The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-15
NEWS FROM NEARBY
CITIES AND TOWNS.
5yERCLE AS SEEN by A HERALD
CORRESPONDENT.
Bids Fair to BE One of the Greatest
Camps Ever known in the Great
IVest-A Few Northern Lights
Shed on Various Matters.

MERCUR, Nov. 13.-It is worth
trip to Mercur to see and ride over the
little "jerkwater" railroad that runs
from Fairfield Junction over to Utah's
famous gold camp. From the juno
ton to the Mercur mill is about four
miles From that point the CLIMB De-
gins and continues to the top OF the
divide, and as the crow flies is about Two
miles. vet the track cannot be less
than i've or SIS. miles in length, and
at one place near the summit there
are five parallel tracks, and between
the two outside it cannot be more imam
1,200 feet. It is simply d maze Oh
curves, acute angles and Zig-Zags, Win
a stiff upgrade except an occasional
resting place for the little low-wheeieo
locomotive. By the way. every wheei
under the locomotive and tender Is
driver" with all the machinery, con-
sisting of perpendicular pistons anu
cog gearing on the off side
At the Mercur min four OF us TOOK
possession of the curtailed cowcatcher
and enjoyed the novel danger OF rloe
to the summit. The direction is north
westerly, but there is not point OF the
compass known to surveyors that Is
not traversed by the Salt Lake Dc Aer-
cur railroad. The fare is IL cents per
mile. and the only reason why the
road was not made longer is because
nature was in a Stingy mooo When she
made the canyon. From the summit
the grade is nearly level, and runs
westerly along the north side OF the
mountains about a half mile to the
Mercur mine.
Immediately below the workings OF
the Nercur to the north, about 800
yards, nestleS the little camp that IN
the future will surprise the mining
world. The town partakes OF the shape
of the conformation of the pasln III
which it is built. One draw or gulch
comes down from the southeast, an
other rom the northeast. and stin an
other from the north, forming an I'M
even triangular basin about 200 yaros
wide at the upper and eastern eXtrem-
ity. This little valley is drained 'py a
canyon which runs westerly from the
lower corner of the camp and de-
pouches into Rush valley only about
three miles distant. -.
To the south of the camp about 800
yards are the Aercur tunnels, ore bins.
etc Adjoining the town to the east
are two steam HOSTS of the Golden
Gate group, and which is one Oh tne
richest and most promising OF TINS
prosperous district. Also adjoining the
town and right in the mouth or rhe
north draw is the Marion mill. DISTANT
about one-fourth of a mile further up
the same gulch are the mine and mill
of the Geysor. The Marion mine is
situated over the hill to the west of the
Geysor, and between them decision
as to rights is now pending.
The town is creeping up the guIches
and houses are perched on me mn
sides In fact, Mercur is growing rap
idly. and is right in the center OF a
score of valuable mines and promising
claims now in course Of development
r About 1 ZOO people are il the district
\ and newcomers are arriving in such
numbers as to fill the hotels to over
flowing.
thirty minutes after my arrival In
tamp. there were four scraps" pistols
flashed" and one man severely cut
above and back of the left ear by a
gun in the hand Of one Carter, tin
horn gambler, who seemed to run the
camp to suit himself. In the course
of a couple of hours, however, ne
struck the wrong man, and carter
looked as if he had been run through
a threshing machine. At least one
hundred men spent the night IN
drunken carousal, each of the elgh'
saloons being well patronized. From
the appearance this morning OF the
heads" blackened eyes and court
plaster, there is every evidence OF the
boys haNi ing had q HI Of a gooc
time" in celebrating pay day.
One meets a lot of curiosities IN
4 new and I've camp A nephew OF JOIN
4 Wannamaker, and who strikiDgly re
= sembles Harrison's postmaster genera
is serving drinks behind clean, tidy
bar. and is as assiduous and careful II
his attention to the details of mis- bus
mess as his uncle is in his great dry
goods and uotion store in Philadel
phia.
In the balls held in the school hous
on the hill, the dress of purity brushes
the skirts of the courtesan. In tn
saloons can be seen the faces of mel
N the deepest and saddest condition o
detection. Many of them are married
and when the last dollar OF thei
months wages HIS been lost on far
or poker. or blown in over the bars
and the SOLDERING up enables them t
comprehend the depths to which the!
have sunk, and the restitution the.
have brought on loving wives and in
nocent children. their pitiable look
and attitudes excite both contempt AM
pity. Such are the scenes and sight
\ Of one day and night in Utah's grea
. and growing gold camp. IGNOI'