Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-03
THE EDISON PLANT
Richness Of Ground Which Galisteo
Mining Company Will Work By
Process Of Great Inventor.
MINES WORKED CENTURIES
A Building Being Erected Which Is the
Forerunner of the Great Structure to Be
Constructed After Test Runs Shall
Be Made of the Machinery.

Special Cor. New Mexican.
Dolores. N. NJ, February Through
the courtesy of S. G. Burn, manager Of
the Ortiz grant, have been enabled to
look over and about this ancient and
romantic village somewhat to-day. The
place Is near the center of the grant,
which covers nearly 10000 acres, and is
Of special interest just now because Of
the fact that here is in course of con-
struction the experimental gold extrac-
ton plant designed to make exhaustive
practical tests Of original ideas con-
ceived and worked out by that master
minded genius of the age, Thomas A.
Edison.
Rich, yellow gold, "the root of all
evil" we are told, has always mel
lowing and persuasive influence upon
most mortals, but when one wanders
over these hills and gulches, views the
ancient Spanish workings, recalls the
many incidents of an historic and ro-
mantle nature which have clustered
about the beautiful name of Dolores for
two centuries or more, and discovers as
a positive reality-a demonstrable fact
to any unbeliever-that he is actually
walking upon golden sands; that the
very dust In the public highway is laden
with "pay dirt" and that the walls Of
the hospitable dwelling in which he in
dites these words, if pulverized and
washed, will yield gold, rich, yellow
gold," why, then, the task of undertake
ing to give the subject adequate treat
ment in the brief space of an everyday
newspaper article becomes appalling,
and with the ever-convenient excuse of
"manana," "manana," the faber drops
while you drowsily dream Of the STIR
ring and pathetic past.
HISTORY OF DOLORES.
This village is supposed to have been
named by the Franciscan fathers who
came with the Spanish explorers in the
sixteenth century, attracted not alto
gether by Christianizing influences, but
in search of the gold then known to
dDOulIu uCICdUOulS. LII CClNlollCo Qo5L
millions of gold have been taken out
here, and yet millions remain to allure
the genius Of Edison and his associates,
just as the intrepid Spaniards were al
lured in ages past. In 1880 the Ortiz
mine, one mile south Of Dolores, was
famous gold producer. Here the Pueblo
Indians, when suffering from slavery's
yoke, were made to do almost super
human tasks, climbing notched poles.
which answered as ladders, with their
burdens of gold-bearing ores. In 1928,
before gold was thought of in connec-
ton with California, this mine was
making regular shipments Of the yellow
stuff by mule train to Chihuahua, Mex.
In 1888 the Spanish government grant
ed the tract to Ortiz and Cano. A his
tory Of the property since would fill a
volume Of no mean proportions.
THE EDISON PLANT.
One-half mile east of Dolores Con-
tractor F. P. Crichton, Of Santa Fe, has
a force of men at work on the building
in which the Edison method of gold ex-
traction is to be tested. The site Is an
admirable one, at the head of the Ar
royo Viejo. In this and the adjacent ar
royos, after each recurring rainfall, 1t
Is the custom of the women and chill
dren of Dolores to go with big spoons
and tin buckets, scoop up the eddies OF
yellow and black sand left in the wake
Of the storm, and wash therefrom the
gold. The size Of the building is 62.9x
1855 feet; 36 feet in height, with another
13 feet to the apex Of the roof. This
house is building on foundation OF
gold. Every yard OF earth excavated
for the foundation is screened, the
powders thrown aside and the screened
stuff heaped up to be put through the
mill when 1t is ready for action. The
test plant will be operated by electricity
and will treat fifty tons daily. In two
months or so it will be in operation.
Mr.. Burn is very conservative, and
has little to give out for publication al
this time. He has been at work three
years proving up the value of this
ground as gold producer. He ha!
made 2,ee5 tests Of the gravel, extend
ing over sixteen square miles, wher'
bed rock Is from 10 to 65 feet below thu
surface, and he has calculated to nice
ty the amount Of gold In place; but h
doesn't give such things out for publ
( cation, and always qualities his state
ments regarding future plans with som,
such expression as III the experimental
plant proves successful" But shoult
the tests come out all right-and VIII,
can imagine Edison's name couplet
| with an unsuccessful thing Pit is learn