Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-08


conveniently at hand here, and because
have always felt that nature intended
this historic capital to be the perma-
nent outside headquarters of the great
Cochiti gold mining district of New
Mexico, just as Colorado Springs has
attained worldwide recognition as the
outside headquarters of the famous
Cripple Creek gold mining district OF
Colorado.
The future of the Cochiti mining dis
trict is no longer problematical. Suffi-
cient development work has been done
to establish beyond a peradventure the
great and enduring value Of it's immense
quartz lodges. The depressing doubts
always entertained respecting compara-
lively new and unexplored mining dis
tricts have been dissipated by glitter
ing and incontrovertible facts. Incred-
ulty has been chased to cover and the
radiant dreams of the most sanguine
prospectors are rapidly taking the form
of yellow realities. Notably during the
past few months hundreds Of expert
enced mining men from all parts of the
country have critically inspected the
district, and, so far as I am informed,
the verdict Of these shrewd and impair
tial observers has been most favorable.
None have condemned, and many have
unhestatingly declared that the show
ing justified the expectation that the
district would ultimately prove another
Cripple Creek. So conspicuous has the
Cochiti become in mining and investing
circles, and so many and eager are the
queries concerning it, that think the
repetition of few general statements
in the premises will be welcomed by
readers of the New Mexican residing
outside of the territory.
EASY OF ACCESS.
The Cochiti mining district is situat-
ed in the mountains on the west side
of the Rio Grande, about thirty-five
miles southwest Of Santa Fe, as the
bird flies, and is comfortably reached
from this city in eight or nine hours
by means of an excellent wagon road
and also ,lesaA Sen ssEhorntan on the
Atchison, - penes S 1ot.sflsas Fe and
theneesty Trimble's well-equrpeG daily
stage line to Bland. The distance from
Thornton to Bland, the latter place be-
ing the postoffice and principal trad
ing point Of the district, is twenty-four
miles. The hotel accommodations, both
at Thornton and Bland, are good Bland
Is connected with the outside world by
telegraph and with the Albemarle mine
by telephone Good roads and trails
lead to all the principal mines of the
district
The substantial history of the Cochiti
mining district dates back to the clos
ing months of 1898, when it was proved
that several of it's phenomenally large
quartz Lodges carried ore that could be
profitably mined sorted and transport
ed for treatment by wagons and cars
to the Pueblo and Ell Paso smelters. But
land-grant controversy frightened
away capital, and thus seriously retard-
ed development work for several years.
A decree of the United States court of
private. land claims subsequently af-
firmed by the United States supreme
court, forever disposed of this contro-
versy in favor of the mine claimants as
against the grant claimants, and threw
open the entire district to location and
patent under federal mining laws. So
that perfect titles are now readily pro-
durable.
DIMENSIONS OF THE DISTRICT.
The main mineral belt Of the district,
so far as systematic exploration has ex-
tended, embraces about six miles from
north to SOUTH and about four miles
from east to west; the trend of the belt
is from northeast to southwest, and the
general pitch Of the quartz ledges is
toward the west; the general formation
is hard, compact, fine-grained porphyry,
with what an experienced Cripple
Creek miner termed Significant hints
of phonolite" in many places. Cutting
abruptly through and literally ribbing
the porphyry, in many places appearing
conspicuously above the surface, are
numerous lodges Of gold and silver
bearing quartz, varying in width from
8 to IS feet on top and almost invariably
having the smooth and perfectly defined
walls characteristic Of true assures.
These lodges contain from IS to 96 per
cent Of pure silica, no lead only occa-
sional traces Of copper, sulphides vary
ing from to 15 per cent, according to
locality, and all carry more or less gold
rtv~ - ~ ,,snRn
generally predominating. The quantity
Of silver Is largest where the percentage
of sulphides Is greatest. The highest
point in the district Is not more than
$500 feet above sea level, and hence the
mining and milling operations thereof
can be as advantageously prosecuted In
winter as in summer.
Prior to the final disposition of the
land-grant controversy by the courts,
the Grown Point, Iron King, Lone Star,
Washington, No Name, Little Mollie,
Good Hope, Ellen L., Union, Black Girl,
Albemarle, Puzzle, It's. K, Victor, and
numerous other claims were more or
less developed by the original owners
or lessees without the aid Of outside
capital, and without exception the re-
suits were most encouraging. Besides
piling up thousands of tons Of good
milling ore on their dumps, the owners
of the Crown Point, Lone Star and
Washington sorted and shipped from
$4,000 to 100000 worth Of ore each tc
distant smelters, thus much more thar
paying all expenses from the very grass
roots. The ore shipped averaged al