The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-06-16


son & Fuller, have a very neat real
estate Office also on Avenue E: There
is a photograph gallery on Avenue +.
owned by Swami Bros.
We have tried to mention every
branch of business carried on here,
showing the remarkable change of one
year, and if there is any that we have
neglected it is an oversight and not
done intentionally. Our description
has been brief, as space would not per-
NIT us to elaborate on the same.
We now come to the most important
point, which are the
- MINES.
= Ruby Basin, situated thirty miles
north Of Gunnison City, is the centre
of one of the most important mining
camps in the country. Lying at an
altitude of about ten thousand feet, in
the middle of the Ruby belt proper,
and in the heart of the Elk noun
tains, the place presents many attrac-
tions outside of its mineral resources.
( The rich mineral belt covers an
area Of about eighteen square miles,
and is surrounded on the north, east
and west, by other belts where mineral
abounds in large quantities, but Of
somewhat lower grade.
x The groupings throughout the Ruby
belt are very regular and in position,
and on some veins are the largest ever
seen. The pay rock in many instances
starting at the surface and milling
from FIVE hundred to one thousand
ounces silver per ton. Ruby, brittle,
wire, and native silver, abounding in
large quantities.
(On the south lie the vast fields of
anthracite and bltuminous coal, acces-
sible for all practical purposes, and
comparatively inexhaustible. The sup
ply of wood, water and timber, is
abundant and of the best quality. +
lThere are at least one thousand To-
cations made in the camp and it would
be impossible to make mention Of all
OF them, but suffice it to say that there
has not been shaft sunk in camp any
depth but what it gives indication OF
being paying mine at no distant
day. The ones that have been most
developed are the Forest Queen, Ruby
King, Ruby Chief, Lead Chief, Little
Chief, Bullion King, Crystal, Old
Mexico, Durango, Fairview, Howard
Extension, Venango and Micawber,
which are all producing mines, the ore
being very rich in ruby, brittle, ma
tive and wire silver. The most of the
above named mines have produced
thousands Of dollars, and are as yet
mere prospects. Almost every bo-
nanza discovered has more or less of 4
romance connected with the discov-
cry 1.-The history of the discovery of
the Forest Queen and Ruby King, is
as follows:
A man named w. A. Fisher, who
had driven all the way from Missouri
with an OK team, and who had never
seen a mine, arrived at the lower end
of Ruby Gulch, July 7, 1879. The
grade was very steep and the mud al
most bottomless at his point Of entry,
and his wagon became almost hope
lessly mired. A spectator. O. P. Mace,
succeeded in pulling him out with
strong pair of mules, and Fisher CRATE
fully told him he would give him
half interest in the first mine he found.
Mace little thought the kindness, small
as it was, would net him f1oo,o 900;
but the next morning Fisher started
up the nearest gulch, which happened
to be that leading to the head Of Coal
Creek. Not more than 200 yards
above the town he found tremendous
dyke or vein of quartz crossing the
gulch and laid plainly bare by the
constant action OF the stream. Yer
dant as he was he could not help see
ing 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 set-
tied on the Ruby King, and then was
left With that portion of the lode
which has created such a furor in the
mining world. Strangely enough,
Mace sold his portion, with less than
ten feet Of the rock removed, for
S1oo, 900, while Fisher, who made
about the same developments on what
has generally been conceded the better
mine, sold for $40, 900.
The exact width of the Queen vein
has not yet been known as they have
only got one wall, but is Supposed to
be about 100 feet wide, with a pay
streak all the way from four feet to
eight feet wide, with large quantities
of ruby and native silver, that will
run all the way from 1 900 to 10. 200
ounces per ton. The present working
of the Queen is in the shaft, which IS
now over $50 feet deep. Sometime
last week they commenced to cross