lake
is about so miles in length and 40 WIDE
On windy day the lake has very SUI
pernatural appearance when viewed from
q distance; it then has the appearance of
being uplifted far above the level of the
surrounding, or rather, further shore, and
| when its waves are dashed into pillows,
and its brine into foa1h, stranger may be
easily induced to believe (as he views it
from ATARI to be forest of scrub timber
with patches of snow Underneath. So far
as our experience goes, we have observed
It to be striking characteristic of the
Rocky Mountain peotfe-that whatever
they do they doit with all their might, and
in the very best way they can, and We are
pleased to find that Ophir City is in no
wise an exception to this general rule /;
and therefore, however difficult it may
have been to procure means and material
to establish town in this mountain gorge,
they have at last been successful in secu-
ring mechanical conveniences, hotel ac-
commodations and home comforts that will
compare favorably " tn any of our coun-
try towns east.
On July 1st, which the thermometer
stood 90 degrees in the shade at Chicago,
your humble servant, III company with an
other party, went up to the top of Yeasure
Mountain, distance OF three miles, on
prospecting tour. when about one mile
up snow began to appear, and by the time
we reached the mountain top it was seven
inches deep, and the slush and air so chill,
ling we were glad to retire to water-car-
rier cabin to warm Our feet WHAT a
striking contrast was this to the weather.
in Chicago on the same day
On the Fourth, although there was
celebration in the village below, we did not
condescend to come down from our exalt-I
ed position, but with car teen under our
arm and pick and shovel on shoulder, We
went sauntering over the mountain, stop
ping occasionally to dig little fox holes in
its side. We also ascehded high peak
where we had fine view Of the distant
Mount Nebo, shrouded in snow, and from
this elevation we corld also behold Salt
Lake, Utah Lake, aud Stockton Lake and
town. Ice-cream was altogether unneccs-
sary here, as snow BATS were an excellent
substitute Now what DO you think of
all this for high?
TO those citizens az Dodgeville, who
are contemplating a Journey to the mines
Of Utah, perhaps few concluding words
of information which we have cleaned
rom observation and in4niry, concerning
the mines and mining interests Of this
place, will not be unacceptable.
Whether the news he good or bad, we
know that men will always persist in COM
ing to these Rocky Mountains from all
parts of the world. But for our part, We
Would not advise any man to come here
with the expectation of saving much mon
ey by day labor, or working on wages, as
the saying is.
A man here soon hcc8Fhes nomadic in
his habits. lie never gets rid of the idea
that somewhere in these mountains
there is hidden tnrtnne for him, all to
be revealed in due tiihe, and consequently
he spends from time to time the few hun
dred be saves, in following on the track of
every new excitement until at last he is
liable to die wandering Jew, Cornishman,
or Welshman, as the case may be.
But to capitalists, and even men with a
few thousand dollars, wishing to invest in
mines, partially or wholly developed, we
believe Ophir offers very fattcring induce
ments. Among the leading and best pay
ing silver lodes here, are the Sion Silver
Shield, McCullum, Antelope, Chicago, We
locipede, Hidden Treasure, &c. Most all
these mines are rich In Galena, or lead ore.
We saw chunks of lead ore at the Chicago
mine, and vein in frtnt of the tunnel of
the Hidden Treasure that would make the
eyes of our Dodgevlle miners fairly twin
kle. The lead ore here brings about $50
per ton. Ophir already has several mills,
furnaces, and crushers employed in rcdu-
cling the ores, and ihore are expected to
be built as the new strikes are more fully
developed.
Yours truly,
L. A. JONES.