Bear Mountain district.-The Old Man mine of Fleming, in the northern portion of this district, has continued a steady producer throughout the year. From 40 to 50 men have been kept almost constantly employed in the various workings. The shipments have been from 10 to 15 tons per day. This does not include many thousand tons of low-grade ores accumulated on its dumps, which, when works are erected for their treatment, as contemplated, it is said will net $20 per ton.

Improved steam hoisting and pumping works have been purchased and will be put in place at an early day. The company at present owning and operating this mine has only had possession some six months, yet has paid a dividend of $40,000. The returns received from shipments were a little over $90,000 during the year, which would indicate the expense of mining to be inconsiderable. This is largely due to the fact that the ore was found in large bodies or chimneys, and its extraction was not accompanied, in consequence, by any unusual amount of dead work. The seam or vein is said to vary from 10 to 30 feet in thickness, and is found on both sides of a ridge which traverses it. The ore and the manner of its occurrence being similar to that in the "76" mine, near Silver City, it is believed by many that the same ledge continues through both mines.

The Thayer Crowley mine, near Bear Mountain, has shipped some ore during the year, principally derived from prospect shafts sunk on the ledge. A new shaft has been sunk, with the hope that, when it reaches the contact, it will open up a well defined vein. This is to be used as a working shaft for systematic development.

Upon the Black Prince considerable work has also been done. The main shaft is down about 80 feet, and, though the seam was at first pookety, a good vein was at last found, but no shipments were reported.

Work on the Rob Roy, of the Penrose group, has been pushed forward with energy, and some very fine ore exposed.

The Burro mine was considerably developed during the year, and shows a vein 2 feet in width, the ore from which is reported to have given assays of several hundred dollars to the ton.

On the Carbon mine, near Fleming, 6 men have been at work upon, as reported, a rich vein of mineral. Some difficulty was encountered from the accumulation of water, but arrangements being made for pumping will enable the work of development to be carried on without that hinderance.

Pinos Altos district.—The two mills of this district were in operation only a part of the year, that of the Pinos Altos Gold and Silver Mining Company having shut down about the 1st of October by reason of scarcity of water, and the Wagner mill on account of bad roads. The Pinos Altos company's mill is represented to have sufficient ore on the dumps and in sight to supply it for several years. It has also from 4,000 to 6,000 tons of tailings, estimated to be worth from $60,000 to $80,000. These are treated in connection with ore, in the proportion of a ton of "tailings" to 2 tons of ore. The mill has a battery of 10 stamps, and is said to be complete in all its appliances for the treatment and saving of gold.

The Wagner mill has a battery of 5 stamps and is capable of treating from 8 to 10 tons of ore per day.

The year's development has done much to improve the Atlantic mine, which is reported to be in excellent condition. The ledge has four distinct veins of paying ore, one of which, 4 inches in width, assaying $40 in gold to the ton, was uncovered in the progress of the year's operations. This is one of the old mines and has produced many thou

sands of dollars' worth of bullion. Arrangements for extensive work ings have been perfected and a heavier output may reasonably be expected.

Some shipments of ore were made from the Alpha and Omega, but the returns having been unsatisfactory the owners concluded to reduce their own ore by means of reverberatory furnaces. The work of development on these claims has disclosed other rich bodies of carbonates and galena ores.

A number of other mines of the district have yielded considerable ore during the year, and some gold was obtained from the placers, but the production was not large and was the result principally of Mexican labor.

In July last a discovery which may prove valuable was made about a mile south of Pinos Altos, at the head of Arroya Questa. The vein at the surface is about 14 inches wide, and is said to carry some gold and assay 75 ounces of silver to the ton. Twenty pounds of picked ore were smelted and the yield was reported to have been $23.50. Other claims have been located and the same class of ore found, but developments have not been sufficiently extensive on any of them to warrant an opinion as to the probable value of the discovery.

Telegraph district. In this district work has been prosecuted during the greater portion of the year. The Gila River and Telegraph Mountain Mining Company especially has accomplished considerable development work in their mines and shipped many tons of ore. Work in the district was obstructed somewhat during the year by a rise in the Gila River washing out a portion of the wagon road, but this was quickly repaired, and a portion of a new road was built to facilitate communication with the mines. The ore is transported by teams to Silver City, and there shipped by rail. It is of high grade and said to give profita ble returns.

The Mother lode, the property of the above company, shows a 4-foot breast of ore in the workings, claimed to average 41 ounces in silver per ton. A tunnel driven in upwards of 50 feet on the ledge of the Tecumseh, also the property of the above company, uncovered a vein of ore having at that point a width of from 2 to 24 feet of ore, said to assay from 210 to 250 ounces per ton.

