The herald., 1898-11-17
Two VALUABLE FINDS
BIG SULPHUR DEPOSIT IN SAN
DIEGO COUNTY
Government will Purchase It-Anti-
mony Mine in Tehacapi Mountains
Brings Good Price

A discovery of sulphur was made on Nov.
9 in San Diego county which is likely to
prove of great Importance. 1he vein is w
per cent sulphur, being about the purest
natural sulphur in the world. The vein is
nine feet deep, as shown by an arroyo which
cuts across it. There is a copper ledge also
upon the land which promises well. The
five claims staked are seventy-hve miles
from San Diego, forty-eight miles due south
of Salton, forty-five miles from Flowing
Wells and four miles from Coyote Wells.
They are twelve miles within the boundary
of the United States and twenty-five or
thirty miles north of the Mexican mines,
which have shut down since Uncle Sans
edict was issued declaring sulphur contra
band of war The claims are located on
spur of the far east point of the Laguna
mountains, extending on to the desert.
G. Q. Pearce, owner of the claims, has
sold them to the United States government.
Mr.. Pearce came up from San Diego day or
two ago. The locating OF the sulphur claims
came to the notice of a government agent
here, and within twenty-four hours after
the discovery was made kilograms were pur-
suing each other between here and Washing
ton, and resulted in the agents being in
structed to contract with Mr.. Pearce for the
property without delay. Mr.. Pearce was in
structed not to state the figure, but insinu-
ates that the deal is big one. He leaves to-
day for San Diego and the mines with the
instruction to get out sulphur as rapidly as
possible, pile it up, and await the govern
ments further orders. The find will be pur-
chased outright.
The governments action in this case has,
in the minds of some, a significant bearing
upon national issues. Sulphur makes pow
der, and powder has to do with war. At
present, by international law, sulphur is
contraband of war. None of it can come into
the United States from foreign countries,
save in an unrefned condition, without be-
ing oonfscated. The government has con-
fiscated several foreign eargoes already, and
has been buying great deal of sulphur for
its powder works. Recently cargo from
Sicily, billed to private parties at Ventura
was sighted well off shore, visited by United
States officials and brought in to the gov
ernment docks. There is at present only
one sulphur mine in the United States which
is being extensively worked. That is in
Louisiana.
The history of the finding of Mr. Pearce's
the development of the southwest. A year
ago last June Mr.. Pearce, who is a miner
alogist, came to San Diego from Colorado.
He was sent by the Trinidad Coke company
for the purpose of investigating thoroughly
the mineral conditions of the southwest.
The Trinidad company is planning the
building of railroad, branch of the Santa
Fe system, from Congress, Ariz, to San
NIT Vic 70, +lak -
port of expectation of their coke to all parts
of the world 1t was the understanding that
should the mineral resources warrant it,
this rich corporation of English capitalists
would erect a smelling plant in San Diego.
Mr.. Pearce's investigations had surpassed
all expectations before the great sulphur dis
covery, and that find will doubtless precip-
itate matters. Mr.. Pearce's particular field
for investigation lay between Congress,
Ariz., Ehrenberg, Pichaco and San Diego.
Another investigator went down the coast
OF Mexico toward South America, and
found quantities OF iron and lead fit for the
proposed smelling factory, which will burn
Trinidad coke. Another explorer under Mr..
Pearce is working between Julien and Camp
bell, and has not yet handed in his report.
Two months work will be done along this
hne before an opinion as to the smelling ma
terial existing there can be made. So much
encouragement has been received, however,
that Mr.. Pearce stated last night that
enough had been found to assure not only
that the smelling scheme is feasible (which
was about ali the syndicate seemed to de,
sire), but to insure its financial success. The
syndicate however, wishes to await decis.
ion as to the Nicaragua canal before begin
ming work, though it is understood that the
canals existence is not absolutely necessary
to the success OF the other enterprise.
By strange coincidence there arrived at
| the United States hotel at about the same
time as Mr.. Pearce an old man, Aaron Win.
tiers, who brought with him specimens oi
crystalline antimony of very fine quality
Winters comes from the Tehachepi mount
aims, where he has staked four claims some
fifteen miles north Of Mojave. Yesterday
he sold his claims to F. De Friestas, agent
of the Rapid Transit Real Estate company
of New York. As a result of this deal the
simple, shabby old prospector will prob
ably return with $4,000 in his overall pock
cts DIS Friestas leaves today for the old
mans place. Already shaft has been sunk
sixty feet, and antimony 80 per cent. pure
and worth $50 ton is being taken out.