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Show western 3s:i3smsra- - gazetteer GOLD MOUNTAIN DISTRICT, NEVADA. PROSPECT HOLES AND MINES . The last issue of the Inyo (Cal.) Independent has the following about the new excitement, where the State Line mines are situated : Although the mines of Gold Mountain proper have for the last ten years had a local celebrity, owing to the disadvantages of its location, and chiefly on account of its lack of a water supply, but little is known in regard to the country or the value of its mines, except by those whose all has been hidden away in their depths, beyond the reach of their empty purses. Taking Lida Valley (as being better known) as a starting point for this description, Gold Mountain is situated about twenty miles in a southeasterly direction. The chief attraction at the present time is centered in an old location known as the State Line mine, which lies from eight to ten miles in a westerly course from the old Gold Mountain camp, which would bring it nearly due south from the town of Lida, and between which intervenes a valley generally referred to as the head of Death Valley, and in the Gold Mountain, range. Lida Valley is a cal dn sac in the range of Mountains lying east of Fish Lake Valley. The southerly portion of this mountain is cut off by Mount Magruder, an elevation of about 1 1, OCX) feet, running nearly easterly and westerly, with Log Spring at its westerly base or end. It follows that the southerly slope of Mount Magruder faces the State Line mine, and from the numerous springs upon this southerly slope it is proposed to obtain a water supply by means of pipes across Death Valley to the mines, a distance of about twelve mile. We gave, a week or two since, an article descriptive of the State Line property, so that only a brief reference thereto is now necessary. The total sum paid by the New York company for the property, in eluding the 2,200 feet of patented ground and the extensions, was $267, 500. A double mill, comprising 80 stamps, is in course of construction. Sixty-fiv- e water pipe is to thousand feet of6-inc- h be laid, as above referred to. Five openings have been made upon the mine, the deepest now extending 100 feet, in ledge matter 1 1 to 13 feet in width, assaying from $25 to $175 in gold per ton. With forty stamps only, SuperintendentTaylor, a principal owner, promises $60,000 a month net for two years, out of the ore in sight. The work of opening it 100 feet deeper is going on, and if the ore body holds out the same the property will prove, ashas often been claimed for it, to be the biggest gold mine in the world. Heading at the westerly foot of Mount Magruder and about four miles east of Log Springs, running easterly into Death Valley and from eight to ten miles west of the State Line mine, is the somewhat famous Tule Canyon, noted for its placer mines and huge nuggets of pure gold. It has been mainly worked by Mexicans, at different times for ten years. Several of these have found their way to this place, one of which in weight nearly $900 were purchased several years ago by Harris & Rhine. Lately a dry washer has been in operation, and the other day as a part of his proceeds, Norberto Meudiril brought in a solid, nearly round chunk of pure gold weighing eleven ounces. This was purchased by A. R. Conklin, Esq., who took it with him to San Francisco. A small piece of the same general description is in the possession of J. D. Mairs, of this place. About Tule Canyon and also on the slope facing west and towards Log Springs is a large scope of what would be valuable placer ground if water could be obtained in sufficient quantity for ordinary sluicing purposes, or even the now obsolete long tom. Aside from the rich placers of Tule Canyon and other gulches in vicinity, which have from time to time been worked only during extremely wet seasons, there are evidences of the existence of rich veins of silver ore, judging from the float rock and sur- The following will apply to other sections than those mentioned by the Mining and Scientific Press: We have heard lately a good deal of what seems a complaint about some of the Arizona camps, viz : That mine owners and locators prefer letting the mineral lie upon the dumps for the inspection of strangers and intending purchasers, rather than let chlo riders and tributers work the claims, or to face deposits which have been found. There can be no doubt that the range of mountains lying west of Death Valley, as well as Gold Mountain on the cast, will by reason of the enterprise now being inaugurated on the State Line mine, soon develop into a very rich and prosperous mining section, to the direct and resultant advantage of this region. The coming mining boom will be in Gold Mountain and Lida, to be followed by the development of Deep Springs and Beveridge districts. We shall next week endeavor to describe points adjacent, and refer to the railroad probabilities. well-found- ed work themselves. This sort of thing may do for a little time, perhaps, but it will not last long. There are not very many men trotting around the country with bags of twenties or rolls of greenbacks looking for little holes in the ground with a swelling around the top. They would much rather, as a general thing, find a deeper hole and less dump, as indicating that the miner was not afraid to go down on his claim, and that the ore he took out paid him to work. Small holes and comparatively big dumps may do well enough tor grccnies, but few mining men care to invest much coin in that direction. If the ore is rich and will pay wages to work, why not, when there are facilities, work it up ? What is the use of letting a number of tons of the good ore lie in the dumps simply to impress strangers ; and especially when it don't impress strangers who know anything of mining. Where there are no means of having ore reduced there is of course some excuse ; otherwise there is none. With good ore in a mine, nowadays, chloriders can always be found who will take it out on shares. Of course they have to be overlooked so they will not injure the workings. But the claims should be worked in some way, anyhow; and not left idle. It is the bane of all camps, however, to have a lot of prospect holes owned by a few shiftless sort of men calling themselves miners, but who are only on the sell and not on the work. They work enough to open a hole and show up a lead a little so as to get a few tons of ore on the dumps. Then, imagining this lead to run to China, on the same basis as the first 20 feet, they sit down and wait for some one who is willing to discount the future for them. We have no patience with this class of prospectors. In Arizona, where rich surface ores abound, miners working for themselves ought to do well. But if they are content to sit down beside a few tons of quartz and wait for coined doubled eagles to be poured into their pockets, it is their own fault if they have in the end to pawn their tools for a grub stake. MINES IN ALASKA . There is some excitement in Washington over the confirmed report of the discovery of rich ore in Alaska. Letters come in now by every mail asking if the mining laws cover this Territory; but they do not. There is no law covering any lands, mineral or otherwise, there, and before titles can be obtained Congress will have to take hold of the subject It is proposed by some members to organize a Territorial form of government and extend the land laws ; but this is opposed, the governing part being an unnecessary expense. The indications are now that there will be a grand rush for the new gold field as soon as the season opens. Army officers and others have long known that there was paying gold quartz in Alaska, and as long ago as 1873. Major Henry Clay. Wood, of Gen. Howards staff, organized a mining company to obtain some of the gold, but they were deterred from commencing operations, mainly because no title could be obtained. -- MINING STOCKS AT THE OLD BOARD. The governing committee of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange has justmade some very liberal concessions in favor of mining stocks. It has reduced the commissions to the following scale : On stocks selling under $1,1 cent per share : $2 and up to $5, 3 cents : $5 and up to $10, 5 cents : $10 and over, the same rate as charged on other stocks. It has also abolished the fee of $250 for listing, so that hereafter the shares of all mining companies can be listed and dealt in at the exchange the same as other stocks. It is about organizing a mining annex for its own members and subscribers, who will be It is estimated that the total amount of gold yielded by Cassiar admitted on payment of $100 per annum. The secretary of the district last year is about $250,009. Upward of 150 miners will win- Stock Exchange, Mr. J. C. Johnson, has been authorized to reter in the mines principally on McDame creek, which is now almost ceive applications from outside parties who desire to become subentirely occupied by Chinamen. scribers to the proposed mining branch. |