St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-08
GOLD At GRANITE FALLS.
A Minnesota Village Excited Over the
Aurifer0us.
STOCK IS SELLING HIGH,
And the Prospects Of Big Find Seem
Really to be Very
Good.

GRANITE FALLS, MIMI, June -
Granite Falls awoke this morning only
partially realizing that the precious
metal for which men barter their souls
was actually to be found here, that only
capital and energy were required to
make this typical Western mining
town. The extremely rocky nature of
the surrounding country was looked
upon with good deal more compla-
cency than when paying heavy taxes to
build circuitous path through and
around these immense deposits of gram
tie. Nature seems here to have been in
a somewhat angry mood and to have
jostled earth's solid foundations just to
show what could be done. From
Mount Winchell, one and half miles
west of the village proper, to about the
same distance southeast it is the ex-
ception to find above an acre upon
rising to height of from sixty to sew
enty-five feet. Mt. Winchell (named
from our state geologist is the highest
point in the Minnesota valley, and one
of the most interesting. From its sum-
nit, occupied by residence built by
John &. DOdsWOrth, and now tenanted
by Rev. James B. Castles, a view is en-
joyed that for
VARIETY AND BEAUTY
is not exceed, if indeed equaled, in
Western Minnesota. East and south
lie the rocks which, with those cOmpOS-
ing this elevation, contain the precious
metals. Good indications have been
found on the west slope OF Mt. WinchellI
itself. just east of it, in a cut through
a ledge, made by the Willmar & Sioux
Falls railroad. other specimens
have been taken that contain
small percentage of gold and silver.
Other samples show copper in a pnre
silver. Southeast of Mount Winchell,
and about a mile from the village, is
located the shaft of the Ben Harrison
mine, now down trifle over sixty feet.
The seam which the shaft is develop
ing is from nine to thirteen inches in
width-nearer the surface about six
inches-and Mr.. Thompson, the Ben
Harrison company's manager, declares
growing richer and wider with every
foot. The rock is said to be of the gen.
eral nature of the Black Hills variety.
On the east side of the river, in Chip
pewa county, some excellent surface in
dications have been found, but the exact
location is known only to the fortunate
discoverer. ALI secrets of this kind are
jealousy guarded, as claims cannot be
located, as this is not what is technically
known as
MINERAL LAND"
1t is understood, however. that the
owners will make general agreement
upon a certain percentage of the fnd,E
whatever it may be. Many pieces have
already been leased, however, for min
ing purposes, and it is safe to say but
little of this territory will be neglected
by the prospectors. Some Of the skep-
tical have already sold the shares
bought last night as telegraphed. One
man sold on forty per cent advance
and another was offered just double the
purchase price, but refused to sell. OF
course there are enthusiasts who claim
there is fortune in about every vein
that shows traces Of gold or silver or
even copper and iron. of which many
specimens of high grade have been
found. And then we have the skeptics
rather scarce to- day though, who claims
that too much money is required to
bring the ore to the surface to make it
the exis tence of the precious metals
in this vicinity. They are here
beyond peradventure, and all that
is required apparently is capital
and labor to get at them. The leads are
found with excellent surface indications
better, possibly, than first turned the
worlds attention to what have since
become famous and immensely wealthy
mining districts. Why, then, should
this not be the beginning Of what has
been the experience of scores OF noted
MINING TOWNS
east and west of here? To staid COM
munity dependent upon agriculture for
it's subsistence such a cOnsummation
seems the height of imprObability, yet
the Black Hills, the Lake Superior
mining region and dozens of other places
attest to the possibility and even strong
probability of precisely such events
coming to pass. lin one year from nOw,"
said MI. Thompson, last night, land bas-
ing my assertion on what know of the
ore here, tell you your agricultural i'll
terests will be equaled or exceeded by
your mining industries" 1t is but fair
to say that the speaker only echoed the
sentiment of many conservative citizens
of this place, whose ranks are being
augmented each day by recruits from
the skeptics. No rush is expected or
wanted. The great object is to develop
the deposits to such an extent that cap
ital will be induced to come here and
he invested in what we hope will be
permanent industry and make Granite
Falls what it should have been ere this
"a bustling, lively and bea utiful city
of industry and wealth, and the metrop-