Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-17
A KLONDIKE AT HOME
New Developments Indicate Past
Production Will Be Exceeded
During Ensuing Year.
GEOLOGY OF BALDY DISTRICT

GEOLOGY OF BALDY DISTRICT
Influx of Eastern Capital Presages Wave
of Prosperity for the Embryo Bonanza
Camps -Oimarron Making
Preparations.
Recent developments in the northern
New Mexico gold fields have amply
demonstrated the superior Importance
of the region as a mining center. The
continuity of the rich ore chutes that
gave astounding productive results in
early days has been definitely estab-
lished and the matter of regular output
is an assured fact. Scientific appliances
and geological research have revolution
lied the work of prospecting and rele-
gated the hit and miss style of operating
to its proper sphere of fogyism. For
merly, ore that returned less than $50
|
ging. but the fact that. in other sections
of the west, low grade properties have
been developed that are paying larger
dividends than the bonanzas, has in
duced the prospcctor and investor to
Danish dreams of the ''Old Spanish
workings Lost cabins and other
mythical illusions and settle down to
practicable mining on a practical basis
Now the ''more vcrdant hill just over
the way" the excitement at Goose Creek,
Cripple Creek, or some other creek, is
left to the imaginative and migratory
tcnderfoot. while the practical miner
keeps everlastingly peggng away at his
| low grade quartz vein. secure in the
knowledge that the Treadwell mine in
Alaska has paid S., 100000 in dividends
on 81 ore; that the Tom Boy in Colo
RADIO is working on ore returning from
s3 to 81 per ton; that the Homestake has
paid $6,5lS,750 on 81 ore, and that the
average values of the Witwaters and s.
A. r. mines are but five pennyweightS in
gold on the plates, and three in the tall
ings, requiring both amalgamation and
cyanide in their reduction.
Work at Elizabethtown.
Near Elizabethtown. the Red Bandana
properties, operated by James Lynch
and others, are producing $50 ore from
the Moreno claim at depth of 1870 feet,
and $15 ore from the Red Bandana
claim. The Moreno ore chute is a recent
discovery. The vein is 1S inches wide,
with walls of porphyry and laminated
quartz. The Red Bandana tunnel Is in
$50 feet but has gained only It's feet
depth. 1t cuts the latter eruptives di-
rect and the breast of the tunnel shows
the blue limestone, conglomerate and
slate, peculiar to stratified localities.
The vein is seven feet wide. The Red
Bandana group compares favorably to a
majority of the high grade mineral pro-
ducers of the west
The Klondike, located on a foothill of
the Badly range, near Elizabethtown.
has attained 100 feet depth. The vein
matter has been drifted in a distance of
70 feet and no walls encountered. The
values are very uncertain, the vein mat
ter showing but little evidence of per- |
manency as yet. Disintegrated masses
of high grade sulphide ores are encOun-
tered from time to time, and doubtless |
when sufficient depth is gained the
Klondike will show wonderful body OF
good grade ore. The work is under the
supervision of C. j. Dold, representing a
Kansas City syndicate.
A tremendous influx of water has ne
cessitated the abandonment of the Hid
den Treasure workings temporarily.
Manager Gottlieb has purchased a
pumping plant having a capacity Of
300 gallons of water per minute and
will resume operations as soon as the
new machinery is placed in position.
This mine has been remarkably well
handled, the facility with which the
stringers were followed to the strong ore
bodies, and faults overcome, demon
strating singular engineering acumen.
A noteworthy fact is that Willow gulch,
which contains the famous California
Flat" placer workings, rich producer
in early days, is now entirely dry. This
seems to lend strength to the supposi-
tion that the Hidden Treasure lead,
from which tremendous volume of
water must now be pumped, furnished
majority of the former water supply of
the gulch, and was one of the principal
feeders to the gold supply of the Flat.
The Hidden Treasure vein Is four feet
wide. The ore is decomposed quartz.
showing considerable hematite iron,
and large quantities of free gold.
Mr.. Rothgeb is pushing development
work on the Moreno extension
H. H. Argue will resume work on the
Moreno valley placers this month. His
company has expended $25, 900 on new
dredge which, If successful. will tend
to revolutionize placer mining in dis
tricts where scarcity of water pre-
cludes operating during the entire sea-
son. The Moreno valley placers have a
record of producing $1,000. 600 and the
workings do not show, as yet, very eX-
tensive mining. The average value of
the ground, is from 30 to 60 cents per
cubic yard.
The Matte Belle property, located on
the north slope of Big Niger mountain,
has been sold to eastern parties. The
development work consists of an sO-foot
shaft showing a two and one-half vein of
quartz, in porphyry walls, giving from
1913 to 1857 assay values. The property
was formerly owned by A. Mennett,
travelling salesman for Browne & Man
zanareS.
The Ute Creek Region.
Unusual activity is manifested at Bal
dy, due to recent acquisitions in the To-
cality by eastern capitalists and the in
creased employment Of labor, incident
to the resumption of work in the placer
diggings. Baldy is self-sustaining
mining camp, disgorging over $4,000
per annum to small lessees on the lode
claims and nearly as much from the
placers.
The geological conditions of Baldy are
peculiar and require special study for
their comprehension. The experience
gained In other camps Is Of little avail