The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-05
OLD SPANISH MINES.
Ancient Workings Scattered All Over
This Western Country.

The article in yesterdays issue rela-
tive to the alleged discovery of an old
Spanish mine in Summit county not
very far from Kamas had the effect of
reviving "reminiscences in mining cir
cleS regarding the existence Of numer-
Gus other workings in various portions
of the state. and The Herald reporter
was informed that but a short time ago
another of these ancient wealth pro-
ducerS was discovered in Trout Creek
district. in the Deep Creek country, not
far distant from Fish Springs, and that
it was the intention of the discoveries
and locators to do some extensive work
this fall and winter in operation Of
this old bonanza, for a paying mine it
must have been, as the remains OF an
old arrastra was found on the ground,
while it has been demonstrated that
there is free milling ore in the old
workings which runs high in its gold
and silver contents, an old shaft, in
the neighborhood of 100 feet in depth,
showing that the property had been
quite extensively worked in the past,
although 1t will take time to show the
extent Of underground exploration,
time having undermined ana oblirer-
ated much that had probably been done
in the operation and development of the
property, there being no doubt but that
100 winters have come and gone since
the SpaniardS and MeXicanS delved in
the ground in the Deep Creek country
for the precious metals, and as their
primitive methods of ore extraction and
reduction would not admit of the OPP
Grafton of low grade propositions, and
they We're excellent miners, there is
every reason to believe that the old
mines of Mexican or Spanish develop
ment to be found in different portions
of the state were rich in their deposits
of the precious workings
There are some who may scott at the
idea of there being old Spanish mines
in Utah. but evidences of Mexican OPP
Grafton and occupation are to be found
in numerous places. In fact, the re-
mains of old Mexican houses are to be
found at Monroe. Tooele, Parowan and
Paragoonah, while at Deseret there is
still to be seen the remains of a long
and large irrigation ditch, the building
of which is accredited to the Mexican
people at least a century ago.
AS a general thing the mines once
worked by the Spaniards and after
wards abandoned, are usually covered
up, it being thought by many that this
was done for the purpose of hiding
them or to mislead newcomers as to
the character of the workings, but it is
learned from an old Mexican that the
openings were always covered when
left for quite a period Tor the preSerVa-
ton of the underground workings, as
the sealing up of the outlet excluded
the air. thus preserving the drifts, lev
els and croSs-cuts for hundreds of
years without any material alteration.
This being the case, it would well be
worth the while of discoveries of such
old workings to excavate near the sup
posed outlet the likelihood being that
the old drift or tunnel may be uncov-
cred and that it viii be in an almost
perfect state of preservation.
The rediscovery in Trout Creek dis
trict is we'll located, there being water
and timber there in abundance, and the
new Swners will spend considerable
time and money in it's development.