The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-11
THE SAN JUAN ELD0RAD0.
NEW AND RICH DISCOYERIES or
THE PRECIOUS METALS.
The Gold and silver Mines aud Placer Dig
Rings Of the southwestern section OF Colo
rado-Opening up Of Untold Wealth.

RADIO Opening up Of Untold Wealth.
PARRoTT CITY, La Plata county, Col,
May 10, 1s16.-Thoueh much has been said and
written OF the mines and mineral wealth OF COL
oradu. yet comparatively little IL known Of the
new and rich discoveries IN the extreme south
western portion OF the Territory. have been
among these rich mineral deposits for two
months, and shall write of them only IA have
seen them. That section of Colorado which
YOU viii ind described upon the old maps as
Ia Plata county abounds In lodes Of gold and
silver. COPPER. and other valuable mineral ores.
but It IL in the southern portion that the recent
and richest discoveries are located. They were
first discovered nearly three years ago ny an old
and most successful pioneer and prospector,
Capt. John Moss. the sane who discovered the
famous Cor stock Of Nevada.
The Territorial Legislature last winter divided
la Plata In two, making n new county or the
northern portion, TO which II gave the name OF
San Juan and the old county seat Silverton. The
southern portion Of the old county retains the
old name, Ia Plata. and tho new county seat Is
located at Parrot City. II you will take the old
map and draw line directly east and west
through tho old county, about fifteen miles
south OF Silverton, you will have the northern
boundary line OF new La Plata county. This
section OF country is a veritabe network Of rich
placer deposits OF almost fabulous wealth,
while In the valleys Of the La Plata, the Rio
Anlnas. Rio Manoos and other tributaries Of
the San Juan, the extensive Or icts OF alluvial
soil, scarcely Tucked by the plough, smile boun-
teously upon the husbandman. Much Of this
arabic land h - already been taken M for
ranches, ana farmers are planting extensive
areas with the certainty Of reaping Ileniiful
harvest. which Will ind ready homo market
among the miners who are Il locking To THIS new
Bldorado. Grass grows iuxuii ntly upon the
mount ain sides and along the lnnuuerable
small streams that wind their way among tue
foot hills to the irger rivers. Grazing Is hbun-
dant. and large herds OF cattle and sheep are
being brought into the country. Yet, though
the country Is fast settling w, there are plenty
81 opportunities. ana will be for year to come,
Tor those who wish to IND farms anu settle
themselves In permanent homes outside the
moro general pursuit Of mining. Bit 1t is Of
the mines that would write at this time.
PARROT CITY,
the now county seat OF La Plata county. may
properly be termed the centre OF this newly
discovered mineral region. IL Is beauti ully
situated near the source and on the west side
uf the La Plata river. while by its side. extend
ing almost on to Its Site are the extensive placer
| diegings Of Prospect liar. These placer mines
extend several miles down the La Plata, cover
Inc thousands OF acres, being In some ri ces
/ nearly a mile IN width, anu whether the result
| OF some huge glacier that for bore It's
burly weight down from the neighDOring noun
tains. dragging with IT these deposits Of min
cral wealth. and then gradually DTS ppenred. or
whether the result OF the constant washi1gs OF
innuinertble streams down and through the
certain It IL they are of almost fabulous rich
ness, and contain many millions OF precious
| dust. have seen a single miners pm II the
art or gravel casually ken VI, weld over a
dollar Of gold dust. l have seen golden nugg ets,
large a. nuEel nut picked up from the bed Of
| tho stream. | nave doubt that ere long
many VINO have claims will Ike out I'm meDse
fortunes from these very pl Ger mines.
| The mines We not yet been wOrhed to any
veri great extent tor the want uf wafer facilities
for sluicing, yet those who are content can read
| Ivy IN Ike $40 per day 10y using the pan alone.
| But the principal owners OF these claims are
| preparing TO WORK III IN upon more extensive
| .raie. A ditcn eight ices WIDE at the top, and
SIX feet at tue bottom, ca rytng between three
| ana four feet OF water. nine miles In length Is
| being constructed IS In fact, been comIIIeted
| aud Only awaits lumber Tor sluicins una other
purposes to Oe put ia operation. To supply the
| necessary lumber, twu steam saw mills have
| been brough ut In duiing the winier for II Shouli
| be remarked that this sec ion an he cbed
from tue east sou'h. and wsst durng any sea-
son OF the wear, which Is not the case with To-
| caliues sixty or hundred miles north Of mere.
