The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-12-28
A KINGDOM OF TIN.
A Fortnight Spent Among the Tin
Lodes of the Black His:

A Fortnight Spent Among the Tin
Lodes of the Black Hills:
Standing Upon the highest summit
of the Eek Hills, says Black Hills.
S. D., correspondent to the N. 7. Sun,
I survey the Kingdom of Tin. 1t sout-
groupings and outpourings whiten the
valleys and rocky ridges below me.
Clusters Peak pierces the sky in the
north. Steam arises from a score of
hosting works and tunnel houses at
my feet Over 600 known lodes are
grouped within sight. They lie in a
broad ribbon Of slate encircling
Harney's Peak. This ribbon covers
crags, wales and ridges, and is from
three to five miles wide. A fortnight
has been spent in examining the lodes.
The peak is huge cone of bare
granite. Centuries ago n .ture thrust
it through layers of archaan slate,
carboniferous limestone and red sand
stone. Originally the granite was the
lowest of the strata The slate came
next. Then followed limestope, ana
in its turn sandstone. You ancy tha'
some great giant has been mixing
mineral dough in the mountains in
the mighty upheavsf the bed OF slate
was drawn up fom the depths with
the cone of granite, the limestone
hanging unc1 the skirts Of the slate.
AS the hpge cone was pushed into the
air tn !. height of over 5000 feet, the
slae and limestone were tilted upon
t,eir edges. AS the slate was nearest
the granite originally, the limestone is
tilted upon the outer edge of the circle.
The slate rocks lie upon edge below
Harney's Peak in vast ridges and
punches. The tin-bearing lodes are
found between the upturned edges
Like the slate, they descend to an UNI
known depth. They 60 no furthe,
away from the peak than the circle O!
slate, for limestone is death to tin ore.
The veins cont in mica, hornblend and
garnet
The whole region is q paradise fol
biologists. Draw four elliptical rings
around Harney's Peak. Each ring will
represent the upturned edge of a for
nation containing minerals and re.
sources distinct from those adjoining. i
The exposed edge OF nearly every geo.
logical period is seen between the
peak and the plains. Time has eater
away much of the slate around the |
peak. and laid bare the tops of tin and
gold veins. The debris has run into !
the gulches and formed tin and gold ;
placers. The latter are still being
worked, but the former await devel.
opment Time and money are being
concentrated upon the lodes alone.
There are three classes of tin lodes
in the Harvey region. The first COL
umnar in form. The masses, of ore
stand almost vertical, like stacks or
chimneys. They were evidently
thrown to the surface where there
were weak spots in the slate forma.
ton. Very few of these lodes have
been found. The second class is
known as bikes. They were formed
in lines where there was the least re-
in the slate, but where the
opportunities of segregation and
were not such as tc
permit the perfect distribution of the
tin oxide. Only a few OF these bikes
have been discovered. Some are ex-
ceedingly rich, and others barren. The
most of the lodes are well-defined,
true assure veins. The walls are per-
feet, and the pitch and width nearly
uniform. The veins are usually Of
great length. They occur in parallel
groups. Prof. Gilbert E. Bailey, oil
the Dakota School of Mines, who has
spent five years in the Black Hills
stakes his reputation on the assertion
that these veins will not pinch out
nor beIost Thew c-f'-~a----ainatl-=..e.- ~
The practical limit of deep workings.
Four years work upon them has shown
hat they grow richer in tin as depth
S gained. AS the water line is reach
ID the ore usually increases in value.