The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-08-11
VIM. Niven's Address.

Mr.. VIM. Niven, Commissioner
from the Red Cloud district, deliv-
cred at the Tcrtio on Miners Day
The distinguished gentlemen
who have preceded me have so ell
oquently dwelt on the advantages
and resources of their respective To-
calities, and their speech have been
of such a purly argentiferous char
acter, that | feel inclined to take
refuge in golden silence. but the in
spring word of duty bids me grid
up my loins and proceed.
The Red Cloud mining district,
which | have the honor to repre-
sent, embraces the whole of the
Gallinas mountains in Lincoln conn
ty and is 1870 miles south Of Santa
Fe and situated about half way be-
tween the Rio Pecos and Rio Gran
de, twelve miles east of the runs
of the famous Gran Quivera, TWEEN
ty-five miles south of the celebrated
salt lakes, it is forty five miles
north of White Oaks.
At one time the favorite hunt
ing ground Of the red-handed a.
pache and more recently affording
a home and a shelter for the noto-
rious desperate Billy the Kid, it
can not be denied that our country
possesses some historical signiti-
canoe.
The whole range is covered with
tall pine and juniper, while the
foothills are clad with a thick
growth of pinon and cedar. Game
of all kinds is extremely plentiful
and it is rareindeed when a miners
cabin is without a saddle of veni-
son. The first discovery of impor-
lance took place about two years
ago, when a large cropping of "A
Donates was located. Owing, how
ever to the isolated situation ofthe
mountains, the development has
been slow. Shafts from ten to 100
feet have been sunk on tifty-six
claims. The mineral consists OF
copper, silver, gold and iron, III
the form Of sulphides, sulphercts,
carbonates and oxides, i'll the usual
gangue which accompany such
ores.
The formation is lime, porphry
and granite, with large bodies OF
quartzite. Over twelve claims can
safely be classed as pay mines, ev-
cry foot of development being re-
warded with the most Hattcring
success. But perhaps the best evil
dcnce | could give is the fact that
as remote as we are from railroads,
we have begun shipping ore. From
the claim named the Tenderioot,
ten tons have been shipped to AL
buquerque a dista"ce Of ninety
miles, and at present our nearest
railroad point, which yielded Il
profit of $40 per ton after paying
all expenses. The veins are not so
numerous as in some other dis
%tricts, but are from three to fifteen
feet wide.
One Of the most important dis
coveries was made a few weeks
ago. While sinking on the Ten
derfoot vein, at a depth of 100 feet
from the surface, a chamber Of re-
markable beauty was exposed.
The wonderful brilliancy and rich
appearance Of this s%ubteranean pal
ace, fifty feet in length, from six to
twelve feet in width, it grandly
rises to a height Of sixty feet. The
walls and roof being completely
covered by the most gorgeous crys-
talizations, interspersed with mala-
chite and azurite, long lines of stall
acitos Of every imaginable color
and shape, sparkling like a thou
sand gems, form Il cen of rare
grandeur, which battles the power
Of description. a county entirely
free from Spanish land grants,
with amild and delightful climate,
rendering work not only possible
but pleasant every month in the
year, with all the facilities at hand
for the reduction Of her ores, the
Red Cloud district, although com
paratively speaking, at present UNI
known, has Il future before it
which will not be surpassed by any
mining district in New Mexico.