| lhIs ditch, or, more properly speaking, canal,
outlay OF capital. 1t has been cut for the
| greater distance, through tue ninty granite.
| gneiss, and trap rock Of the mountains. IL was
| these rich placer mines That fret attracted the
| attention oi the prospectot, Capt. Moss, and 1t
| was not till year later that he discovered the
| vast gold and silver deposits with watch the
| nOighDOring mountains aboundod. The devel-
opment OF some Of these looes disclosed the
| ct mat here were mines OF Lar greater wealth
! than even contained In the placer deposits IN
tue Val ey below. Further prospecting dlscov-
cred lode after lode rich In gold ana silver, and
soon Il became evident tn II the La Pl4ta r.ngs
was nothing more nor les than huge mass Of
mineral VEINS. crossing. overlapping. entangling
eAcn other aud running III all direcu ms Within
| the last year hundreds Of miners have located
| mines In these mountains, aud tus work OF
| opening up those treasury vaults of untold
| wealth l. steadily progressing. What Is now
needed To insure their RAPID development are
| stamping mills ana machinery with which to
| utilize the ore, which Is now lying Ia huge
"dumps' at some OF the mines, as cordwood IN
| the forest, awaiting a market, One large st mo
mil Is now On the way for tue ComstOck mine,
from san Francisco, ana II VIII not be long De-
fore others are brought In.
THE CoNsToCK MIMI
% Color do. which promises to rival Its name
sake IN New da. mas been more thoroughly de-
veoped than any other lode in this section. A
shaft was sunk about $50 feet. and then the
worhmen began to tunnel into the bowels OF the
mountain. Opened first upon the supposition
that II would prove available silver mine, II 10
now turned into gold mine OF exceeding rich
ne-s. fair average assay OF the gives
800 to the ton altho ugh an assay of select ore
re .ched $4,000. remarkable feature of thi,
mime Is that u analgan OF gold and quick silver
il found therein in considerable quantities
ord. Tue mine Is owned Uy Tiburrto. Parrot s
Coz bankers, of san Francisco, who propose 1,
develop 1t to its fullest extent. The California
Is another lode which has has been worked
during the past wear. The assays run from 8
to 500 per ion. It Is fair sample of the nine
Of tho section. Tine Bay city, owned by SON,
Chicago parties has a large lead aud prom Use
we'll. The Moovenots was discovered TN
spring. IL assays from $50 to $3.50 per ton
and "a now b ing developed. he Kate Ledh
was discovered only u lew DAYS since, but prom
been traced three or four miles, and at one pOin
crops out Of the mountain to the height OF fort
or tifty feet, bringing mass of solid mineral o
more than Thousand tons IN sight. 1t assay
from IS to ~ ounces per ton, gold and silver
| The Chn lode IL a new discovery, with vein a
mineral fifteen to twenty feet IN width Ihes
| are only few OF the mines now being worke
but they are "A fair Illustration OF the rich lead
| In this region. There are thousands OF mine
| that are not Yet yet located. awaiting those VIII
| will develop them. CAPITAL stands ready an
| only labor now Is necessary TO develop these ca
| tensive mines. Opportunity offers for many
poor man To make himself ind pendent FroI
81 to s. per Gay Is paid to all who will work
| the mines. and yet, white the harvest H. plent,
the laborefs are few. Here, In h. III tie count
| thous inds could mud renuIe. alive | Dor III
yea round. The climate of tins regions is
| most salubrious aud delightful one. The VIII
tiers arc mud, and the cool breeZes OF the mOui
tains fan away the summer heat. Inc coreI
aud fruits OF tho middle zones grow here
abundance. know of no section where cOul
recommend more desirable place Tor IA res
dence,
THE UTRs
This section Of Colorado was, until recent
owned BY band at Ute lndi ans, aud Is indee
now irequeuted by them, their reservation b.
lng In the western portion Of the county, an
extending northward. The Government mac