The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-29

cut about Is feet, and In ten hours work,
with men, raised 0,000 pounds of ore,
averaging 60 per cent, leaving more than
as much again In small broken chunks,
and nodules, aggregating some z or B
tons, or about f9O0 pounds to the foot.
lie also found extensive deposits OF SINH
lar ores aud clays at various other places
on the property, notably at the Douglas,
Ball, and Winn leads, showing the great
diversity OF the deposits, these four main
leads being miles apart.
Prof. VIM. II. Cummins, who was, dur
ing four consecutive administrations OF
the States Government, In charge OF the
geological bureau of the state OF Texas,
and who subsequently examined the
property, confirmed Prof. DE Ryee's re-
port, and said: "The copper ore Is prac-
tically on the surface. No great shafts
10 sink at enormous costs, no flooding OF
the mines by water to contend with; the
ore, instead OF passing through different
metallurgical processes, passes through
only two inexpensive ones, and instead
OF yielding only two TO five per cent OF
copper, as In somo of the great paying
mines, it yields from co to 20 per cent.
while the clay alone, running from eight
inches to eight feet thick, yields 2 to %
per cent. an average OF perhaps quite ID
per cent. and instead of requiring mill
ions of dollars for a plant TO extract tho
metal, IL will be lixiviated and precipita-
ted by chemical means at Insignificant
expense"
"After the most careful and thorough
examination of this property at different
times for years past, my conviction Is
firm that no rational reason exists why a
very great mine may not be developed
on the property. that would very soon
return most gratifying results to the
stockholders"
The Federal Government at Washing
ton, having learned Of the existence of
this copper ore, the Secretary OF the In
terror sent an exploring commission un-
der charge Of Prof. Roessler, a most
competent, experienced officer, who
made as complete an investigation as the
hostile Indians would then permit. His
fully sustained the positions taken by
Profs. DE Ryee and Cummins. IL can be
found In cxtcnso in the geological re-
ports OF the ". s. Government.
Major G. Nelson Smith, late paymaster-
general In the ". s. Army. and for a
number of years a Senator from Phila-
delphia, in the legislature OF Pennsyl-
vania, visited the property several times,
hauled hundreds of tons OF copper ore
from the surface of the ground a distance
OF several hundred miles by wagon to
the then nearest railroad, and then
shipped 1t by rail about $500 miles to
the copper smelters at Baltimore and
Phenixville, where 1t was pronounced
the finest copper in existence, and sold
for from $3.50 to S400 per ton.
Prof II. A. Genth, then consulting and
ANALYTICAL chemist Of the University OF
Pennsylvania, and afterwards its presi-
dent, assaycd about 81 900 pounds of ore
out OF different shipments made by Sena-
tor Smith, which he certified averaged
about 62 per cent. pure copper.
The land is also valuable for farming
and stock raising. The soil consists of a
dark, chocolatc-coloredl loan, remarkably
fertile and producing vast crops Of corn,
cotton, sorghum, wheat, oats and other
cereals, potatoes, fruits or every variety,
and grapes equal to the best in Califor-
MIA or Italy. The climate Is almost per-
fection, being happy medium between
the long, bleak winters of the north, and
the almost perpetual summer OF the ex-
treme south. The elevation above the
sea Is about ], 200 feet, assuring perfect
comfort and health the year round, such
a thing as sunstrokc or postration never
having been heard of.
The property was profitably worked
for several years after the discovery Of