The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-22
COLORADO MINING.
The Resources and Development of
Custer County, Colorado.

Ii is now seven years since our cores
pendent left Rock Island, and made hi:
way to the mining regions in quest of 9
fortune. Success has crowned his efforts
and he expects to return ere long and once
more become a resident of Rock Island
His communication which we give below
is dated at Rosita, Custer county, COL,
TIE 18th inst, and we have little doubt
but it will be very interesting to our read.
ers, numbers of whom have in like manner
sought to find "a fat take" among the
diggings" Of the far west.
EFFECT OF THE PASSAGE OF THE SILVER
BILL,
Three hundred thousand miners at work
on veins of precious metals have watched
the progress of the debating gladiators Of
congress for months while discussing the
tors and against of the silver question
Thesesmen whether for their good or moi
are intensely exultant over the remonetiz
alton of silver and mine owners of all
financial cliques of standing are jubilant
that gold has fallen and. that every ounce
of silver bullion is now worth l.l9 in lieu
OF LIS as it was when congress assembled,
SILVER AND GOLD MINING
Year by year is becoming better under
stood and vastly more profitable. The
wild mania era when few knew anything
about mines or mining or milling ores and
when thousand prices were asked for
silver gold and copper mines has about
gone away into past absurdlties, Mine
swlngles and shoups remain in quite all
camps, They are about the only regular
guestsof the hotels of mining towns and
are quite always the ignorant bore of the
stranger and the traducipg slanderer of
honest miners and intelligent prospectors.
For mere nothing they obtain deed of
some comparatively worthless mine and
lay hanging on when stages stop and
lnslnuating themselves in this peculiar
oetruslye way upon strangers occasionally
gather in a fabulous price for their Door
propertys, However no stranger should
be thus bitten because all camps nearly
have some educated iprospectors who are
thorough miGeraloglsts who can be con-
suited and who take pride in explaining the
modHS operandi of locating mines and de-
veloping them in scientific and economical
manner. Mining of precious ores always
pays largely when managed intelligently,
and more as each foot of depth gained
gives richer ore, consequently mines without
real outlay grow more and more valuable,
~ working them. Thus it is that so often
an hundred dollars worth of work on a
mine shows such richness that 5000. 600 10
SIo'OOO,oOO is asked forithe property be.
cause the ores of the mine will paw from
ten to 100 per cent. annually on a CAPITA,
thus represented.
Railroads have gradually reached ont
towards and into mining districts thus
cheapening transportation of ores and all
camp supplies leaving the. gain to 90 as
mining profits.
OUR MINING BELT
beyond all peradventure stands the most
extensive in area, the best wooded and
watercd, the nearest to railroads com
prises the most numerously veined mineral
region aud the finest climate of any on
earth, 1t is an hundred miles in length
and forty in width. Sierra Blanca, the
highest mountain, (l4,464 feet, Longs
Peak, Pixies Peak, Hunts Peak'and the
entire Sangre de Christie Range which is
the backbone of the Rocky. Mountains, are
within this belt. Every ore of gold. silver
and copper known to mineralists i. found
in this belt.
The Atchison, Topeka & Sapte Fe r
II. terminates at the dualtcities of North
and South Pueblo or 20 miles east of the
mines IN the eastern border of this belt
The Denver Il Rio Grande Railroad from
Pueblo to Canon City is within ten miles
OF mighty deposits of roust Of iron
ore, six miles of Oil Springs, a mile
from hot Mineral Sprigns, and seven
miles from gold, silver, copper
aud lead mines. Then begins the grand
canon OF the Arkansas, the many tribu-
taries of which are streams whose beds are
pregnant with golden sands andFpolden
nuggets. Canon City is the great resort
OF Invalids from the east afflicted with mil
monary, bronchial and catarrhal affections
and all people with worn out constitution
who wish to gain new lease of life in obr
health giving giving climate, and who are
able to reach southern Colorado. MANY Of
these once having enjoyed this exquisite
do not return but either secure
profitable mining property or locate upon
the thousands Of acres of fertile valley
lands which belonging to the government
Is open to hOmesteads and preemntors |
They, the latter, find ready cash markot
IN the adjoining mining towns for all the
produce they can grow. Thus this coun-
try comparatively unknown east is filling
with good, peaceful and industrious peo-
pie But there is fertile land remaining
Within radius of fifty miles Of this camn
Tor 10000 settlers and veins of ore enopob
to gain profitable employment to a million
miners. 1t requires no capital save one
hundred TO thousand dollars to take nm
either land or becom, interested in paving
mines so that all overcrowded city or rural
districts east can find room for their sur
plus In this vast belt of minar.l ol -:
6 wealth. The adventurous miner
,or years has unaccountably presumed that
ne must 90 AWAY FIR hennnA ILa-1 Z.