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shape and position and the rock is of the same character. Only one class is worked at their mill of 15 stamps, yielding from $50 to $60 per ton. The principal work is being done on the Sunrise.

The Hayes, immediately south of the Monitor, has ore of the same grade and character, a number of tous tested at Salt Lake giving excellent results.

The June mine, west of the Hayes, shipped 50 tons to the Argus mill. Some first class, previously worked at the Monitor, went upwards of $300 to the ton. The Breechloader, on Chloride Mountain, 1 miles north of the town of Taylor, is in a lime formation, with quartzite and and shale on the east. A 40-foot shaft shows an ore-vein 17 feet wide, the gangue carrying the ore consisting of spar, quartz, and silicious lime. A few tons reduced yielded $250 per ton, the lowest $102 and about $8 in gold.

A force of men have been at work on the Neptune for the Argus Company. In the shaft, a body of ore 8 feet wide is exposed, of a lower grade, but which will pay to mill. A road is being built to the mine.

Much prospecting has been done during the year but no discoveries of any importance have been made.

The assessors' returns state the production of the mines of this county to have been as follows:

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The following is Mr. Crawford's estimate of the yield of the State by counties for the year 1884:

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CHAPTER IX.

NEW MEXICO.

The production of the precious metals in this Territory during the year 1884 shows a small increase over former years both in gold and silver, due principally to an increase in the production of gold in the counties of Grant, Lincoln, and Socorro, and a large increase in the production of silver in the latter county. But little work, other than that required by law to hold mining claims, has been done in many of the districts heretofore regarded as giving promise of successful mining operations, while in the older, more extensive, and more advantageously located sections unusual energy and enterprise seem to have been brought to bear in the prosecution of this industry. The celebrated Lake Valley district of Sierra County is still in a prosperous condition, notwithstanding the fact that about a year ago most of its large-producing mines were represented to be exhausted. From the nature of the occurrence of the ore-bodies of this section, which are sometimes entirely disconnected, the rumor was not unreasonable. The explorations by the diamond drill have, however, thus far indicated with accuracy the location of new ore-strata, enabling the miner to ascertain the character and value of the ore-bodies with the minimum of underground prospecting.

In Lincoln County prospecting is still carried on with energy and intelligence, but the production is reported from a few mines only, the work on others having been prevented by want of necessary capital and consequent lack of reducing machinery, and in some instances by conflicting interests, resulting in vexatious litigation.

The heavy output of Socorro County is largely due to the improved facilities afforded by the smelting plant at Socorro. The extension of the branch of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé Railroad to the Magdalenas, some 30 miles west of Socorro, has done much towards bringing about the prosperous condition of affairs of this county. It is reported that this branch is to be continued westward to the Mogollons, in the extreme western portion of the county, where is located the promising mining region known as the Cooney district.

In Grant County the old mining camps of Georgetown, Silver City, Steeple Rock, and many others have sustained their reputation as important mining centers. The extensive smelting plant at Silver City, projected over a year ago, is still in an unfinished condition. The enter prise is, however, being energetically prosecuted, with a view to its early completion.

Large amounts of money have been disbursed in these districts in the work of developing mines, erecting mills and smelters, and in the payment of dividends, &c., showing that the industry has been prosperous and profitable.

Some desultory work was done in the remaining counties of the Ter

ritory, but without marked results. The great placer section of Santa Fé still attracts considerable attention, and efforts to secure the gold in its wonderful deposits are being made by a few enterprising individuals and wealthy corporations. If successful, the vast fields are sufficiently rich to amply repay the trouble and expense heretofore incurred.

I have estimated the production of the Territory for the year at, gold, $300,000; silver, $3,000,000; total, $3,300,000; distributed among the counties as follows:

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No bullion has been produced in this county during the calendar year 1884. In fact, very little work of any kind has been done in connection with mining interests. This was due in a measure to financial depression, but more largely to the fact that the ores produced by the mines are not sufficiently valuable to warrant treatment at present expensive rates or to ship for reduction to other points.

COLFAX COUNTY.

The placers of this county have been advantageously worked during the year, owing to the unusually heavy snow and rain falls of the pervious winter. The claims in the vicinity of Elizabethtown owned by Lynch & Robinson are reported to have been especially productive. It is stated that they yielded not less than $5,000 per month during the busy working season. Messrs. Ritchie, Lowrey, and others have pushed operations on their claims, and the general opinion is that the season of 1884 has been one of profit.

The Ute Creek, Willow Gulch, and Last Chance placer beds have also been worked successfully. In fact, every claim was worked to the fullest extent during the continuance of the water supply. Many of the lode mines of the various districts had some work done upon them, and a number of them give promise of future profit.

I estimate the production of the county for the year to have been about $50,000 gold.

DOÑA AÑA.

