Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-05
Is There Gold
In Oklahoma?
QUESTION 70 Dc DECIDED " az.
ILLOGICAL SURVEY
EXPERT.

EH4
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Dec. s.-Mr.
n. H. Foster Of the United States Geo
logical Survey has returned to Wash
ington after ! strenuous sojourn in the
wichita mountains OF Oklahoma.
while there he was IN object OF inter
est 70 two hostile classes Of The COM
munity. He had been instructed to
ascertain whether precious metals
exist In any paying quantities In that
district. The miners, promoters and
spectators who swarm the hills were
naturally desirous that he should be
fayorably impressed with the mineral
promise Of that locality, whereas the
homesteaders settled along the river
banks felt that an adverse opinion
would protect them In their rights.
TIE report that he Will write NJ the
result or his investigation Is sure.
therefore, to be received with more
than usual interest.
Mr.. Bain's visit To the Wichita
mountains was made primarily for
the purpose Of procuring information
for the secretary Of the interior. The
attention Of the secretary had been
called to contests that have arisen be
tween prospectors and homesteaders
On whose claims the ~prospectors have
made mineral filings.
This locality has been the setting
for some exciting n during the
last two years. When the district
was opened UP In 1901 the miners
were permitted to go In and prospect.
For fifty years OF rumors have
been abroad Of old Spanish mines rich
In gold and silver that were once
worked In those granite hills, and
there was no dearth OF fortune hunt.
ers to penetrate the solitudes when
once the opportunity offered. In that
same year. MI. Joseph A. Tan Of the
United States geological survey visited
the district officially and began the
compilation OF d geological mar, Be
fore Il was completed he was ordered
to the Indian territory to s~egregatc
the coal lands in the Choctaw and
Chickasaw nations. Later he resumed
work on his geological map OF the
wichitas and II Is expected that he
will have II ready for publication some
time this winter. Mr.. Taff's study had
special reference to the geological
formations Or the district. but he gave
considerable attention TO the mineral
deposits, which he reported 10 be val.
ueless. Mr.. Bain's Investigations In
this field have been confined exclusive
~ TO q study of the ore deposits. and
his report will be considered rs sup
Elementary to that Of Mr.. Tan.
Az the same time that the territory
was thrown open To miners, home.
steaders were also allowed TO take UP
lands. Confusion anud strife soon re.
suited. The miners got onto school
lands as well as homestead claims.
The indian police took occasion then
TO interfere, and In defending what
they considered their own burned
buildings. destroyed mining machin.
cry. and created considerable excite
ment.
The ultimate question involved IL
whether OF not there Is mineral wealth
In the district sufficient TO even part.
Tally justify these contentious. Local
epsilon rejected Mr.. Taf's verdict on
the ground that his examination u
the field wal loo cnrsory 70 be entira.
ly satisfactory. Mr.. Balm was accord
ingly sent to pursue the investigation
10 an absolutely definite conclusion
He spent some time in the district,
examining particular mines In develop.
ment as well n unstaked ground and
taking samples Of everything that the
miners said was ore. He shipped
over 300 pounds of rock 70 Washing
ton, where the survey assaycrs ars
now industriously determining What
values II contains. II any,
Samples from this field have been
assayed before, both in Lawton. Okla
the principal town OF the district. ane
In Denver. Miners claim that a cal
load Of ore was recently shipped from
the mountains 70 Denver. and tina
payment was made on Il at a soot
round rate per ton. The incident in
volyed the possibility Of fraud. how
ever. In sampling. assaying and set
tlement, so that the returns can no
be taken a a safe Indication OF wha.
the field may bring forth. Mr.. Baii
exercised the greatest care In procur
ing hir samples, and The government