Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-30
THE CHAMA PLACERS
A Series Of Dredging Plants of NAM
moth Proportions Are to Be
Built Soon.
S10,OO0,000 OF GOLD IN SIGHT
The Rio 0hama Gold & Copper Company
Will Work the Placers- Louis
Capital Is Interested in the
Project

AAVJOou
The New Mexican, ever alert and
Jealous in it's efforts to promote the in
terests of all sections of New Mexico
has repeatedly invited particular atten-
ton to the great golden values un-
questionably contained in the extensive
placer grounds on the Rio Chama, a
few miles above Abiquiu, in Rio Arriba
county. The development of these
claims has been somewhat delayed by
changes in the ownership and manage
ment thereof and also by some misun-
derstandings that have arisen in con-
nection with the several transfers; but
1t is understood that all causes of delay
are now practically removed and that
the affairs of the present possessors of
the properties have been so adjusted
that work on a large scale will soon be
commenced.
A LARGE AREA.
These placer grounds, embracing
Accttt WV StA uliS PIooPCItCt dC1cS dlS
situated on the Chama river about one
half mile from the junction of Canones
creek. eight miles west of Abiquiu, a
town founded by the Spaniards iE the
early part of the 18th century, and
about 81 miles west of Espanola, on the
Denver & Rio Grande railroad. They
are connected with these towns by a
good wagon road of easy grade.
THE CHAMA RIVER.
The Chama river takes it's source in
the great ranges of the Rockies just
east of the continental divide in New
Mexico. 1t is a large, rapid flowing
stream, with fall of from
ten to twelve feet to the mile, running
southeasterly, with flow in the dry
seasons of from $4,000 to 100, 900 gallons
per minute, and this volume of water is
four or five times greater in the wet
seasons. The river has cut it's way
from the heavy mountain ranges
terraced plateaus or mesas, all
of which for miles back carry heavy
deposits of gold bearing sand and
gravels, deposited by frequent seismic
or volcanic movements, which deposits
have been displaced and distributed by
the great glacial and climatic processes
of the ages that have melted in the
past, and are now concentrated in the
bed or channel Of the Chama river,
which is about 600 feet wide from rock
rim to rock rim. Me bars and river
bed, ranging from SO to 700 feet lower
than the adjoining mesas, have covered
the bedrock of the rivers channel to a
depth varying from q to 40 feet.
IMMENSE DEPOSITS.
This immense body of material is the
natural depository in which nature has
geological ages and thousands
of years been concentrating the metal
liferous treasures, awaiting the coming
of men with the requisite enterprise
and mechanical devices to extort and
utilize the yellow values. The altitude
is about 5000 feet above tide-water and
the winters are so mild that the grounds
can be worked to quite as good advant-
age in January as July.
THE PRESENT OWNERS.
About two years ago these grounds
were purchased outright from the orig
inal locators and owners by Hon. Frank
A. Reynolds, Of Santa Fe, and by him
transferred to the Rio Arriba Placer
Mining company, composed of Kansas
City and st. Louis capitalists. The
deal was entirely promoted and finally
by Mr.. Reynolds in this
city, and about $4,000 We're paid to the
original owners for perfect titles to
their holdings through the First Nat
ional Bank of Santa Fe. Subsequently
the lands We're transferred to the New
Mexico Placer syndicate, composed
mainly of stockholders in the Rio Arriba
Placer Mining company. and recently
they have passed by lease and purchase
into the possession of the Rio Chama
Gold & Copper company, with head
quarters in st. Louis. This company
is composed chiefly of st. Louis capital
lists of far-seeing enterprise and energy
It's capital stock is $1.50O, 900. It's officers
are Edward o. Greer, president; ]. E
M. Walker, vice president: George P
Heckel, secretary; J. R. Lemen, treas
urer, and John Il. Mohan, financial
agent, all of ST. Louis. Judge N. B
Laughlin, of Santa Fe is the New Mex
leo director and local counsel for the
company. This company has acquired
all the rights, including the perfect IT,
ties to the lands, enjoyed by the corpo-
rations it succeeds, and will soon be
ready to begin active and extensive op.
erations.
A FINE PROPOSITION.
These placers present one of the finest
and richest dredging propositions in the
country, and 1t is understood that the
new company has in contemplation the
immediate establishment thereon of E
series of dredging plants Of mammoth
proportions. Mr. Mohan, the financia
agent Of the company, who is placer
miner of many years experience, hav
ing made a fortune In the operation O.
placer deposits in Colorado, is expected
in Santa Fe at an early day to complete
arrangements for proceeding with thu
great work. He entertains no doubt o
the complete success Of the undertak
ing.
ENORMOUS VALUE.
Soma faint idoa of the valup Of th