The Elk Mountain pilot., 1880-12-30

mountain sides protrudes on every
hand. The veins nearly all drop to
IS degrees from the perpendicular,
and in numerous instances the hang
ing wsil has the appearance Of min
eralbca7ing slate, while the lower OF
foot wall Is sort of ttachyte.
The pay matter IN most instances
has started at the surface in the shape
Of greenish chlorides of silver, and at
a depth Of three to SIX feet ruby, brit
tls and native silver have manifested
themselves, as notably in the
Forest Queen, Ruby King, and Ruby
Chief lodes, and at greater depth sui
phurets ofsilver have appeared.
To depth Of 80 CT 50 feet the ore
although Of unexampled r:ehcss hss
not often proved SO refractory as to
nccessitate any very complicated pro-
cess Of treatment, but arsenical iron
and zinc, those uncomfortable appa-
rltions Of the miner. although they
augur we'll Tor the strength and per
manency of the veins are beginning to
show strongly in some of the deeper
shafts.
THE FIRST SILVER
Found in this district was discover
ed by Charles Defebaugh, John
Richie and Jas Brennand, who we're
prospecting for Howard J. Smith &
Co., Of Crested Butte. This was in
June, 1879, and the claim was called
the Rough and Ready Boy. Lnmedi-
asely after the first discovery they To-
Gated the Ruby Chief, Old Sh,ek and
Arab, and began systematic work upon
their claims without delay, which
they have continued 10 the present
time, taking out large quantities OF
ruby silver ores.
About the same time that these
first mines were located, .Mr. Edward
Copley, prospector sent cat by a
Colorado Springs company, arrived
on the scene and located the Amigo.
and Allezvous.
Messrs. Dick Irwin, Hall, Thomp-
son and M. O. Rollins, who had pass
ed through the district early in June,
returned on the 27d of that month
and located the Dequita, Old Mexico,
Durango and Last Chance, and Mr..
Devine, prospecting for C. K. Smith
and Ed Fields located the Ada, Phil
adelphia Belle, Perhaps and Maud Ash
brook.
Of course the news of the discovery
of rich mineral in this camp spread
like wild fire, and in few months
every piece of ground the size Of an
ant bed had been promptly staked
out.
OF our coal deposits we have already
said as much at present as space will
admit. Anthracite coal was first dis
covered and located by Richard Irwin,
w. J. Robinson and Jas. Prlngle, in
August, 1872, MIR. Pringle having
picked up some pieces of float coal in
the creek, three miles below the vein
the previous fall.
AS many of our patrons have
heard something more of the fame of
our camp than a mere general account
Of our mineral resources, they ,uay de-
sire more particular knowledge Of our
lodes, SO we append short descrip-
tion of
OUR MOST PROMINENT MINES.
The Forest Queen and Ruby King
are alone sufficient to sustain a popula-
ton of 1900 inhabitants. These
mines were discovered July 9Th, 1879,
the former by w. A. Fisher, of
Maryland, the latter by o. P. Mace,
Of Iowa. The locations were made in
small stream, the head of Coal Creek.
Fisher claiming 1900 feet north and
Mace 1900 feet south, from point Of
location. At the point of discovery
the stream had cut through the ledge,
leaving the vein exposed on either
side. The first stroke of the prospect
ing pick, given by Fisher, broke from
the lead mass of ruby silver as red
as blood, assaying 1900 ounces ofsil-
yer per ton. From that date these
two MIN &C have beep ctaaIilv Uoininr