Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-08-11

Some two months since, when at Min
eral Park, in Mojsve county. in this Ter.
ritory, the idea was suggested to me OF
visiting and writing up the wonderful
salt formation on the Virgin River, in
Nevada. for which purpose left Min
eral Park on bright beautiful morning
with the salt freighting wagon OF Mr..
Patterson, who supplies the Mineral
Park, Park Mill. the blackberry mill.
and the citizens Of Northern Arizona with
salt from the Virgin lRiver mines. The
journey was long and tedious one.
across what is called The Desert. the
distance from Mineral Park to Stones
Ferry, on the Colorado. being 80 miles.
and most OF the way entirely destitute OF
water. The Desert is very difficult to
cross, especially in the Sammer time.
and many persons have tnsrs lost their
lives from the extreme heat and from
thirst.
STONES FERRY
Is about $50 miles above the mouth OF
the Colorado, having an altitude OF 1850
feet above tide water. The river at this
point is $50 feet wide and has generally
swift-running current Of from four to
six miles per hour.
Virgin River, which rises in the noun
tains of Nevada over 100 miles to the
north, enters the Colorado short mile
above Stones Ferry. At low water, it
is swift-running stream Of Over fifty
feet in width, with an average depth OF
about one foot.
THE SALT FORMATIONS
Are, in fact, mountains OF salt and sx.
tend for thirty miles or more up the
Virgin river and the Muddy, one OF its
branches. 1t was discovered some twelve
or fifteen years since by the Mormons,
who built up several very fourishing
colonies in the valleys Of the Virgin and
Muddy, set out fine orchards and vine.
yards, and brought large tracts Of land
sons unknown to me. they were recalled
to Utah some years since by their
Prophet Brigham. leaving their fields
and Improvements, or selling them for
what they could get. During their stay
they worked the salt mines to some ex.
tent and supplied the country for long
distances with what was needed. Since
that time the mines have been worked at
intervals by different parties, and at the
present time Mr.. Patterson is making q
regular business OF 1t. The different
openings made are in the face OF the
mountain bluffs which run down from the
north and south ranges of mountains both
on the east and west side of the river. The
first one visited by me is about six miles
up the Virgin river from Stones Ferry
and about one-half mile to the east.
The second one is seven miles up the
river and one-fourth Of a mile east.
This is the mine now worked by Mr..
Patterson. The surface of this, and the
other salt bluffs or mountains, is cover.
cd with dark. orange colored clay and
earth, in which are strewn large guam.
titles of impure mica. This clay and
earth is some two feet deep, aud under.
meath this ia from two TO four feet Of
impure sedimentary granite, and then.
at depth of from three to six feet from
the surface, the salt is found in solid
and compact form. Five miles further
up, or twelve miles from the Ferry, is an.
other orening Of similar character to the
two first. The salt from the three mines
mentioned is Of a dark gray color, some
what resembling granite, and Is ninety
two per cent. pure. Small veins, from
two to six inches wide. OF pure crystal
lized salt. are met with every few feet in
these formations.
PURE CRYsTALLIzED SALT.
At point twenty-one miles from the
Ferry is larger mountain than the
others, and this is all pure, clear. and
transparent. In extent and purity these
mountains OF salt equal. il they do not
excel, any in the world. An intelligent
German gentleman. with whom I had
the fortune to meet at the mines, inform
ed me that he had visited the world
renowned salt mines OF Cracow,
in Poland, and that. from every indica-
ton, these are the superior of the two.
Their future Importance to our own
country can not be over-estimated, and
especially when the time comes, which
is fast drawing near, when this far.off
country shall be opened by railroads.
and when the rich silver mines OF Ari.
zona, southern Nevada, and southeastern
California shall pour their treasures of
wealth into the channels OF commerce
and trade. The world can be supplied
from these salt mountains for ages. Dur
ing my brief stay had not time to make
a careful study of the geology Of the coun-
try where the salt formation ia, and,
therefore, will not attempt to advocate
any theory regarding the same. 1t Is an
important field Of study for our eminent
scientists to arrive at just conclusion
respecting the era Of time when these
wonderful deposits we're made. and to
note the great changes by commissions
and upheavals which have thrown these
mountains spurs into their present form,
L Prescott, Arizona, Correspondent Of
the s. +. Alta.