New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-02
LEADvILLE AND ITS MINES.
m THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAMP.

MoMENAL nsTxREsT-wAKRE TIE PLAoERs CAME
yRox-RiCH AND ABUNDANT REhAT1TR IN
aRkxcE HILL.
lrRoz STAFF cSsprsPosDEHr or THE rRIBUNEI
LEADvILLx, Col. Sept 24.-The mines Of Fryer
Carbonate apd Iron Hills have made Lesdville the
wonderful camp that 1t is. Prospectors have over
run the country oil about here like swarm OF ants
during the asttwo years. and have staked off thous-
ands Of claims and discovered some good mines but
the ore from which more than ten millions Of dollars
were realised last year. and which will yield the
thirteen or fourteen millions of this years output,
came chiefly from the three hills already mentioned
And yet tho work that has been done or Is now in
progress In the outlying portions of the camp 10 OF
very great Importance. It may not result in the
discovery OF any moro such bonanzas as those on
Fryer Hill, which set men crazy with excitement.
but it will, undoubtedly, end in the opening OF
many small mines winch honestly and economically
worked will pay fair profits q reasonable amount
Of capital and, in the aggregate. will help to keep
up the bullion product of this district.
Between the Arkansas River and the Mosquito
range Of mountains there are three lines OF footh,s
extending nearly north and south, parallel with the
River. The 6rst Of these ranges comprises Fryer
Carbonate and Iron Hills and the divide between
California and Iowa gulches. for which j never.
heard any name. Beyond the SUBMITS Of these bills
they slope of gently to the east for short distance,
and then the ground spreads out into series OF
parks or elevated grassy basins the largest OF which,
iust above the Adelaide mine, is called the Stray
Horse Park, from the fact that the gulch OF the
same name begins near its eastern edge Beyond
these parks, aud rising TO much greater attitudes
than the bills already named, 10 the second series OF
foot hills. of which the Long and Derry and the
Printer Bow are on the south side of California
Gulch, and Breeze IL on the north. East OF Breeze
Hill lies Idaho Park, and beyond that. on the Dorth
side Of South Evans Guloh, is Little Ella Hill. Then
the greet Mesquite range pushes 40 its bare peaks
far above the timber line. Ball Mountain, the Lear
est of them being covered with the tents and cabins
Of hardy prospectors.
Long and Derry Hill. which lie the most southerly
of the second range is about miles from Lead
vile. and its altitude 10 more than thousand feet
greater than that of this city. The best mines upon
It are those owned by the gentlemen for whom the
bill was named, and "a they in no hurry to take
put the ore they have in sight and not anxious to
sell, their output 10 not very great. The ore ON
Long and Derry Hill IS generally found in irregular
cavities and 10 usually Of high grade. but the de-
velopments there have been OF rather primitive
character. They are sufficient however, to enable
"the boys " to take out many thousands OF dollars
year, and 90 they have q large bank account and
more ready money than they know what to do With,
Increase their production.
RRLIcs OF 1859.
North of Long and Derry Hill. across Iowa Gulch.
and about mile distant, overlooking the old town
of Oro 10 Printer Boy hill. of the most interest
Ing points to visit In the vicinity of Leadville.
Along the foot the hill to the north extends Cali
eornis Gulch, branch of which. called Eureka
Gulch, forms Q deep depression TO the west. The
richest placer gold deposits found in this whole dis
trict In $4,000 were at the foot of Printer Boy
Hill in the two Quiches mentioned, and the pioneers
of that day. many of whom came from the northern
diggngs of Colorado and from California, often
searched the hill for the mother vein" from which
the auriferous gravel bad been washed down.
went up to Printer Boy Hill the other day with
several gentlemen, one Of whom. Colonel Jack Hen
derson, was On old ifty-niner in California Guch.
As we passed through Gro City, more ancient in it's
appearance than any town have ever seen on the
Atlantic SLOPE he pointed out the little log cabin
which he built and lived in twenty years ago, Nc
Phersons store IN which the miners used 10 trade,
now ruin, with the grass growing over the sill and
on the remains of the dirt roof. and recalled the
names of his old comrades and recited stories Of
their adventures. No page ofAmerican history will
he fuller of romantic interest than that in which the
life and adventures of the pioneers of the Rocky
Mountains are related. He who would witness any
brought many of the most remote camps to the very
door Of New-York and New-EnRland people. and
the prospector of 1855 will have to bury himself in
almost inaccessible Businesses of the mountains to
get beyond the sound Of the locomotive whistle.
AN INTERESTING OLD QUARTZ MINK.
The Printer Boy gold mine, the hill of the same
name was of the first quartz veins ever located
in this district. 1t was discovered In 1858, but in
those days it took long to get machinery over the
mountains that 1t was several years before the mine
was made to produce much In 1872 and 1873
tweuty-st mill having been purchased and set
up, SIG 900 worth of gold was turned out by the
mine. ut an expense of $37, 900. in sixteen months,
and iu the latter part OF tine 1873 in sixty days.
800, 600 was extracted. During this time q single
rocket was found from which 220 ounces Of gold
were taken In single day. Before the end of 1873.
or In the first five years after the discovery of the
mine, nearly 800. 900 was taken from it and de-
posted in the branch mint at Denver Subsequently.
though badly mismapaeed and extravagantly oper-
ated 10 yielded about 4c0. 900 more before 1t was
closed up on account Of the large amount OF water
with which the miners had 10 contend. and Of dssen
sons among the stockholders.
The present owners of the property, who are New
York gentlemen, obtained possession of the mine
this year and have erected new machinery, and
Some weeks ago began sinking one of the shafts to
o lower depth. but owing to stoppage OF work LOT
o few Gays the mine partially filed with water
again. and 1t was not in operation at the time of my
visit went down the ladders, however. to the
level Of the water and found 1t one OF the most in
feresting mines / have ever visited. The upper
shaft near the top Of the hill is $50 feet Deep and
the lower one which is further north. Is down 200
feet These shafts are connected by level $40
feet long, which cuts the upper one at q depth of
900 feet and the lower one 200 feet from the sur
face. At depth Of twenty feet a level has been
cut on the VEN 100 feet toward the south. ! went
through his level and found the vein to have all
tie walle being smooth and we'll defined.
Seycnty-s feet from the surface second level
has been run to the south from the upper shaft @