Gilpin observer., 1906-11-22
Mines In Wyoming.

."AiO"iAS drtiCie ny aenry ". Beeler,
state geoligist of Wyoming, on the
present status of Wyoming mining:
Many mine operators will say on
glancing at this heading that "Wyom-
ing has no status in the mining world
just lot OF high priced prospects,"
and from their own little standpoint
they are all right. Progress has been
SLOW, and production slower, and en-
couragement for the miner, zero for
many years; the underlying real cause
being no railroad transportation nearer
than days ride, which called for a
long and expensive haul on ore and
supplies-only possible with high
grade of ore.
Another potent reason has been that
Wyoming is essentially stockgrowing
state, especially fitted for that purpose
by situation, average altitude of the
state and great area of grass lands or
plains, which until recently it was I'M
possible to irrigate profitably. All OF
this combined to make the grasses on
top of the ground more Immediately
valuable than whatever might possibly
be underneath, and SO, small encour-
agement was given the miner in those
days. Just as long as this condition
continued, the outside and mining
world devoted it's attention to other
states where more noise was being
made about mineral finds and mineral
productions (real and imaginary and
Wyoming continued quietly prosperous
as to live stock and quietly ignored as
to it's mineral possibilities.
When the open range became thing
or the past and the natural limits of
the live stock business of the state be-
came evident to the thinking man at
the head of affairs, mining began to
receive more serious attention at home
and abroad, with the result that new
districts were opened up, old ones re-
prospected, and actual mining was be-
gun.
AT about this time number OF citi-
Zens of other states, whose business
mad been to interest people in mining.
with varying success Tor results) both
to themselves and the investing public,
began to make Wyoming the scene of
their operations, and the fame of wy,
oming ores and mining was certainly
heralded to the uttermost parts Of the
earth.
The portion of the state comprising
the southern half of Albany and Car
bon counties, along the Colorado Wy
oming line, became particularly IA
nous as the Grand Encampment cop
per district, and the usual fables were
told. the usual number of companies or
ganized on the usual extensive scale,
the usual amount of stock sold, and as
usual, the greater part of the money
went to those who were in a position
to get it, and but little actual under
ground development work was done to
show what was actually there.
The district received scant benefit
from this, and the real beneficaries
promptly hied themselves away when
the demand for stocks slackened, and
the real burden of the work was taken
MP by those who followed, or were al
ready in, and meant business.
That is the real status of Wyoming
inning to-day! 1t is in the hands OF
those who are engaged In actual min
ing work to develop what they con.
slider good business propositions, and
have no time to indulge in the tales
of former days.
The railroad situation is being
solved rapidly. For the central part
of the state. the camps of Copper
mountain, the South Pass country and
the newly available Wind river and
Owl mountain territory, as yet un-
known, the new road from Cesper to
Lander has cut off 100 miles OF wagon
haul, and from present indications
other lines are to be built in that To-
cality before long that will cut Off an
other slice and enable actual work to
be done at a commercial profit.
In southern Wyoming the most I'M
portant events are the construction
of the line from Wolcott to Encamp.
ment by the Penn-Wyoming Copper
Company. and the laying of steel on
the Laramie-Centennial grade, both of
which will cut off the wagon haul that
has for years stood in the way of the
success OF many property in these
districts.
The Encampment road makes the
operation OF the Encampment smelter
possible at profit; this enables small
operators to market their ores and con-
t!Iiue development, which is all the dis
trict needs.
The burning of the concentration
works of the Penn-Wyoming Copper
Company at Encampment last March
was hard blow for the district. as IL
retarded development for year and
put the copper production OF the camp
down to its lowest point for many
years, but the works are now being re-
built on n larger and better scale and
the permanent growth of the district
will be benefited by what seemed to
be a catastrophe.
So the story might be taken up IN
various sections of the state and all
show progress.
Nevada has the full benefit of the
SPOT light just now. and fortunes are
being made (and lost) over night, hut
the day for Wyoming and her low
grade cope. and god ores Is rapidly
approaching. and now the signs p,o
right: He who runs may read" al
profit, or smile and pass by; the va
Is open.
Department Of Mining.
Colorado men are playing an impor-