Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-22
A PROMISING GOLD CAMP
Indications Point to An Unprecedented
Mining Boom in the H0pewell Dis
trict in the Near Future.
4 YERITABLE SECOND CRIPPLE CREEK
The New Mexican Will Publish a Series
of Letters from a Practical Miner
Concerning this Golden Wonder
of the West, Containing
Valuable Information
for Prospective
Miners.

olAo0AO AhAS4 kA0eAVAA
for Prospective
Miners.
Editor New Mexican.
Alamosa, Colo, March 81, '97.--Just
now the eye of the whole business world
ls turned toward Colorado, and her won
derful mineral resources are attracting
more attention and interest than ever
before. Her Creede, Cripple Greek and
other bonanza camps have proven that
an All Bountifol Creator has indeed been
benefcient in slowing away untold wealth
in the bowels of the Rocky mountains
But enough of Colorado. The metro"
politan press of this state and thu
booming towns are all lauding thi.
rich store house of nature which only
awaits the hand of untiring prospectors
TO uncover Its Aladdin wealth in min
erals.
New Mexloo's interests engross my pen
Not that l may mutually share in any
new developments or boom investments;
but that deserving prospectors from
other overrun camps may receive a tip
and hie them to territory where all the
geological phenomena syist to proclaim
the habitat so much sought by the yellow
phantom chasers. You have right at
your door camp which will, in the near
future, astonish the world. l refer to
Hopewell formerly called Good Hops)
N. M.
HOPEwELL's HIsToRY.
There has been considerable placer
mining, in times past, in Eureka gulch.
The prospected portion of the camp is
about three miles square, and this gulch
runs through the center of the camp from
north to south. Quite brlsk running
stream here aids in the placer work
From 1881 to 1888 many thousands of
dollars have been washed from the sand
and gravel of that narrow gulch. Since
that time parties have shoveled and re-
washed the bed of the gulch realizing
each year from $4,000 to $4,000. Some
very fine nuggets have been found there.
Rev. Mowatt, of this place, has one
which is estimated to be worth $18. Two
thirds of the specimen is gold and one
third white quartz.
The working of lode claims has been
neglected in times past; but promises to
be pushed to the bitter end, next sum-
mer. Heretofore there has been only
hen. scratching; now begihs5a ass earnest
systematic work to develop.
GOLDEN CLEANS.
When the Good Being blessed the Rock
les with cornucopia flow, He was indeed
mindful of New Mexico and, particularly,
Hopewell. The $4,000 which has been
panned from very narrow gulch, mile
in length, ought to convince the most
skeptical that the yellow feathers were
washed from the nest of the hen that lays
golden eggs. Thegolden grains and mug
gets did not fall from the clouds or me-
teors. They were not washed up hill.
When the bosom of mother earth was
throbblng and the mountain peaks were
topping over from the effect Of the
ueighboring eruptions, then was the
mighty metamorphic granite mountain
rent in twain, and the melted snow formed
Eureka creek; and the creek rushed down
the newly made course in the bottom of
the gulch.
That same eruption formed the many
fssure veins, leads, etc. from which the
particles and nuggets of gold disintre.
gated and we're carried down the stream.
So much by way of signs, pointers, in.
dications, etc. that point to rich mineral
deposits.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
By reference to Hayden's geological
atlas, you will see that to the east and
west of Hopewell, are Basaltio mountains
volcanoes of pre-. historic date. Around
the camp are the bedrock of metamor-
phic granite with here and there the
trachyte. just to the westward are the
examinations of sedimentary formations
indicating. the ancient shore line. He
points out the "Dako ota mesazoic sedi.
mentary, upper and and middle carbo'
piferous'' stratas and there he leaves you.
When closely examining and comparing
two sections, one running from Antonito
peak to Brazos peak and the other show.
ing formation of Summitville, near here,
was amazed at the likeness of the two
formations. Summitville has produced
her hundreds of thousands dollars from
vein deposits; Hopewell has assured us
from her placer washings and surface of
vein prospecting that she will outrival
her neighbor as gold producer.
For close analysis of formations I
will divide the camp into eight sections.
I will take strip two miles wide by
three miles long, the gulch cutting IL iu
two, half of descriptive portions being
on either side.
Iron Mountain district is at the north
end of the Damp, comprising strip two
miles east and westand ons mile north
and south. This district is composed of
porphyry, lime and slate, vein matter,
quartz, iron, slate and cube iron. Iron
in difIsrnt forms is here in more abund-
ance than in any other portion of the
camp. This is what gave the name to
that portion Of the district.
Hopewell town is at north entrance to
Eureka gulch and on east side Of gulch.
The native rock is metamorphic granite,
contact, granite and porpbyry, vein mat
ter rose quartz, white quartz and iron.
The north entrance to gulch, the char
acter Of rock, contact and vein matter
are the same as at Hopew we'll town, except
that cube iron shows more here.
Middle gulch, here We ind schist and
porphyry contact. The mineral bearing
rocks are quartz and schist with consider
able hematite and cube iron. The veins
increase in number here and some slide
has been jolted OF the preoipitous sides
of the deep gulch, no doubt at the time