Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-02-13
A GREATER COMSTOCK.
COchiti, the New Ell DOradO-Inter-
view with Col. Mills-A Very
Rich Camp.
Prospecting Retarded by Snow-A
Rush Expected in the Spring
Hotel and Stage Line
Needed.

Col 7. B. Mills arrived in Santa Fe
from Las Vegas this morning. The col
onel has been in the Cochiti mining dis
trict off and on since the early part of
January and in an interview with New
MEXICAN reporter gave number of in
teresting facts concerning the new Ell
| Dorado.
"If the present indications hold out, it
will prove greater bonanza than the
Comstock," is the way Col. Mills tersely
expressed his opinion of the camp. This
idea is not visionary but is based upon
PRACTICAL, SCIENTIFIC DEDUCTIONS.
He is naturally enthusiastic, as are all
who have visited Cochiti. According to
his statements there are not as many
miners and prospectors On the ground as
have been previously reported, the snow,
having deferred many from going in.
He said: "There are four canons, extend
ing from what is called, Peralta to CO.
chit canon, distant about eight miles.
There are two intervening canons called,
Pine and Gallo canons. I have been in
the three north canons, Pine, Gallo and
Cochiti and also to the head of the Per-
alta. There are four mineral bearing
QUARTZ LEDGEs
which have been traced from Peralta to
Cochiti canon. The four lodges run par
allel but are about two miles apart. The
canons run east and west and the lodges
north and south. There has been no de-
velopement on any ledge to exceed a
depth of twenty feet The hills between
the canons, in some places, are as high as
1000 feet. The lodges can be traced down
across the canons, which would indicate
that they are continuous through the
hills. This continuity is indicative of
GREAT DEPTH.
In some places they have found good
bearing ore on the surface and IN other
places have secured assays that run rs
high as $4,000 gold and silver. If the ore
will average $40 it will be the richest
camp ever discovered in the United States.
THE ORE IS REFRACTORY,
that is, the gold is not free. Even where
assays run as high as $1,000 in gold, they
have not been able to find any by pan
ming 1t seems to be all in sulphurides
or tellurium. The most economical way
of reducing is by milling and concentrate
| ing. The Lodges run all the way from
| three to thirty feet wide. There are two
claims, the Albuquerque, owned by James
May and Henry Lockhart and one, owned
by Eagle and Dorsey, on the same ledge
that are now packing preparatory to
shipping. Their mill run at Pueblo wac
about
$40 IN GOLD AND 5000 IN SILVER.
There is plenty of timber in camp, but
there is scarcity of water for all except
domestic purposes. When reduction
works are erected they will have to be
built on the river about fifteen miles
from camp. A railroad can be built to
the camp at a com paratively small cost
as there will be no heavy work, except a
rather heavy grade. AS the canon is
very smooth, a road could be built very
EASILY FROM SANTA FE
by following the old Santa Fe trail and 6
better grade can be undoubtedly secured
than by building from any other point.
"There are only about 100 men in camp
now. There is great deal of snow, there
being four feet on the main range and
about eighteen inches in camp. The snow
will, however, disappear very quickly as
soon as the sun begins to shine for any
length of time. The snow at present
RETARDs THE WORK OF PROSPECTING.
'The camp is badly in need of hote1
and stage line. At present the men all
live in tents, with the exception of about
a half dozen, who occupy cabins. Denver
and Chicago capitalists have men on the
ground investigating, and if present pros
poets hold out there will be plenty Of
capital to develope the camp.
-. T. Dougine, who put up the first
mill on the Comstock and a mining ex
pert of great reputation, says it will be
GREATER THAN THE coMsTocK,
if present indications hold out. This, Of
course, can only be ascertained by depth
The indications are now that it will hold
out, because the best prospects, so ia,
discovered, are down close to the valleys
which would indicate depth.
"Some Santa Fean should take ad
vantage of the great opportunity offered
and start a stage line. Az soon as the
snow is off the ground there will be q
great rush and Santa Fe should reap the
benefit. Santa Fe has the best road to
the camp and should capture all the bust
ness. Let some one start hotel and a
stage line and do not believe they will
ever have cause to regret it,"