The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1889-06-01
MINES AND MINING.
By @ OPIEBR, ESQ.
White Oaks. May 90. 1899.
DEAR LEADER:

a fool puts his money and miner TO be
the one who puts his money in because
there was room for it, but never taking
any out. Were to define mine in this
vicinity. as they appear 10 a csrefr, OBJ.
server-takinga the general term used for
such an idea would say it WAS a piece
OF land with notice put up making claim
to surroundings and several gopher holes,
to constitute the mine. In other words.
there has been u vast amount of gopher
ing done, and q little mining. Net
but there are promising prospects in this
and surrounding mining camps 10 justify
prospecting. and thorough work at that
but the work has not been done general
ly. in a thorough aud business like manner
am now speaking of the mining in gen
sral. Of the two mines or more now be-
ing worked in thi, camp an not speak
ing, neither have inspected them save in
one single instance and that only partial
" and not sufficient to express an opinion
Of the deposits of precious. metals in this
region little is known beyond The surfaces
Indications and little by actual mining -
The formations in this section Of country
are peculiarly volcanic, especially to the
westward of this city, and no doubt the
mighty uphsaval Of all this section of
country in the vicinity of the Nal Pals
has resulted in fracturing all the forma
tions between the Nal Pals and the city
of White Oaks, resulting in deranging the
otherwise regular formations which st
one period produced what is now known
as Baxter Mountain, and the broken and
fractured formations Of Baxter, and pos
sibly Lone m 1untains indicate the
necessity Of deep mining In these local.
ties to reach the precious metals there de-
posted. Why the formations are so bro
IA scarcity of water there, while only a few
hundred yards to the eastward so little
broken and such supply Of water. is a
scientific question for geologists to an
swer. But there it is, and the result so
far al known at present. These volcanic
fires have burned out the gts Of the origi
nal coal in the vicinity of the Nal
fais TO the westward. while the su
psrior and vast deposits OF ceal to the
eastward a:e left intact. Ana were there
40 other mineral deposits in this locality
saye these most evcsllent coal fields, they
alone would make this one of the most
valuable mining localities in the south
west.
OF these coal deposits wish to speak
for moment 1t seems as if those who
are unacquainted with the locality Of these
tieldO have failed TO fu' ly appreciate their
value lsl, their extent, and End their quail
ity, and third, their geographical position
The extent Of this carbonifercus deposit
is scarcely surmised at the present time
vet the little that is known indicates that
at least they CIV iadius Of many miles
ami indeed it may he many hundreds Of
miles. And there is ne doubt, while it Is
positively known, that this coal is supe
rior for coking and gas manufacturing
purposes, which gives additional value to
the vast deposits ali around us, it is pos
sible yes probable, that yet a supe:isr
I quality Of anthracite coal may be found
10 add it's quota of wealth to the already
rich mines and miniag Interests of this 10
caliry.
One of the peculiar features of this re-
gion is that at a depth of 20 to so feet
from The surface thess coal deposits are
covered with water, wnile less than two
miles to the westward, at depth Of 500
to 500 feet below this same altitude no
water is found, and doubtless mining can
be carried to depth of 900 to SOC feet
or possibly 1000 feet to the immediate
westward Of our city and no water to cause
trouble or add it's expense to the working
Of the mines Asd yet. doubtless, there
will yet be fouRd SUFFICIENT water in fhd
mountains to the east Of our city 10 fur
nish all that will ever be needed to carry
forward all possible mining in justice to
the westward at very moderate expense,
The geographical position Of this coal
deposit il, more significant. 1t is MOI
known that any important coal deposit
lies 10 the southwark for many hundred
miles. and for large extent Of country
to the eastward none is found, while
to the westward, AS far as the Coast, th'
county is barren Of coal and oaly to thu
north and northwest is any found aud il
in unlimited quantities. and superior quail
;iy fer hundreds Of miles,
Thsss facts ought TO Awaken in tn
minds Of mining men and citizens gsnsr
ally. the great Importance Of these Goa
fields and il more Intelligent prospec,inI
io- cal sss carried forward there woul'