Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-02
THE BLACK RANGE
MINING DISTRICT
The Romantic and Sky-Rockst History Of the
Boom Days Ct Its Camps Twenty Years
Ago and Their Sudden
Decline,
MANY GOOD PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT
WHICH WILL SOON Be PRODUCERS

The Black Range mining district in
Sierra and Socorro counties is again at
| tracing more attention and it seems
certain with the development of the
many excellent mineral indications In
| that part of the territory, the proposed
and Incorporated Black Range Rail-
way will be eventually built to throw
open to the world a portion of New
Mexico as rich in mineral as any por-
| ton of the west and besides fine
country for the cattle, sheep and goal
| business with some agricultural passi'
| bilities. A corrG- 7f-4af 'reH YH''seF
with the history of the district and Its
mineral wealth, recently gave the fol
lewing description of that part of the
district that Is located in Sierra coun-
ty. He says:
In the early eighties, the mining
camps of Fairview, Chloride and Graf
ton, located in the Black Range. were
all prosperous mining camps with oos
or more population each, with banks.
good hotels, business houses carrying
large stocks of goods. saloons, dance
halls, theaters, and connected with the
outside world by three daily 6-horse
stage lines, while today one hotel and
a 2-mule single seated buggy Is suffl-
cient for all the business of 100 miles
surrounding. In 1879 Harry Pye,
mule skinner, working for Uncle Sam,
hauling freight to some post, picked up
some rich float in the canon Where
Chloride now stands. Pye knew some
thing about mineral and at his desti-
nation had same assayed. Finding 1T
contained chloride Of silver, running
several thousand ounces per ton, ne
gave out the information to several
friends. and when his contract with
the government was completed ne
made up a small party, returned to the
spot, prospected the country, fouho the
mother lode and made the first location
which is still known as the Pye lode,
and the camp was started and named
Chloride because of the character OF
the ore found.
Pye and several of the first settlers
were killed by the Indians
Fairview started in 81 and up to 30
had a population of about 500. 1t takes
its name from the beautiful surround
ing scenery, being situated in a small
| valley surrounded on all sides by pic
turesuue mountains, covered with
abundance of timber.
| THE BOOM BURST.
About 'S2 considerable excitement
| was created by the proposed building
| of a branch Of the Santa Fe to poin,
three miles northwest of Fafrview, and
the townsite of Robinson was laid off
| named in honor of one Of the Santa Fe
officers at the time. Lots were sold at
| from $25 to 5000, and some 300 people
were induced to become citizens and
for q. short season Robinson and the
surrounding mining camps gave prom
ise Of making numerous milllonalres
| Mining claims changed hands at from
s25 900 to 100000 and big fortunes were
offered and refused for some OF the
supposed choicest properties. Ine
railroad branch did not materialiZt
and after the incoming tenderfee
found out that mines did not yielt
profits, without systematic development
work, the population began leaving
faster than they came in and nov
about 25 houses and 30 people consti
+ute the population of Fairview and Al
Il houses and so people that of Chloride
while not a house or foundation Is lef
to mark the spot of Robinson cit!
which is now included In cattle ranch
Grafton, ten miles northwest of Fair
view. participated in the PROMISING
prosperity of the early eighties AM
boasted of a population Of over 300. 1
now has is houses and 20 people A
this camp is located the once famou
Ivanhoe mine, that was f1oated by Col
onel Bob Ingersoll and his associate
in 'S2 and 'S3.
PRINCIPAL PROPERTIES.
The Black Knife group of eleve
claims located four miles east of Fair
view on contact lead between lin
for a hanging diorite for foot wall
quartz vein in an undisturbed coma
ton. averaging five feet in width show
ing mineral in some grade or other In
dozen places where 1t has been opene'
On this group some 500 feet
, good development work and 200 feet
i wasted. useless work has been PEI
I formed. Fifteen assays from IN
t group for silver, give average OF ~.
t ounces per ton; 10 assays for copp'
give average of per cent and a.
says for lead give 1873 per cent.
The Mana mine, up the gulch I"
4 miles west Of Chloride, owned by Jam'
BROTHERS Armstrong Brothers, ar
8 Austin Crawford, is driving a tunn
into the mountain on the lead. Face
tunnel now in about 160 feet, showir
A. two foot vein Of good milling o.
10 that carries from s12 to $50 per ton
gold and silver values.
n In this locality q good group cou
/. he made up including Mana. Loni
e i street, Apache, and Good Enough, TN
v could soon be put in condition to su
y nlv sufficient ore to feed ten stan
o mill. The Good Enough with 200 re
. Of Development work. has a crosse
n of 25 feet at 70 feet from main sha
and only one wall in sight. The ore
!. low grade and must be milled on t