New-York tribune., 1880-10-24
produces an Intense heat This Is an exact de
scription Of the coal in the Ortiz mines.
RAiTnOAp TACiIIIlrs.

RAILROAD FACILITIES.
OF course, with an cnterprlsng railroad like the
Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe running within
three miles and half of them, such coal mines as
these will not long remain undeveloped. but the
first use to which the coal VIII probably be put
will be IN making steam to pump water ior
hydraulic mining ON the Old Placers of the Ortiz
Grant, as described in last letter. MI Sickels
estimates that the coal ought TO be mined and de-
lvered at tho pumping station. which will he only
n few rods from the railroad, for 81 30 ton, and
his estimates of the cost OF pumping water are
based the supposirion that it will certainly cost
no than 81 ton. The daily consumption of
coal will be about 200 tons and il is certain that
the railroad company could make handsome proht
the transportation of this amount OF coal. about
ten miles. part Of the way down hill. and all the
way over easy grades, for 80 or 10 cents a ton.
But the Ortiz Company in condition to offer
special lnduCem snts to the owners OF the railroad
for reasonable rates of freight. The latter now
hsus all the coal that il IN New Mexlcoo from
Trinidad. Colorado. over two of the most difficult
railway grades in the world. Ev,n II coal should
he obtained Oh the Maxwell Grant on this side of
the Ration Mountains it would still be necessary TO
haul the supplies OF coal for south of here over
the Santa Ie range with its grades of lS6 feet to
mile. If the company could take its coal for use
bet Scen here and FL Paso. about 325 miles. and on
its Guaymas and Atlantic and Pacihc lines, from
the Ortiz mines. ii would be saved great expense
in Transportation: for. from the mines to the Texas
line the road follows the Rio Grande River all the
way on a down grade / think, therefore. tha.
some arrangement will probably be made between
the railroad company and the Ortiz Syndicate by
which each will get its coal at very reasonable
cost. There will also he a demand for the coal in
Santa Fe and IN other New Mexican towns that
are certain TO become important centres Of in
dustry.
DEPOSITS or CLAY AND IRON.
Near the old coal mine there is a bed of excellent
fire clay, which Professor Raymond in his report
for 1870, said had been thoroughly tested 10y one
of his assistants. scorifier made of 1t. and
lead aud borax was smeted in it in the hottest an
thracite fire. II neither cracked nor was attacked
by the flux. saw some bricks made of this fire
cay at Colonel Gillette's camp the Canon del
Aqua Grant which looked as good as the fre-clay
bricks used in furnaces in the East and was told
that they had stood very tests in the assay
furnace Colonel Gillette said that the brick were
worth 30 cents each that being the cost of deliv
ering equally good ones made in the East at his
camp
saw also IN the vicinity of tc coal mines out |
crcppincs of iron ore chiefly brown hematite, that
seemed 10 Ae rich. Magnetic of great purity is
said to be found in almost ineXhaustible quantities
in the Placer Mountains. but | did not any of |
it, did see some pebbles and boulders CT it on the |
placcrs called Oy the MeXicans la guia del oro.
because of their association with aurferous gravel |
The Ortiz Grant. aside from the economic value |
of It's mineral deposits is geologcallg one OF the
most interesting regions / have ever visited. In |
whichever way | turned during my stay upon 1t. |
was sure TO see something strange. 2. L w.