The Meeker herald., 1895-05-11
About Fourmile Placers.


In regard to the gold deposits of
Northwestern Colorado, Denver News
correspondent has the following to say:
The auriferous gravel is quite extern
sive, commencing on the south bank of
Snake river, about five miles west of
Baggs, Wyo., and extending twenty
miles in a westerly direction and
twenty-five miles in a southerly course.
Gold has been found over all the terri
tory, and even as far south as Juniper
mountain. At Fourmile the company
is now sluicing, and under the practical
hand of the present uperintendent is
sure to be success. The company has
a good head of water at present. The
general average of the gravel is 80 cents
Per cubic yard, with six to eight feet of
gravel, clay bedrock. No boulders are
encountered, and almost pure sand to
wash.
Twenty miles below, at Dry Gulch, a
Providence, Rhode Island, company,
has purchased considerable gravel, and
will commence their ditch at once, TAX
ing water from Snake river. The gravel
in that section is mostly mixed with
white sand and a smooth sandstone bed
rock, the gravel being from ~ inches to
Is feet in depth. General average, 25
cents per cubic yard.
Fifteen miles, in southerly direc-
tion from the Fourmile diggings, you
come to the head of Timber Lake
gulch, the Wilson ranch being located
at the head Of the gulch, and is pat
ented, title having been secured before
the discovery of gold in that section.
They find now that the ranch is worth
more to mine it for gold than for pota-
toes and hay. They have number of
good strong springs and have made a
reservoir, and are hauling gravel and
sluicing They find the general aver
age of this ground to be 50 cents per
cubic yard, and in the draws as high as
50 per yard. They have 100 acres in
the ranch, and have two 20-acre placer
locations.
One mile farther south you find Rob
ert Leeper and George Hines hauling
gravel that is paying them as high as 81
per cubic yard. AS they have nothing
but small spring wagon in which they
carry about one-third of a yard of gravel
they have kept tally Of loads, together
with amount realized from sale OF gold.
Joining them on the south, Sawyer and
McQuarrie have located gulch that
promises very much like the other, and
will work the place with duplex, dry
placer machine that will handle SO to 70
tons every ten hours.
Next adjoining, White. and Schutts
have ground that compares favorably
with the above, and, il anything, IA little
coarser gold is here found. They are
rocking now, and the general average is
81 per yard, with streaks Of So gravel.
Five miles farther south Mr.. Dutton
has some good locations, and one mile
farther Mr.. Ferrish has good diggings
and is sluicing. The average depth TO
bed rock of all this bar is three feet with
sandstone bedrock. All of the gravel
| is easily washed, no stones larger than a
hens egg being encountered, and they
are not very numerous. The gravel is
most easily washed and is as extensive
as the famous Qui Jotou placers, Horse
shoe Basin, Ariz., and nothing remains
but capital to make this the best placer
producing camp in the west.
This camp is in the north central por-
ton Of Routt county, and can be reached
either by way Of the Union Pacific rail
road TO Rawlins on the north, or Rifle
station on the Denver 81 Rio Grande
and Colorado Midland from the south,
stage lines leading from both points.
Wednesdays Aspen Times has the
following to say Of our neighboring
county: Several Aspenites who have
recently returned from the Fourmle
gold district report times lively over
there. 1t is said that people are making
wages hauling the golden sands in wag-
ons to water considerable distance
away. This is the busy season at Four
mile for those who arc seeking immedi-
ate results, as the water will soon disap-
pear that now flows In the small canons
and gulches. Some claim owners have
run bitches for several miles and are
said to be doing quite prosperous bus
mess In washing the sands. 1t is the
opinion of those who have thoroughly
looked over the Fourmile district that
when water is brought into that country
by an expensive system OF ditching 1t
will make permanent and prosperous
camp. In extent Of territory the coun-
try Is almost boundless, as gold In pay
ing quantities is found almost anywhere
in the sands within q radius OF many
miles.
Paines Celery Compound Is what