The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-11
OPERATIONS ON THE COLORADO
ACTIVE WORK ON THE RICH
PLACERS.
Proposed Electric Power Transmits
sion-Good Hope Plant In Shape
For Good Seasons Run

Richfield, April 10.-Prospects for a
lively season seem bright for the
placer district on the Colorado river in
San Juan county. This is about the
time of year that men are coming out
of that region for supplies and imple-
mentS to make ready for the summer s
work, and some news of the region Is
consequently obtainable. The ordinary
operating seasons there run from Feb
ruary till July and from September to
the holidays During July and August
the heat is so intense and floods are
so common as to almost invariably act
as g quietuS to work, and generally OPP
erationS are blocked by ice in the latter
part of December and in January,
though once in a great while the sea-
son lasts throughout the winter
One thing against San Juan is Its
great distance from metropolises and
railways. From Salt Lake, for in
stance, the prospector has been COM
PEELED to take the Rio Grande Western
for Richfield, consuming one day; to
leave next morning for Loa, reaching
there that night, and to allow himself
nine days to team it from Loa to hall S
crossing, landmark of the San Juan
country, so killing IL days in transit
from Salt Lake by the fastest possible
route. Recently, however, the San
Juaners have built an excellent short
cut to Halls from a point five miles
north of Muly Twist, and this lessons
the driving time three days, reducing
the time from Salt Lake City to eight
days.
There is no doubt but that the sands
of the Colorado in San Juan are flied
with gold. The only question is how
to save 1t, and to get water enough IN
dry season may require a big eX0endi-
ture of money. Realizing this, some
eastern capitalists are contemplating
the establishment of an electric plant
at some rich coal fields several miles
off the river and running a wire down
to the stream to convey power to eX-
tcnsive machinery TO be installed. The
coming summer will very likely tell
whether or not this plan will be car
ried out. In the meantime, several
small operators are using the Mitchell
-four gold amalgamator to very good
advantage.
One of the most enthusiastic operat-
ors in that section is J. NJ. Lysal, who
has thoroughly prospected the field. and
he is convinced that the sands there
are richer and more easily handled than
the dirt of the Snake river country.
whence he came.
Jack Butler and w. H Clifford are
taking a fortune from their placer dig
gings just above Hole-In-ROck At the
latter place, 80 miles down the river
southwest from Halls crossing, there
is a pay bar being operated by Lon
Chaffin, William Hay and Seth Longer,
whose Derilous voyage thither The
Herald recorded a short time since.
Thirty men have finished the eXcava-
ton of a race at the Good Hope. which
is now in shipshape for a nice seasons
run. DR.. w. II. Schock is making
things hum at the Independent, eight
miles below Hairs crossing, A force of
six men will continue saving gold there
until hot weather intervenes.
The Anderson, Gold Eagle and Treas
ure are three bars, just below Halls,
owned by II. a. Butterfield, c. Fount,
w. II. Hunter and William Bright.
Assessments on the claims are all done
this year and have disclosed large
tracts of rich gravel.