Semi-weekly herald., 1912-07-29
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
IN LA PLATA CAMP
(By Gen. Frank Hall.)

| prospects Oh La fiata mining ulS-
trict, commonly called California min
/ ing district of the La Platas. A re-
port of this character naturally con-
tains much material which may be
therefore the sketch subjoined will
deal with the general rather than the
geological features of that country.
AS matter of fact, many people who
are looking for a new mining camp
that has the basis for a prosperous
future desire to be informed of the
essential features and those only,
nence we present an outline that will
show what the average prospector
or homeseeker may expect to find
when he gets there.
Engineer Caldon was one of the
first to investigate the Cripple Creek
gold field and to pronounce it one of
the best in the world, although it had
at that time only cusory evidence of
biing a good mining camp. Many
disc greed with his conclusions, but
time and development work have fully
Justified his highly optomistic declara-
ticn In talking with him this morn
ing, he made similar declaration in
regard to La Plata district and feels
confident that it will also develop into
great mining section.
Running over the situation as Cal
don finds it, certain important facts
appear. For example, the east and
west veins, of which there is a large
tion because they are as a rule strong,
! true fissures, filled with telluride ores,
some of which are exceedingly rich
and all carrying fine payable values.
At surface they are from eight inches
to two and even five feet in width.
While the quartz is very hard, il
breaks well. Little need be said CT
the paralleling sulphid belt on which
= scarcely more than desultory prospect
) ing has been done, and only very
low grade ores found except in one
or two places.
The Ten Brock mine, on Lewis
mountain, now under lease by Lewis
g. Reese of this city, with the latter
in charge of operations, is one of the
most promising veins in that district
located above timber line. 1t is open
ed by an upper tunnel on the vein for
a distance of 300 feet, driven from a
point about $50 feet below the apex
of the mountains. Some 300 feet fur
ther down the slope :: second tunnel
has been driven over sixty feet on
the vein. twenty inches of the ore
i carries ten and one-half ounces gold
. per ton. Lewis & Reese are working
on burros three and half miles to
the wagon road, and thence by teams
/, to the railway switch. Ore of this
grade is rare, but they seem to have
E a fair tonnage of it. They are ham
ding nothing but first class material.
=, What the others are doing in detail
we are not informed, but all accounts
, agree that the district is prosperous.
/ The apex of Lewis mountain is pret-
ty well up in the air. The veins on
| lUIS range CdInOI De WOihCu "
considerable depths by shafting. 1t is
clear, therefore, that the only practi-
cal form of development is by one OF
more crosscut tunnels. Mr.. Caldon
recommends beginning from Lightner
creek, on the southwest slope, a drive
, of 1000 feet would reach the first
of the east and west veins, intersect-
ing them at 1 800 to 1000 feet depth.
q Such tunnels would effectually drain
, the entire belt and do for La Plata
what the Roosevelt tunnel has done
2 for Cripple Creek. Besides it would
take the business of mining and mill
E ing out of the higher altitude to in
finitely more advantageous positions
at or near the base of the mountains.
, Then it is suggested that Durango
should perfect the scheme by build
ing wagon road from Durango to
Lightning creek, a distance of about
! ten miles.
5 There are scores of true fissure
, veins in that stretch of country from
| Eagle pass north, and all good tellu-
, de ores. While there is no excite
rent, no such feverish rushes as u.s.
, ually attend the first stages in a new
mining camp, many men are going at
this season and many are doing very
/, earnest work. 1t is estimated that
500 have entered the district, some of
whom are building cabins and pre-
pairing to stay during next winter.
The telluride zone is from ten to
twelve miles long in the eastern por-
ton of the La Plata range. The be-
lief is &, neral that the district will
prove u be a large and very pros
porous enc, judging by the number,
strength and richness of the veins
The basis is being laid this summer
pnd by the time winter comes again
a strong, permanent settlement will
have been tablished.-Denver Post.
FOUR-INCH RAINFALL.