El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-12-20
White Oaks Mining District.

The White Oaks mining district is
located in Lincoln county, New Mex
leo, eighty miles east of San Antonio
station on the Santa Fee railroad, 160
miles northeast east of Ell PasO, and
IO5 miles northeast OF Roswell, on the
Pecos Valley railroad. A tri-weekly
stage runs from this latter point, and a
daily one from the former, to White
Oaks. The Ell Paso & Northe astern
railroad now building In q northeastern
ly direction from Ell PasO to connect
with TT great Rock Island system at
Liberal, Kansas, will reach White Oaks
some time during the early summer.
Whe n the railroad reaches this section
of the country, gre at revival In the
mining interests is assured for this Is
one of the most promising gold sections
in the United States, according
to some of the best posted mining
men and mineral experts who
nave from time to time visited this
country. The Colorado gold belt has
been traced through New Mexico fr ON
north to south; and to prove it, they
point to gold mines and prospects be-
ing worked all along that belt from Red
River city and Blana 10 the JIcarilla
mountains near the southern line of
New Mexico. The town OF White Oaks
lies in a narrow valley at an altitude OF
=
with good schools AMI churches and u
very even climate, not very cold in
winter, nor uncomfortably warm in
summer. Two mil to the east are
the PATHS mountains which rise to q
height of 5000 feet above sea level.
Most of the coal mines now in an Oper-
ating condition are in these noun ta1ns
which are heavily timbered with pine,
pinyon, juoiper, cedar and oak. The
hi nnf in
aad limestone. Three miles to III !,
south of the town are the COrrizo
mouo tains, having an altitude of near
" 13, 600 feet with formation of trap
and prophecy near the SUBMITS, aud
lime quartzite and slate near tie base.
No paying coal or gold mines have yet
oeen found in this mountain. Both
mountains lie one mile to the west of
the town. The altitude is $500 feet.
This is the mountain in which nearly
all of the gold mines are at present
being worked. TIE formation is chsist
and prophecy, the former prepond erat-
ing; with the propt cry in the shape of
dy kes in size ali the way from two feet
to 100 feet in width, running north ind
south, and dipping slightly to the east.
The profitable gold bearing veins are
in fissures in tue dykes filing with
carbonate and oxide CT iron, Carrying
free gold in size all tie way from a
stain 10 the prOpL cry TO 40 feet in
width. Very little quartz is found in
these assures, and the ore IS exception
ally fine for milling as no sulphide has
yet been found to any extent, and it is
believed that none will be found until
the level of the valley is reached.
which is fully 200 feet below the deep
est shaft on Baxter mountain.
The most remarkable thiog about
these mines is that no water has as yet
oeen found 10 an of them. The dep
est is the North Homestaks, now with
the main shaft, 1850 feet. 1t is believ-
ed with coed reason that no water will
be found in any of them until the level
of the valley is reached. If Cripple
Creek or Leadville could add to tueir
profits the enormous amounts that it
costs them To keep their mines dry,
their reputation rs sbullion producers
would be greatly enhanced. The North
mil has twenty stamps.
The South Homestake deepest shaft is
$50 feet. They also operate twenty
stamp modern improved mill. Colonel
w. II. Weed is the emerge tic superin-
tendent of the Southstake company.
The Old Abe, Judge Hewett superin-
terdent and part owner. is down 700
feet with the rev 800 feet working
shaft, and expects t.. reach the 800
feet level before JANUARY 1, 1888. A
large ora reserve awaits them there.
The Old Abe mill Is also d twenty :
stamp one. There are two eastern
rom panies operating mills atNogal l74
miles south of here. They are both
free milling and concentrating. Gu te
3 number of mines are being Develop
I'D, and some placer mining Is being
done on the Jlcarillas, ten miles north
Of White Oaks, j. b. BAKER,