The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-08


onstrated The other vein outcrops
perhaps a thousand yards to the east
ward of the first, and presents the
same westward dip of from 6 to 10
degrees. Both veins have fairly good
roofs of sandstone.
The result of repeated measure
ments on both veins gives a little more
than FIVE FEET Of marketable BIZ
luminous coal in each. In one of the
deeper workings there is plump six
feet of coal, exclusive of a small por-
tion of fire clay. The profane man of
the party painfully chipped at the up
per part of the breast here, carefully
examined the product and calculated:
"well, this is id good!' Then, max
ing the same test of the lower part Of
the breast, exclaimed: And this Is a
id sight better!"
The magnitude of the field, the thick
ness OF the veins, the surprisingly
good quality of the coal, the ease of
mining, and the fact that the hungriest,
highest-p priced coal market of the en-
tire Southwest is. but 100 miles away,
over a down-grade route, convinced
every one in the party that this is the
opportunity of a lifetime to make a
paying investment.
This coal field has been secured in its
entirety, and is controlled under United
States patents by the promoters of the
New Mexico Railway and Coal COM
pany.
In this connection it is we'll to glance
at few figures. The only competitive
coal that can reach El Paso is:
From Thurber, 53S miles.
From Trinidad, $50 miles.
From Sabina (MeXico), 5l4 miles.
From Cerrillog $50 miles.
In at least one of these places the
cost of mining alone is greater than
the Salado product can be profitably
laid down in El Paso for. In every
case with possibly one exception, the
cost of mining is much greater than at
Salado. Add half cent a mile per
ton for hauling and every shadow of
possible competition vanishes.
The wholesale contract price of coal
in El Paso is $3.50 to 1915 per ton; at
retail, up to $3.50 or more. Coke sells
at from Sc to $1OS5 per ton.
The SaladO coal cokes admirably, but
the opinion of the coal men in the
party seem to he that it would be
wisest to market coal alone for the
present They have all looked into the
market possibilities at FL Paso, and
We're simply amazed to find how absO-
lutely the possession of the great Sal
ado fields would put them in command
of the coal trade Of that part OF the
Southwest-likely to be $4,000 tons per
month before the Summer ends.
The monthly yields of the Salado
field can be made as great as it's op-
orators desire.
MINES AND MINERALS
Good judges say that no part Of New
! Mexico is richer in minerals than the
region we passed through, from the
head of the OsCuras to the foot of the
Organs. Many people insist that this
| is the treasure house OF the Southwest
one OF them seriously expressed him
, self to me thus: THE Almighty put
his great riches here because they are
so hard to get at"
If one-tenth of the tales of wealth
locked in these mountains is true, there
are sure to be sensational develop
| ments here before long. There have
! already been astounding discoveries,
| as, for instance, when Pat Breen took
| $4,000 or 100000 in gold from a pocket
| on the top of Black Mountain.
We learned of fourteen distinct and
| important mining sections within a few
miles of our route, and inspected about
! half of them. Here is a list of loca-
| tions:
| Jicarilas Noeal
White oaks. Willow Springs
| Texas Park. Bonito
| Three Rive.s. Tularosa.
Bear Canyon. la IIIz
black Mountain. Jarillas, north.
! Ben Stevenson, Jarillas south
Gold, silver, cooper lead and iron
are here In astounding quantities, ac-
| cording to report. And there are scores
of square miles that have never been
| prospected. Indeed, outside of the
| White Oaks and Nogal districts, de-
velopment is usually of the most sup
| erflcial kind. 1t is certain that the
advent of railroad would put life
| and activity into region bigger than
| the state of Connecticut. The cost of
| transporting machinery and supplies
| has been prohibitive to most owners,
| and it has been an almost insuperable
| bar to the investment of outside cap
! ital
At White Oaks the Old Abe has
! yielded over 100000 in gold in about
| -FOUR working years, and 1t was de-
| Veloped from itself without outside cap
! ital of any sort. The North and South
| Homestake mines in this camp have
| also been large producers.
! At Nogal the American mine, owned
| by company, of which Commodore
| q. c. w. Lowrey, of New York, is
, president, gives great promise They
| have a number of claims on a true
'issure vein, and show samples of good
ore that rpm so far into the thousands
to the ton that it makes a tenderfoot
| blink to see them. The Helen Rae,
close by, and owned by Scranton peo-
pie, is being actively pushed and gives
every evidence of great value. 1t is
| apparently on the same vein as the
| American.
| The riches Of the Jicarillas has been
a camp wood in New Mexico for gen
erations. The mines are many and
the placer possibilities bewildering-
were there any water near. was told
that Mexicans found profit in packing
this placer dirt on burro back fifteen
or twenty miles to where it can be
| washed
The eyes of thousands have been
| turned to the 100000 acres of the Mes
calero Indian Reservation for it's min
erals even more than for it's farm
lands. The Three Rivers section in
the northwest corner of the reserva-
tlon, is undoubtedly a treasure house
Of mineral possibilities. Judge A. b.
Fall, Of Las Cruces, who is very shrewd
In these matters, believes it to prom
Use more than any similar section in
! New Mexico.
In the Tularosa canon we examined
a copper deposit with more than a mile
| of OutcrOp, ranging in surface width