Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-19
NEW MEXICAN DRIFT.
Gossip From the Golden Territory of
the Great Southwest
pENNSYLvANIANS BUYING THERE.
A Climate in Which None Die Except Those
With Boots On.
WASHINGF GOLD ONLY TO GET WAGES
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcH.l

/ lCORRESPONDENCEO
CAMP SHAKESPEARE,
GRANT COUNTY. N. NJ, October 13. .
Though the real general development Of
this Territory's mineral resources COM
menced only a few years ago, Pittsburp
capital is already largely invested therein.
1t was not until geological and mineralog.
ical surveys had been made and reported
BY the General Government, and the coming
of railroads and convenient transportation
had become an assured fact, that this live
development commenced. Sufficient has
thus been demonstrated to clearly establish
beyond doubt that New Mexico is one Of
the richest and most permanent In mineral
resources of all the States and Territories;
that there are within its borders many
mines entitled to rank among the most le-
markable and richest in yield in the known
world.
Generally theresources ofthe Territory con-
sist largely of not only its mines of precious
metals, but likewise of copper, lead, man.
ganese and iron, beside mica, salt, coal,
gypsum, soda, lime, kaolin, cement, sulphur,
plumbago. mineral paints, marble and build
ing stones. Precious stones, such as tur-
quoise, garnet, moss agate and emerald are
also found.
BOTH RICH AND ATTRACTIVE.
Grant county at present, as for many
years, is recognized as the principal mineral
producing portion of New Mexico, and is
situated in the extreme southwestern portion
of the Territory. It is very large, and is
plateaus, mountain ranges and peaks, and
fertile valleys. The first discovery of gold
in the county wss in 1852 near Pinos Altos,
about nine miles north of the present site Of
Silver City, the county seat, and for several
years thereafter from 900 to 1000 men were
actively engaged in gulch mining in this
place. The placers are represented to have
been very rich and of considerable extent.
Washing is still carried on, upon a small
scale, by persons without much capital, who,
when not prevented by scarcity of water,
make good wages at the work.
One of the greatest districts OF the terri
tory, in its quantity and quality of ores, is
about 25 miles southwest Of the Burro
Mountains, near the line 1.-TWO and half
miles distant), of the Southern Pacific
Railroad. and in the Pyramid range of
mountains. The mineral bearing area is
about 2Ox8 miles in extent, and is most
promising.
The Atwood, or Standard Mutual Com
pany, mines, owned by parties in New
York, Pittsburg and Oil City, will soon be
operating their own smelling mill and all
works appertsining to the business, and
have them in active operation. This COM
pany has also very rich claims adjoining
the Atwood mine, on which assessment
work is being done.
THINGS MODERN APPEAR.
The 'free for all chance" in the race of
modern energy, enterprise and prosperity
the coming OF steam transportation in its
mighty, irresistible, onward course-has
here been peaceably met face to face, 80 that
med1@val conservatism and the crooked
stick plows and industrial methods of the
Ptolemies are things of the past.
The climate here is very equable and ad-
mits of working the year round, the amount
of ozone in the Rocky Mountain regions,
especially in this latitude, is much greater
than in the Central and seaboard States.
Ozone will not tolerate impurities, hence
the extreme wholesomeness of the atmos-
phere. In illustration raw meats are cut
up and dried, preserved and stored for
future use, without the usual preserving
process In spite of the absence of any
system of sewerage in centers of population,
as Santa Fe, Sorocco and Silver City, be-
yond natural drainage and the cleansing
coming from copious showers, there is an
extreme healthfulness among the people.
This fact has given rise to the saying pro-
verbal among the native population that,
at is country where none die except with
their boots on" and of the octogenarian,
that he "dries up and is blown away"
A. A. BULNGs.