Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-20
What Is Being Done In
The Sierra SNadze District.

T. HE recipients OF Dame Fortunes
fayors In Sierra Madre district
about 90 miles north of Salt Lake,
were but few in number during the
year 1902 and they received favor In
the form Of new knowledge Of their dis
trict. In word, they now know that
prior to the year 1902 they knew very
little about the ground they worked
upon and they now know that the very
best part Of the entire district is that
Pert hitherto looked upon as practically
worthless.
II Is now certain that in very remote
times mining was carried on in this
mountain by persons who seem to have
been well acquainted with the art Of
tunnel driving, and they also had a
knowledge OF veins seldom found in
evidence among the workings OF
pioneer miners in Utah.
About half way to Sierra Madre
mountain and on its west side, there
has been discovered what may be called
blind shaft. or incline. II was dis
covered by those who were engaged In
building and blasting out the rock trail
10 the Maghera copper mine. The fact
that quartz and garnetite from some
secret or hidden working had rolled
down into the canyon below had al
ready been observed but as this rest
cd among the boulders no amount OF
search seemed sufficient TO discover the
SPOT or working whence they came
Almost two years passed away, but the
quartz. the epidote and the garnetite In
the deep canyon remained mystery,
urtll one evening while working out the
course for the Maghera trail, Don Ma
gu,re. in company with two men, cross
irg over some steep cllffe, by the sheer
est accident discovered hole made by
the slipping from its place OF one OF a
number of rough granite boulders COW
crms the mouth of an incline smart.
The discovery In such place eNcitea
much interest, but the hour or the daE
being late the work of examination was
deferred until the next morning, wheh
candles were provided and the spot pc
ing reached Ii was found that the
froilth of the shaft had been closed over
very cunnlngly with slabs OF syenitlc
rranite that were taken from POINT
about 200 feet farther up the mountain
Although not large enough 10 reach
across the mouth OF the smart, they
we're arranged so as TO form a sort OF
arch over t. and gravel, small stones
and shnle granite had been thrown
over these 10 hide all evidence or work.
ING one of the fat syenite slabs SIP
red rs anchorage and feil into the
shaft thus leaving to view the open
,mg with some care the stones were
removed from the mouth OF tne o,u
Working and daylight was lei mo y.
, openlng tina, In area Is about iour icy.
n, width by FIVE feet In length, ana 49,
down on a sharp incline Tor iess ,ha ih
| so feet on narrow quartz Neih' NhIon
rms down on broad measure OF saI-
neilte. The sides Of the smart nav
crown moss covered the work was wen
done IN Carrying down the walls
The situation OF the shaft was suci'
es ia keen out water IN quantity pu'
ct some remote time there seems 70
have been water standing in the shall
IN The height of about two feet as the
water lines were still visible. At polht
rhout II inches from the bottom, thefe.
is small crevice next the VEN OF
ousrtz and In this there were founu
fwo old rusty steel wedges. or sans'
about eight inches long. each badly pe,-
anrod at'the ned and half eaten through
Win r,ist. Each OF these gads Welsii
ahout n pound. They were OF larry
eood steel and of an unusual shape
sstSerins from any ever seen by MT