The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
GOLD ALONG THE POTOMAC
Several Mines Located Near the
National Capital.
The Precious Metal Found I'm Paying
Quantities-Circum which
Have Obstructed the work of Pros
pecting Eight Veins Located.

Have lObSfructed the Work OF HrOS-
pecting Eight Veins Located.
Many persons viii be surprised to know
that within easy walking distance of the
National Capital no less than a half dozen
gold mines are in actual operation. That
they pay is best proved by the fact that
they continue to be worked. Prospecting
is now rather extensive industry along
the banks of the Potomac. from point
near Georgetown, up the river past Great
Falls, distance of perhaps ten miles.
1t has long been known that there is
gold in this region, in quantities TO pay
for working The fact that the veins
have not been worked more extensively
is attributed by expert engineers to the
circumstance that the region has not been
prospected by competent miners. The
discovery OF the rich fields of the West
and Alaska has always had the effect OF
diverting attention from the deposits in
Maryland and Virginia During the civil
war a company of California volunteers,
encamped near Great Falls. are said to
have discovered rich deposits of gold.
They promised TO return after the war
and work il: but it is believed that the
men who made the find were killed in the
war. as they never came back. In 1916
an opening was made near here known as
the Montgomery mine. a ten-stamp mill
was set up and did considerable work; but
some dispute arose among the promoters
Of the enterprise, with the result that it
was abandoned and the valuable machin-
cry left to rust. y company later sue
ceeded TO the property, and It's president
certified that $ eco worth of gold was sent
to the mint from it's brief output. The
Montgomery mine was on the bank Of
tributary to the Potomac known as Rock
Run. and nuggets weighing three and
four ounces have been shown as coming
from the bed of this stream.
Prof. s. F. Emmons of the Geological
Survey, has made a special study of the
gold deposits about Washington. In a pa
per read before the American Institute OF
Mining Engineers he says that the Con-
duit Road which leads out of Washington
TO Cabin John Bridge and part way to
Great Falls is macadamized with quartz,
most OF it gOId-bearing and much assaytng
as high as SIS a ton This road. il should
be explained, was built by the Government
parallel with the water CONDUIT Mhlch runs
from Great Falls TO the city. The quartz
for the ballast and top dressing was taken
largely from the adjoining farms.
on a tract of land near the Conduit
Road known as the Harrison property,
gold has been found in paying quantities.
and has at various times been success
fully worked. A Georgia miner. named
Kirk made the original strike In 1SSs. Dr-
w Kempster and some friends bought the
property, and put up three-stamp niI-
They found ore which asSayed as high as
$50 ton, though II did not average as De- IN
as this At one time sluicinS was tried IN
the bottom of Rock Run, but the slope OF
the valley was found TO be insulneient Ior
good results. Later a ten-stafnp MIL WdS
built on the Harrison property, and under
the stimulus of the activity there a NUM-
Der of reduction plants were set Up IN ths
nefghborhoOd. Several are now WORKING,
though it is not possible TO say what ti1e4t
output is. $500,
The Government biologists have located
eight distinct veins OF goId-bearlnS rock
hereabout. They are known, respectively
as the Number One. the Pine Hill the
Broad Rock. the Number Four the NUM-
Der Five, the Eagle, the Harrison, ana the
Number Eight veins. Several years ago
when tests were made. Pine Hill asSayed
IS a ton. Broad Rock 81 to Sl3, Eagle
Is to 81. and Harrison as high as SIS
The other veins are sdlu 70 - - I 49,
81 n ton; but they have not Deen thor-
oughly yrospected- Another VEN mas Deeh
opened on the east fork OF CaDln JOhh
Run, one Of the tributaries OF the Foto-
mac. which rises in Rockville, the county
seat of Montgomery county
The local gold belt is roughly outlined
as being about eight miles VIDE, running
northeast aud southwest, following the
bends of the Potomac River II IS part
of the auriferOus deposits OF the Appala-
chan Mountain Range known in the Nir-
1,ania county. since Colonial times. Be
tween 1S29 and 1854 the records of the Unit
ed States Mint show about N,5bOOo OF
gold 10 have been sent from Virginia
mines. The civil war interrupted all min
ing operations. After the war there was
an effort 10 reopen some OF the old prop
critics but uncurbed speculation worked
their failure Since then it is said that
hardly more than S15,1e9 a year has been
sent to the Mint from this region, though
the returns have not always been segre-
gated and accurate figures are not TO be
had Several Senators who understand
mining are now said TO be taking an IN
te,-est in some of these Eastern properties,
and there may be a revival of the Indus
try here.
S125 to Baltimore aud Return Via
Is. AZ %.