During the year the northwestern portion of this county, including the important mining sections of Lake Valley and Hillsborough, was organized, with other portions of Grant and Socorro Counties, into a new county, "Sierra," leaving Organ Mountain the only important district remaining in the county. The smelter at Organ has been completed and in operation at intervals since last March. While the ores treated were not what are generally termed refractory, some difficulty was at first experienced in their treatment. The smelter is a water

jacket copper furnace of 30 tons capacity. It was erected especially to reduce the ores of the Memphis mine, which run high in copper and carry silver in considerable quantity. Latest reports represent the output of copper matte at about 30 tons per week, and that the silver contained runs from $100 to $200 per ton in value. Many of the other mines in this as well as the other districts on the opposite side of the range contain similar ores, which doubtless require the proper admixture to secure the best smelting results. The mining town of Organ is some 18 miles from Las Cruces, the nearest railroad point for supplying the smelter with the coal and coke required in its operations. It is true that the natural road to the station is excellent, but the consumption and cost of fuel is a large item and the expense of transportation a serious obstacle. There would seem to be no difficulty in secur ing the necessary ore to keep the smelter constantly supplied, as the Memphis, the company's own mine, is believed to be able to supply about 30 tons per day. From some cause, however, the output of the mine has not been kept up to this point. Some of its workings were submerged by water, notwithstanding it was represented to be furnished with superior steam pumping and hoisting works. More recent reports show that additional pumping capacity has been supplied, and that the mine is in condition to be worked in all its levels.

No works have yet been erected for the treatment of the silver ores of this extensive mineral section, although a galena smelter and stampmill are under contemplation.

The Silver Gem, Silver Girdle, Merrimac, Toughnut, Gray Eagle, Little Buck, Black Prince, and many others are producing mines of the section tributary to Organ City. The ores generally carry silver, and some of them gold also, in paying quantities. But few details as to their development during the year have been furnished, further than that they are being worked and have made shipments of ore.

A number of comparatively recent discoveries in Galloway Gulch have been actively prospected and developed during the year, under the superintendency of J. S. Crawford. So far as development has progressed the ledges are said to open up well. The ore is an argentiferous galena, running from 20 per cent. upwards in lead and quite high in silver; some also run well in copper. The lower or second-class ores from the mines of this camp will supply lead for fluxing purposes, much needed by the smelter at Organ City. The following are the prospects upon which the principal development thus far has been made: The Cañon City, Ludlow, Ohio, Scotia, Highland Chief, Hawkeye, Sandusky, Cleveland No. 2, Humboldt, Back Pay lode, &c.

Reports from Bear Mountain indicate considerable work done upon the various claims, but no reports of shipments or details of development have been furnished.

The same remark is true of Jarrilla district. From the best information attainable I place the production of silver at $45,000, and of gold, approximately, $5,000.

GRANT COUNTY.

The mining districts and mines immediately tributary to Silver City, the county seat of Grant County, have not, except in a few instances, been as actively operated during the year as in former years, and the result is the output has not increased, as was confidently expected.

The best producing mines of Chloride Flat and Silver Flat districts continue to be the Breman or "76," Sherman and Two Ikes. Others of considerable promise have been worked during the year, but not to

the same extent nor so systematically. The aggregate production of these districts for the year cannot fali short of $175,000, the bulk of which was from the Breman. The mill connected with this mine is reported to be in excellent condition and successful in its operations, notwithstanding the somewhat refractory nature of the ores treated. Some improvements in the way of leaching machinery have been added, with a view to treating an accumulation of some 7,000 or 8,000 tons of tailings of the old mill, which it is supposed will pay handsomely.

The Sherman mine has given employment to 5 men during the year, and its daily production is reported at from 4 to 5 tons of good grade ore. The ledge is about 6 feet wide and the vein-matter carries considerable horn silver. A quantity of ore has been shipped and its dump is constantly being increased. The developments of the year are said to indicate that this mine will be a steady producer. Its ores are chloride and gray carbonate.

The Two Ikes is worked by a force of from 12 to 15 miners and has been an extensive shipper during the year. Returns are reported of something over 100 ounces in silver to the ton. The company proposes continuing its shipments until the new sampling and reduction works are completed.

The Emma and Hidden Treasure are said to show up unusually well. Considerable ore has been uncovered, but left in place until the completion of reduction works. The work of exploitation is carried on by the aid of an Ingersol steam-drill.

Development on the Climax shows a vein of from 2 to 34 feet of sulphurets and galena, which is said to give high assays. The vein is between well-defined walls of porphyry and syenite, and has the appearance of permanency.

The Little Chloride, with but slight development, is reported to show a fine vein of chlorides and gray copper, which gives assays of upwards of $400 in silver and 20 per cent. of copper. Work is being pushed energetically.

The Little and Big Colorado are also comparatively new discoveries. The ledge upon which they are located is said to be large and sample assays to run very high. The average is put at about $40 to the ton.

A new discovery is reported upon the surface of the Back Bone, which in a short time produced about 15 tons of high grade ore, without auy indication that the ore-body was exhausted. These developments demonstrate the fact that even within a few miles of so important a place as Silver City there is still a promising field for the prospector in this the oldest mining section of the Territory.

A new smelting furnace is being built at Silver City, which is expected to be put in blast early in the year. It is intended especially to treat the low-grade copper ores of the district of Santa Rita, San José, and Hanover. The capacity of the works will be from 10 to 12 tons daily; but should a demand for greater capacity arise, the managers of the enter prise will add stacks as they become necessary. The furnace will be an improved McNair gas reverberatory, similar to those in use at the Argo works at Denver. The fuel, instead of being piled in grates and subjected to direct incineration, is placed in heated muffles, by which all the gases are extracted. These are consumed in the furnace itself and in contact with the charge to be smelted, and it is estimated that a saving of 50 per cent. in this important item of expense is effected by the process. The furnace is not an experiment, so that the success of the enterprise may be regarded as assured if a sufficient quantity of ore can be found to keep it supplied.

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