Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-02-10

thousand feet above the sea level, and |
the wild music Of the waterfalls that
leap from the mountain sides, enhan-
ces the scene. it reminds us more
Of some fairy laDa ofenchantment than
what must be at no distant day the
depot of mineral supply on
the continent.
twenty-five miles southwest of Sill
ve.rton is the San Miguel gold mines
At the present writing the extent of
the deposit is not known; but / un
derstand considerable amount of
gold was banned out" last season.
Old prospectors think there is gold to
be found in paying quantities between
San Miguel and Laplata, and we may
look for new discoveries during the
coming season in that quarter.@In
Bolder county there are also rich gold
diggings. The Summit district is said
to be very rich in gold. The owners
of the little Anna mine claimed to
have taken out $4,000 in sixty days;
a small interest in said lode has recent
ly been sold by w. Fl. Van Geisan to
parties in New York city for $4,000.
No better evidence attests the thrift
and enterprise of a people than the
quick growth and rapid development
of the mining interest Of San Juan in
Southwest Colorado.
An eminent author on mining re-
marks that you fad no two mining
countries alike, which is true. The
average grade of the yield last season
is estimated at 1920 per ton there has
been since made by Green & Co. at
Silverton as high as $500 per ton
When it is remembered that the aver
age of the consolidated Virginia mine
in Nevada for the year 1875 was 1913
per ton, and that it had bullion yield
for that year of $16,731 ,654 43, the
same idea may be formed as to the
possible yield of the San Juan mines
in the future from proper development
But what we need here now is capital
and machinery. Take the miners as a
class of men they are poor, and are
not able to build machinery and de-
velop their mines. 1t is true we have
a good deal of machinery throughout
the San Juan country, but not enough
to work up one-sixth of the mineral
that will be taken out this season.
There never was such field for lucra-
tive speculation as there is at this time
in the San Juan. | can buy undevel-
oped mines here for 800 that probably
next spring or summer could not be
| bought for $1,000. Times are very
close, money scarce, and the miners
are hard up but | don't look for much
better until this Presidential election
is settled. The Democrats of this
place are for Tilden for our next Pres
ident or fight; they are "red-hot"
out here.
We have the finest natural facilities
in the world for all kinds of machin-
cry. There is sufficient water power
in San Juan to run a thousand stamp
mills the year round.
Crook & Bro. of New York city have
concentration works in operation here;
capacity per day 20 tons. W. III. Van
Geisan has also chlorination works !;
capacity about fifteen tons per day.
Crook & Bro. have been largely inter-
ested in working up the precious met
ais in New York for several years past.
They will move all of their machinery
from said place to this in the spring.
They are satisfied that what is known
II @ - -----4-s- - A. -. - =
treasure vault of mineral on the CONT
nent.
Game and fish are abundant in San
Juan along the route to this place.
The Rio Grande and many of the
smaller streams that are tributary to
it are alive with trout. Black tail
deer, mountain sheep, antelope, elk,
mountain lion, black and cinnamon
bear are found in great numbers in
the same sections.
The bitter cold that set in before
Christmas continued with variations
during the holiday week and interfered
more or less with the outside doings.
1t is confidently predicted by the
knowing ones that the present season
will make better showing than ever
from the miners of the centennial State,
especially if Congress passes the bill
remonetizing silver. $50 mote it be. :"
have merely given you bird's-eye
view Of this country; there are great
many other rich mining sections |
could mention, and a great many
things that would be of interest to
your many readers doubtless but for
the present | will close. Perhaps in
the future | will revert to the subject
again. So, wishing for the CHRONICLE
a happy and prosperous new year, l
remain yours respectfully,
JAMES Fl. FUQUA.
January, 1877.
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