Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1893-05-26
OPAL MINES IN IDAHO.
St. LOUIS Republic.

St. LOUIS Republic.
Thirty years ago or thersabout'
the cry echoed by the crowds tha
hscked from the East to Idahe wa,
"On to the basln;" now 1t is "Or
to Opaiins," the newly discovsrss
spal fields is Owykes Csunty
about 40 miles from Boise City
Then it Was for gold; now it is foi
diamonds, spals and other preeiou,
stones. And as the gold and silver
nines of Idaho rival those OF the
wsrla in richssss and psrmasencs,
so the opal fields bid fair to provs
as great bonanza as the deposits
of geld, silver and soppsr. At
least that is the opinion sntertaiAed
by Thousands now here, ssys the
San Francisco Chronicle.
Whea first the announcement
was made that opals had bsen dis :
covsrsd in ths now district every
body was skepticsl. They thought
it was but happy device originat-
ing ia the fertile brain OF The imps-
curious proprietor for this purpose
of raising tho wisd. Bat as the
days rolled by and evidences in the
shape Of valuable epals began to
accu@ulst. here, aed az the ntten
tioH of leading capitalists from
abroad was being attracted thithsr,
and they were investing their
means in the mines, ths former
impression passed away and people
began TO bslsvs that the opal ia
destry WAS 3 vsritabls reality.
A visit Which the writer recently
paid TO these fields fully satisfied
him of the gsnuiaeuess and psrna
nency of the opal mines, the indus
try is as yet in its infancy, but the
valnable stones are hsle, and sli
that is rsqairsd is plsck, industry
aud capital to develop the numsr
Gus claims.
The opal fields are reached from
Nsmpa, = smart little town on ths
Union Pacific Railroad. Stages
carrying both mail and passengers
leave for the Eew camps three
times a week, while almost every
day someone goes over is private
conveyance. In the past week
leading capitalists from Now York,
Chicago, San Francisco, Salt Lake
and Denver have visited the dis
trict, and all speak quita hopefully
OF the camp, while some have made
large investments ip tue ssw dig
sings.
Opalins, the embryo city, is situ-
sted on the foothills of the Owyhss
Mountains, about 20 miles from
Silver City. 1t is as yet sity of
tents, the only buildings worth
mentioning bsiag a hotel and a
little building owned by the Re-
corder xhs came over from Silver
City to record the slaims, taking
no a small rsnek meanwhile, and |
prospecting fer opals When he has
the time K. H. Fleming, the
founder OF the town, better known
here as the "nan from Texas" has
had great faith in the outcome of
the district, aRd owns quite = mum
Der of elsins in and srsund Opa
line. Hundreds are pouring ints
ths camp each week, and tho town
is destined to enjoy prosperity al
least for = time,
Opalins is situated beautifully, |
and is like all modern mining
towns. All around are numerous
warm springs. the water Of which
is SO hot as to boil aa egg, while in
sharp csnIrast there 10 aa alnost
ice. cold spring near there thst
the place With water.
Ths formation Of the country
in the vicinity wksrs the opals are
found indicates that at one period |
in history, far back In sozs remote
geologic age, it has passed its or
deal by fire. Marks of the great
heat are everywhere on the rocks
/. nd lava sboupds. 1t il in tkoss |