Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-07-14
THE OUTLOOK FOR MINING
Interview with Hon. +. A. Reynolds
Of Chloride, Sierra County, Con-
cerning the Outlook for the
Mining Industry.
DEVELOPMENT WORK NEAR GRAFTON
A Good Deal of Attention is Being Civ
en- Just at Present to the Lead De-
posts in the Vicinity of
Magdalena.

Hon. L. A. Reynolds of Chloride, Sierra
county, who was in the city yesterday on
the way home from Denver, is probably
one of the best posted mining men, re.
garding the central portion of the terri
tory, in New Mexico. He has visited
most of the camps, and being practical
miner is in position to speak in an in
telligent manner on the prospects and
work in the mines of Sierra and Socorro
counties.
In an interview yesterday he spoke
very encouragingly of the outlook, bas.
ing his opinion upon work now under
headway.
Since the sale of the placers between
Hillsboro and Kingston there has been a
noticeable increase IN operations in that
district. Prospeotors are finding their
way into the hills and are working with
good results. The deposits in the Mimbres
mountains are in immense fissure in a
poryphry formation, generally vertical,
the ores bearing gold, silver and copper,
the greater part being free milling.
Many of these veins have been worked
from ten to 400 feet deep and the value
of the ore proven by shipments.
Near Grafton considerable development
work has been done, the ores found in
that vicinity being in lime quartz and
are free milling. The principal proper
ties in this district are the Great Repub-
lic group, Emporia, and Ivanhoe, all
patented and having from 500 to 1000
feet of work done on each. The ores are
rich in gold and easily treated.
In the Chloride country the ores bear
copper and silver, with little gold. The
U. S. Treasury and White Eagle mines
one the extension of the other, have veins
over "a feet in width on the 100-foot level
and show 10 per ton value across the
face. In working these claims no waste
is encountered, all the stuff taken out be.
ing "pay dirt" and over 1000 tons of ore
are now on the dumps. These mines are
the only gold producing mines in the
Chloride district that have been discov
cred, the other claims, as stated before
producing copper and silver. The Colos
sal, Midnight and Silver Monument, once
famous producers but for years alloweo
to remain idle will resume work soon
The renewal of operations in silver
mines is due to the demand for copper
and nearly all the silver lodes carry that
metal in paying quantities.
In the Magdalena district mucf
deposits at this time, particu
larly around the once famous camp O
Kelly, and long abandoned claims art
again made to produce. I. s. Church
has opened up a copper claim which il
an extension of the old Iron Mask, abou
three miles south of Kelly, and is doing G
large amount Of work with good pros
pects. This Iron Mask, very rich prop
erty, is idle because of a disagreement
among the owners, but these interna
troubles are in fair way of settlement
and it is thought the mine will be put in
operation before long. The Graphic
mine and smelter are running night and
day. in fact through all the time of low
prices work was not stopped, and the
management of the property deserve
credit for successfully carrying on the
business in the face of disoouraginp
conditions. Lead has advanced in price
very materially the last six months, and
lead producing properties are beginning
to be paying propositions.
great amount of work is being done
in the gold belt of Six Mile and Water
canon and the claims there are making q
good showing. 9. t. Brown has fine
property in the Golden Star, and ON that
and three other claims has a force of 1t
men at work. Terry Bros, owners of the
Philadelphia and Keystone mines, are
also showing some fine ores. The ore
taken from these claims will be treated
in an experimental mill of three stamps
and if the results are what is expected, g
large reduction plant will be put In al
once. local company has been organ
lied to carry on the work, with every in
dication of success for encouragement.
Mr.. Reynolds took prominent part in
the sessions of the recent international
mining convention in Denver and states
that New Mexico mining interests will re.
ceive much benefit from the holding oi
the congress. One of the finest ore exhib
it's there was the one from the Gold Stand.
ard mine in South Santa Fe county
owned by Messrs. r. NJ. Oarley and Pablo
Amanda. There were about 100 pounds oi
rich free gold ore specimens in the ex-
hiblt and they attracted great attention
Mr.. Reynolds is on the committee OF
the revision Of the mining laws, appoint
ed by the congress, the committee being
charged with drawing up set of new
regulations and improved proposed laws
to be submitted TO congress for ADOPTION.
The other members of this committee
aae: G. j. Moore, mining engineer,
Cripple Greek; j. E. Todd, state geolo-
gist, South Dakota; Lamar Cobb, mining
engineer, Georgia; R. A. f. Penrose,
brother of Senator Penrose of Pennsyl-
vania, and president of the Common
wealth Minidg company, Pierce, A. T.