The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-12-29
Continual fran First Page.

mcndous dyke or vein ofquartz cross
ing the gulch and laid plainly bare by
the constant action of the stream.
Verdant as he was he could not help
seeing ruby, native and brittle silver.
The claim on the north side Of the
creek he named the Forest Queen,
and that on the south side The Ruby
King. He gave Mace his choice,
which settled on the Ruby King, and
was left with that portion of the lead
which has created such turor in the
mining world. Strangely enough,
Mace sod his portion, with less than
ten feet of the rock removed, for
S1oo, 900, while Fisher, who made
about the same developments on what
was generally conceded the better
mine, sold for $4,000.
From reports spread abroad the
winter Of '79 and 80 brought Ruby
Camp prominently before the whole
country, and with the opening of the
following spring, thousands of peo-
pie were on their way to the new Ell
Dorado. There were prospectorS,
merchants, mechanics and in fact, al
most every branch Of business was
represented. At that time Almaosa
was the nearest shipping point, al
though great many came via Canon
City, through San Luis Valley to
Saguache an d thence over Cochetopa
Pass, Marsha II Pass being blocked with
snow until late in the Spring. See
the change OF a year and half One
railroad at our door and another
working to its utmost capacity to
reach here fy spring.
1t is a well known fact that we have
voluminollS quantity of snow that
lasts late in he spring, yet our climate
is remarkably mild and very dry, and
we have alws .ys maintained that under
ground work could be done to a better
advantage in the winter than in the
summer. But it is hard to get them
to understand this, and as rule, with
few exception S, as soon as snow comes
they think alb out shutting down, and
then the folio wing spring it is well on
to summer be fore they can commence
work again. Therefore in making up
a years statE ;tics for the amount of
work done we can only count of six
actual work. If we did as
much work the: other six months that
we do the SIX months during summer
our statistics :, 7ould compare very fav-
orable with an y mining district in the
state. However, we must bare in
mind that our camp Is young, and as
it is, our ore output shows a large in
crease over last year and we believe
it heads the list of any Of the Gunni-
son county mines. Our ore output
for this year has been little over 200
tons. The average has been
200 ounces per ton, aggregatlng over
$4,000. This is very good show
ing for camp the most of whose
mines are less than two years old,
and the most of them have only been
worked about five months in each
year. Olt of the great number of
prospects located in this district twelve
have contributed towards the produc-
ton of this 200 tons, and about five
the major portion. Every ton of ore
has been sold in camp. Messrs. Rose,
Reed & Co., affording a good market
at their sa1npling works for all with the
exception of twenty-five tons used at
the Pioneer Stamp Mill to test it on its
completion Our prospects for the
future are bright and encouraging.
Having the terminus of two railroads
that will work our immense coal beds,
the opening of the reservation so that
there will be no question about titles,
with the present progress of Develop
ing is bound to make Irwin prosper
Gus place in the near future. Those
who have patience will reap their
reward.
Following is a brief sketch of few
of the mines and prospects. 1t is in
complete, but the best we can do at
this season of the year:
THE LEHIGH VALLEY TUNNEL.
This property is situated in ODE