Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-16
This Mountain the Center of District
That Has Been MineraliZed for a
Distance Of Many Miles in
All Directions.
OLD METHODS IN GENERAL VOGUE
There is Not a Concentrator in the
Whole District and Gold Not
Saved by Analgamation
is Lost.
Special Correspondence New Mexican.

without doubt the center or country
that has been mineralized for distance
of many miles in all directions. La Belle,
Red River, Urraca, Bonito and other
mining places are spoken of as separate
districts, but the formations, character
of ores and general contour indicate that
the mineral lands in this part of New
Mexico belong to one large district, with
Old Baldy as the center.
In this district, near the surface, the
ore is paratively free, but as depth
has been attained this quality gives way
to refractory conditions, even before the
water level is reached, and this accounts
for the shallow workings in the few mines
that have been developed. The famous
Aztec has never been worked to greater
depth than 218 feet, and while the ores
in this mine have been looked upon as
free milling, the fact is they are refrac-
tory. While large quantities ofgold have
been saved from the Aztec, there is no
question that greater amounts have been
lost. There is not concentration in the
whole district and the gold not saved by
amalgamation is lost.
There are any number of mines that
can output a large tonnage of ore, carry
ing values from $40 to $50 that cannot be
properly treated in stamp mill, neither
will such ores bear transportation charges
without concentration. The opinion has
been expressed that the cyanide or chlor-
ination methods could be used edvau-
tageou5ly, but the unknown quantities
of lead and copper carried by the ore
makes such an opinion question to be
determined only by actual experiments.
Just why the line dividing Colorado and
New Mexico should be supposed to run
clear below the surface and make two
distinct and separate soils, mineral depos-
its and formations, is something difficult
of comprehension, but there is no use
denying the apparent prejudice which
exists among miners against New Mexico.
If the Colorado line were 70 miles farther
south, what is now known as northern
New Mexico would be the liveliest mining
section in the country, and for that mat
ter it will be before many more months
anyway. Eastern capital and eastern
men are coming in and developing the
properties, in fact nearly every claim that
is being vigorously worked is iu the hands
of people living east of the Mississippi
river.
In the peat many mining men have
kept away from this district because of
the fact that large portion of the min
eral lands are within the boundaries of
the Maxwell land grant, but that is no
drawback whatever. A locator can obtain
an indisputable title to claim 300 by
1900 feet from the grant company for
about 5000 80 soon as the money is ready
to be paid over. This is also true of the
Urraca and Bonito districts, which are
owned by Mr.. Francis Clutton of Cimar-
ron. Water and timber are both plentiful
and easily reached.
Adjoining the townsite of Red River
City is q wonderful deposit of copper.
1t crops out from the base of the noun
tain fully 30 feet in width. How valu-
able this deposit is no one knows. Many
years ago the Waterbury Watch company
drove two tunnels into the mineralized
matter, erected an experimental reduc-
tion plant, but the enterprise was fail
ure and the workings were abandoned,
and last fall the claim was relocated by
other parties.
In this district there has never been
any really systematic mining done, al
though large sums of money have been
made in the workings of several mines,
and no more inviting field can be found
for those who have money to invest in
mining enterprises.
just at present much activity prevails
throughout the district. Within the past
few days eastern parties interested in the
Yellow Dog at Badly have visited and
thoroughly examined the property, and
are we'll pleased with the prospects for
good returns on the money invested. In
the Bonito and Urracs, Mr.. Richardson,
an old timer in mining, has been care
fully going over the ground for people
in the southern part of the territory; in
other localities properties are being
looked after quietly, but persistently.
At Baron Won Znylen's mill several
test runs have been made which made
good showings. One on 2S tons of ore
from lease on the French Henry claims,
returned 81 ounces of gold; another on
three tons of ore from the Rebel Chief
turned out something over three ounces
of gold to the ton. A carload of Snug
gler ore has been shipped to the Pueblo
smelters, by way of Springer, which is
expected to show good value. If this
shipment proves satisfactory Others will
follow.
The placer workings at this place are
making fine cleanups. Nearly if not
not quite $4,000 have been shipped out
all ready and the supply of water is still
abundant. Recent heavy rains have
aided in this respect, and the placer out
fits are running night and day. The
Golden Ajax company has been improv-
ing it's plant and are running the ten
stamp mill on good ore from the noun
tain quarry owued by it.
At Lyons camp, some miles north,
Colonel Harry Lions has effected a $685.
600 sale of mining property, and is now
at work on 700 foot tunnel on the claim
Along Baldy some six or eight tunnels,
from IS feet to 200 feet in length are
under headway. At Black Copper ythe
Merrick Tunnel company has let con.
tract for 600 feet of tunnel work.
Work has been resumed on the Chal
lenge at Hematite, which is under bond
and lease to energetic parties, and new
and valuable ore struck within ten fest
of former workings, which shows goodly
quantities of free gold. Some idea OF
the amount of travel into Elizabethtown
and surrounding camps, when it is known
that in June 22l passengers were carried
by the Hankins' stage line.
Killed by Dynamite.
i Madrid, July 16.--Two dynamite bombl
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