Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-05-23
THE STAR TUNNEL
This Mining Enterprise In the CO.
chit Is a Wonder In More
Than One Respect.
ENERGY OF BLAND PEOPLE
Scores Of Prospectors Have Gone to Work
In the Oanons In the Oochiti- i-The Al
bemarle Mine, Mill and Electric
Plant.
Special Cor. New Mexican.

Special Cor. New Mexican.
Bland, N. NJ, May 22-The pluck and
energy of the inhabitants of the Cochiti
mining district has been fully shown in
the past day or two in their work to
| restore good roads. The storm of Sat
urday night, while 1t was nothing akin
to a cloudburst, did great deal Of
damage to the highways. both above
and below Bland, and for two days it
was impossible for teams to get through
the narrow Cola canon to Albemarle.
Below Chihuahua" station some ten or
a dozen teams loaded with merchandise
from Santa Fe. consigned to various To-
cal tradesmen. were stalled fUT upward
Of thirty hours, but got through in fair
ly good shape this afternoon.
ALBEMARLE MINE AND MILL.
Since the installation Of its splendid
electric plant about a month ago, the
Albemarle mill is doing more satsfac-
tory work than ever, employing a large
force of mill men and miners, and CIV
ing the place an air of Industrial SUBJ
stantiality that Is good to behold Man.
! ager johnson has an excellent set of
employees about him now, most of whom
have brought their families here to
make their homes. Albemarle is grow
ing rapidly. The population is approx
| mately 1000; in fact. the canon Is full
| OF 'em, and the people are dwelling In
all manner of abodes, tents, houses on
stilts some in half cellars, etc. The
canon is so steep and so narrow that
homesite space Is at a premium, and
ere many months more room will have
to be provided by some means or other,
for health reasons II for nothing else.
Many Of the men are thinking of locat-
ing their families for the summer at
least over in Pine canon, near Bland, a
mile and a quarter distant by trail,
where the water and air are less subject
to contamination.
PROSPECTORS AT WORK.
Scores of prospectors have outfltted
at Bland and taken to the hills since
the spring season opened. Media Dia,
Cochiti and Peralta canons are going to
be thoroughly prospected this summer.
Just at present the Peralta canon is re-
ceiving most attention: a number of
promising ore bodies have been found
and much development work is in prog
ress. A. Conrad, auditor for the Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa Fe; W. T. Powars.
of Albuquerque; the Flournoys and
other men of means have recently taken
working bonds on various claims in this
part of the district Murphy Shields
and others are getting out fine looking
stuff, which Is to be sent to the Ell Paso
smelter for sampling. Among the claims
now being worked are the Harrison No.
2, Master Irving, Murphy. Northland
and King, on which from 30 to $50 feet
of work has been done, showing pay
mineral In place. The Peralta will be
heard from in boom tones before many
months.
THE STAR TUNNEL.
The Star mine never looked so well
as it does to-day, with its $1,5O0.000
worth of ore actually in sight. The
pinch" in A level has been cut through
and the vein has opened out into an i'm
mense vein of high grade ore. The big
tunnel. 10x10 feet in the clear, Is now in
over 700 feet and Is due to encounter
the great quartz pay ledge, 40 feet wide.
in another 100 feet. possibly less. as the
vein Is dipping toward the east. When
this tunnel Is brought to a junction with
the main working shaft the mine will
have then been opened 72O feet below
the first pay ore find. and it is estimat-
ed there will then be enough ole in
sight to keep 100-stamp mill running
| night and day for ten years!
There are dozen just as big proper
ties in the Cochiti, but men Of capital
and energy are needed to open them.