Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-07-19

To tie Editor of tie Eaol<

To tie Editor of tie Eagle:
Would you like to hear few points
about mining in this far region. You may
safely say TO your readers that mining.
mines, minerals and Colorado Geology, are
things that experts. scientists and miners
"don't know" vastly more than s'they do
know" A prospector finds lump Of ore,
or rock that had usually been in contac,
with the vein. He digs, explores, exploits,
measures, theories and often exhausts his
means, and then quits, fails. lie may have
examined and worked In many neighbor-
ing mines, but nothing proves positive. He
10 forced to sell out, perhaps, to a person
entirely unaequainted with mining, and
this latter fortunate will often stumble on
TO rich deposit in few days. Positive
knowledge applies to minerals alter they
are unearthed. Still would not have 1t
inferred that there il not vast fund OF
available knowledge and practical general
principle in relation to Colorado mines.
On one Of the Red Cliff contacts q miner
run in tunnel two hundredand fifty feet
no ore. A man lying around town took
this mine into charge. He had some theo-
ries. He dug down to the left and in few
days struck q large body Of mineral, and
run back and under the first tunnel in pay
ing ground. This elucidates. There are
many theories about minerals. Chemists
know that molecular change is ever occur
ring even In rock. ore and iron. The ore
he 20 ront aims e,,lphurotfe If iron lead and
zinc, water forms with these-sulphuric
acid. In its Indicative or formaties stage
1t unites with the lime rock (carbonate) and
frees the carb@nic acid. This unites with
the lead and silver and forms carbonates, as
also with iron iron carbonates). Thus in
centrated and prepared the ores. When
they dig far into some mines, they find
these ores beyond the reach of air and wa
ter and in the original state. Such ores
cost go ton for smelling. After nature
has treated them-prepared them-they
cost $S per ton only. So you will perceive
that low grade minerals will not pay for
treating until these silent forces have
wrought upon them. Thus carbonate ores
yield margin of profit of So per ton over
sulphuretts.
There are amusing and instructive incl
dents ever recurring in mining camp. An
Orange man and a Catholic were talking
religion with that impudent liberty only
known in a mining camp. The first re.
preached the latter with his drunkenness
and profanity, Of which he was abundantIy
guilty, and the inconsistency of such sorry
attempts at religion. The thought struck
me pointedly that for what little use they,
either Of them, made Of religion it did not
signify what kind they patronized.
Two-ffths of all the money and force OF
this camp goes into whiskey and gambling.
After fifty years observation and study, l
am fain to believe, that the use of ferment-
ed liquors cannot be suppressed. Almost
in an agony a citizen and father will cry
out, What can be done. am willing TO
compromise by suppressing the saloon and
selling liquors as we do groceries, or other
goods. Why need special place to sell
one commodity. 1t is evident that the sa-
loon, and its concomitants, gambling, Ca
rOusing and idleness do more harm than
the simple use Of whiskey. Let it be sold
as any other commodity. Earnestly hoping
that temperance people will give this view
consideration, remain yours for humanity
S. WHITEHORN.
Nu