Steeple Rock district.—Much work was done in this district, especially upon the Carlisle, which continues to be the most important mine. New steam hoisting and pumping machinery of sufficient capacity to carry on work to a depth of about 750 feet has been supplied during the year, and a smelting plant, with roaster and chlorination works, capable of reducing 20 tons of ore per day, has also been added. It was intended that these works should be in operation by September 1, but unavoidable delays prevented their completion at that time. The company owning this mine has expended upwards of $300,000 in improvements and in erecting necessary buildings, including a 20stamp mill and the works above mentioned. Upwards of 200 men are kept constantly employed in and about the mine and mill and in entting and hauling wood. Water in sufficient quantity is obtained from the mine itself, and from a natural reservoir, improved by an embankment, some 500 feet from the mill site. The principal shaft of the mine has attained a depth of about 450 feet. It is regularly opened by drifts, levels, &c., and the daily production of ore is about 40 tons, although this quantity could be increased. While portions of the ore give high assays, the average value is reported at about $30 per ton, 25

to 30 per cent. of which is silver. . In character it is a combination of free gold, fine quartz, and sulphurets. The vein-matter is heavy and carries considerable arsenic, which renders the ore somewhat refractory, but the appliances for saving the metal are so complete that the ore is treated with the minimum of loss. With the completion of the new works the bullion output may be doubled during the calendar year 1885, as there is a large accumulation of concentrates on hand.

Aside from the mines owned by the Carlisle Company there are a number of other good properties in the district, but none that are supplied with reduction works or equipped with steam hoisting machinery. The Pennsylvania, adjoining the Carlisle, has been worked to some extent during the year and shipped some fine high-grade ore. It has recently been bonded for $20,000. Work on the Rain-in-the-Face has also progressed, showing up a fine ore-body. The west shaft is 75 feet in depth, and in ore the entire distance. The vein varies from 2 to 3 feet in width and averages about $40 in value to the ton in gold and silver. Over 300 feet of development, consisting of drifts, levels, &c., have been done. Considerable ore of good grade has been taken out and shipped during the progress of this work. This mine is regarded as a promising property.

On the Nugget a vertical shaft was expected to reach the ore-body at a depth of 200 feet, which depth was attained before the end of the year.

The Little Emily's shaft has reached a depth of 100 feet, showing a strong vein. A level has been driven, at 100 feet, a distance of 80 feet, all in ore of good grade. The vein is from 6 to 8 feet in width, and it is said gives mill-runs of from $20 to $25 per ton in gold and silver.

Work on the Turk mine is also reported to have progressed during the year, showing up a very large vein, said to be 26 feet in width, which gives assay returns of from $12 to $15 per ton.

The Missing Link has a shaft 25 feet in depth, exposing a fine body of ore, the width of which has not been determined. This mine adjoins the Turk and the vein is supposed to be the same.

The Mitchell and Norman mines have not been operated during the year to any considerable extent. They are both reported to be promis ing properties. The stoppage of work in the Mitchell was occasioned by the death of one of its owners.

An important strike is reported from a development in the vicinity of the Carlisle, but whether in a new prospect or an old working is not stated. The ore-body encountered is said to appear in a sandstone formation and to be extensive.

Bullard's Peak district.-The Black Hawk, one of the mines of the Solid Silver Mining Company, has been operated during the year, but not so extensively as formerly. The works have attained a depth of over 500 feet, seven levels have been opened, the last at a depth of 500 feet, and good ore has been found in all of them. The levels, drifts, &c., aggregate about 1,300 feet in length. Ores encountered are reported to have been left in place, the work since its discovery having been done principally for development. Unusually rich strikes of what seem to be large ore-bodies are reported to have been made at a comparatively recent date in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh levels. Water is found in the different workings in sufficient quantities to supply all the machinery. The management of the company is said to have changed about the middle of the year, since which the output of the mine is reported to have been satisfactory. Some work has been done during the year upon

the following mines: Duncan, Grey Eagle, Rose, and Good Hope, and upon the latter some rich ore, consisting of native silver and argentite, has been encountered. The mine is opened by a working shaft 4 by 8 feet, which is being timbered in a thorough manner. The work is said to be progressing steadily, but no particulars are given as to the depth of the shaft or what other development has been made; the prospects are, however, reported as encouraging.

The Duncan mine shows two veins, from 6 to 8 inches in width, of rich silver glance, but the work thus far done has not been sufficient to demonstrate the richness of the strike or its permanency, though the party prosecuting it is very hopeful.

The Grey Eagle and Rose are both reported to be promising prospects, but neither has been worked to any great extent, owing to litigation between contending claimants. Excitement was created about a year ago by the discovery of native silver upon the Grey Eagle, and the Rose, discovered about the same time, is claimed to have shown the richest surface indications in the district, though it has had little work done upon it, as its legal troubles commenced about the same time.

