Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-24
BLACK HILLS PROSPECTS,.
What an Old Nevada Miner Thinks
AbOut IL.

About IL.
Some time ago we published a des-
criptive letter from the Black Hills, in
which the writer, an old and we'll post
ed Nevada miner took a very encour-
aging view Of the future of that coun-
try. In another received yesterday,
and addressed to VIM. Plumhof, the
correspondent has materially altered
his conclusions as follows:
RAPID CREEK, d. T., March IS, 1878.
| have quite recently obtained some
Information in regard to the cement
mines around Dead wood and Central
City that | did not anticipate, and /
must admit that it knocks the bottom
out of my previously conceived ideas
in regard to the ultimate value of our
cement beds. This conclusion, how
ever, may he premature. AS l stated
in my last, am running a tunnel on
Rapid Creek, at the only place where
fall can lie obtained to work the placer
deposits. The party interested with
me in my enterprise was also half
owner in n of the best niines-by
purchsse-including the cost of erect.
ing a 25-stamp mill. He is out up
ward of $50 900, aud / have his state
ment that IL is a worthless piece OF
property. This, taken in connection
with the now we'll known fact that the
mine owners in almost every instance
are unable to pay their employees, is
damning.
In regard to the value OF the property
recently purchased by the California
Company, | have nothing but a general
knowledge There is one peculiarly
of this country that is liable TO deceive
the superficial observer, and that is the
profusIou with which the quartz is
scattered everywhere over the surfaces;
but it Is only on the surface. Practical
demonstration, within the limits of my
observation, has failed thus far in de-
veloping anything that merits the
name of a vein Or lode. The the.
DRY by which l account for this
is one that naturally pre-
sents itself to mine in viewing the
configuration of the country. / make
no ~pretension to scientific knowledge
or theories. but simply state my con
viction or conclusion in e~ndeavoriDg
to trace a known result 10 an unknown
but presumable cause. The Hills con.
stitute a group of irregular elevations
u nd depre>sions, and bear unmistaka-
bic signs of sone terrible convulsion
Of Nature in the strange contortion of
the underlying formations, twis led
about in every conceivable shape, and
the huge masses Of sandstone and
cement lying flung around promiscu-
oasly. AS a natural consequence, the
quartz veins were broken up and dis
placed, which for their dis
tribution owe the surface. This fact
tends to create a false impression as to
the real amount of quartz that there is
here. On my arrival, / believed that
this would prove to he n of the
greatest Qna1tz mining countries in the
world. | am now satisfied that it will
be more precarious and less remunera
tive than in either California or Nesa-
da. II the cement fails to pay, then. as
a mining country, it is a fraud. The
placer mines are not worth mention
ing. Rapid Creek will pay if properly
worked, and our tunnel site Is the only
available place to get the necessary
fall on the stream. When the tunnel
is completed, il will he a valuable
property, because it will control the
creek for miles, for years to ON
My opportunities for obtaining the
current news is not the best. as / am
somewhat isolated, and there are no
important happenings in my immedi-
ate vicinity.
| have been working a little on what
they call a quartz lead" that con
taips a trace of silver, but / do not
intend to squander any more time on
quartz in this section.
Yours. JAS. GoRaAs.