Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-01-18
CALICO DISTRICT.
Why so Named-By Whom Discov-
ered-The Principal Mines-Theo-
ries Exploded-Practical Sugges-
ton to Los Angeles Merchants

EDITOR HERALD: Calico District, SO
named from the variegated colors of the
mountain range in which the many rich
silver bearing lodges and deposits are
found, is situated about one hundred
and fifty miles, in northerly direction,
from Los Angeles and seven miles north
Of Calico Station on the s. P. r. r.
The first mineral discovery was made
early in the Spring of 1881, by Lowery,
Silver and others, some three miles west
of where the fourishing mining camp
of Calico is now situated. The news Of
the discovery having spread abroad,
prospecting was prosecuted with great
vigor and many locations were made,
foremost amongst which were the cele-
brated King. Moscow and the Oriental
group Of mines, all of them showing
large, well-de6ned veins Of mineral
bearing spar, carrying horn silver, native
silver, sulpbates and chlorides. in many
instances assaying up into the thousands
of dollars in silver per ton.
Within the past two years a town Of
considerable Importance has sprung up,
which is daily Increasing in population
aud size The town now contains sever.
al large stores, well stocked with gen.
eaal merchandise, miners supplies, etc.
There are also five good hotels and
boarding houses and the usual number
of saloons generally found in a mining
camp. About three hundred men are
employed either working on their own
mines or for wages for the several com.
panies who have purchased interests in
the district. Messrs. Earl and Garnett,
who were the purchasers of the Oriental
group, are erecting fin. l0-stamp mill
near the railroad depot, about seven
miles distant from where their mines
are situated. There is also a good
5stamp mill located at Hawley's Sta
ton, about seven miles east of tho town,
which is kept constantly running ON
custom ore, the scarcity of water for
milling purposes rendering 1t necessary
that the mills should be planted on the
Mohave river.
The general character of the mineral
bearing rock has been puzzler to Eye
mining expert and has upset many of
their theories. especially that spar bear
ing silver would not attain depth, all
such false ideas having been explode d
by the fact that depth of two hundred
and three hundred feet has already been
attained in the Oriental, King. and other
mines. the lodges not only increasing in
size but also in richness. In April Of
'52, rich deposits Of horn silver and
ohlorides were found to exist in a heavy
blanket formation of calcareous tufa.
lying from near the town to a distance
of three miles to the North and East.
ward. Finding such large bodies, acres
upon acres in extent, Of such rich min
eral bearing rock in this peculiar forma
ton has also exploded another false
theory and furnished food for study for
the geologist and miner.
Capital, always ready for profitable
investment, is rapidly coming in and
scarcely day passes that one or more
mines are not sold. That the camp has
been backward somewhat is fact
caused by the high valuation that the
original discoverers have put upon their
prospects. But they ore now beginning
to see the error of their ways and prop
srty oan be purchased at fair valuation
aud at this time there 10 every reason to
suppose that ere another year shall have
passed, Calico will be the foremost
mining camp on tbs Pacific slope, and it
we'll behoovea the business men Of Los
Angeles to study their interests and by
every means strive to obtain the CON
stantly increasing trade Of this most
rich and promising mining field.
The railroad 10 now finished 10 within
q few milss Of the camp and 10 being
rapidly extended Eastward towards the
Needles, on the Colorado river. opening
on ~ way the moet extensive and the
richest mineral bearing country that has
ever Been In the State. LAP,
olico, Jan. 18th.