The herald., 1897-03-17
! MINES RKD MINERS


From s. Van Horne. miner Of ex-
perience who has just returned to Los
Angeles from trip into the mining re-
gions of Inyo county. The Herald CLEANS
the following particulars OF promising
mining camp Just opened In that section:
The new camp Is located in the Pana-
mint valley, about eight miles south OF
Postoffice Springs. seventy-four miles
northeast from Garlock, which Is the
nearest postoffice, and 115 miles from
Mohave. and is on the old borax road.
The country is rich in mineral and valu-
able strikes are being made every day.
Tudor and Jail canyons, to the north or
the camp. have been found very rich
and some of the ore has assayed as high
as $500 per ton. Free gold is found every
where, in veins ranging from one inch to
fifteen feet wide. The principal mine is
the Gold Note, owned by the Montgom-
cry brothers, in which there are two
tunnels. one 140 feet and the other fifty
seven feet In length, the ore from which
averages $67 per ton gold. Ne veins are
about five feet in width, standing OBJ
liquely and running into the mountain.
The Montgomery brothers also have in
operation a centrifugal ore crusher. to-
gether with concentratore and are push
ing matters as fast as the development
of the mine will admit. They also have
a group Of five mines near by. all rich
in free gold and sulphurets, where they
have twenty-five men at work. Across
the gulch the Montgomerys have other
mining claims said to be equally as rich.
Specimens have been taken from Min
eral Hill in the Redlands canyon, as
saying as high as $500 per ton.
The locality has been noted In times
past for silver production, the mines
being worked with profit several years
ago. A number OF the old mills are still
standing and some of them have been
secured by the new miners and erected
on their claims preparatory to future
operations.
The site of the present camp was or
iginally located by two men named
Wolf and Wiseman several years ago.
On Wednesday evening OF last week q
public meeting was held and all the min
ers interested in claims, some forty in
number, voted to organise a townsite
and named 1t Ballarat. after the famous
gold camp of Australia. The townsite
was plated. Wolf received choice OF
200 feet frontage on the main street for
his rights Wiseman's claim had been
jumped and the choice Of lots remain
ing were taken by the miners according
to numbers drawn out OF a hat. And
thus the new mining town was started.
Previous to this time provisions and hay
have been very high in that section.
there being only one store and that some
distance UP the mountain. Hay was $45
per ton; flour. so per sack; potatoes,
6 cents per pound, etc. However, an
other store has already been opened at
Ballarat and prices for provisions have
dropped 100 per cent. Other stores. sa-
looms, etc., will be running in few days.
The country about Ballarat shows
evidence of much mineral wealth. Some
very fine specimens Of drift or float rock
are picked up which lead the prospector
to good lodges. Water Is abundant at
the foot of the Panamint range and Is
mostly of a good quality. Wood is plen-
tiful on the summit of the range, which
is cut and delivered to the purchaser by
the Indians at about 49, per cord.
Already there is large influx OF peo-
pie of all classes to the new mining
camp, including many from Randsburg.
which Ballarat hopes to rival in short
time. Prospectors going to Ballarat
should be prepared for the journey with
plenty of food, bedding apd water, the
latter being necessary while crossing
the desert, as long distances are fire.
quently made between camping places
They should not leave the trails any
where without good supply of water
The route from Los Angeles by team
is by way of Elizabeth Lake to Mohave,
thence by the old borax road to Borax
lake, Ballarat being thirty miles beyond
that point. The postof11ce for Ballarat
is now at Garlock, from which place mail
is carried to the new camp daily by min
ers or teamsters.
Mr.. Van Horne has great faith in the
future of Ballarat and will return to the
camp in few days.
Last summer nearly all the Colorado
mining exchanges were doing a rushing
business in Cripple Creek and other
stocks, but now the business has al
most dwindled to nothing, says c. G..
Yale, the mining expert, in the San
Francisco Examiner. At all events the
public have quit having anything to do
with it, as they did long since in this
city. All sorts of wildcat outfits were
listed and sold, SO that the respectable
miners withdrew altogether. These ex-
changes have not been conducted on a
basis which inspired public confidence.
The control or management has fallen
into improper hands, and the result is
that people will have nothing to do with
the exchanges. 1t is. however, just as
well. We long since found In this state
that legitimate mining operations could
be conducted, and shares OF stock
bought or sold without the intervention
of a mining stock exchange. Trans
actions relating to the stock of our gold
mines have never been successful in ex-
changes. The leading mines referred to
lief and Only those Of lesser order were