The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1877-10-30
GAN JUAN COUNTRY.
An Interesting Letter Prom Q Well
Known OOdallan - Something
About the Country and its Mines.

| AseVery one seems 10 know that ] nave
been, for the past six monils. in the Ssu
Juan silver regions Of Colorado, and Is anx
,ous 10 learn all they can Of the country and
the mines, without any trouble ar exIrnss
70 themselves. take tins method III telling
a portion of what have sren aud learned I'll
the country during the las, iw" years.
In the first place. = geographical aiescriP-
ton is unnecessary. I xill c"nfine myself
to the mines aud mining improvements Of
San Jaun county alone.
Silverton, the capital at the county, h.
eight miles due west If the main range "i
the Rocky mountains. and is the crn,rr a.!
the whole Animas mining didrici (f-,m
which all blessings Hos, ar where e :ery Issly
goes to get on spree). The country around
is about l4,OOO les, high. and is "n- "f ;i'
hardest places in the mountains Ia get q" Is,
frpm which accounts i"r the scarcity al
machinery fer the reduction 81 the Va.
quantities Of rich ORES ia the mount ain.
But, Notwithstanding this, irw have stuck
to the country, and capital is finding safe
place for investment.
Though the seasoR was later "lSrnin: thi,
year than usual. there has i'-s.n more .l"nc
in the way ~ substantial! improvements.
than any previous year. Thousands Of
dollars haze been expended uison the roads
and tens of thousands upon machinery. Up
to this time there has Isrn only one small
amelting furnace in tie c"nniy; but mxi
year there will i,e running, in Irs~ tih,n ten
miles Of Silverton, nat Isss than five, viz
The Ennis, Philadelphia. McE",ir-, Mel
vile, and lh.w works. The latter will b~
one of the largest and finest establishments
for the treating al orr, IN the State. and
under the management Of iis present
superintendent. Mes~rs. Walters 4 ih.w. l.
hound to he complete ~ncrss. l, is ="
situated n Ia command the market for il,s
ore from some Of the hest and richest min. :
in the whole State. own two mines in
less than a mile fr:m the above works.
respectively. the 81. Louis and Sitting Bull
lOsies. The mountains in this vicinity
seem 10 he full al rich ore, for while
We we're at work excavaiing and
leveling for the Dow works, Nc
frequently found boulders in the
creek that had come from the mountains
adjoining, that were fall of the finest
quality Of silver ore and ~ large n man
could carry. In every shovel full of gravel
that ever prosrected, l found snAll arii-
cles Of geld, showing that as some place in
the mountains there is a rich deposit Of
gold; which, If ever found, will prove very
valuable to the finder.
A for the new discoveries, they are If 50
frequent occurrence that, unless they arr
very rich from the surface, there is hut lit
lie attention paid to them.
However, when such discovery Is made
As was made BY Mr.. Nichols, who vas
prospecting for J. T. L.come, and turned
mp lode called the Sulphurest, which j.
showing four feet Of . pay streak, assaying
100 ounces per ton from the top and In
creasins a. you 60 down. II is one Of the
big things Of the State.
Lacome has leased the mines for one year.
and will make flying visit to New Orleans
This winter, taking in Sedalia about Christ
mas.
Now, Mr.. Editor, I will tell you that by |
spring the roJds will be ~ much improved
that most OF those Who are over anxious to
know more about the San Juan country
ian easily slip out there and IN one trip
can learn more than could tell in week.
1 am we'll pleased with the mines that
located last year; aud tho-e that We located
lhe present season all show up we'll rs far rs
they are developed, aud IS luck seems to
favor all my locations with mills just nj
them, think that they are in the RICH,
place at least.
am often asked why come home every
fall, and IL the mines can he worked durin;
winter, etc. Ose reason that ! come b ,nse
is this: start q" the mines ia the spring
without any capital, and when ! get there,
without any money, have 10
.kirmish around for some time tn get enough
to live on while We work onr assessment,
and by the time ihst that Is done Oh the
number of mines that We have located, the
season ia nearly gone; and % work the
mines successfully in the winter rrqnirrs
some capital for grub and some tools, that
as vet, am not able 10 get. Winter Is the
hest ami most profitable time f"r working
the mines ii one Is only prepared. Labor
ing under ihese Disadvantages, I have only
heen able 10 10 the work that the Law re-
qnires Ia hold the Claima.
Respectfully.
W.P.J.
A BLOODY AFPRAY.
Savage Work Of Butcher Knife.