New-York tribune., 1880-10-04

tains and which IL Ia now for the first time
seriously proposed to develop. The most important
of these are on the northeast opposite side OF the
mountains from the New Placers described IN my
letters about the Canon del Aqua property ana are
of the same general character, but much greater
IN extent Two deep ravInes extend from the heal
de Doorcstbe one nearly east and the other north
east to the Galisteo River. The first OF these Is
called the Cunningham Arroyo. and the second the
Arroyo Veto. The triangular tabe-land which
lies between them and contains more than 5000
acres. is called the CUNNINGHAM Mesa. Six hundred
acres of the upper part of this mesa are covered
with the pits " hich the Mexcans have dug in their
search for mantas pay strraks of gravel, from
which they have washed the gold with their rude
bateas or wooden bow Is. and in water transported
q long distance on the backs of burros or obtained
by melting snow. These diggings are called the
Old Placers.
Professor r. W. Raymond examined these i'm
mensc gravel beds in 1874. and in his report for
that year on the Mineral Resources of the United
States. gave a long description Of them. Although
| went over the whole ground myself. shall use
some Of the statistics gwen IN that report since his
examination was much more exhaustive than any
il would le possible for me 10 make in short visit
of two or three days. The average depth of the
gravel over the 900 acres comprising the Old
deducing the spaces which they have excavated. Is
thirtv-nine feet On the side nearest the Arroyo
Veto there are pits eighty feet deep and on the
opposite size they reach depth OF thirtyhve feet
without touching the bedrock. These pits pass
through three rich s;reaks or mantas the aggregate
thickness of which is five feet
The Mexican method of working these placers IS
to wash only the rich gravel of the manas reject
ing all the dirt. called strippings, taken ont IN
reaching item. Thirty-four tests OF these strip
pings taken from different shafts, gave an average
of is4lo cents IN gold per cubic yard Gravel from
the mantas produced from - to 80 cubic yard.
Taking an averagr Of all the gravel and making
liberal deduction for the Mexican excavations and
for bouders Professor Raymond estimated that 30
cents per cubic yard was the very smallest amount
Of gold that would be obtained from the whole 500
acres \ series of $50 tests made on the Old
Placers from strippinGs alone no gravel from the
mantas or rich streaks being included. gave an
average Of CLIO cents cubic yard. Taking FRO
fessoI Raymond figures and his lowest estimate OF
the gold contained in the gravel, l ind that an
acre os the ground will contain 62.GG0 cubc yards
OF gravel and the Geo acres 37.j96OOO cubic
wards. which. AT 80 cents a yard, would produce
$1e79S 900.
But the Old Placers by no means comprise all Of
the aurterous gravel beds on the Ortiz Mine
Grant. Professor Raymond prospectcd lhf surface
and the edges in the aToyos, OF the remainder OF
the Cunningham Mesa. which is 400 acres in ex-
tent and reports that every test showed some par
ticles of gold. The mesa bordering on the Las
Nonas Arroyo north of the Cunningham Mesa, ap-
peared as far rs Professor RAYMOND tested il, 10
be as rich a. the ground des rihed above over an
area of about 500 acres. Besides TINS there are
about 600 acres upon which there are either old
Mexican workings or gold has been found by pros
pectinC the surface dirt with pan. Indeed, II j.
SAID that il j. almost impossible 10 select PAINFUL
Of sand or gravel anywhere upon the tahle-lands
of the grant without finding III IL gold colois.
Professor Raymond closes this part OF his report IN
the following words;
In cpuciud9g TINS Dref dcscrlpt e COd-bearing
utsls OF the grant. only add tnat Know of no
urop. rtv IN he United held IN single ownership
s TINS - which can equal the value and extent OF
Its % acers.
The report was an official one, made under the
direction of the Government in 1874. and not for
the owners of the property.
Without water. the fabulous wealth hidden in
tbes golden sands is as inaccessible though 1t
was sunk in the bottom of the fathomIcSs ,ca. Its
existence is no new discovery II has been known 10
Americans for more than forty years. and O. span
iards and MeXcaus. probably, for at least two
centuries But il has heretofore been imposslhl
with the capital that has been available. 10 bring
q sufficient supply of water to IL 10 wash the
gravel on a large scale The present owners of the
1ropertv think they have discovered source from
which the water can be obtained. but must re-
serve description of their plans for another letter
Z. I. ".