Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-04-10
the Las VEGAS MINRS,
what Can and should be Done ny
the Enterprising Citizens Of
tho Meadow City.
OTHER MINING rnorERrIEs.

N"|
Readers Of THE Optic have recently seen
several items about the .sSurprisev mine,
and as many Of them may not know ex.
actly where aud what II Is, II will be stated
again, as a preface to this criticize: 1t Is
about one mile north Of Aqua Zarca, aud
about four miles west Of the city, just be-
yond the second erosion. About six weeks
ago, half a dozen persons, who thought the
place looked favoraply for mineral, com
menced doing q little prospecting there.
Since then, they have gone down about
fifty feet. The wall on the west side is
granite and has proved almost p~erpendicu-
lar, with a slight dip toward the west;
while the east wall 10 Of lime and has
varied from one foot to Ave or six feet, be-
tween the two.
The vein matter. which wal very much
decomposed at first, and consisted Of spar
aud decomposed vein stained quartz, is
now a granular quartz and the grains be-
come larger with depth, the last taken out
containing large chunks Of blue quartz
with iron stains. The assays have not run
high, but as every one experienced in
mining knows, that, In this case, cuts very
little figure, a, the presence OF mineral, in
small quantities, proves that 1t Is In the
vein, but water teaching through the soft
vein matter for ages between hard walls,
has carried the mineral down below. This
point is believed to be not far away, as
only q few rods distant from the mine,
there bubbles up a never-failing spring Of
fine water. The formation in which the
mine Is, is the kind for which all prospec-
tors hunt, and is the character OF ore In
which most OF the large gold mines occur.
The mine has been visited by several
parties who are we'll posted on mining and
by one expert. The expert says he has
visited very many places where prospect
ing has been lone In this vicinity but this
Is the only one that he considers gives any
promise OF developing into a mine; that 1t
is a ontac and almost sure to become a
valuable mine with depth. The other per-
sons all speak highly Of 1t.
Some Of the business men, who have
been watching the matter closely and are
interested in having mineral struck here,
and knowing that the locators would be
unable to go on much further, at present,
have recently suggested to the locators
that they let a subscription be taken up to
continue work, with a view to pushing the
shaft further down and finding what 1t
will ''pan out" This, the practical" men
among the locators, did not want to accept,
saying that they were perfectly satisfied
as it stood and il it was necessary to wait
six months or a year before doing more
work, it was all right. But waiting was
just what the business men who made the
proposition did not want and the DIRECTORS
were finally talked into accepting some
terms which will doubtless result in work
going right on till success results.
The proposition agreed on is as follows:
The ~locators to take what work has been
done in $500 of stock the business men to
nave a committee secur subscriptions to
he taken out In stock, whenever mineral is
reached in paying quantity; the stock to
be issued pro rata In proportion to the
amount of money paid in and expended
VI ~ AlihOs PAoo tho hAhOaub EAVCA =
~locators 1.-The committee to name some one
they have confidence in to direct the work
and oversee it; whenever the mine should
be a producer articles of Incorporation to
be filed and stock issued accordingly.
If the proposed subscription is secured, 4
will undoubtedly result in the Surprise
becoming a good paying mine, and when
it does. there will be a.dozen more discov-
cred and become producers.
The citizens of Las Vegas, who nave al
ways been noted for sending their money
from home for investment in mines, can
afford to apply a few dollars here when it
means a great deal outside of mining
alone. With good mineral discovered
here, prospectors and investors will come in
at once and start a season of prosperity.