Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-07-19
PROSPEROUS SIERRA.
Thriving Gold and Phenomenal Sill
yer Camps and Busy
Towns.
A Beautiful Country, Offering Splen-
did Inducements for Set
tlemenJ.

The beautiful county of Sierra, situated
in the south central part of New Mexico,
is partly bounded on the west, north and
east by socorro county Grant and Dona
Ana counties complete it's boundaries on
the west and south. For forty-eight
miles the principal meridian of New Mex
leo forms its eastern boundary, from
whence it stretches in gentle slope to
the SUBMITS of the Black Range, dis
tance of about sixty miles. Its average
length and breadth are fifty-four miles,
and it comprises 2,376 square miles. This
is small county for New Mexico, but
its diversified contours of plain, valley
and mountain make it one of the most
PROMISING AND BEAUTIFUL
| in the territory. 1t was created in 1888,
through the efforts of Hon. Nicholas
Gales, then member of the legislature.
The Santa Fe route runs through its east
ern portion and skirts its southern
| boundary. From Mutt station branch
of this great railroad penetrates into
Lake Valley. It is principally in the Rio
Grande water shed, which river passes
through the entire length of the county,
taking up in its course perfect net work
of streams and creeks. few streams at
the western limits flow toward the Gila.
THE PRINCIPAL MINING
districts are the Black Range, Apache,
Cuchillo Negro, Kingston, Hermosa, AMI
Perchas and Lake Valley. The progress
of these camps since the county was
created has been very great. At times
there have been backsets such as now,
but the wonderfully rich strikes constant
ly occurring have stimulated energy and
capital and recovery has always been
| rapid.
KINGSTON
is the center of phenominally rich silver
country. Probably the best known of its
mines are the Brush Heap and the Illinois.
The latter owned by the Illinois Mining
company and managed with great success
by Col. A. W. Harris has yielded good
returns, and there is hardly doubt but
that if the white metal were at or near
par further prospecting would yield great
wealth. AS to tho Brush Heap, it is still a
better mine than most of those boasted
by other communities. In this district
are also the Gypsie, Lady Franklin group,
the Kangaroo, United States, Calamity,
Kingston, Etna, Vlrginian, Templar and
Blackie. In this last great deal of ore
was found on the surface in nuggets.
Recently the Brush Heap mine has been
the only steady shipper averaging about
twelve tons week, which run about 200
ounces of pure silver. The Calamity oc-
casionally makes shipment of good ore,
but as general thing the late terrible
depression of silver has caused these
mines to shut down. The Iron King is
also an important mine as it furnishes
the
MANGANESE
used by the Kingston Ore Reduction com
pany and other smelters as a tiux. The
character of the mines will be better under
stood when it is considered that out of
one chamber in the Kingston $350,000 of
almost pure silver was taken. The ore
belt stretches from the Trujillo to the
North Percha, and no one able to devote
intelligent labor to mining need fear for
results in the beautiful camp of Kings
ton. The town itself is we'll situated,
has public water service, churches and
schools, tive good hotels and pushing
go ahead population of about 1000 per-
sons. The magnificent specimens of
native silver in the miners cabin at the
Worlds fair will bear out this testimony
to the richness of that region. Native
silver is prevalent. Only one other in
stance need be mentioned. In the chloro-
bromide ores, like those of TERRA Blanca
assays of 100000 to the ton have been
made.
Kingston is reached via Hillsboro, the
county seat, by Mathewson's and Orch
ards stage line from Lake Valley. The
road is good and the ride delightful.
H1LLsBoRouGu
is the county seat. 1t has one of the
handsomest court houses in the territory,
and good schools. 1t is the center of
great gold camp. 1t may be said that
the success and prosperity of this town
as mining center and its great reputa-
tion as gold producer, in large
degree, is due to Hon. Nicholas GALES.
For ten years, under Encouragement and
fitting CLEANS of success, he worked the
Snake and Opportunity mines until at
last he interested capital. He had good
mines; his ore assayed we'll; but it was
all useless unless capital came in and
developed the latent wealth. Under Mr..
Gales management one of the finest COM
bined mills and smelters has been erected
at that point. It runs day and night and
as occasion requires will be improved
and extended. With its advent Hills
borough earned her title as pros
porous town. Surrounding it are such
we'll known mines as the Bonanza, Snake,
Opportunity, the Richmond and Copper
King groups, Ell Oro, Wicks, Golden Era,
Garfield, Homestake-Trippe, Happy
Jack, Chance, Printer Boy, Morton, the
Champion group and the Smuggler and
Ross. Nor is this all, to the west end
and along the Rio Grande are immense