The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-07

been known only by the cowboy and
the sheepherder.
a veil of mystery has hung over
them, and tales of ancient Spanish
mines of fabulous richness have been
current. They lie in the line of the
ancient Spanish trail to the north and
west, and were, as far. back in Ameri-
can history as the administration of
Thomas jefferson. the subject of diplo-
matte correspondence with Spain.
They were reported by the Hayden
! geological survey as being of a min
eral-bearing formation and the streams
having their sources in the peaks all
show placer gold. The range consists
of series of peaks from 10000 to
Il, 900 feet elevation, rising abruptly
/ from the surrounding mesas, and indi-
cate that they were forced up through
/ them, the meSas being of sandstone,
/ and ali trace OF sandstone is lost in
/ leaving them for the mountains proper.
! The range is about 50 miles north and
south and from three to five miles in
width east and west. They are divided
into three sections by two passes cut
ting through them from east to west.
The north pass is known as the Gey-
ser, and the southern as La Sal pass.
They are OF volcanic origin. An exam
ination indicates that the divisions
rose through separate and distinct CEN
tiers of volcanic force. and there is
marked distinction in the character of
the rock in the divisions.
The formation is igneous and meta
morphlc, and the whole line of meta
morphic rocks in the vicinity are walled
with heavy veins of granite. The
veins stand perpendicular. The center
or backbone of each division runs north
and south, and the spurs on the east
side run to the northeast and on the
west side TO the northwest
character dates back only to the fall
of 1895, when a few prospectors found
their way into the basin at the head
of Little Castle valley, near the north
end and in the division north of the
GeySer pass, known as Miners basin.
and they found prospects that brought
them back in the early spring of 1897,
but it was not until late in the past
season that they proved that they had
mineral in place, and of a richness that
would command attention in any part
of the world. And it was the Informal
ton OF these proSpectors that sent men
in that direction in the fall of 1897,
but too late to follow up the finds al
ready made. and the 18th of October
found them buried in snow.
The claims we have referred to are
situated on the peak at the head of
the basin, known as Mineral mountain,
a peak of about II, coo feet elevation
and is just west of Mount Wass, a
peak Of about 1900 feet elevation, on
which the government geodetic survey
station is situated.
Sixty miles south of the La SAILS lie
the Blue mountains, which have been
receiving much attention for several
years. The formation there partakes
more of the nature of sandstone, the
gold being found in the seams. A tun-
mel is now being cut to reach a great
depth under several of the rich claims,
with the expectation of striking the
main vein. There is a mail route and
wagon road to the Blues from Moab.
Between the two ranges lie the cop
per districts of Lisbon Springs and Big
Indian valleys. Lisbon lying about ten
miles south of Big Indian. This section
has attracted attention for several |
years. 1t has been visited by copper |
experts from all over the country, but |
there seems tic have been no two that |
agreed on the values in copper. The /
formation is sandstone and tale. The |
copper impregnates it. Assays show /
an average of about per cent on a |
4O-foot width of vein. The properties /
al Big Indian were sold the past sea- /
son to Messrs. Taylor, Luce and !
Sleeves. all Utah men, and they have
been steadily at work developing the
property. They have run over 700 feet
or tunnels and have demonstrated that /
ehere IS in this district one of the
largest bodies of copper ore known in
the country. Montana parties. backed /
by Marcus DAILY. have an option on the
property at present, and it is fully ex-
pected that they Will take hold of il
at once. If not the present owners will
proceed to operate the mines, erect
ing reduction works. Thomas DAILY has
been working in the Lisbon district for
the past six years and has opened up
2 body of ore similar TO that in the
Big Indian. He has far prospects now
OF being rewarded for his past la
bors.
This district has puzzled mining men.
as there seems to be no similar place
In the country. Just where the source
OIL TINS copper is has not been definite
~ decided, but it is the general be-
lief that it will be uncovered by deep
er workings. The fact that there is an
immense body of copper. cannot be
denied. and the best of it is. much of
it is already mined. This ore is well
adapted for the new teaching process.
and that style of a plant is the one
that will be erected.
Twenty miles east of the Big Indian
district is the new La Sal CANYON dis
trict. which is similar in formation to
that at Big indian. This lies lust
across the line in Colorado. Denver Il
capitalists are largely interested there.
and at present about 40 men are at
work.
The long distance to the railroad has
been one of the great drawbacks to the
development of the copper industry of
the section, but already two lines are
being projected toward the district.