Omaha daily bee., 1888-06-10

q vast system OF lofty mountains, deep
canons and gorges, small parks and val
leys, Inc everywhere Astounding in min
eral wealth. BY reason of its remote
ness, its rugged and f%orbidding charac-
ter, and its heretofore inaccessible ma
ture, its development has been slow,
and its vast resources have slumbered
u%nhonored and unknown. But the day
of its obscurity has past. Railroads have
come in, aud resolute hearts and strong
arms are taking hold with grand re-
suits. Paying mines have beeen opened,
mills for treating the ores have been
erected, feeble properties have gone
into the hands of capitalists, and the
tide is turning in the right direction.
Up TO q recent period but little more
than prospecting had been done in all
this region, and even yet the showing
is superficial, for the mountains are
scratched all over with little gopher
holes. and diminutive dump-piles look
sorrowfully out from their sides in hun
dreds of places. But wherever judi
cious mining has been done, and deyel-
opment obtained, a profitable mine has
rewarded the miner. Supercial work
made lei wealthy or wise.
The paying mines of the half dozen
districts neal here number twenty or
twenty-five. They are styled silver
properties, but many of them carry
gold and are rich in lead. On upper
Cement creek quite a gold district is
being opened up,and q ten stamp quartz
mill is in course OF construction
there. The entire district seems to
abound in gold, and some very rich
quartz has been taken out. Be-
fore the season is over other
mills may be put up and a lively district
inaugurated. 1t is about eight or
nine miles from Silverton. The highest
permanent mine in the world is located
near here, on King Solomon mountain,
at IN attitude Of 1880 feet. 1t is the
North Star mine, a very rich and profit
able property. Miners live and work
up there all the year round, and in the
busy season the mine gives employment
to about two hundred men. The ore is
packed down the mountain on the backs
| of Jacks, n distance of four miles; to the
wagon road, where it is loaded onto
wagons. and hauled to the railroad at
Silverton, the entire distance being
about I'VE miles. 1t is a silver mine
but carries some gold, lead and gray
copper, and the ore averages about 5000
per ton Messrs John j. Crooke 81 Co.,
operate the mine and it is said the
property is bringing them in 81 900 per
l uhl Y IL hGo DSOh WI y ~ VIM
present proprietors for a period of
ten years, and has shown itself
to be one of the great assure veins of
~this.country. Many mines would prove
equally valuable and profitable under
similar management and with cores
ponding development. Among the
other paying properties near here may
be mentioned the Silver Lake, Black
Diamond, Aspen, Bear, Whale, Buck
Eye, and on the Red mountain the
Yankee Girl, Silver Bell, Orphan Boy.
Vanderbilt, Alexandria, Galena, Lion,
Saratoga, Copper King, Paymaster.
Candyce and others. New mills are
being put up in all the various districts
for the treatment of ores. Miners and
capitalists are taking hold of these
golden opportunities with increased con
tidence and energy and at all hours Of
the day the click of the drills and the
thunder of the blasts are heard on the
mountains. G. l.. HALL.