The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-07-21

sheep and the stately elk are found in
abundance. There is much fine tim.
Der and grazing land on this reserva-
ton, and a very large amount of an
thracite coal has recently been dis
covered. which contains 81 per cen,
of fixed carbon, while that of Penn
sylvania has but s. per cent. There
are also some fine placer mining
grounds, in the beds of rivers, which
have changed their courses, but it is
not thought there will be any great de-
posts ofs;lver found there, as the
mountains fall away into low hills,
leaving for the most part a high
plateau. 1t is watered by many noble
rivers, and will doubtless become the
great grazing ground of Colorado.
Iron is also found IN abundance on
the reservation, and in some parts of
it fine veins of bituminous coal all of
which will play an important part in
the future development of the state.
As soon as the Indians are removed
there will be a rush to secure all these
rich lands and mining deposits.
The mines in this camp are all true
fssure veins, and vary in thickness
from one to ten feet, and are of un-
known depth-no true fissure vein
ever yet having been exhausted-ex-
tending as they do to the center Of
the earth. Those to the northwest of
the camp contain ruby, wire, native
and brittle silver mostly, while those
to the northeast are rich in argentifer-
Gus galena. Those to the northwest
nearly all contain more or less gold,
so they are probably the richest mines
in the world, not excepting the fa-
nous carbonate deposits of Leadville,
and are much more reliable in charac
ter.
| will mention only few of the
many visited. The Forest Queen
is one of the nearest, and has an ele-
vation of only 100 feet above thi.
camp, or is TO, 900 #. above sea level.
1t was discovered less than two years
ago, has a we'll defined fissure vein
of very rich mineral, the mill
runs from which have averaged 5000
per ton, and many Of the assays from
5000 10 $40, 900. 1t has a shaft
down I8o it,, and the ore is increasing
in richness as depth is gained. The
mine is under contract of sale at
present for $4,000, 900. My specimen
will assay $4,000 to the ton.
The Lead Chief, in the group in
Ruby basin, is a mine that has few
equals. 1t has a true fssure vein which
runs rich in wire, ruby and brittle
silver. Their shaft is down 1o4 feet
and each shot with the giant powder
turns out richer and richer ore. The
specimen l have will assay $1,000 to
the the ton.
The Crystal lode, which is an ex-
tension of the Lead Chief, is turning
out ore that mills S4oo to the ton,
though the shaft is only 60 feet deep.
The character OF the ore is similar to
that of the Lead Chief. 1t was called
the Crystal lode on account Of the
very fine crystals found in its outcrop
rock, samples of which have. The
specimen of this will assay sf,5oo per
ton.
The Hopewell has a fine fssnre
vein 40 feet wide, and has tremen-
dous outcrop of mineral. The first
mill run on the outcrop rock was 5000
per ton. 1t has two pay streaks four
feet wide two feet apart. Their shaft
is only 50 feet deep, but as in all
these veins they grow richer from the
surface. The specimens l have will
run S., 900 to the ton.
The Ruby Chief is an extension of
the Hopewell vein. They have run a
cross-cut 70 feet to strike the lode,
and have drifted 400 feet on the same.
Their depth, however, from the sur
face is not over 80 feet, yet they are
turning out ore that mills 81, 900 to
the ton, and have had assays as high
IS $40, 900 on the same amount. Ny
specimen will run $1,000 per ton.
The RulliOn Kino and Monte