Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-23
MORE ABOUT BENTON DEAL
Manager Force now in Absolute Pos
session of This Valuable Mine
Under His Bond.
WORKINGS WILL Be AT ONCE TlMBERED
Large Steam Hoist and Other Ma
chinery Coming-Will Sink 100
Feet From Foot Level
Cerrillos Smelter Perfect.

Mr.. Robert M. Force, business man
ager of the Durango Morning Democrat,
whose good fortune in securing $4,000
working bond on the famous Benton
mine at Dolores, in Santa Fe county, was
exclusively reported in the New MEXICAN
on last Wednesday, came in from the
south last night. The gentleman talked
enthusiastically to New MEXICAN scribe
this morning, not only concerning his
own promising prospects, but respecting
the bright outlook of all the mining dis
tricts of south Santa Fe county.
He reports that be is now in absolute
and undisputed possession of the Benton
mine; that he has force of men, under
the direction of Foreman j. M. Smith,
actively engaged in getting out and haul
ing to the mine the necessary material
for timbering the two main shafts; that,
as soon as sufficient timber is on the
ground for the purpose indicated, ho will
wire an experienced and expert mine
worker to coma from Colorado and take
charge of the work; that the mine is al
ready supplied with good whim, which
will answer for the timbering, and that he
will Immediately order steam hoist, So
horse power engine and boiler and other
machinery from Denver. He intends to
order larger engine and boiler than will
be needed at present with view to hav-
ing enough power to operate an electric
plant and mill for the treatment of
low grade ore.
"The present workings on the mine,"
said Mr.. Force, Consists of two shafts,
one 273 and the other 260 feet deep, con-
nented by drift from the bottom of the
260 foot level, which assures plenty of pure
are. Several other drifts have been run
and good deal of excellent ore is in sight
that might be stopped down at once. My
intention, however, is to sink 100 feet
from the 273 foot level before take out
any ore. Then 1 will probably drift each
way on the lower level and will thus soon
open up a great deal of virgin stopping
ground. My bond and lease runs for two
years from the first of next month and
during its life I confidently expect to
take out enough ore to take up the bond
and make me the sole owner of two thirds
of the property"
"Manager Balue showed me through
the new smelter of the Mary Mining g.
Smelling company at Cerrilos recently"
continued Mr.. Force, 'and confess was
astonished at the extent, substantial
character and perfection of the plant
even to the minutest detail. 1t is com
plete and first-ciass in every respect and
would be credit to Denver or Pueblo.
1t will start in with capacity of fully 80
tons of ore per day, but has been 80
planned that it's capacity can be multi
piled by the addition of new stacks as
rapidly as they are needed. Manager
Balue says that he is now ready to begin
sampling and buying ore and will blow
in about the frat of the month"
The gentleman added that an inspection
of this splendid reduction plant gave him
fresh courage to proceed with the work
he had undertaken as he now knew where
much of the Benton ore could be treated
without the cost of shipping to remote
smelters.
ave are also awaiting the results of the
ex perimeptal run of the MCGEE mill on
Cunningham ore with deep interest,""
continued the miner journalist. "If this
test proves successful I may conclude to
put a similar plant on the Benton"
Certainly the mining outlook in Santa
Fe county has decidedly roseate hue with
the Cerrillos smelter about to blow in, the
McGee mill making trial run, stamps
dropping on Ortiz mine ore, and a Hunt
ington mill steadily at work extracting
yellow stuff, from the free milling Gold
Standard ore."
Concluding this interesting conversa-
ton, Mr.. Force remarked that he WAS
very much pleased with Durango, but ac-
knowledged that he always liked to get
back to sunny Santa Fe.