The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-04-26

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sompahgre District, where the cloud
piercing submits of the lofty Uncom-
pahgre Range-the highest of the
Rockys-rise to nearly Is, 700 feet above
!he sea.
Here Nature revels in her grand and
awful majesty. In this savage and
picturesque region are found the rich
mines of the San Juan, and it is toward
this section that the public attention
has been so largely directed of late in
consequence of its unprecedented rich
silver deposits.
INGRAHAM PARK.
Perhaps no special discovery has
created more excitement and de-
veloped more astonishing results than
the opening of that remarkable silver
basin in the Uncompahgre Range known
Us Ingraham Park-namedf from it's dis
coverer, or rather from the discoverer
of the way into it. Ever since 1873 the
greedy eyes of prospectors looked over
into small basin in the San Miguel
dountains-a spur Of the Uncompah-
re-and they tried to enter it, but its
,recipitous interior seemed to defy
heir efforts.
The course of the great lodes of that
'egion seemed to justify the idea that
they headed at or near this basin in the
mountains. Its form is eliptical,
singular amphitheater as it were, about
two miles in diameter-its lowest point
being $500 feet below the tops of the
mountains surrounding it and about
10000 feet above the sea. 1t is situated
about ten miles west of Silverton and
fifteen miles southwest of Ouray-the
county seat of San Juan County.
A stream which heads in the Park
empties in the San Miguel River over
the western edge of divide in enormous
falls which are exceedingly picturesque.
1t was along the course of this stream
that an entrance into this great silver
basin was at last discovered.
In April of 1876 B. H. Bayles, Esq,
the most prominent furniture dealer in
Denver, dispatched Mr.. w. H. Richards,
a thorough and reliable prospector,
well known in Denver mining circles,
to prospect in the Uncompahgre dis
trict. Mr.. Richards reached Ouray in
May, after months tedious journey
through the deep snow of the noun
tains. His first exploit was to locate
the now famous bullion lode, on the
side Of Mt. Hayden, four miles from
Ouray. This lode is feet wide, being
nearly all rich pay ore between the
walls. Col. Goss, of Denver, brou" ht
home pound sample of the ore, which
is now on exhibition, at the mint in
that city, and has caused quite sensa-
tion in mining circles. After doing his
"chaffee" work on this lode, and sigh
ing for other rich strikes, Mr.. Richards
worked along to the southwest, where
he was finally joined by Mr.. j. c.
Ingraham, who had at last found way
into the mysterious basin to which l
have before alluded as Ingraham Park.
Together they entered the basin,
where apparently no human foot had
ever trod. AS may be supposed their
movements were carefully concealed,
that they might prospect fully without
interruption. The general appearance
of the park seemed to be that of great
"blow-outs" of mineral, and fully sus-
tanned the theories formerly held re-
garding this basin as being the foun-
tain-head of the great fssure-veins
which are found in this region. Some
of the lodes project several feet out Of
the country rock and are distinguishes
BILE for a mile distant-looking like
enormous walls.
In spite of all their precautions they
were traced by two Californians, few
weeks later. They followed them by
means of popularity in the heels of
Ingraham's s boots. Once in the park
they found chances to "locate' to their
hearts content.
MINERAL WEALTH.
The surface lodes of this basin ap-
pear to have N. w. and S. E. direc-
ton, and are in some cases of enormous
width, the general character of the ore
being argentiferous galena and gray
copper, generally high grade ores,
averaging from $50 to 800 ounces per
ton.
The B. H. Bayles mine has crevice
40 feet wide, cut by numerous "pay-
streaks" of from to Is inches in width
and assaying from $50 to 40 ounces to
the ton. The Ingraham has a well de-
fined crevice 60 feet wide, and the aver
age taken from large number of as
says gave 800 ounces to the ton. The
San Miguel lies just on the summit OF
the divide which forms the western
edge of the basin. The ore from this
mine is of the same character as the
Ingraham. The gangue rock taken
from the crevice is literally black with
native silver. There has been no assay
made as yet of this mine, but it is be-
lieved to be of extraordinary richness.
In 15-foot vein is found a pay-streak
of 5 feet in width. The Galena shows
: large cubes of galena, carrying heavy