The silver lance., 1899-01-06


transportation facilities has been detri-
ment in the development Of the district,
and not the least important Of the
growth within the past year has been
N. building of the Crystal River rail
road, which has been completed for a
distance of eighteen miles up the Crystal
River valley, to Redstone, which is to be
the diverging point for the Coal Basin
branch to the immense coal fields Of the
Colorado Fuel & Iron Company. The
main line will be built up the valley
and put in operation as far as Marble at
least. in the near future. The C. F. & L.
Co.. will also build coke ovens short
distance above Redstone, where is to be
established the largest coking plant in
the Rocky Mountains, and that in con-
uection with the work Of extending the
railway lines will employ many laborers
during the next twelve month.
The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company
own about sixteen sections OF coal lands
in the southern portion of the coal fields
which extend from the head of Rock
creek in Pitkin county to Elk creek in
Garfield county,a distance OF about sixty
miles. Tho holdings OF this company
consists of anthracite, coking and non
colfing Goals Of excellent quality, and 1t
is said that their coking coal at this To-
cation is the best known to occur in tho
state Of Colorado. Tho anthracite field
is particularly remarkable from the fact
that in Gunnison county, Colorado, with
the exception OF limited field in Santa
Fe,county. New Mexico, is the only 10
cality IN the West where true anthracite
coal is mined. 1t is of very superior
quality and for domestic purpose. is rap
idly growing in favor as its superiority is
becom ing known. The anthracite beds
Of this section are a continuation OF the
deposits being worked through tho
mines near Crested Butte.
The marble beds OF this section, which
have only been worked as necessity com
pelled in the fulfillment OF contra cts of
the Denver Onyx & Marble Company.
will probably be opened up fully and
worked to the best advantage with the
advent Of the railroad. The extent of
these marble beds extends over large
territory and embraces splendid deposits
Of every variety of marble which experts
pronounce to be the best in the world.
Competent exports have pronounced
certain varieties Of the product Of these
quarries to be the best for statuary and
monumental purposes known. Hereto
fore the quarries have been operated at
heavy expense owing to the distance
from the railroads, Carbondale the near
est point being thirtyfive miles distant.
The marble beds, in part, form the mas
sive mountain which local nomenclature
has called Whitehouse, but which is
some miles distant from tho mountain
which Hayden gave that name. White
house Mountain is a cream colored mass
at whose summit lies a crust of white
unaffected by the suns rays or breezes
that whisper among the sparse growth of
hrs that dot its rock ribbed sides. The
succession Of layers or stratas of marble
which compose this valuable and beauti-
fui mass include nearly every color
Of the rainbow in this enduring stone.
The formation dips at an angle Of about
thirty degrees, sloping to tho north to-
ward the Crystal river valley and rises to
q height OF more than three thousand
feet above the singing stream that rolls
by its base.
After being closed down five years by
litigation. the Black Queen, property Of
the Crystal River Mining Co., resumed
work in July, and after being unwatered
considerable development work was
done and several cars of high grade ore
taken out. This mine has long been
known as one Of the fabulously rich sill
yer mines Of Colorado, and in the brief
period during which it was operated
Welded up in dividends between one and
two hundred Thousand dollars. Then
came the unfortunate litigation and tho
traditional leisure grind of courts. AS
soon as the property was free from legal
secnniealities the management took
steps to Immediately resume work. which
would have continued uninterruptedly
through the entire winter, but for short
supply OF coal, SO it was thought wise to
close down work until the first Of March.
In the meantime new machinery will be
purchased, and tho trail over which tho
product has heretofore been packed by
JACK train will be widened to wagon
road. Immense bodies Of high grade
orc. varlously estimated at from $4,000
e'o,WO in value are blocked out ready
!" oreak down, and this mine alone