The silver lance., 1897-12-31
The Rock Creek District
The Richest In Gunnison County. The Record for
1907 Shows RCn and Valuable Strikes
Has Lacked Only Railroad Facilities to Disclose Her
Wonderful Wealth.

The mense property comprising
Bear twentysix claims, located
Mountain on Bear Mountain, directly
Tnnnel across the valley from
and Sheep Mountain. Scatter
Mining ing work done in the early
Co. days on the surface ground
of these claims has shown
excellent values in both the Illinois and
Silver Cord veins. After the consolida-
ton of the various individual interests
and the incorporation of the present
company, work was commenced at the
base OF the mountain on Il main working
tunnel, which is projected to run directly
into the hill two thousand feet. Within
that distance it is believed the granite
formation will be reached. The tunnel
will cut several known veins, and will
expose more than one blind lead. About
$1,000 has been expended during the last
year. A pipe line was lid from the
Sheep Mountain power house, and have
been pushing work with air-drills. Work
has been closed down and will not be re-
sumed until spring. At the present
tunnel breast, a strong iron contact vein,
the first below the great Illinois vein,
has been cut. This contact shows
great deal of iron, some lead and copper,
but assays low in gold and silver,-just
as had been anticipated by the manage
ment, for surface indications had fully
convinced them that high values would
not be found at the intersection of the
working tunnel with the vein. Great
things are expected from the next vein
to be cut by the extension of the tunnel,
as surface work has shown it to be richly
nineralized, carrying lead, copper, silver,
and fair gold value. Surveys show that
an additional 220 feet of work will cut
this vein in the working tunnel. AS soon
us cut, drifting each way will be in order
until the ore chute is found. There will
be about four hundred feet of STOPPING
ground between the tunnel and the sur
face on the Illinois vein, and it the ore
chute prove continuous the output would
soon make this property one of Rock
Creeks heaviest shippers. Aspen and
New York parties have this property in
charge and they are pushers, so the
LANCE predicts happy results from the
work to be done during 1898.
~s*
The Inez gold and Silver Mining
The Company own group OF four
lnez teen patented claims, located at
Crystal, on the south slope of
Sheep Mountain. This company was in
corporated in May 1895, and since that
date have done nearly two thousand feet
Of work under ground. The main tunnel
running directly into the mountain and
cross cutting the formation nearly at
right angles, has been driven nearly H.
600 feet and has cut a number of veins.
The greater part of this work has been
done with power drills, power being rent
ed from the Sheep Mountain Tunnel &
Mining Company. compressed air being
the power used. A blacksmith shop
have been built. 1t is the intention of
the lnez company to extend their work
ing tunnel distance of 5000 feet, which
will bring them to point under the top
OF the mountain, and on level about
ZOO feet lower than the crest of the
hill. All contact veins dip into the
mountain on a pitch of about thirtyfive
degrees. Not less than twelve strong and
well defined contacts will be cut in the
distance in driving the tunnel. Two min
eral bearing contacts have been found,
and two fissure veins within the first
thousand feet. SONG drifting and up
raising has been done with good results.
One OF the assure veins has yielded, with
but small amount of work, some very
rich ore-gold and silver values.
From aaotner veiu few cars were
shipped that gave very rich returns in
silver; the smelling value being from $40
to $1,000 per ton.
Ihe lnez management are now prepar-
ing to let contracts for several hundred
feet OF drifts, portion from the tunnel
Level, and the balance from the upraises.
All the ore found thus far has carried
gold value. 1t is believed that a lead
and copper chute Will be found in short
distance. on vein Number 4, and drifting
VIII commence at once in an effort to To-
sate the ore. This property is looked
apon as one of the most promising in the
district.
~
The Meadow Mountain section
ine of our district can boast of the
Lead heaviest shipper of the camp
N,ng. for the closing year. The Lead
King property is the best ad-
fss'ised and the best known mine of this