The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-07-19
From Colorado.

IN and facts of a new mining camp in Colora
, DO Ii copied from a Colorado paper;
VIRGINIA CITY, Tin Cup Mining District
Gunmson Co., Col, June S, 1870,
Editors Joayuol: Virginia City" sounds
pretty high-toned, and from the excitement
would think that another Comstock had been
struck IN Tin Cup Gulch. But to give the
facts as they really exist, Virginia City, Col
orado, resembles its namesake Of Nevada only
in name, and unless in time it can make bet
ter showing with reference to It's mines than il
now does, that is about as near as il will even
come to making firstclass mining camp.
u OF course it is all excitement here now The
town Is rapidly building up, and men arepour
ing in from all sections of the country. In the
tanned, and consequently logs are used in It's
stead, while many tents are occupied tcmpora
riy. Grocery stores soloons and other branch
eS of business are well represented, the MAORI
lty, if not all OF them mailing from Leadvlle
1t seems to be the purpose Of these men to
make it lively mining camp whether the al
LEGGED mines will allow it ornot
The town is located about one mile below
Tin Cup Gulch. THIS gulch was worked some
l twelve or fourteen years 60 and produced a
large amount Of gold, remnants of the old
sluice boxes are now to be seen from one end
of the gulch to the other.
On the south side of the guich and about
hree miles from town are located the " Gold
Cup" Silver Cup" and Tin Cup" mines, all
claimed to be on the same vein. They were
located Il year ago ana are the immediate cause
of all this rush to the Tin Cup district The
Gold Cup" Is pronounced the best mine in
owners say in regard to the value OF the ore, it
is certainly a promising mine. 1t is claimed
that 900 pounds of this ore was shipped TO
Leadvllle last fall which milled 100 ozs, sill
ycY prr ton. + i, UorilOnta' voin IN lime
stone formations the pl" ~rrcl, varying 10
width ilonl TWO 10 four feet Ii L. iIUv paNlut
ore carrying galena, carbonate Of copper,
chloride of silver and some gold. The SILVER
Cup has much the same character OF ore but
is of lower grade The ore from the Tin Cup
carries large per cent. Of galena, and show
ing no chlorides assays rather low. To show
YOU to what extent these mines are being de-
veloped, it is only necessary to state that the
force employed on the Gold Cup" is tour
men, that on the "Silver Cup" two and that on
the Tin Cup" two. Aside from these three
mines there Is nothing in Tin Cup Gulch
worth mentioning although every inch of
ground within radius Of two miles around
these mines has been staked, and as far as my
observation has been and from what intorma.
ton have been able to obtain, there has not
been discovery made here this spring that
shows anything more than indications.
Two and one.half miles below Virginia City
is the town of IIllerton, Il rival of the former
place There is not much to be said about it,
more than the Town Company have laid off
something in the neighborhOod of $4,000 lots,
which they are willing to dispose of for the
modest sum of $3.50 each.
On Gold Hill, about one mile west of this
town, all the ground for about two miles square
has been taken up, and hundreds of prospect
| holes sunk. An examination of a ma ority Of
these holes failed to show anything more than
indications. There have been some small pieces
of quartz found on this hill carrying free gold,
and It Is this that has caused the rush to that
quarter. There are quite "A number of shafts
on this hill down depth of from 10 to u feet,
many of them showing large quantities Of iron
III the bottom. 1t is possible that when these
shafts reach depth of 80 to 100 feet, carbon
ates or other rich ore may be found, but that
they have nothing of this kind at this writing,
is dead certainty
Prospecting here is much the same AS around
Leadvlle, no surface indications whatever
and the tender foot fresh from Posey county
is as liable to strike it rich as the most expert
enced 49'r One place is just as good as an
other providingyou don't get on another mans
ground.
As ! remarked before, men ne constantly
pouring in from all parts, and while tins is
true, 1t is equally as true that they are leaving
the camp daily, in about the same proportion
| mat tney arrive. Inc majority OF those gong
out are headed for San Juan, while Il large
number will go to the Elk Mountains. Those
going to the latter place, if they are dlsappoint
ed in the prospects there, will push on to the
former place. San Juan may look for a rush
in there this summer.
We shall leave here in the morning for the
Elk Mountains, from which place Will write
you again. G. r. p.
About ten years since Mr.. J. NJ. Bennett, of
Cumming, Ga, was, by legal process, declared
to be Il lunatic, but, being harmless and mot
tensivc was not sent TO the asylum. About
| thrpa ,c,re au,, IN old ran.lar fool, IN wit