Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-02-10
TECOLOTE VALLEY
Z. RAILROAD PLANS
Will Tap Timber,
Mine and Coal
Fields.
PART FINISHED BY AUGUST
Road Surveyed and Material
Ordered-.-Coes to Mora
by Cowles.

Frank H. Buck, chief engineer of the
Tecolote Valley Railroad was in the
city during the week and attended to-
business gathering data in the sur
veyor generals Office for use in GER
tain railroad surveys he will under
take shortly through the Taos Pass.
Mr. Buck is man about thirty.two
years of age. an experienced railroad
and civil engineer and evidently
"chuck" full of enthusiasm and siren
uosity. He has made his residence in
Las Vegas for many years and is we'll
known in central New Mexico
To representative of the New
Mexican he told an interesting story
of the road of which he is chief en-
gineer.
The Tecolote Valley Railway is duly
organized under the laws of New Mex
leo and has its principal office in Las
Vegas. The line to be built by the
corporation will run from Las Vegas
via the Tecolote and Mineral Hill Min
ing Districts, up the Valley OF the Te-
colote and thence, be continued to
Mora, the county seat of Mora County.
1t will be sixty-eight miles in length.
At Mineral Hill, large copper smell
ter has been erected, which will treat
and concentrate the great deposits Of
low grade copper ore in that camp.
There are vast quantities Of the finest
marble in that district. The supply
is practically inexhaustible. The
stone takes an excellent polish and
will compare favorably with marble
anywhere on earth. Great masses of
hydraulic lime have also been discov-
cred. for which there is steady and
profitable market at the Pueblo smell.
ters
To Mineral Hill.
The line to the Mineral Hill Mining
District will be twenty-five miles in
length. The gauge will be thirty
inches. The maximum grade is three
per cent. There are great quantities
of timber. both on the Pecos Forest
Reserve and on the public lands along
the proposed road. This will give
quite profitable business. as the ma
ture timber both on the Reserve and
on the government land, can be pur-
chased and sawed into lumber. The
timber along the line and in the noun
tains adjacent to it consists mostly
of red spruce and yellow pine, and
can be readily handled and hauled,
and will find immediate and profitable
market.
The Tecolote Mining District, IS
miles south of Las Vegas, will be tap
ped. A mill of fifty ton per day capa-
city, which is used for the treatment
of copper ores is in operation there
at this time, and the capacity OF this
mill will be increased as soon as rail
communication with the camp is es-
tablished. The veins of low grade
copper, running from five to seven per
cent in that camp, are vAry extensive,
and it is believed that the ores, al
though of low grade, can be treated al
profit.
Copper has been rising in price
steadily for years, and is now 20 cents
per pound. At that, or even lower
rate, the treatment of ores in the TIE.
colote Mining District will pay.
Follows Valley.
From Mineral Hill the road will be
extended forty-six miles west and
north to the town of Mora via Pecos
and Cowles. Its business in this sec
ton is to come from the timber, the
mineral deposits and the great beds of
Ignite coal found in many parts along
the proposed route. 1t is verify at ter
ra incognita and inhabitants are few
and far between, except along the Pc
cos River which will be followed for
fifteen miles from Pecos to Cowles,
which last named will be the highest
point on the line, 5000 feet, and here
a summer resort and tent city Is to
be established There are, however,
many pretty little valleys which will
be open to settlement and in which
first rate crops of cereals, potatoes and
vegetables as well as the finest OF
fruits can and will be raised.
1t has not yet been determine
what course will be taken when this
road reaches the town of Mora. Two
surveys have been made west, one
Through Taos Pass and one dozen
miles north to the Black Lakes, and
a third one will commence next week,
the two first surveys, to reach the
western side of the divide, not being
considered entirely satisfactory.
1t is proposed to bring settlers to
the public lands In the vicinity of the
Black Lakes on the Mora, Colfax Coun.
Continued on Page Eight.)