The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1907-07-06
RICH GOLD DEPOSITS
in DEATH VALLEY SINK
(From our Representative. }

(From our own Representatives.
Rhyolite, New, July At is held by
scientists who rave a a study OF
the situation. that the floor of Death
Valley, or the great sink which ranges
below sea level. probably contains some
of the richest gold deposits to be found
in the world. From every indication
this valley of mystery and death is the
bed of an ancient inland sea, which in
earlier geologic history was an arm of
the Pacific, cut off by some movement
of the earth's crust.
The mountains surrounding and en-
closing this remarkable basin are the
Grapevines, the Funerals and the Pana-
mints, which, although they have been
~prospected in the most superficial man
ner on account of the dangers and diff
f~iculties which the region presents. are
known to be exceedingly rich in gold.
1t is in this region that "Scotty." the
Death Valley enigma, holds his treasure
vault, and it is to these mountains that
he HES when he wishes to r~eplenish
his exchequer. 1t is reasonable to sup
pose that through the disintegration of
ages that the gold and other metallic
substances were carried by natural
drainage from the surrounding noun
tains into this body of water and there
held in solution. When the day of sepa-
ration came. when this arm vas severed
by some crust movement from it's par
emit. the Pacific. many years must have
elapsed before evaporation educe the
great inland sea to what 1T is today
vast areas of salt beds and salt marshes.
With the saline substances the gold
and other metals held in the water must
have been deposited.
1t Is known that ordinary ocean water
contains a certain per cent of gold held
in solution. 1t is stated on good author
ity that the waters of Salt Lake, Utah,
carry IS to the ton in gold, and it is a
just inference that the waters which
once covered the basin of Death Valley,
under the conditions stated held many
times this amount.
The difficulty in the way or ecover-
ing gold from ocean water is to secure
an inexpensive method of extraction,
and the same obstacle doubtless awaits
the experimentor with reference to the
salt beds of Death Valley. But these
beds are there with their billions of tons
of salt. and doubtless their millions of
dollars of gold. and the natural terrors
~ the region. It's intense heat, it's
dearth of water. will pale before the
man with the correct method.
Besides the gold and the salt, there
are immense deposits of borax, nitre
and other minerals in this Death Valley
basin. 'Borax' Smith who is now build
ing the Tonopah & Tidewater railroad
through the Bullfrog district. received
his nickname from the Lila C. borax
mine. which he has operated for years
in the heart of the valley. 1t was here
that he cornered the borax trade and
laid the foundation of his fortune.
A party or eastern capitalists have
just returned from the Ubehebe dis
trict, situated about 60 miles southwest
OF Rhyolite. They were accompanied by
Jack Salisbury of Tonopah. who is
largely interested with them in the new
camp. II. q. Merry of Baltimore, speak
ing for himself and associates. stated
to your correspondent that 1t was the
intention of the Ubehebe Mines and
Smelter company, a corporation re-
Gently organized. to erect a big smelling
plant at Ubehebe in a short time and
also to construct a railroad to the dis
trict from Thorp's Well. a station on
the Goldheld Bullfrog road. The COM
pany owns SO claims said to be excel
lent mineral ground.
1t is stated on excellent authority
that an English syndicate is ~negotiat-
ing TO take over the Homestake-King in
the Bullfrog mining district. The mine
is now being sampled and it is under
stood that this is the end in view.
The Lost Burro group in the Ubehebe