New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-15

the surface in the Ga,istco above and below the
dixie. and the gravel at that pout is deep ~ else
where considerable stream flows through the
onening in 81 shf at all seasons OF the year
This discovery. which was remarkable, since an
examination Of the river from the base OF me
mountains 10 the point whore II empue- mo 'he
Rio Grarde. distance 81 nearly forty ni.'S'
rcqr-ed IN the discovery Of no similar bikes cutting
.cr.ss the stream and valley led Mr
>ickels 70 change his plans. lie row
thinks that It Will not be necessary
70 build an artificial dam at all
AZ the natural one already here viii serve the pur-
poscs for which one is needed better taan one oullt
OF timber. He now proposes to sink an immense
iron tube such he nsed In the construction OF the
Omaha bridge only larger, the bed Of the stream
above the point where the trap dixie crosses the
river thus forming reservoir which shall be lower
than the bed Of the stream near II. and INTO which
the water which flows down the valley may run
through openues in its sides. The natural dam
viii prevent the water from escaping through the
soil on the edges of the valley and viii turn II to
fbe reservoir which will be situated at tho very
point which the water must pass as 1t seeks the
lower valley.
PROSPECTS ~ THE ENTERPRISE.
OF the practicablIty of impounding the water
and pumping it up upOn the Pacers Mr.. Sickels
no longer has any doubt. but even If Il s consid-
cred an experiment. il will not be very expensive
one The company owns a good sixty-horse engine.
which is al the stamp mill, and which can be re-
moved TO the banks Of the Galisteo at small cost.
This can We used in pumping out the water while
the work of construction in progress and the ex-
act amount Of water which il Will be possible to
obtain can be aScertained before a dollar IL spent
for expensive pumping machinery. The cost in fuel
Ia4svt 80
can be calculated with great exactness. and the
cost Of fuel Is a known quantity, as shall explain
in a letter on the remarkable coal deposits on the
Ortiz Grant. Mr.. SIckels has now gone to New
York TO report the result of his invest cations TO
the companv and 10 make preparations for begin
ming work at early day.
have no doubt that the spring or early sum-
mer Of 1881 fine stream Of water will be oper-
atIng on the Old Placers Of the Cunningham mesa.
and that their daily production Of gold will be very
large. Mr. Slckcls VIII be the superintendent of
the property with an experienced hydraulic miner
a. his assistant. He VIII conduct the business. as
he done everything which he has undertaken in ms
life IN a busIness-hza manner. For instance, he
told IRE that notwithstanding the numerous re-
ports that have been made, all Of them represent
ing the placers as richer and more extensive than
any that are now worked in this country, he VIII
not advise the company to purchase expensive ma
chiuery until the entire gravel bed has been thor
oughly prcspccted b. the sinking of pits to the bed
rock all over it at gwen distances apart, and the
Washing of an the gravel that Is taken out.
Mr.. Scke.s cs mates the daily expense Of pump
ing L. 600 miners riches of water upon the placers
after the proposed machinery is set mp At S22j.
Professor Raymond. n his official report in 1874,
estimated tie daily product Of gold with 1000
iaches Of wlter nj $500 IF the expenses should
tur our 10 De Gouble this amount, and the product
should be only one-hajf this would still be of
tac most success nj mining operations in the
United States. wtl the advantage that when the
production Of gold once begins there will be little
or 70 danger that the deposits of aurferous gravel
viii Zoe exhausted in twenty-five or fifty years.
Ny conclusions are that tie gold deposits on the
Orlz Grant are Of wonderful richness and almost
unlimited extent thai they very tavorably lit
latcd for hydraulic mining # water can once be
conveyed TO them: that Dir. SIckels has solved the
water problem; that the sudden breakdown of the
me-as of 23O feet IN half mile, near the GalIsteo
River. viii furnish ample dump-grond for The tall
ings from The s'uces without the enormous expense
10 winch some of the great California companies
are subjected u order 10 dispose of the mountains
of saud and gravel which they have washed; that
he successful operation OF the placer mines on the
C4nou del Aqua and ORTIZ Grants will give a slim
illus to this part Of New-Nexico such as it has
never before felt n is history. e. l. W