Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-11
A New Mexican Staff Correspondent
Writes Glowingly Of Conditions
at Silver City.
STEADY STREAM OF GOLD
Mining, Smelling and Stock Growing In
dustries All Flourishing- Substantial
Basis for Confidence in the Future
Of Grant County.
Special Correspondence New Mexican.


months ago the writer visited Silver
City. not a very long time to be sure,
but in that time number of important
changes have been made in the appear
ance of the town. In several places
where only vacant lots and the charred
ruins of former structures annoyed the
sight. new and handsome buildings now
stand. In the business section three
fine blocks have been erected. finished
and are all occupied. In different parts
of the city modern dwellings have been
built, and the end is not yet. For the
number of inhabitants this camp" as
it was once called, is undoubtedly the
busiest in the history OF the territory,
and if there were more houses there
would be more people. The most fire.
quent question heard is. ''Do you know
of house torcnt?'
1t may not be the proper thing, look
ing at the matter from selfish stand
point, for the New MEXICAN to adver-
tisc Silver Citys prosperity, but facts
are facts and sooner or later they come
to light, and generally the sooner the
better for all concerned. The reasons
for the prosperous condition of this city
are not difficult to see or understand.
They are the mines and cattle industry.
Grant County Mines.
Tributary to Silver City is large
scope of country, rich in mineral
wealth, containing numerous camps of
more or less Importance. Among these
camps and districts are Chloride Flat,
Pinos Altos, Billiards. Peak or Alham
bra, Bald Mountain, Paschal, White Sig,
nal. Gold Hill, Malone, Cow Springs.
Lone Mountain, Camp Fleming, Central,
Hanover Copper Flat, Santa Rita and
Georgetown. From these camps great
ore and freighting teams bring ore for
treatment and bullion for shipments to
them the same teams carry supplies and
merchandise of all kinds, nearly all of
which are purchased here. In the
mines work Is being pushed and rapid
develo;ment made. At the smelter to-
day l was told that there are ten men
employed in the mines where one was at
work two years ago, and that the pres
ent year would prove one of the greatest
in output western Grant county ever
knew.
In regard to development of mining
properties it is hardly safe to make a
statement of what is being accomplished
Some ill-disposed individuals would un-
doubtedly repeat the saying so often
heard: 20, pshaw; the fellow that
wrote that is a newspaper man." That
reflection is hurled at the fraternity too
often as it Is, without giving any further
cause for unkind and unjust remarks by
telling the truth in this case. However,
in speaking of a streak of ore that has
been blocked out in gold property in
the Pinos Altos district, gentleman
said: II don't dare tell how much there
is of it or how valuable it is, but it is
enough to make my hair stand on end.
As the speaker had but very little
natural covering on his knowledge box,
the strike must be q rich one in order to
accomplish almost the impossible. All
Jokes aside, number of very valuable
discoveries have been made during the
past six months, and the mining inter-
ests in the camps and districts men,
toned are contributing in no small de-
gree to the prosperity of the entire ter
ritory.
The smelter has been closed down for
u short time in order to allow much
needed repairs and Improvements to be
made. A visit to that Institution proved
of interest, as the plant was seen In its
Idle moments. Carpenters, bricklayers
and laborers were busy pushing the
work In hand to completion at the earli-
est possible moment; the ore bins are
full to overfowing with gold, silver, cop
per and other ores, and the manager was
wondering where to store the valuable
dirt and rock that are coming in until the
big furnaces can be blown in again. If
nothing prevents, and for Mr. Brether-
tons peace of mind it is to be hoped
nothing will, the fires will be lighted the
last of the week and matte will be pour
ing ont below soon after
The Cattle Industry.
The year that has just passed was
prosperous one for the cattlemen OF
Grant county, and the present one
promises even greater things for them.
The winter has been favorable in every
TtSpeCl. CdOble VII tiic IunSo ldNV No'io
through in splendid shape and will 60
upon the fresh grass strong and healthy.
Snow and rain have fallen in quantities
sufficient to insure good range the COM
ing season, plenty of water for stock.
and the owners are happy.
AS result of the high prices COM
mandcd last summer and fall, a new con-
diton has been brought about. All
stock in saleable condition was disposed
of under a lurking suspicion that prices
would drop as suddenly as they went
skYWard. and 1t was a wise thing to do.