The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-02

While this has been what may be
called an off, year in mining circles
throughout the west, On account OF the
great financial srringency, still the fact
remains that there has been more than
ordinary interest manifested IN Utah
in mining pursuits. and especially SO
in the search for gold, and this search,
as a general thing, has been amply re-
warded. so much so that the output OF
the yellow metal has been materially
increased.
One pleasing feature of this prospect
ing for gold is that Utah, which for
MANY wears has been claSSed as a pro-
Queer of the white metal almost ex-
clusively, is now building up a fine
reputation for its mines of gold, and
these, to say the least, are as great and
rich as are to be found in any OF the
western states, and il is safe to say that
within the course Of few wears this
state will hold its own with Colorado
c., California as a producer of the
precious metal.
There may be gold camps that are
better known than Mercur, but there
are none that give promise of develop
ing into greater or more prolific pro-
ducers than this camp, which, although
but still in its infancy, can even now
show I'D larger and more permanent
bodies of gold ore than are to be found
in any other district on the Pacific
coast. This assertion cannot be sue
cessfully contradicted, and yet, from
all appearances, Mercur is soon to have
2 formidable rival in the State Line
district, in the western portion of Iron
county; which, although new camp,
is already gaining an enviable reputa-
ton for its immense deposits of both
col nd Gil M frn11 a in
dications, the people of that district
are only just beginning to realize the
extent of these deposits, as new strikes
in that locality are now of almost
weekly occurrence, and careful pros
pecting is developing the fact that the
mineral belt is both wide and long, and
that the ore, although often of low
grade, is all free milling, the silver as
we'll as the gold; in consequence of
which it is predicted that the showing
that will be made in this camp the
coming year will be a surprise, even to
the most sanguinG.
In other portions of the state the
search for gold has been met with most
encouraging success, and the enter
prises now on foot for the recovery of
the yellow metal from Utah's mining
camps, both old and new, if success
fully conSummated, will turn an ever
flowing stream of gold into channels of
trade and commerce in this country
Even Bingham, which for so many
years has been considered as one of the
grea silver-Iead producers of the
west, is now making a splendid record
on account of its gold output. Marys-
vale is also coming to the front in great
shape as q gold producer, and with the
railroad now almost to the very portals
of that camp, it is expected that within
another year that its shipment of
aurlferous ores will be something to
feel proud of; while on Gold mountain
almost in the same locality a number
of very promising gold properties have
been discovered of late. The old Star
district is also making a good showing
of gold ores, while down in San Juan
county. in the Blue mountains. the
new mill of the Gold Queen Mining
company will soon be sending ont it's
bars of gold.
As matter of fact, Utah is full of
mines that are gold producing. al
though generally of low grade. and if
is Tor this reason that they have never
been extensively or profitably worked.
put now that new processes of ore re-
ductlon have greatly cheaDened tha
treatment OF these ores, the owners of
these properties can see their way clear
TO sexpend time and money in their de-
yeiopment
The fight against silver has had one
good effect, at least, and this is thai If
has aided the impetus given 10 tbe
prospecting for the yellow metal
which. if kept up. will make gold ca
Plentiful that there will again be some
talk of demOnetizing this metal. as va &
done in 1S49. when the California gold
fever was al its height.