Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-15
AN IMPORTANT LETTER
Recently Received by General
Charles FOrman.
THE UNION PACIFICs ROUTE.
Mining Resources of the District.
Present Condition Of the Work.
The COmpany's Plans.

The COmpany's Plans.
General Charles Forman, of this city,
recently received the following letter
from friend in Phoebe, most OF which
will probably prove of interest to the
public:
Phoebe, New, February 2, 1890.
DEAR GENERAL-I have recently had
an interview with another man concern
ing Groom District. The man is, be-
lieve, reliable. have known him five
or six years. He says:
"There is one ledge which runs north
and south, dipping east at an angle OF
about so deg, between lime and slate:
There is q range of quartzite hills about
half mile from the groupings running
about parallel with the ledge. There
were, and may probably yet be found
in the groupings, which are large and
prominent, occasional pockets OF ore,
highly metallic in appearance-lookli liKe
solid metal. Similar ore was found IN q
chimney at depth of about 100 feet,
and was taken out-500 or 600 tons of
it-from chimney which reached q
width of eight to ten feet. In the bot
tom shows two or three feet of mixed
ore and ledge matter. The ere taken
out was of toe low grade to shipper
haps $50 silver, and 30 per cent. to 10
per cent. lead. 1t also contained other
metals, and lies on the dump yet.
There are, on the ledge, two shafts,
about 200 feet apart, connected below.
One is 176 feet deep, the other 100 feet
deep. There was NO windlass when l
was there year ago, and could not 60
down. All experts speak favorably of
the formation. Plenty of water at
Groom
The same man gave me also, concern
ing another district near Groom, the
following:
miles is the Southeastern District.
There is plenty of quartz there, more
mineral than any place | know of on
the surface. The ore ia low grade, not
over $25 or $50 silver and 20 per cent.
lead, and coppery looking. But the
ore is plentiful. There are two lodges,
about 600 feet apart, parallel, one east
of the other. Ole of these ledges is
One may trace it 1000 feet, aud
cry fifty feet. 1t is. two 70 three
feet wide. On the other ledge there
are two places where it widens to 10
feet in width of ore body, with mineral
for 20 feet in width. Both lodges ale
undeveloped, just enough work having |
been done to hold them. The nearest |
surface water known is small spring
ten or twelve miles distant. Professor
Jenny remarked that it was the finest
assure he had seen in 800 or 400 miles |
OF travel. He was much pleased with |
it and made copious notes. One of the
surveyed railway routes would take a
road within ten or twelve miles of it, or
less."
The man who gave me the foregoing
information is named John Purtscher, a
Swiss by birth. Notwithstanding the
fact that have lived in mining coun-
tries all my life nearly, and have had
much to do with prospectors, believe
that Mr.. Pnrtscher told the truth as he
knew it concerning both the districts
named, and he ought to be as we'll &C.
quainted with the country as any man in |
the county.
As to the railway building stopping
ct Phoebe for this year." have this in
formation: The route is finally surveyed
from Milford via Glover Valley, and
down along the Clover valley wash to
Dutch Flat, a few miles from the
Meadow valley wash. into which the
Clover valley wash finally debouches,
and contracts let and grading going on
as far as Dutch Flat, which is about
twenty-five miles by wagon-road south
easterly from Phoebe; say thirteen or
fourteen miles southerly from Bullion.
vile or Panaca. As / understand the
''lay OF the country" there is no point on
the BODYBUILDING road within less than,
say twenty miles from Phoebe thus far.
1t is said to be the intention to immedi.
ately build a ''stub" or branch line,
broad-gauge, from some point to Phoebe.
1t was lately said to be settled also that
the main line was to go on down the
Meadow valley wash through "Long
valley" "a portion of the wash which is
many miles in length and practically a
canon, about 200 to 400 feet wide, with
perpendicular rock walls hundreds of
feet in height-much like the Condor
cafion, which you doubtless remem ber
near Phoebe, but great deal longer and
with higher walls, and just as narrow,
on across the muddy river and via the
Las Vegas ranch and A. S. Cam pbell's
mines, west of that ranch. In my
opinion there is a possibility now, since
the storm has washed out good deal of
the Long Valley" taking the ground, it
is said, ten feet or more deep from
under the surveyors stakes there, that
the powers" may decide to change the
route, taking what is called the Irish
mountain route. This would take the
road within few miles of the mines 1
Il have written of, as am informed. This,
however, is only surmise on my part.
Should it come true, the main line of road
would come nearer to Pioche; and,
think would also probably open better
mineral country, generally speaking,
than If it should go down the Meadow
valley wash. In any event, / think it
quite improbable that the line, finished
to Dutch Flat, as it is intended to by
June OF this year, will be allowed to stop
there at all because euch thing would
bs unbusiness-like from any point of
view that | can imagine.
Should you come this way, by all
means come to Pioche. If here, as ex.
pect to be, | shall certainly be glad to
see you. There are mines here also, or
IN this immediate vicinity, which may
interest you. Notably one which be-
longs to some friends of mine-most of
the folks around here are my friends
which, according to accounts, / believe
has gone begging In tha nrasent man.