Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-05-14
JIcARiILA MINING DISTRICT.
Commxnioatad.1

To those OF our readers who are not
familiar with the Jlcarilla mining dis
,rict, we will say that 1t Is In Lincoln
county, New Mexico, and lies about
ten [miles north Of White Oaks, which
is the nearest town Of importance in
that section of this Territory.
This district has for many years been
known throughout New Mexico for Its
rich placer grounds. Oh late years sew.
eral discoveries have been made which
prove the existence Of many leads
from which have come the gold Of the
vast extent Of the placers that are there,
which are now being steadily worked
by means Of "dry washers and a few
rockers; i~nadeqoacy alone Of a water
supply prevents hydraulic mining.
To describe the Jicarilla camp, II
Is necessary to proceed under two
heads, giving to the placers and leadj,
or lodes, their due share Of recogni-
ton.
Taking up the placers first, the fact
has been established that gold Is dis
tributed over the Jicarilla mountains
for a scope of five miles wide and
equally long, or embracing twenty-five
square miles whereon placer gold has
been found. This discovery Is due to
persistent prospecting, and is the re-
suit of systematic work done by pros
pectors who have kept following the
placer gold, in their efforts to deter
mine the extent of the gold belt. The
quality Of the gold is very pure, and 1t
Is coarse.
With sdry washers" some prospec.
tors and miners are now taking out as
high as 81 SO per diem to the man, yet
their machines will not ave over %
per cent. of the gold contained in the
dirt.
1t ia commonly known to old
timers, that, early in the sixties, the
late M. A. Otero, when engaged on a
government freight contract between
Santa Fe and Fort Stanton, had his
freig htiny outfit showed up in the
Jicarillas, and, putting his men to
work melting snow tn obtain water,
washed out over Sic, 900 10 two
months. Colonel j. Francisco Chavez,
formerly delegate to congress. and for
many years president of the New Mex
leo senate, took out thirteen pounds of
gold from those placers n winter ;
he, also, melted snow to wash The dirt
with. These are facts, and known to
many present residents OF New Mexico.
These placers have been examiaed
at different times by mining experts,
and were reported on very favorably,
so far as the amount OF value was con-
cerned. The examinations showed up
to So per cubic yard; average depth
OF soil at least twelve feet. The coun.
try is admirably situated for hydraulic
mining, there being an amply sufficient
fall and a large dumping ground on
the plains. There is, however, no
wafer to be had in sufficient quantity
for such, at any place lei
Since the examinations were made,
placer gold has been found all over the
area mentioned, and the dirt to be
over fifty feet in depth in places of
considerable extent; it is quite possible
that the geld is still further distributed.
The great drawback is lack of water
for hydraulic mining; all other con-
ditlons are favorable.
The following matter bears upon the
leads of the Jicarilla district, and is Of
interest, being authentic: From the
widespread distribution of the placer
gold, it is evident that the placers have
been fed by many gold leads through
the hills. The rock which forms the
mountain is bird's-eye porphyry, with
lodges of sandstone, quartz
lie and limestone. Through the por-
phyry are veins Of iron pyrites carry
ing gold and blow-outs Of iron
oxide and copper, also containing gold.
1t is evident that the gold Of the dis
riot is with the iron and that it does
oermeate the country rock. Another
Indication of this Is the richness Of the
sand carried in the placer dirt.
As in the placer feature water, or
'ather it's scarcity, is the draw back.
But, in Spring gulch there is a reliable
for a cyanide plant uf sixty tons
iaily capacity, and outside the mineral
zone it is possible to find water for re-
iuction works by going down after it.
The Ross well, the head of the supply
n Spring gulch, carries an unfailing
md steady supply, sufficient for u plant
UGH as mentioned, steam and camp
purposes besides.
The ore in the Jicarilla district is
lot free milling, according to the &C.
'epted term, but is better adapted To
he cyanide process, as proven by tests
made. To give a separate account OF
ach claim in the camp, is not the OBJ
ect of this communication, even were
UGH a feat possible. 1t can. be safely
aid, though, that there are to be
oupd and purchased claims that, were
hey situated in Cripple Greek, could
be acquired for large sums of
money, or in about the proportion of
wenty to one. While work has been
pushed along, owing to lack of
unds, yet on many claims good show
ngs are made; in others, the work
as been sadly misdirected.
AS compared to the White Oaks dis
riot of about two square miles, the
icarillas will stand we'll ahead, owing
the immense area in the latter camp
hat carries gold-for it is gold on the
illsides, gold on the bill tops, gulches,
ats and everywhere else. 1t is al
)st impossible to wash a pan OF dirt
'ithout finding colors.
There is an abundance of timber,
9th for fuel and mining purposes, in
lie Jicarillas. There are good wagon
Dads all through the camp, and lead
g to all the nearest towns; also, rail-
,ad points. Roswell, on the Pecos
- lIaxx - tluuar aud Ga A.Ae - I