Delta chief., 1883-03-07
Colorado. Mining outlook.
From the Denver Tribune.


In noting the production of the Colorado
mines for 1882, New York paper of recent
d iie assumes that thd Emit has been reached,
AID, intersntla,ly that steady decrease may
be expected. There is nothing inf the records
oi the past four years, certainly nothing in
the present aspect of affairs to justify this
conclusion. On the contrary the condition Of
practical mining in all sections of the various
IN ming belts is much better than for the past
two years. BY this II is meant that they are
producing more money. The prospect for a
In -se bullion crop WAS never more encourag-
ing All the signs of the season indicate a
e. siderable increase over the very gratifying
.i.i..f with the subject knows this to be
r ie. Neither the tonnage nor the yields of
Lcs,drille ores have declined. II there be
any change, ii Is in the direction of greater
tpnnagt, al. the value is about the same
Uni some extraordinary new Developments
oveur the return for Lake county will no; be
materially different from that of 1882. RecE-
o,Iing from I'll basis, we have every reason
81 anticipate :. yield of twenty eight TO
thirty millions 1883.
A Vas; amount Of development work has
been accomplished the past winter in districts
hitherio burlened with heavy SHOWS and
very severe weather, aud large bodies Of val
usbls ores exposed. But in considering the
future let us abandon generalities and get
down 10 solid facts.
For nearly twenty years il has been known
that ic of The richest sections of Colorado
lay in the san .Iu1u mountains. For ten
years al as .ecii occnpicd and the ,nires par
TALLY 'p ..el, but u,id.r difficulties which
.rend, re. extended operations almost impos-
sible- Owing to its r,ndtsne-s from thu cen
tiers Of trade, and without the railway faciii-
t.s enjoyed 10y the northern tier Of counties,
il ha. made q, the best but an insignificant
showing in the bullion returns. Though
possessing mineral resources Of great exteat
and Of clunI value, they conld ns, be proii-
iably extracted Hence, until last ELL, when
penetrated by the Rio Gn.Ildc road, this pro-
l. lie region bad noritti. more than negative
stiidiEs sinoag the nore f,r.unate districts.
Until the lasi bali of 1Ss2 ali estimates Of the
hnli,on crop were nece ssarliy based upon the
-rv.l.h ling conditions in the souatics of Lake.
= mmIi, Ilcar Geek, Gilnin, Boulder. g I'd
safk. When the iov,ings were complied il
~,- furnished by the sections jus, named.
LN year In. six counties comprising The
q Jnan rroduced sl,sN,sCo, most OF 1t
dirins the last two quarters, after the CON.
piesson OF the railway 10 Slserton. In issi
iars- distric.s combined returned only
s5ip,J.5. In 1850 the amour, was go small
u scarcely folnd y ace In the statement flr
that year. These ugures convey an inteili.
rssf.; si;,:sss3e of the rapid advancement made
uadcr the rule Il the new conditions intro
ducsj. The daily trains sent there with
supplies for the peopie return laden with
rien gold and silver ores for the siacitcrs, or
With bullion produced on ui. g,ouud. u is
far better for tic c,sftn;sy THAI. the su,i.ieo
diset vrrySf a nes dis,ric, D., prospecitn-,
bccansc the m.n,~ are well c,leDcj and
capable of maintaining the supply indeii-
nitriy. In the statement of iss5. sud proha-
bly, tor many years 10 come, this section
must be crnii.d with millions instead OF a
few thousands as.. heretofore, and assuming
thai the northern counties will remain the
&iinr. th. SouihoEu ~.ll necessarily furnish a
heavy ,ncrcaac.
Those who believe, therefore, ths, the
limit Of gold and silver production in Colorado
has been attained, evidently leave the san
Juaa counties on, of their estimate. aud !. is
big TO be ignored.