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 In Paying
Quantitfes-Circum Which
Have Obstructed the Work of Pros
pee:ing Eight Veins Located.

Many persons will 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 it; but it is believed that the
men who made the find were killed in the
war, as they never came back. In 1876
an opening was made near here known as
the Montgomery mine. A tep-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. \ company later sue
ceeded to the property, and its president
certified that 5000 worth of gold was sent
TO the mint from its brief output The
Montgomery mine was on the bank of a
tributary to the Potomac known as Rock
Run, and nuggets weighing three and
e.,r 1fr7cr
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 Com
duit Road which leads out OF Washington
to Cabin John Bridge and part way to
Great Falls is macadamized with quartz,
most of it collaborating and much assaytng
as high as SIG a ton This road it should
be explained. was built by the Government
parallel with the water conduit which 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,stanlp MIA.
They found ore which assayed as hisn as
$50 a ton though il did not average as high
as this. At one time sluicing was tried In
the bottom CT Rock Run. bur the slope or
the valley was found to be lnsuinclent Tor
good results. Later a ten-stamp mill was
built on the Harrison property, and under
the stimulus of the activity there a NUM-
Der of reduction plants were set up m tne
neighborhood Several are now working,
though It is not possible to say what their
output is .,.,.,...., ,,o,,e located
eight distinct veins of gold-bearing rock
hereabout They are known. respectively.
as the Number One. the Pine HUI, the
Broad Rock the Number Four, the NUM-
Number Eight veins: Several years ago
when tests were made, Pine Hill asSayeu
IS a ton Broad Rock 81 10 SlS, Eagie
IS to 81. and Harrison as high as S21.5o.
The other veins are said to yield about
81 ton; but they have not been THOR
oughly Srospected. Another vein mas peen
opened on the east fork OF CaDln Johh
Run one of the tributaries of the Poto-
mac which rises in Rockville, the county
seat of Montgomery county.
The local gold belt is roughly outlined
as being about eight miles wide, running
northeast and southwest, following the
bends of the Potomac River. 1t is part
of the auriferous deposits of the Appala-
chan Mountain Range, known in the Vir-
cinia section. particularly about Spottsyl-
Vania county, since Colonial times Be
tween 1879 and 1854 the records of the Unit
ed states Mint show about 81 10000 of
gold to have been sent from Virginia
mines The civil war interrupted all min
ing operations After the war there was
an effort to reopen some OF the old prop
critics but uncurbed speculation worked
their failure Since then il Is said that
hardly more than $4,000 n year has been
sent TO the Mint from this region, though
the returns have not always been segre-
gated and accurate nsures 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.
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