Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-19
Ii Is Claimed TO Exist There in Suf-
icient Richness to Repay
the Working.
AFORMER GOLD FURRY RECALLED
Renewal of Prosperity at Wood River,
Leadville and Many Other Mining
Centers of the West.
TWO RICH ONYX BEDS IN ARIZONA.
An Immense Lead Of Very vsusble Cement Discovered
in California Nine.
-sprc1AL rELKekAN 10 TIE prsPArcH., :,

leading mining centers of the West have
been received as follows:
DULUTH-The existence of gold in North
ern Minnesota has been occasionally re-
ferred to in the past, but the statements of
explorers and miners have usually been met
by smiles and doubt The eighteenth an
nual report of the State Geologist, Just out,
paws good deal of attention and devotes
not little space to this matter, and goes far
TO prove that there is gold-bearing rock in
the district tributary to Duluth in sufficient
quantities and richness to pay care
full investigation. The geologist cites
the gold excitement here Just after the war
in 1866, when the Department of the In
terror was prevailed upon to remove the In
dians of Vermillion Lake to point further
west and to open the section about the lake
TO settlement, because of the representations
of the good hunters. At that time consider
able machinery was hauled through the
jorest 80 miles from tine settlement where
Duluth now is, to Lake Vermillion. After q
few years hardships in the woods, remote
from everything in the nature of supply or
machinery depots the attempt TO make gold
mining pay was abandoned and operations
ceased, although not a little free gold was
taken.
1t was on the exact site of these unsuc-
cessful diggings that in 1884 the greatest
iron range in America, the Nermillion, was
discovered. The report also cites the ex-
citement that ragged here about six years
ago, when thousands of acres of supposed
gold-bearing lands to the northeast of this
city were taken up by capitalists from
Duluth and various points in Southern
Michigan, but which also resulted in moth
ing. The State geologist, Prof. Winchell, has
lately examined the geological features O.
the country where these finds occurred. He
finds the formation identical, so far as sur
face showing and shallow test pits can show
it, with that of the gold-bearing region of
Upper Michigan, known as the Ishpeming
gold belt. Several mines are turning out
small but increasing quantities of gold
bricks there, and 1t seems to be settled that
the precious metal, in paying quantities,
exists in the 1shpeming country. The re-
port shows that there are many undeveloped
properties in the section directly to the
north of Duluth, where low-grade gold ores
can be worked by present methods at profit.
An Important Smelling Center.
SILVER CITY-There are now excellent
prospects that Silver City will be one of the
west before the close of the year. Although
more than one-third of all the ore mined in
New Mexico is mined in this county, there
never has been a smelter of more than 30
tons capacity. Coke can be shipped here
cheaper than ore can be shipped to the
smelters, and a plentiful supply of ore can
be obtained within less than 20 miles
from this place. 1t is now proposed to
put up 100-ton smelter at the Flagler
works, in addition to the 30-ton smelter al
ready there. There is a practically mex
haushble supply of iron ore within a few
hundred yards OF the Flagler Works, which
is used by the smelters at Ell Paso and
Socorro for f1uxing. This ore can be deliv-
cred at the Flagler Works for considerably
less than s. per ton.
Although the mines at Pinos Altos have
been worked for more than 80 wears, no
attention was paid TO lead mining there
until very recently. Gold mines have been
developed there TO a depth of over 600 feet
within less than two miles of the most
extensive lead deposit in New Mexico. The
best looking lead properties there were
located several years ago by Huston &
Thomas, but they never developed their
mines. 1t looked like an immense deposit
on the surface, and several attempts were
made 10 lease or purchase the Mines
The owners positively re used to lease on
anv terms, hut offered to sell their mines for
$50, 900 cash. This was regarded as an ex-
orbitanJ price, but the mines could not now
be purchased for double that amount. Last
fall a company succeeded in getting an in
tereSt in the mines and commenced opera
tions. They have shipped several hundred
tons of ore, and have not yet even cut
through the ore deposit The ore is GER
fainly more than so feet thick, and is being
mined at a cost not exceeding 80 cents per
ion. One of the members of the company
tays that they had agreed to furnish the new
Smelter 100 tons of ore per day as soon as it
was completed.
Rich Cement Lead Struck.
SAN FRANCIsCo-A lead of rich cement.
that is believed to be the bed of an old river
channel, has been found in the Aver dr t
mine at Mooney Flat, Nevada county, 1t
is 80 feet wide and 90 feet high, and can be
traced for a long distance. The cement is
worked by arrastras and is paying
well. Owners of adjoining claims are
encouraged by this strike to resume
development work, and the prospects OF
drift mining at Mooney Flat are greatly i'm
proved. A small mining excitement has
started iG the mountains bordering the
Napa Valley. Prospectors have shown
specimens from the ledges in the mountains,
assaying from S55 to SIS per ton in gold and
silver, and men with picks can be seen pick
ing at the quartz all over the hills. Proba-
bly, two or three good claims will be found
and the rest OF the crowd will be disap-
pointed, as usual.
Big Shipments of Bullion.
VIRGINIA CITY-Claims on the main lode
in the Lewis district, IA miles south of Bat
tie Mountain, have been consolidated, and
will be worked systematically. Miners
have learned after many years that it is
cheaper to sink one good shaft to prospect
lode than to dig coyote holes all over the
face of nature. The Holmes Mining CON-
pany, OF Candelaria, recently shipped seven
bars of bullion valued at $685. An i'm
portant strike in ground recently bought bv
the company is reported. The Union Mill.
Tuscarora, shipped to San Francisco last
night bullion valued at S45, 600, obtained
from the Commonwealth, North Common
wealth, North Belle Isle and Belle Isle
mines.
Prosperity at Wood River.
BOISE CITY-The Wood River country has
enjoyed a more prosperous wear than for
some time past. The yield of the mines was
considerable above that OF last year, and de-
velopments at a depth indicate that in 1892
the product will be much greater. A large
quantity of the galena ores came from
depths of from 500 to 900 feet and all such
mines are held at greater values now than
ever before. The Ebenezer and Belshazzer
mines, in Boise county, have been sold to q
Colorado company Tor $4,000, two-thirds
OF which was paid in cash. The mines are
gold-producers, well developed and situated
on the Gold Hill belt one of the richest Sec
lions of Boise county. The veins are very
md he, ell al a.. :.