Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1899-09-15

was the only time be became real
ly excited. They pitched thei'
camp near the spring the next day
and began q search for the lode
which had shed 80 rich a float
Trenches were dug. But Strattou
had certain pre- conceived ideas
like most OF us. and among them
was the theory that veins having
north south trend carried the
rich ores, therefore the trenches
we're dug 90 as to cross the sup
posed strike of the veins, with the
result, AZ we now know. OF parallel.
ing, instead OF cutting, the lodes
which existed there and subse :
quently became developed into the
Legal Tender. Lille, Vindicator
and Christmas mines. Stratton
and Troutman found nothing.
An old ranchman, Billy Ferney,
by name. happened along at this
time aud brought pieces OF float
which he had foond on the hill be-
low, now called Battle Mountain.
Stratton liked the looks OF it and
arranged with Ferney to locate a
claim io the name OF Stratton,
Trontman and hinself This was
the Black Diamond, now the most
southern part OF the great terri
tory controlled by the Portland
Mine. Next day StrattoD went
over ia see the vein md spent some
time examining the ground He
tried to make the course OF the
vein coincide with the line Of the
ridge, running north md south.
This led him down the bill to a
big outcrop OF granite, which was
the Independence lode. Many had
already secn II, as the path was
from one ranch to another passed
close by and all the cattlemen who
had any idea Of prospecting had
examined the outcrop. Everyone
had condemned 1t as worthless
granite. Ferney pointed it out to
Stratton, and he also did as the
others had done; but not irretriev-
ably.
The character OF that now fam
ous lode cropping is worthy Of de-
tailed description. 1t was indeed
granite, decomposed, especially as
to the mica, but nevertheless un-
like the granits ores OK other dis
tricts, such as Gilpin and Boulder.
Stratton noted the scarcity OF
quartz and particularly the absence
Of any sulphides, such as galena
and pyrites. with which he had
been led to associate the idea OF
value in the lodes Of the San Juan
region, where he had done much
prospecting. Two years later,
when carloads OF this ore we're sent
10 the smelters, the managers OF
.hese establishments at first
thought that a blunder had been
made and that ballast had been
consigned to them 10 error. 1t re-
luired the careful examination Of =
irained eye to detect that the mica
lad been leached out, leaving iron.
stained spots in which free gold
night be distinguished. OF the
wo felspars, microlene and dig
,clase, the plagioclase variety has
become kaolinised, while secondary
,uartz has made the lode iiself
harder than the surrounding gran
to and thus permitted it to with
tand weathering. Underground
his same ore ls Of greater beauty,
BECAUSE IL Is characterized ~ Tic
presence OF pink fluorite as well as
" etains OF chlorite due to the
Ieep composition of the biotite.
Part OF the outcrop can still be
cen, inst below the old whim
haft. and invites the consideration
4 those who may wonder Why it
vas so long overlooked.
Az above stated, Stratton die
evarded it, as other less expert.
need prospectors had previously |
lone. Two days later John II.
icKinnie, the future owner ct the
Noon Anchor Mine. came to the
amp and go did Charlie Live,
anchman from Beaver Park. who
,ad pointed ont N. big outcsop 10
many % the pioneers The bitter
Isked dcKinnie II be had seen !,
~ ,.a ,v.o hr.af 1taop.s,ou