Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-05-18
CRIPPLE CREEKS RIVAL.
l 200 Men at La Belle Camp-A Pros
porous Community Growing Daily
Excellent Mineral in Large
ROdies.

Correspondence NV Mexican.
La Belle, N. NJ, May 14.-I arrived here
Saturday last by way of Antonito on one
of the Overland Stage company's stout
and comfortable mountain hacks. The
vehicle is drawn by four good horses over
a splendid road for forty-tive miles till
the mouth of the Costilla river canon is
reached, up which the road winds for
fifteen miles, which is pretty stiff climb
ing, but for new road very good. The
camp of La Belle is reached at an eleva-
tion of $500 feet, situated on the Sangre
de Cristo or Costilla grant, and Nesting
in hollow, we'll watered, on the eastern
slope of the range and but 1000 feet be-
low the crest, which can be reached in less
than one hour, over which road is built
to the new towns of Anchor and Midnight.
These towns lie on the western slope, at
a slightly higher elevation and on gov
ernment land, and in what is called Key
stone mining district. They are also CON
nected with Antonito by a good stage
line.
From Santa Fe, Antonito is reached by
the D. & R. G. R. R., the train arriving
there at p. M, after an eight hours ride
through most picturesque country and
the beautiful Espanola valley. The train
leaving Denver in the evening arrives at
Antonito next morning at 10 O'Clock,
shortly after which the stage leaves on it's
trip, usually we'll loaded, for what the
miners now in camp are pleased to call
the Cripple Creek OF New Mexico. At
Costilla horses are changed.
The camp is very extensive ore, and
but little development 80 far has been
done, notwithstanding many of the
claims show good returns in gold from
panning. The formation is certainly
very favorable. Wood and water are
abundant everywhere, and from present
development and surface groupings
depth is all that is necessary to prove
many of the present prospects really
good mines.
liberal terms to the miners and there
seems to be the best feeling existing be-
tween them.
The owners of the Climax mine, it is
said, closed arrangements yesterday with
Trinidad parties for the erection of /
stamp mill on that property.
A telephone line is at once to be con-
structed to Catskill by local company,
some of the stock of the same being sold
on the street to-day.
Building in town is going ahead at a
rapid rate, ten buildings being now
under construction, one of them being
three story hotel of forty rooms, an
opera house, 22x114; two large stores
and large one and one-half story build
ing for bedrooms and restaurant
In the 100 or more buildings now oc-
cupied can be found every kind of busi-
ness necessary to young mining camp,
and fair hotel accommodations are pro-
vided.
The postoffice cancellation is about $12
per week which only represents about
half the postage actually used here owing
to the wretched mail service to the camp.
Lumber costs 500 per 1000, and the
local saw mill, three miles from town,
can not supply the demand.
While write word comes to town of a
rich strike in the Jim Corbett lode, one
mile north--a two and half foot vein in
a shaft twenty feet deep, which pans
heavy in free gold.
Very encouraging news comes over
from Anchor and Midnight, for which
point I leave tomorrow for three or
four days, and on my return will write
You more fully about the three coming
gold camps of northern New Mexico.
The streams are numerous and never
failing and abound with trout, and the
full of game; the scenery is
sublime on every hand, and the camp
could not be better named-"The Beauti-
full"
Colorado seemingly has taken possess
sion here, Creede, Cripple Creek and
Leadville men being conspicuous. They
boast that Cripple Creek presented no
such Rattering prospects with so little
work, and claim this camp to be identi-
cal in formation with that southern Colo
RADIO wonder. Their faith is certainly
proved by the way they are building up
the town with good, substantial build
ings.
In the two districts it is estimated that
there are 1900 men. I feel lonely being
the only New Mexican miner among
them. MACK.
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