The morning call., 1894-03-31
THE HUNT FOR GOLD.

The interesting interview which The
CALL of yesterday published with Judge
Rucker of Denver contains piece of in
formation which will be new to many
readers. When The mountains of Colorado
were prOspected for mineral, fifteen or
twenty years ago. the objective of miners
was silver. The silver ounce was worth
81 20 in gold, instead of 60 cents, as to-day,
and there were many who had not got
over the distrust in the ultimate purchas-
ing power Of the yellow metal which had
been caused by the copious output of Cali
fornia and Australia. Hence, when
miner found a promising outlook be had
it assayed for silver rather than gold; and
veins which showed indications of gold
but no promise of silver we're neglected.
Thus the great carbonate silver mines of
the Leadville district were thoroughly ex-
plotted, but no careful explorations for
gold were undertaken, though the metal
bad been found in the gravel of Orc
Guleh. The history OF the exploration of
the San Juanscountry was the same.
Now, since the decline in silver has
cheapened the working of low-grade silver
ores, miners are beginning to turn their
attention TO gold. 1t is pretty safe rule
to assume that wherever one or the two
precious metals is found the other is not
far distant. However the minerals get
into the veins and the quartz and por-
Dhyry they get in together. In some places
they appear in singularly even proper
tions. Some of the Comstock ores yield
about even quantities Of silver and gold.
In other ores one metal will predominant,
but both will almost always be present.
Acting upon this theory the Colorado
miners who have had to abandon their
lean silver ores are now working some
OF them for gold. They have been re-
warded at this early stage of the new in
dustry by the discovery of gold leads in
the heart of the carbonate bed which pay
to work for gold. One mine, just opened,
is said to be yielding $4,000 month in
gold, and whereas all the ores thus far
worked in the carbonate district have
been smelling ores-the silver being. found
in conjunction with lead-the gold ores
which are now being discovered are often
milling ones, the gold being found in the
porphyry at a distance from the lime
cor tact.
Similar reports come from the San
Juan country. The mountains in that
AIiRubluIlY CODlOEleQ region must nave
been scene Of prodigiOus volcanic action
and terrific shrinkage; they are all more
or less impregnated with gold. All tie
way from the Gunnlson River to the reser-
walton in the southwestern corner of the
State the geological formation warrants
hopeful prospecting for gold. Some min
ing has been done there with variable re-
suits; but the country is so broken. and 1t
is so difficult to move .imbers or machinery
from place 10 place. that the work done
has been superficial. a stimulus is now
furnished for more thorough exploration
by the decline in silver, aud the partial
eclipse of the silver-mining Industry.
1t might not be bad idea for some of
our well-to-do people to take hand in the
new departure. Some of the largest
fortunes in Colorado were made by enter
prising men, who grubstaked miners to
prospect the hills in Lake County. 1t was
thus that the Little Pttsburg, the Little
Chief and the Robert E. Lee were found.
1t might pay TO risk few dollars in grub
stalking in the San Juan country.