Hanover Gulch district.-The Mollie S. group of mines has been worked ander lease during a portion of the year by a considerable force of men. The ores were shipped to the Deming smelter for reduction. The orebody is large, but the quantity of silver carried is not sufficient to warrant its shipment to distant points. The property has been in litigation for several years, and this is the first work of importance done upon it during that time. The smelter at Deming, after having been in operation for several months, was compelled to shut down in September, owing to a scarcity of wet ores.

Cook's Peak district. The ores from this district are smelting, running about 40 per cent. in lead and from 10 to 12 ounces in silver. While the smelter at Deming was in operation a convenient market for this ore was afforded, but since it was closed down shipments have been made to more distant points.

The Montezuma and Graphic are the principal mines of the district. The latter supplied the Keystone smelter during the year with consid erable ore, which, in addition to the minerals contained, was found to be very valuable as a flux. Considerable quantities were also shipped in sacks to the smelter at Socorro. While the value given shows the average character of the ore of these mines, pockets and seams are frequently encountered where the ore runs much higher; the Socorro shipments were of this latter grade and gave satisfactory returns. It cannot be said that the mining industry has been especially prosperous in this or the preceding district during the year. The development has, however, shown that the ore-bodies, though of low grade, are extensive.

Georgetown district.-Owing to the fact that the principal property of this district was closed more than half the year, the production has not been equal to that anticipated from the production of previous years. The Mimbres Mining Company's mill was compelled to shut down until August, and but little was done in the mines of the company during the time of suspension. During the latter half of the year, however, the mill was run profitably under the new management, and its mines have been worked successfully under lease. Upwards of 200 men are employed in the Naiad Queen alone, and a large surplus of ore is reported on its dump and in the bins at the mill. The daily production under the new leasing arrangement of working the company's mines is said to be more than sufficient to supply the mill when operated at its full

capacity. This has not been the case under the present company, as, for economical purposes, it has only been run on three-fourths time. From the fact that the first fifty days' operations resulted in a bullion output of about $60,000, including concentrations, the outlook for the future. seems especially promising for the leasing company.

The McGregor Brothers have pushed work on their property with energy during the year. A 5-stamp concentrating mill was erected by them and put in operation about July 1, since which time it is said to have been kept running day and night. About ten miners are kept constantly employed. Altogether the output of the mine and operations of the mill have been satisfactory.

The development of the Commercial mine has been actively prosecuted during the past year, and the result has not only largely increased its output, but so opened ledges and ore-bodies as to demonstrate their extent and value. From 20 to 30 miners are employed, and the output per month is from 2 to 4 car-loads of shipping ore that is reported to give returns of over 300 ounces of silver to the ton. The ore is sent to the Billings smelter at Socorro, a distance of 125 miles by railroad and 25 miles by wagon; hence none that runs less than 50 ounces to the ton is shipped. The consequence is that there is quite an accumulation on the dump of the mine of ore of this and lower grade, which will be concentrated before shipment. A new incline shaft was started during the year, which penetrates the mountain at an angle of 34°, and which is expected to strike the mineral deposit at a depth of 300 feet. This shaft is to be a double compartment and thoroughly timbered. It is fitted with a 12 horse-power steam-hoist, recently completed. At last accounts the shaft had attained a depth of nearly 200 feet. With the striking of mineral in this incline a largely increased output is anticipated. Upon the whole, the mining industry of this district is reported at the close of the year to have a prosperous outlook for the year 1885. Burro Mountain district.-But little of note has been reported from the district, and nothing of consequence was done in the way of exploitation in either of the subdistricts or camps of Oak Grove, Sulphuret City, or Paschal, which heretofore have been the mining centers. This, doubtless, results from the discovery, early in the year, of reported rich deposits still further to the south and west of Silver City. The smelter at Oak Grove has been dismantled, and such portions of the building and machinery as could be utilized have been transported to Silver City, where they will become part of the new smelting plant in process of erection there.

Gold Gulch district lies to the south and west of the Burros and embraces an extensive area, of which the boundaries are as follows: Commencing at a point about 14 miles northeast of Lordsburg, the southern line extends west to Flat Mountain, 25 miles; thence northeast to Round Top Mountain, 20 miles; thence east and southeast to the point of beginning. Malone, Gold Hill, Thompson's Cañon, and Gold Gulch are the principal camps. In the first are eighteen mines that will furnish ore from the surface, increasing in richness as depth is gained. The ledges are reported to be unusually wide and the ores to run high in gold and silver.

The Young Man mine seems to be the most promising, and its ledge is said to show immense outcroppings, in places about 40 feet in width. Two openings have been made, both in excellent ore, every portion of which is mineral in the form of native, sulphide or horn silver. An assorted lot of 14 tons was shipped to the smelter at Socorro, aud returns