Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-12-19
COLORADO TREASURES.
Where tie Bullion and Gold Ore Comes
fr0n..-The Potosi of America.
Colorado Springs Gozet,e.


heaped up around our depot that
hourly arrive from the mountains on
the west, and each day are carried
off by trains TO the eastern markets.
The interest felt is one that grows nat
urally out of the appeal that this trade
makes 20 the pocket of every citizen,
because it means additional activity in
all branches of our already prosperous
trade. 1t means large returns to the
freightcrs and forwarderS, an excellent
outlet for supplies 10 the miners and
smelters, greater activity in real estate,
demands for new building, and good
rents for old ones-in short, it means a
bigger city and richer one. Many of
our citizens have followed up this stream
of ore TO its source during the last two
months, and have returned with tales
of mineral wealth so marvellous and of
scenery So grand that many others
have followed, so that now the resources
and wealth of California gulch and the
"Oro district are known so generally
that what we write may seem trite to
numbers of our readers, but they must
remember that the Gazette goes widely
among people of other states, who hear
but indistinct rumors of this new Amer
icas Potosi
Two routes lead us from our depot
here to the Orc district; both follow the
Ute pass to the South Park and there di-
vide. The southern route crosses the
west rim of the park by the Iroute
creek pass, which is an easy road over
the range, and is SO low that it is rarely
much INSTRUCTED by snow. This is
about one hundred and thirty-tive
miles long The other road crosses the
South Park farther west and rising
above timber line reaches Orc by the
Weston Pass, about one hundred and
ten miles. 1t is over this pass that the
ores and bullion of the district are now
brought. II. e smeltcrs have made the
road good, and in order to get out the
rich ores and metal this winter have de-
termincd themselves to haul on sleds
over the high range to II depot ON the
east side and then contract with the
teams of the country to bring it down
through the Ute pass to the railway
The ore is SO pure that it is sheveled
in at the top of the furnace without pre-
paration and the resulting metal runs
out at the bottom into mods ready to
be sent east-solid "rich-lcad." Only
one more process is required to make
it ready for the mint, and that is per-
formed ut st. Louis, Mt II cost of $l5 per
ton.
There are sampling works at Orc
which grind up the rich ores and prepare
them for the market. The two now at
work will not nearly supply the require
ments OF the miners, and one of them
is about to double its capacity. These
works take the rich ores from the
miners, grind it fine enough to make
an assay, then having determined how
much metal there is III the ore, by
careful fire test, they buy it and put it
into the canvas bags that we see piled
up in such masses at our depot In
this form it is ready to go to New York,
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St Louis. or
Omaha, where it is reduced to silver
and lead. So rich is the yellow, dirty
looking material that seems so plenty
to the Colorado Springs freighter, that
much of it could be smeted into bars in
n common stove, and often is so full of
the precious metals that pound would
give n dollars worth Of silver and gold.
For miles around California, Stray
House, Evans Empire, Iowa and other
valleys, the carbonate that constl-
tutes the bulk of the ore is found
There are already twenty-three mines
producing ore for shipment, and ope
enthusiastic mine-owner says he can
produce thousand tons per day if he
can get shipment for his ores.
The ore is in limestone bed, and is
like n seam of black band iron ore or IA
layer of soft sandstone. 1t crops out on
the side Of the mountain in belts miles
IN extent. One man has shipped $40,
600 worth of ore from a bit of ground
about rs large "a the cellar of Color
ado Springs store. He found the ore
at the bottom ola hole less than four
feet deep he put it into sacks and sent
it of to the smeltcr at the rate Of five
tons per day as result Of his own UNI
aided labor. This ore had SO worth Of
metal in it when delivered in st. Louis
He can go into his mine now, and at
any time scrape out with fire shovel
or sugar scoop 500 worth of ore i'll an
hour. He keeps, naturally enough, u
lock on the door Of the draft. Another
miner has sunk four shafts, and devel-
oped an acre of his property, upon
which he believes, from measurements,
that he has over 81 100000 worth Of
1OO-oz ore. Another miner has taken
out 400 tons from his shafts, and is in
creasing his force. Another is selling a
little ore to keep himself going, and
piling up in his mine to await the open
ing of spring.
Quantities Of ore with $50 TO 800
worth of metal in it are being produced
at s. per ton. This low cost will force