The herald., 1894-01-01
SOME MINES OF THE DESERT,
Big Deposits Which Are Diff
cult to Work.
Some Few Lucky Fellows Who Are
Making Money.
Probsbiy Confirmation of the Blue
Lead-Trip to the Diggings and
Graphic Description of an
Interesting Region.

San Francisco Chronicle: For several
months stray reports have been received
at San Bernardino, Los Angeles,
Bakersfield and other points of the dis
covery of rich placer mines in the
northern portion of the Mojsve desert.
the locality of the mines being indis-
criminately ascribed to Kern, Los An
geIes and San Bernardino counties,
whose boundaries meet in that wilder
ness. It'll now known, however, that
the mines in question are nearly. if not
quite, all within the limits oil Kern
county. Recently these reports have
become more numerous and more gilt
tering, and some most extravagsnt state
ments have obtained currency with
regard to them. Something very like
an old-time rush commenced in conse-
Quence, which was smplified because OF
the large number of idle men who
thought they saw in the mines means
of livelihood If not of fortune.
So contradictory have been many of
the rumors, and so difficult has it been
to sift the residuum OF fact from the
the Chronicle decided to investigate the
matter personally and learn the truch
in the case. Being an old miner and
experienced in such matters, it was
certain that be could hardly be imposed
upon, and that what he reported as the
result of his Investigations might be
accepted as undisputed fact.
Preparations we're made accordingly,
nd hon f~n IA
upon what under the most favorable cir
cumstances is most srduous journey,
with little OF comfort from commence
snert TO finish.
The nearest point to the mines is the
station of Mojave, which 10 the junction
of the Southern Pacific and the Atlantic
and Pacific railroads, and is situated in
the northern part of the desert from
which it derives its name. Arrange
mente were made to have light wagon
and Q mule team in readiness TO meet
the correspondent at that point, which
was reached about O'Clock in the moru-
ing on the train leaving San Francisco
at O'Clock the previous evening. A
more unromantic and uninviting place
than this same Mojave, by the way, it
would be difficult to find. Its chief
characteristics are railroad tracks, ho-
boes, empty tin cans and wind. 1t is
favorite saying, and a quite truthful
one, too, that the wind always blows at
Mojave. Here the tides Of tramp
travel over the two trsnscontinental
lines meet, and being a division head
quarters many railroad men are obliged
to live here. Obliged 10 the right word.
No one was ever known to deliberately
choose this as place Of residence, while
the man who does not leave at the first
opportunity is rara avis indeed. Stu
ated az IL is in the midst of desert, all
the food of the inhabitants ie brought
from q distance, and consisting ss it
therefore does almost entirely of
s'canned truck" it follows that in the
course of the years during which Mo-
jave has had its windy existence, vast
accumulation of empty cans has resulted,
and these are scattered over acres of
land in every direction, where they lie,
greatly to the wonderment OF the trav-
eler who is not posted with regard to the
peculiaritiea of this remarkable place.
But to resume the journey to the
mines. Almost due north from Mojave
may be seen on clear day two notable
mountain pinnacles, which, the inquirer
will be told, are and have long been
known az the Goler peaks. Running in
q northeasterly direction toward the
mountains from Moiave is wagon road
built years ago for the accommodation
of teams hauling freight to and from
the borax works in San Bernardino
county, far to the eastward. This road
skirts the foothills, and is for the most
part as hard and smooth as a floor, with
occasional short stretches of sand, which
served to keep one In mind of the fact
that this is q sure-enough desert. AT
this time OF year the weather is cool and
bracing, and desert travel has little OF
the discomfort and none of the danger
that characterizes it during the summer
months.
Our mules take us along at good
gait, and not many hours are required
to cover the 20 miles from Mojave to
the spot where the road forks. one branch
which 10 the stage road TO Keeler, in
Inyo county-Dearing away in q still
more northerly direction. Red Rock
caf1on ie the nearest of the new mining
districts to Mojave, and as this is our
destination we take the left hand road,
the point of divergence being railroad
tie set upright in the ground. The
Keeler road runs into Red Fork canon
soon after leaving the forks, and it is
here that some really good mines are
now being worked. This cafion is found
to be gigantic rift through the chain
OF mountains which bounds the desert
on the north, and in no sense is caflon
as that word is generally understood. Ii
would be called q mountain valley only
it cut6 right across range instead ol
splitting one, or being subtended by two
ranges on it's sides instead OF ends. But
here 1t is, the ends of the great mount.
aims respectfully withdrawn so as to
make q wide and nearly level pass
straight through, several miles in width
and with any amount of elbow room,
Once within the so-called "canyon'
there may be seen some of the most
splendid natural architectural effects
upon earth. There is nothing it's equal
in symmetry, grace and beauty any.
where else to be seen on the desert. II
is beyond description, but the day is
coming when it will be widely known oi
men. And all of these wonderful scenic
effects have been produced by the action
of time on layers of different tinted
sandstone, capped with other layers o.
volcanic mud.
Two miles through the mountains anc
gulch opens to the right. Up this Z
mile and half and the dry placers are
found. So far 300 locations have beer
made, generally 1900 feet by 500. Pillar
OF stones serving ss monuments can bI
4 seen in every direction. At presen
there are So men in the camp, which il