, 1879-01-26
ARIZONA.
Prof. 4. 4. Lambert Bears Testimony
to Their Great Richness.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
CHICAGO, Jan. 25.--Of late years so many
! fraudulent reports have been spread far aud
| wide about the richness aud the immense har-
vest Of gold and silver mines that there exist ="
| priori" certain kind OF suspicion not to sag
| downright prejudice, In the minds Of most peo-
| plc against any statements that might be made
| in favor of any undertaking regarding the work
| ing Of mines. This, indeed, is fact but too
| true and too lamentable; and it is much to be
regretted that reports Of the kind often bar the
progress Of undertakings that are well worthy
Of all possible patronage and oil possible sup
port. am we'll aware of this fact, and it is
! therefore with the greatest caution and only
after close examination that send these few
lines to your wideiy.crculatcd paper for tue
good of the public More than a weeK ago l
was invited by one Of my friends to examine
several specimens OF silver ore, and to express
my opinion Oh them. These specimens are in
the possession OF Air. A. c. Hesiug WHO brought
opinion, and that OF Prof. Ehulack, who
kindly volunteered to assist me in the
examination, / must state that I do
not know the extent Of the mines from which
these specimens have been taken, nor whether
the whole vein is as rich as the specimens exam
ined, though the formation nnu nature Of the
specimens seem to warrant that conclusion. 10
make sure, however, Of this, before writing this
article called Upon Lwo OF nv friends, who are
we'll versea in mtneralogy, and who have tray
eled through Arizona aud visited these very
mines about which tllrre is question. For At
my visit to lr. Hesing's Office found him Tery
enthusiastic, and thought then perhaps too
much so, and this put me on my guard, lest be
might have oVcrrated the value Of those mines.
These friends OF mine assured me that the vein
was very extensive aud equally rich, and that
the description gave OF tile specimens which /
had examined would equally apply to the rest Of
the nlnes> Let the add that these gentlemen
have no shares tn the mines. The specimens
which examined carefully are Of three differ
cnt kinds: I. Tic silver glance or sulphuret Of
silver. 2. Tile chloride OF silver; anu 8. The
free silver. All Of these arc Of the richest kind
which has ever been found; and must confess
is the largest aud purest that ever saw. 1t is
most compact and solid, and was taken from
the "Julius Mine.:' II is well known By every
chemist TINT this ore is very easily reduced, As a
common gus jet will chase of the sulphur. 1t
contains at least 81 per cent Of pure silver. The
ore is so rich and compact that it cannot be
crushed, but eau be placed at once into the fur
mace, 10 say it in one word, the specimens are
solid pieces of silver glance.
Those OF tue second kind are chloride silver;
these also are perfectly pure, if VIE except
trace Of copper. The chloride silver, as is also
we'll known, is very easily reduced to pure
metallic silver, and contains rs per cont Of the
pure metal. Many Of the chloride specimens
are associated with free silver, evidently by
having bccu dccomposed.
Finally, the third Kind Of specimens is that OF |
free silver. One OF these, which was assured |
is 4 fair sample Of thousands in the mines, is q
fair specimen OF arborescent shape, perfectly |
pure. also found traces OF gold, and one !
specimen containcd d considerable amount OF |
free gold. As the result of my own investiga-
tion, consider the project Of working these |
mines fully worthy of the attention md coop |
Grafton Of all parties Interested in such under
takiugs. PRoF. A. A. LAMBERT, S. j., !
St. lEnntius College, city,