Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-26
PART III

who read this article to learn that ILL.
boro has mines that have upheld tn
dignity of the camp through years c
adverse conditions and epochs of mis-
management and have produced richie
that We'd with Solomon's and mad
Monte Christos of many venturesom
soldiers Of fortunes. No one woul'
think, as the dismanted ruins of tn
old liyipot:on works at the Lake Vale,
are viewed, that within stones throw
were the shallow -wc3 kings of min
that produced $4,000, 900 and yielded
slabs of solid silver that must be frs
bent and sawed before crowded into th,
melting pot. And suspicion of donb
creeps into the brain of the listener a!
the quavering voice of the old prospect
or rehearses the tale of the past glorie.
of the Black Range and imparts the in
| formation that this mine or that shall
low hole gave up from Il quarter of a
million to six million dollars worth OF
bullion in early days. To the romancel
| there is food for story that would riva
| the wonderful sources of wealth i'm
| parted to the heroes of the Arabian
Nights. To the practical mining man.
the scientific operator and the shrewd
investor, there is yet another matter to
considerable future of the district
Regardless of the fact that the Black
Range region has disgorged more than
the present assessed valuation of the en-
tire territory of New Mexico, the past
production does not compare with the
possibilities of the future, and the
graves of the pioneers who crossed
trackless waste and primal solitude to
reach this Eldorado of the frontier will
yet be spanned by arches of greatness
upon which will be emblazoned the fig
ures of millions produced during the
early past of the Goth century.
The vast quantities of ore produced in
the past, came from shallow workings
and the real worth of the district is at
present dark continent, illimitable
and unexplored. In the blanket strait
fications, the second contact has not yet
been penetrated and in the tissure re-
gion the deepest workings are 500 feet.
There are not more than four shafts in
the district down over 300 feet and in
each of these properties success is evil
dent. The treatment facilities in the
past have been crude and inefficient.
Hillsboro's story has not been told and
the benediction pronounced. 1t has an
unwritten future history as well as a
glowing past, and present that should
merit serious consideration,
The Wicks mine, which has been un-
dergoing development during the past
three years, is now in position to in
sure success. The development consists
of a 400 foot working shaft and several
thousand feet Of drifts. An excellent
body of ore in the bottom of the shaft
demonstrates tgs continuity ~ the ore
chute In width the vein averages three
feet. with one foot of high grade ore to
two feet of tale. The values of the pay
streak. as shown in the bottom of the
shaft. are $50 per ton, $50 of which is
in gold. 4 to per cent in copper and
some silver. The walls of the vein are
seyenite and bird's-eye porphyry. About
1000 gallons of water are made per day
by the vein. During 1898 the ore taken
ont in developing nearly paid for the
work done. the shipments returning
from one to four ounces in gold per
ton. It is estimated that 1O. 900 tons of
ore are now blocked out in the mine
ready for treatment. The company,
which is known as the Wick's Mining
Company, is composed of Chicago men
and w, w. williams, of Hillsboro. The
claims operated are known as the Snug
gler, Ross and Compromise No. 3. They
cover 1900 feet OF the vein. During
the present year, the company will erect
a plant on the ground for treating the
ores. The proposed system will include
amalgamation. cyanide and concentra-
ton and the treating capacity will be 30
tons per day. In all probability the
cyanide process installed will be the
Wiswall- Frank, The ores not adapted
to cyanide will be handled by Whitley
concentrating tables. The water for
the new mill will be supplied from wells.
A new Fairbanks & Morse gasoline en-
eine will operate the hoist and about 30
men are to be given emplovment when
Che mill begins operations. Mr.. WILL
iams. the manager of the property, is
entitled to a compliment for systematic
development. The Wicks is one of the
few mines in the district that was not
Quilted while development work prog
ressed. AS a politician, Mr.. Williams
has figured prominently in matters of
local interest. He was chairman of the
Rennblican county central committee
during the last campaign and was
prominently mentioned for the legis-
to+nro Ralativa to political matters ha