The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-01-09
AMERICAN FLAT CLAIMS.
Properties That Illustrate Some
Possibilities.

A group of the most promising unde-
veloped claims perhaps within the boun-
dares OF the State of Nevada lie in the
american Flat district west OF keystone
and south of the old Caledonia. They
are the Santa Rosa, Last Chance, Col
den Fleece, Bimetallic, Centeryile and
New American Flat claims and are own
ed and controlled by prominent resi-
dent of Gold Hill. Three of these claims,
all six of which are contiguous, are on
the old famous blue lode They are the
Golden Fleece Centervile and Amcri-
can Flat This American Flat claim is
not the old mine of that name, but an
entirely new location.
A assessment work was done in all
these claims last year and the ore en-
countered and taken out in every case
paid Tor the work done. In the Enter
| prise Office NAV be seen some ore from a
little tunnel in the Last Chance which
is easily worth over 800 per ton. Dam
iel McMurchie once owned this claim
| and in early days sank shaft to the
! depth of forty or fifty feet on it. There
was an abundance of $50 rock on the
bottom of the shaft when it WAS aban-
| doned because $50 ore did not pay in
those days. The rock in all OF these
claims Is only I percent silver. 1t only
requires small outlay of time for any
| Comstocker to visit these claims and be
convinced of the enormous possiblitit s
with which the proposed plan to run a
branch of the Sutro tunnel under Amer
| lean Flat is frought.
From this tunnel miles of virgin
ground of the character of these claims
could be developed at moderate cost,
beside the ore left in the big mines if
| American fat could be recovered. 1t
seems IA wonder that no one has YET
carried out this plan, which is now
being endorsed by men who will see il
accomplished, says the Carson News.
| The Virginia Chronicle says:
The American Flat district is extern
sive a I'd the hedges in it, in all proba-
bility, contain large deposits of rich orr
possibly a bonanza or two. The men
who are backing the proposition to drain
the Flat and reopen its mines are prac-
! tical miners, and their belief in the pos
sbili;ies OF the district is worth some
| thing. However, the prospects develop
ed in the past speak for themselves and
! all old miners who are acquainted with
| the district and its history are enihusi-
astc in their declarations that it con-
tains large and valuable de posi- OF ore
There are probably forty mines on the
| Flat; and il it is developed it is likely
| that it will prove of much greater i'm
portance than any one supposes at pres
ent in fact its possibilities are limitless.
| The rich ore in the mines DEVELOPED, in
nearly every instance, showed up at the
water level, which was between the 500
and 800 foot levels. 1nthe Rock Island
where the ledge developed was very rich
| Illt SidlJ Was SuIIh oIiy dDouI tOo iOcI.
The big bonanza in the Con. Virginia,
the treasure chamber whence was taken
over hundred million dollars, was on
the 1900 level. Why should not a big
bonanza be found at some such depth in
American Flat district? The lodges be-
gand to show rich ore when the water
struck and was certainly a presage of
better conditions further down; then
| why should not valuable ore bodies exist t
/ there?
There is no question hut what this
district offers gilt-edged opportunities
to mining men who have capital to ex-
pend in drainage and development. In
the estimation of some OF the ablest
| miners on the Comstock it presents the
best practical mining proposition to cap
! italisis in this region, and one of the
coast. The remarkable thing IS that it
was not taken up long before. The
Comsiock, howevever, overshadows
many neighboring districts that afar of
would be considered vastly important
Which act counts for it,