Delta chief., 1883-03-14
Great Carbonate Discovery.

From the Denver Tribune.
Within the past few days an enthusiastic
interest in the Eagle River district carbonate
discoveries has been awakened in Denver.
The reports of prospectors who have recently,
returned from that section are of the most
startling character. For the past three years
it has been well known to parties in Denver
that there was broad field of mineral, with
some carbonates, about and beyond the juno
ton of the Eagle and Grand rivers, embracing
a large territory in which the camp of De-
fance was located about the time or just pre-
vious to the Meeker massacre. Owing to the
occupation of the country by the White River
utes for part of the time and ON account of
the difficulty of access from the time Of dis
covery to the present, the country has been
but little explored, prospecting was for two
years almost wholly abandoned and the little
development work performed WIS insufficient
TO prove anything as to the merits of the dis
trict. Nearly all who went there early in
the great rush for new carbonate discoveries
returned broken in spirit and purse Many
who ventured the trip were overcome by the
difficulties of travel and never reached the
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most extravasnnt reports of rich discoveries
early in 1850 came across the range andaa
number of Denver capitalists invested their
money in mining claims, which were and h;re
been until recently only small holes in the
ground with little or mineral in prospect.
These returning prospcctors usually gave
bad report, and Defiance camp was almost
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have been patient and persistent. As re-
suit of their explorations, great number Of
prospectors have entered the country within
the past year, and now they have began to
return with the most extravagant stories Of
carbonate wealth
This camp belongs 10 SIS new county of
Garfield, the western division Of summit.
Originally the territory was Of small com.
pass, Immediately surrounding the camp Of
Defiance, which is now struggling to become
town, beginning at near the junction of
the Grand and Eagle rivers But n0w, iiccor.
ding to all reports, the eastern boundary of
the richer section begins nea. Defiance, about
eighteen miles northwest of the mouth of
Eagle river and stretches out in great an.
gular body four times the size OF the Leadyiilc
district and equally rich in carbonate de-
posits.
Specimens of the ore, assayibg as high
Si0D 10 the ton in silver, have recently been
brought 10 Denver. Among the men who
were foremost in securing the passage Of the
bill creating Garfield county were the miner.
and owners Of property in this district. II
may be taken as good indication also that
a short time previous to and since the meet
ing of the Legislature number of toll road
companies leading through this part of sum.
nit county have been filed with the Secretary
of State. These operations IL is said, have
been purposcly carried ON in quiet way,
because the settlers were not ready 10 adver-
tise their discoveries to the world
The report from this section became the
sensational topic on the streets yesterday,
and they were confirmed by few person.
who have recently visited the district Others
who have been in correspondence with their
friends there during the pnst year are san.
guine and positively assert that it will soon
become mining district far surprising
Leadvillc in its output. 4 number of per.
sons have already started under pay of Dcu-
yer men for the Eagle river country, the new
town of Defiance, about 100 miles northwest
of Lcadville, being the objective point.
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