Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-08-18
TRANSPORTATION AN IMPORTANT QUEST
What is Being Done with the Mining
Industry in This Section of the
Territory-Detailed Statements
Relative to Several Import
ant Mining Deals.

Colonel G. W. Prichard, formerly a
resident of Las Vegas, ex-U. S. at
torney and ex-member of the ter
ritorial council, who has been living
for the past four years at White
Oaks, was in the city last Saturday. He
says that the southeast corner of the
territory including the counties of Lin
coin, Chaves and Eddy has probably more
promise than any other part of the terri
tory. ut will be the best business corner
in the territory if we are to Judge by the
Indications" said he. "Do you know" he
remarked, shat while the territory in
general has been at standstill to great
extent for the last few years, the counties
of the southeast, have witnessed railroad
building, the construction of sugar fac
tories and the opening up of almost ilim-
liable coal fields, to say nothing of the
advancement made in gold minipgF
Asked about gold mining down there he
said:
Several new mines have developed
rich bodies of ore in Lincoln county with
IN the past year, notably the American
and Helen Rae at Nogal. There is a
large scope of country in Lincoln county
that has great promise. From the CALI
mas mountains to the Sacramento noun
tains, from north to south, distance of
hundred miles or more, is essentially q
mining country. Within the range have
named are the Jicarilla placers, White
Oaks, Nogal and the Borito country.
There never has been any question about
the richness of the placers in the Jicarilla
mountains. Water is what they want
there, but as it has been demonstrated
that water can be had on the south side
of those placers, the time is probably not
far distant when capital will be enlisted
for the purpose of developing water.
When that is done there will be different
story to tell about those placers."
How about White Oaks?
"White Oaks has done its part in put
ting out bullion in New Mexico, and it will
be bullion producing camp for years to
come. The outlook there is good. The
North Homestake is producing rich ore;
the Old Abe has resumed work; the Little
Mao has practically gone into new hands
and will be big producer in time, TO say
nothing of number of other valuable
properties there that are being worked at
this time"
Have you any information about the
new strikes at Nogalp
"Nogal never saw as much life, nor
never had 80 much promise as now. The
American mine is rich mine, not a
bonanza, perhaps, but a good paying
which are producing. There are other
mines to be, in that camp, the Grover
Cleveland, the Cashier and others that
might be named"
Is there any mining in the Bonito
country?
practically none at this time, but there
will be during the fall. That country is
full of leads, and it's almost certain that
some rich ore shoots will be found there.
The Parsons mine is virtually prop
erty of the Bonito group. As you know,
it is low grade proposition with ore
almost without limit, taking in good
portion of one side of the mountain"
How long have you been interested in
the White Oaks districtr
"Since the year 1879. 1 went there
about the time the North Homestake was
discovered, and with my associates pur-
chased an interest in quite number of
properties there. Among them were the
Old Abe, Little Mac, Rip Van Wrinkle, and
the Comstock."
So at one time you were interested in
the Old Abef
eyes, the first deal made on the Old
Abe by Its original locaters, was made to
me and my associates. The first work
that was done on the Old Abe was done
by myself and associates.
"The Little Mac mine was the best
looking property at that time, of the
group, 80 I gladly exchanged my interest
in the Old Abe for an interest in the Lit
tie Mao and paid some cash to boot.
There was nothing in the Old Abe that we
could see, and the parties that got it
from US thought so little of it that they
failed to do their assessment work. A
man by the name of Patterson came
along and made new location on it
The parties who hold under that second
location have taken out over 100000 in
gold. man hates to let that amount
of gold slip through his fingers, 80 after
it turned out so rich was stimulated to
try to make bonanza out of some of the
mines we had left, hence three years ago
went into that camp to stay by it until
became satisfied with the results. /
think can say have no regrets for 60
ing there. I have satisfied myself that
there are other bonanzas there besides
the Old Abe, and let me say I believe the
Old Abe will yield more gold in the future
than it has yielded up to date"
What are your railroad prospects?
"When you consider what the resources
Of the country are, the extent of the coal
fields, the richness of its great pastoral
advantages of it's mining localities, it is
but reasonable to presume that railroad
eau not be deferred long. The road is
coming. The promoters of the road are
in earnest, and they are men who are or
dinarily successful in carrying out any
undertaking they enter upon"