Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-09

feet up. But it is only about hun
dred feet from the cabin to the shaft.
We found this lead about six inches
wide on the surface of the mountain.
1t presented very rich appearance for
the surface ore. 1t could be traced
along the ground, up the side of the
mountain, for long distance. took
pick and got out lump of the surface
ore. Then L went down into the shaft.
which was about fifty feet deep, and
| there l got out some more ore. At
this point the lead is about twenty
inches wide, and looks like very rich
ore. The assay shows about 600 ounces
OF silver to the ton Of ore. IF this
mine holds out, down for 1900 or 1000
feet, and increases in width and rich
ness, it will be one of the best mines in
the world. Where we were it is fully two
thousand feet above Henson Greek. A
tunnel, less than mile in length, from
the valley below, would strike this lead
two thousand feet below the present
shaft. 1t can be seen from this that to
drain 1T will not cost near as much as
the Sutro Tunnel has cost to drain the
Comstock lead, in Nevada.
After examining the mine, and get
ting as many specimens as we wanted.
we went down into a gulch, about 100
feet distant, and there washed the mud
OFT our specimens, with water from a
bank OF snow twenty feet high and two
to three hundred feet long. This snow
was thawing from both sides. The wa
ter running down under it had made a
cave about six feet high, under which a
man could walk with bridge of snow
over his head 1t was q curious sight
Tor an lowan to see on the 18th day of
July, Flowers of all hues, and beauti-
ful to look upon, and fragrant to the
smell, were growing in profusion within
ten feet OF this snow Grass was lux
uriant there, and that festive musician
OF the night, the musquito, was more
plenty there than at any other place l
ever had the fortune to meet him, ex-
cept, always Slumgullion.
After examining this mountain we
turned our attention to the surrounding
scenery To the southwest, in the d.
rection of Silverton, we could see peaks
and crags and sn0w Three distinct
cratess, Of extinct volcanoes, could be
seen, They were miles apart, but in the
same range. The whole was covered
with snow. These peaks are from 49,
600 to $4,000 feet high. The pass be-
tween them, over which the road goes,
is 1880 high. Uncompaghan peak
was to our right, about eight miles
away, its top covered with snow. No
one has yet attempted to climb it this
spring, On going down the mountain
t.. Oanltal Olty, we were willing to ad-
nit that the distance back was not
more than one mile aud quarter.
Such is the difference between going up
and down hill.
When we reached the valley, we found
that Henson Greek from being mild
brook had swollen to a raging torrent.
MIR. Messler urged us to stop with him
over night and go down in the morning,
saying he thought we could not 60 down
the road on account Of the high water.
Our diver thought he could make it.
so we started for Lake City. At some
places we found the water in the road
three to four feet deep, but at such
places the owners of the road had built
up wall OF stone so that the force of
the current was broken, and we got
through all safe. The water made the
descent much faster than we did. and
we came on after it, wondering at the
mighty power shown, first in the up
heaval OF the mountains, and then in
the excavation Of the canen, "
We reached the city at P. NJ, At
tel. supper we went to the stage office
and registered our names for return, to
start on Sunday, with the privilege of
stopping off at Wagon Wheel Gap, for
not to exceed three days. Our return
over Slumgullion was not as rapid as
our descent. We walked most of the
way up the side of the mountain. the
horses having a laborious task to draw
as ' $as s %a sssss gE e s asza we re
air was clear and hracing, The mus.
qnltoes were out in force. Once at the
top OF the mountain we bowled along
finely on the descending grade. We
saw things in reverse order to what we
had them going out. At 4 p. NJ. we
arrived at Wagon Wheel Gap, on the
Del Norte River, where we disembarked
and put up with our friend Peck for
the night. We had trout for supper.
In the morning he was up at 4 O'Clock.
went two miles and half, and came
back with ten pounds of fine trout, and
had them dressed and cooked for break
fast at o'clock. In the forenoon we
went down to the hot sulphur springs.
This is about mile and quarter from
Peck's: There is q large frame hotel
there, The spring has heen dug out
about six feet deep, and walled up with
granite rock. The open spring is about
eight feet wide and sixteen long. The
water boils up and fills the entire spring,
and runs of with good strong stream.
The temperature, as it comes out of the
ground, is l4O degrees Fahrenheit. 1t
is conducted in open troughs some ten
to fifteen rods to bath rooms, and when
it pours into the large plunge bath, it Is
la degrees. This was too hot for me.
l took a bath in one of the small bath
rooms, where the temperature was 20 at
start, and let in hot water to raise it to
80. The bath was very pleasant. The
water is quite as palatable as that at
Hot Springs, Ark. 1t is very much
such tasting water, with the exception
of the sulphur This spring comes up
in the middle of the valley, and not out
OF a projecting hill or rock. For some
rods each way there is no elevation. A
creek Of cold mountain water runs each
side OF the spring, some ten rods dis
tant
After taking our bath, we went across
the fat to the east side, and there, boil
ing up at the edge of a rock, was hot
soda and iron spring After drinking
OF this we returned to the hotel Peck's
! mean-and had dinner Of trout.
This Is the best place we found on
our travels, for persons who 60 out for
their health. 1t is about $500 feet
high. The valley of the Del Norte is
fine. The Hot Spring valley is about
six miles long and one wide. The
mountain slopes are easy Of ascent.
There is good fishing and hunting here.
There is no town, no mines, no smelling
or other works, to disturb the mind or
befoul the air or water. The drinking
water is pure, soft and agreeable. [
have never seen place where one
could retire so well and completely
from the active scenes of life, and get
daily mail, and have such rambles and
bathing and drinking as at Wagon
Wheel Gap. JED LAKE.
The Pledge OF the Government and They
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