Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-07-18
THE CHLORIDE
MINING DISTRICT
After Over Twenty Years Of Neglect Pros
peotors and Miners Are Again at Work
ia That Part Of Sierra
County.
A MOUNTAIN OF COAL NEAR The
MINING CAMP OF CHLORIDE

A MOUNTAIN OF COAL NEAR The
MINING CAMP OF CHLORIDE
Special Correspondence New Mexican.
Chloride, N. M, July lG,-This camp
has again awakened from its long
slumber of idleness and has assumed u
very business like aspect. Since the
boom of 1880, when the whole country
for 25 square miles had been staked off
and which was abandoned principally
because of the failure of the railroad to
extend its lines from Magdalena, mining
in this district has been very much
neglected. However, of late, there have
been a good many claims reopened and
some ore has been shipped both from
Chloride and Grafton.
Louis Krnse has four promising claims
on Chloride creek, namely the Good
| Enough, Hoosier Boy, Hoosier Girl, and
the Darton. These claims are all on the
same lead and have shafts on them from
rs to 1875 feet deep, opened in several
places and a number OF shipments have
been made showing that there is money
in working these claims. There is plenty
of water and fuel on these properties
which makes them exceptionally valu-
able.
Kruse and Benton are the owners of
two other very good claims lying about
two miles up the creek. Eight thousand
five hundred dollars worth of ore were
taken out of an eighty-tive foot shaft.
One car OF assorted ore shipped from
these claims to the smelter showed up
$3.50 in gold, 60 onnces in silver and IL
per cent. copper, making the ore average
$34O. These assorted ores can BE- hauled
to the railroad but there are thousands |
of tons of ore that will run from $50 to |
$40 in the camp, and enough of this ore
could be delivered to Chloride to~keep a |
concentrator busy. The formation is |
principally lime and porphyry, with
strong veins from six to ten feet wide,
and in some places fifteen feet wide.
The oliver Mining company has
bought five valuable claims lying five
miles north of this place from Joseph
Oliver. one of the old time miners that
have stuck to this district ever since the I
BOOM Mr.. Oliver will have charge of
the work on these claims and will sink
shafts as fast as possible. AS soon as
the first level is reached more men will
be put to work. These veins are from
eighty to thirty feet wide and the ore
value is about $40 per ton. This com
pany contemplates putting in l0o-ton
concentrator just as soon as it has
thoroughly developed its claims and
knows just what the ore contains and
the quantities that are in sight. This
company is also putting in supply |
store at this place and will endeavor to
make it first class and well stocked
business house. Joseph Oliver the su-
of the company, still has
several claims of his own in the same
district and on which he will keep up
development work.
During the 1880 boom there were
thousands Of claims staked off in the
Black Range mining district, near Graf
ton, but three fourths of these have long
since been abandoned. The Emperor,
Alaska, Ivanhoe, Montezuma and the
Boy are among the leading pro-
ducers. They are all located on big
leads from ten to fifteen feeG wide and
are free milling gold propositions. Ores
from these claims have been shipped
into the thousands of dollars to
the ton. The Great Republic lies near
this group and has one OF the strongest
lead in the county 1t is owned by the
Brothers and. also can boast
Of ore running into the thousands to the
ton.
Christian Rugaggas has two patented
claims and several that are not patented
ying about five miles south of this place.
They are mostly of a copper and silver
nature. Shafts have been sunk on these
veins and at depth of forty two feet a
TWO foot vein of pay ore was.struck.
There has not been enough development {
IN these claims to tell their real value {
or how big proposition they are, but
Judging from the splendid showing they ,
nave made from the shallow depth they
Will be very valuable. Ore veins that
'un from eighteen to twentyfour inches
hat will show up from 80 to 60 per cent
copper and 20 to 60 ounces silver, are
lot very plentiful. The indications are T
hat when the main shaft reaches a
lepth of $50 feet the mine will turn out
% be one Of the largest and most valu-
lble in the district. A big running s
stream is within one and half miles of +,
,he claim and the whole county is
covered with plenty of good timber
There is a country here of about t
hundred square miles that is practically
and rich in minerals. At |
one place northeast OF the big salt crater t
here is IL whole mountain of coal and t
some parties have dug tunnel into the a
,oal bed for sixty feet, and the width OF a
t no one knows for at the mouth of the
tunnel the coal stands up forty feet
above your head. The depth OF the bed /,
s also unknown for no one has dug to
ind out. The quality of the coal is good
Ind it is no doubt rich body, waiting
Tor some one to develop it.