The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1881-10-15
TaAT RICH FLOAT LEDGE.

As early as 1872 float in large quaint
ties was found in the foothills west of the
Bristol range. At that time Bristol was
in its infancy, and little or no prospecting
was done, consequently no attention was
paid to this float as it laid low down in
the foothills and bore such close re.
semblanco to the surrounding country.
rock that no notice was taken of it,
After the collapse of the National Co.
in 1873, mining was at a standstill and
Bristol nearly depopulated. This state
Of affairs continued for five years, until
the development of the Hillside and the
taking hold of it by the Hillside M. & M.
Co., witch infused new life into the
whole district and brought Bristol to TIE
front as the leading lase bullion camp of
Southeastern Nevada. And as the Bris-
toll range is strewn with mineral from
one end to the other, it was not long be-
fore the hills were covered with the
hardy p'ospector. This float was brought
into Bristol and assayed very high. It is
milling quartz of grayish color,
showing horn-silver and chloride, and as.
saycd rom $500 to IS, 900 per ton. Tons
OF it We're brought to Bristol and worked
at the hillside furnace, netting the owners
a haadso ne profit. One large boulder,
wei3hing a little over 800 pounds, went
S5g7 TO The ton in silver. The float was
fornd all over the country, and generally
Laying on top of the benches instead O.,
IN "a zines, and was traceable for three
miles, up TO the second large quartz dyke
at tle foo5 of the Bristol range, which
traverses the country from north 10
south. Up to this point the ground has
al been torn up prospecting for the ledge;
acres are TUNED inside out and literally
sttewn with trenches, tunnels and shafts.
But Nature has hidden this great treasure
that IL has so far defed the Ingenuity of
man. And as TO where it really laws is
as nuch OF mystery as the celebrated
t 'ev'oJle ledge. Not trace of their
Hort las been found above the quartz
dyLe, and as material consequence, tie
gele al suppoeition is that TIE ledge,
wi'ch OF course is bu,ied one, lies some.
whe e near or in this dyke. ?'unne'~
have been run to strike it. Two in par
tlcuar. One called the Ey'is,ol fun lel
and run by the Foe boys under the name
OF ,1e e istol Tunnel Co., and driven in
FOR 3C2 feet in loose earshen matter.
Win changing formation, but showing
no real indi stion of nearing an ore body.
Ihe Bfistol s. NJ. Co. have double
sl'5 ca and are vigorously pushing work
ahead in this tunnel. so as to reach the
qua dyke aud enter more solid for.
mavion.
Eut the most promising, and tne one
wtich is liable to open up the hidden
booanGa, is the Loro Vale, a parallel 10.
ca!oa with the B.istol Tunnel and ad.
Jolpllg it on the south. This valuable
piece OF properly is owned by Nessrs
Eugene Howell, Capt. r. J. Fatmon and
otbes. Considerable wor!. has been
done sinking and drifting, and large
amount of ore taken out and shipped TO
TIE furnace for reduction. Most Of the
ore was cray and yellow carbonate,
carrying Large per- entage of lead,
though averaging but from 500 10 SEQ
per ton. Then again was found pockets
OF ore. OF precisely the same character as
the rich float, assaying up in the thous.
ands. One peculiarly and very promis-
ing feature which has been deyelope | in |
this mine and is found nowhere else in
IRE District, is the immense body of |
pofphyry which did not crop at all being,
capped over with the lime. It has been |
crosscut and opened up, showing deposits |
OF 'ich carbonate and pockets Of rich ore
similar to the float, also impregnated |
through and through with mineral An
average taken of this body throu ghout |
It's whole extent, exclusive Of the ore
shows it to go all the way from $40 to |
$50 per ton. This huge body, taouah |
carrying mineral from one side to |5a
other, IS not, technically speaking. the |
ledge, nor is it ledge matter. as Tecent
developments show it to be the hang;no
wall of the ledge, which is a contact wi5S
a,quartzlte foot wall, the only true mark
OF a permanent vein. An incline from
the bottom of the main shaft has been
run along this foot wall through the Dor.
phyry. The latter has given way to a
true hanging with ten feet of the finest
KIND OF ledge matter between the two
formations. The face is all in white and
black spar, with punches of iron, and
every. indication of breaking in at any
time into an immense body Of ore. Both
the face of the upper and the two cross.
cuts in the lower tunnel carry ore: but
as it has now been shown that depth is
what is required operations have not been
resumed running, but developments vigor.
ously pushed ahead sinking the incline,
with the hopes Of sooner striking the |
ledge. PROFESSIONALLY the Loro Vale is
on that Rich float ledge" and the mys. |
terry will be unraveled soon. From the |
SIZE OF the float it must be an immense |
one, which with its richness, and when
unearthed, the Golfers of the world will
surely be replenished from mine Of un. |
told wealth.
DR. NICHOLS arrived from Silver Raef