Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-06-21
TWO MONEY MAKERS
A Very Rich Strike Made On the
Old Abe Mine At White -
Oaks.
Big VALUES ARE TAKEN OUT
The Graphic Mine and Smsltsr At Mag
dalena-A Large Body of Zinc
sulphids On the Sixth Level
Of the Mine.

Intelligence fully verifying the re.
ported important strike in the Old Abe
gold mine at White Oaks, in Lincoln
county, has reached the New Mexican
direct from the scene of the discovery.
For several years the Old Abe mine was
one of the most profitable gold pro-
ducers in the west. Large pockets of
high grade free milling gold ore were
encountered, and the output thereof,
treated at a stamp mill on the property,
yielded the three owners incomes vary
ing from 81, 900 to $4,000 per month for
long periods, and naturally they felt
much elated.
Then the extensive underground
workings of the mine were destroyed
by fire and the sinking of new shaft
and the driving of new levels was thus
necessitated. This involved a large
outlay of money and consumed most
of the profits previously realized. But
the work was pluckily undertaken.
The main working shaft was sunk to a
depth of about 200 feet and numerous
levels were run therefrOm. Rich re-
wards are now being realized. Excep-
tionally high grade ore is being taken
out. The greatest values are coming
from levels 9, 9h and 10. The ore body
which is now being worked on these
levels is about II feet wide, and con-
tains great quantities of the yellow
metal, which is visible to be naked eye
as it Is mined and loaded into the cars.
Some of the richest of this ore is found
at distance of several feet from the
main or original lead. 1t is found in
crevices of blue shale in seams of white
quartz.
A car load of this ore Is now on ex-
hbition at the Exchange bank in White
Oaks and naturally attracts much atten-
ton. The ore on the lower levels does
not appear in pockets, but Is con-
tnuous, sticking to and fligreed In
the rocks, thus apparently establishing
the fact that the mine is becoming
richer and richer as development work
proceeds and greater depth is attained.
The output is all treated at the stamp
mill of the company near at hand.
The principal owners are Judge John
Y. Hewitt William Watson and Hon.
II. B. Ferguson. They are dligent-
ly saving wood and saying precious
little.
THE GRAPHIC.
The Graphic mine and smelter, To-
Gated near Magdalena, in Socorro coun-
ty, have for several years been most
successfully operated by Captain A. Il.
Fitch, lessee, with Geo. A. Byron, super
intendent of the mine, and Max B.
Fitch, superintendent of the smelter.
The smelter and mine are over one mile
apart, connected by an ore-car tram
way, having a descent from the mine
to the smelter Of 500 feet. Slopes show
very regular wall formation in most
places In the mine and it is substan-
TALLY timbered with stulls. The out
put varies from rs to 100 tons of ma
terial per day.
Near the main tunnel entrance are
extensive lime quarries from which the
lime needed at the smelter is cheaply
obtained. The mine is opened by means
of six levels about 100 feet apart ver-
tically. There seems to be one vein In
the upper levels and two parallel veins
from the third to the sixth levels. The
veins have 45-degree dip and are from
five to SO feet wide, standing within
limestone belt, bounded by shale on one
side and quartzte on the other. N,he
ores comprise iron pyrites, red and
brown hematites, magnetic and lead
carbonates, and sulphides, with i'm
portant silver values in the lead. Some
copper is also found. On the sixth level
is a large body of zinc sulphide, none
of which is being mined at present.
The tonnage Of high grade "sand car
bonates,' consisting of lead crystals of
sand finenesS, is large and important.
The iron ores, which occur in large
bodies, are of great value for fuxing
material.
The smelter is equipped with AZ by
l2O inch lead furnace, with reduction
capacity of 100 tons OF ore per day.
About ten cars of bullion are produced
per month. besides small amount of
copper matte. Steel water jackets are
used and are supplied with water from
a three-nch pipe line. The hot water
from the jackets Is used over again.
The water is pumped out Of we'll near
by. The loaded cars holding about
three tons of ore each go down to the
smelter by gravity, the speed being
regulated by hand brakes, while the
empty cars are drawn up hill by horse
power. The management OF both mine
and smelter are almost ideal.