The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-03-07
a Future Rival to California.
San Francisco Mining Press. Feb. II,

4 IL.
face placers which panned out such i'm
mense sums to individual miners are long
since worked out, and it is only occasionally
IilAI,a+ zpa haar .,1a-.s a,f 81 -
/ spr shallow E,ioocrs, very naturally zoo, So
whenever any new mines OF this kind are
struck, there forthwith commences an
exodous from other localities to the favored
one The Stickeen River mines are most
looked to just at present and big stories are
told of the country where the mines are
situated, but it's remoteness, hard climate,
short season and other disadvantages deter
many from going who otherwise would do
so. Notwithstanding these drawbacks,
| however, quite a number OF men are pre-
pairing to visit the country in the spring.
| Gravel mines possess, also, a charm to the
capitalist, who of late has found out that
| he has surer return in that class Of mining
property than in any other. For this reason
number Of hydraulic mines have of late
been disposed of to our English cousins.
The hydraulic mines of California have
obtained q worldwide reputation, and
! nowhere else are they of such extent and
richness. During the past year, however,
we have heard whispers of magnificent tracts
of auriferous gravel, situated in the United
| States of Columbia The mineral resources
OF this country are entirely undeveloped
and although it has always been known
that extensive mines existed there, the
presence Of auriferous gravel was not sus-
pected. The country contains silver, gold,
platinum, copper, lead, iron, mercury and
antimony, and some precious stones. With
the exception of the salt mines at Zipaquira,
little mining of any account has been done.
Until within the past yearor two, little has
been done with the gravel, the existence of
which was not, in fact, known until lately.
Now. three or four companies are prospect
ing and working, and others are about to
engage in the business.
We had q conversation this week with
Mr.. Thomas II. Follingsby, who returned
| from the country referred to recently, and
also with Mr. Morales, the Columbian Con-
| sui i'll this city, and learned some facts from
them which may be interesting to our read
ers. Mr.. Follingsby, whois an old California
'49er, has been down there some three
GEARS and has prospected the country pretty
thoroughly He says that the belt of auri-
ferrous gravel covers the country from
Maricaibo on the Atlantic side to Barbaeoas
on the Pacific. This mining country is
perhaps 1900 miles long This hills arr
pretty steep generally, and there is m
abundance Of water The formation is
precisely like the California gravel country,
with the same red hills, sharp gravel and
quartz, etc. In some places hills of gravel
run continuously for a hundred miles, and
| the belt is some sixteen miles wide. AS
far as he could ascertain, the gravel is from
100 to 200 feet deep. He himself discovered
wet diggings in the State of Santander, te
which place he is about to return with a
complete hydraulic mining outfit of pipe,
nozzles, etc. In this locality he says he
was able to get about half a cent to the par
from surface dirt over large extent Of
country. The diggings were full Of bould
ers, just as they are in California. Thereis
not much iron in the country. There is NJ
very tough cement, but all the gravel ht
came across was free, and easy to wash.
Mr.. Follingsby has also been in French
Guiana, where the mines are rich, but The
climate is very bad, indeed, and very un
healthy He says that although on thu
seaboard in Columbia it is sometimes un
healthy, when you get into the back country
at an elevation, the climate is salubrious
and rs healthy as it is here. The mines car
be worked all the year round, as there il
great abundance of water in most localities
A few companies are now working in th
gravel mines referred to. One compan,
was formed in this city and a man sen
down to test the mines last year. Tn
mines were on private property, and tn
owner came here and made a contract witt
certain parties in this city. Three hydrauii
chiefs were taken down and few exper
fenced hydraulic miners went with tn
party. After they got running, they ar
reported to have averaged two pounds o
: water with 200 feet fall. At all events tn
) manager returned here and went bacl
} again last month with 10 hydraulic chiefs, &
for his company and for other parties
They also took a lot of pipe, bolts, rivet
/ and machinery with them. They alread
/ had three chiefs with them though the
!, used only one in testing the ground. Thi
company is working in the State of Cauca
!, in Barbacoas county on the. Pucific side.
The Consul also informs i,s that he Ina
sent down three hydraulic chiefs and &C
u companying machinery and pipe, for
company formed in New York. who sen
here for their apparatus. The mines work
: : ed by this company are in the. State @
i Tolima, on the west side of the .Magdalen
: river, on the Atlantic side. This eOmpan
was called the CordiIlera Mining Co. &c
" New. York, and they are now, at worl
: having started in last summer.
Another New fork company started wor
= in the State Of ,Tolima in 1872, and are no,
: doing very well. They, howeyer, are work
I, ing some old quartz mines.
Another company organized BY two Cal
fornians, Col. Baker and Mr.. Wilson, VIII
: fitted out inNew York, are now at work o
bar on the saldafa at Coydima in til
= State Of Tolima. They have bar som
three miles long and are working itby pitt
using pumps in their claim. They al
! reported to have struck regular 40 digging'
: and in some places washed out $63 to til
I pan.
None of these companies have said muc
about their prospects or what they wel
y doing, having kept rather quiet on the sui
ject. The company that went from her
7 took several old California hydraulic minel
Y with them, and all Of them ought to ties