The Elk Mountain pilot., 1901-02-26
IRWIN MINING DISTRICT.
ITS EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
In RECENT YEARS.
A Promising Field For Profita BILE
!nvestments.-Its Great And
Diversified Possibilities
Matters Of Fact.

~ VIII, III oil pIODdDlllty, Wien
fully developed, be one of the
richest silver producing camps in
the state. Had the slump in silver
never occurred in the early '90's
there is little room for doubling
but that this region would now be
producing large portion of the
states output of the white metal.
AS the price of silver has been
steadily rising for the past year, it
is surprising to note the interest
that is being manifested in this
part of the country by capitalists
who are anxious to invest money
in mining propositions.
The increased facilities for the
transportation of supplies; the pro-
duction of coal in the immediate
vicinity, making the question of
procuring fuel an absolute certain
ty, may be considered sufficient
grounds for the belief that all in
vestments being made at present
will be of more permanent char
acter than these of former times.
There is in the neighborhood of
one hundred patented claims in
the district. While majority of
these are only partly developed,
there are some that are paying
dividends and still others that
would pay if properly worked,
Prospects disclose the fact that any
amount of ore exists that would
pay the expenses of development if
the necessary facilities for reduc-
ton were more convenient. 1t is
considered by all mining experts
who have visited this region that
the geological formation of the
country is a strong argument that
large metalliferous deposits actually
exist.
All claims that have been located
have been on true" or tissure :"
veins, and this fact, from a scien-
tific point of view, indicates that
the mineral matter fills a pre-exist-
ing fssure and is not formed by
simple shrinkage of the rock itself,
but resulting from deep-seated or
crust movements, and which there
fore may be expected to extend in
definitely downward, instead of
ending in the particular stratum or
group of strata in which it began.
The course of those veins vary
from southwest to northeast, to due
east and west. The
metal occurs in various forms
of "native" and of brittle silver
being the most frequent, while
large deposits of the Proustite vari-
ETY. of ruby" have been found.
A specimen of the latter from the
Forest Queen, near Irwin, was
awarded a medal at the Worlds
Columbian Exposition, being the
richest silver ore on exhibition.
AS a large portion of the ore found
in this district is in conjunction
with lead, the cost of reduction is
thereby materially decreased.
The Colorado California Mining
& Milling company, controlling the
Ruby Chief group, which com
prises eleven patented claims, are
developing what has been for years
considered the best latent property
in this part of the country. Ru-
mors that the Ruby King has re-
Gently struck a large deposit of
"ruby" ore is not at all unusual,
when the fact is considered that
the first blow of the pick on this
property paid dividend.
The natural resources of this
district, which are SO indispensable
in the development of a great min
ing camp, are unequalled anywhere
in the world.
Several large bodies of water,
J fed by numerous mountain streams,