Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-19
La Belle Mining District.

-" "SAAS A'AAAA6 @ASNA~S'
The ONLY feasible route by which to
reach the famous gold fields of the La
Belle section is over the Union Pacific,
Denver 4 Gulf road, running through
Trinidad, the natural gateway to this new
Mecca of the prospector, miner and cap.
itaIist.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Of
each week train leaves Trinidad for
Vasques, from which point La Belle and
the other surrounding towns Of the great
mining district may he reached by short
and pleasant stage rides. Returning, the
trains leave for Trinidad, the gateway to
the gold fields on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays Of each week.
This is really the only satisfactory way
to reach the La Belle gold fields, which
promise ere another year has gone to de-
velop into one OF the liveliest sections of
the west, Cripple Creek not excepted.
Trinidad is the natural supply point and
outlet for this great mineral pelt and her
smelters will handle the ore from the La
Belle mines. 1t is proposed to extend
the Vasques branch to La Belle, and it is
only matter of time when branches will
be built to the several prosperous towns
that are being built up as result of the
rich strikes that have been made in this
district during the past year. Some of the
promising properties now being worked
in this vicinity may be mentioned as fol-
lows:
The Climax and Golconda Company
have cross-cut tunnel 129 feet in length,
ut the end OF which winze has been
sunk on the vein to depth of SO feet,
running for the whole distance through
81 in gold. A 4O-foot shaft on the ore
shows IA foot vein of SO ore.
The Bismarck has S27 ore in drifts at
the bottom of an S5-foot shaft.
The Ethel H. is in SIG ore.
The Louise is in 1928 ore at 70 feet.
The Belle Of Mexico has paying ore at
so feet.
Other properties that show up we'll IN
hematlte and sulphide ores are the Espe-
rama No. 2, Rebeccs, Missing Link, cry
Simpson, Clmarron and claims owned by
the Boston Syndicate, Quartz, Wild Horse,
H. H., Old Kentucky, Trinidad group,
Missing Link No. 9, Alta Vista, Cora
Simpson, Grizzly, La Belle, Senator Vest,
Mammoth, Sunrise group, Bessemer
group, GAINESVILLE group and the Denver
Lode and many others.
Across the range from La Belle, four
miles by wagon road, are two camps
within sight of each other, Anchor and
Midnight, III the keystone district. The
development work here is about the same
as that in the La Belle district, in MANY
claims the mill tests giving the value Of
pre- between 500 and $40.
The Denmark is IN $l7 ore with aI50O-
foot tunnel.
Hematte lies six miles from La Belle
over was on road of easy grade, and lies
recently been the scene of some phenom-
inal strikes. From one claim with 100.
foot shaft a ton OF selected rock was milled,
yielding 5000 in gold. Samples of this
ore gave assays Of 100000 gold and 900
ounces of silver. These returns are from
the K. 0. property.
From the Gold Belle two shipments
have been made, aggregating three tons,
which gave Sl3444 per ton in gold, and
this from 200 foot shaft.
About twenty claims are being worked
in this district with good returns.
The Lost Spur country is situated south.
west OF La Belle and is quite recent dis
covery. A section three miles square haa
been prospected, showing So on the sur
face and at the groupings, and $44 and
$50 ore at slight depth. The mineral
lied rock is porphyritic quartz and con-
talns free gold.
Old Badly mountain promises well,
though present developments show the
ore bodies singular in extent and of mod.
crate richness. The Indians have ira
dition that one of the lost mines is situat-
cd on or near Old Baby.
The work now being done in the La
Belle district and the results obtained
give promise of operations Of greater mag
nitude in the near future, and it would
not be surprising if within the next year
or so camp should spring up here rival.
ing Colorado's now famous Cripple Creek
and Pine Creek.
~
H. Lynch.
The subject of this sketch located the