Pinos Altos, New Mexico - Report As to Grant County

Report As to Grant County

When we take into consideration the rude machinery they have used to work their ore, all the more are we convinced that the camp is a good one. The deepest work done is not 150 feet, where pyrites commences, this, of course, it is impossible to work with an arrastra. The veins are all true fissure, and the early settlers say there has never been such a thing as a vein pinching out. The quality of the ore changes at a depth of 50 to 100 feet, from free or oxide ore into pyrites. It is supposed that under the pyrites sulphides are to be found.

The general leads in the camp carry silver, although up to the present time nothing but gold has been taken out. All gold quartz carries more or less silver, and oftentimes the silver predominates, as the mine gets deeper the percentage of silver increases, hence it is a certain fact that thousands of dollars have been washed away to the Gila river, as no attempt has ever been made to try to save it.

Their need is the same as that of many other parts of this Territory, a 20 or 30 stamp-mill with appliances for working gold and silver, and a smelter for working the carbonate and galena ore, of which, in the Pinos Altos^ there is an inexhaustible quantity. Hundreds of claims have been located recently, and several sales made. Assays turn out favorably and the people confidentially look forward to a prosperous camp at no distant day.

Pinos Altos -is the only part of this Territory where gulch mining has been carried on to any extent. The four principle ravines or creeks are Bear Creek, Whisky Creek, San Domingo and Atlantic, with hundreds of side ravines emptying into them. These can only be worked to any great extent .during the rainy season. v

During the dry season, Mexicans are the principal workers in these gulches, bat as soon as the rain sets in, everybody turns to and works for the precious metal.

East Pinos Altos

Ts on the Atlantic slope. Here are to be found leads of mineral rock carrying gold and silver, the latter predominating. The top of the leads are generally free gold extending in depth about 60 feet, when pyrites are struck, and thus stops further work at present. These leads run parallel with each other and so close together that they can all be taken up in one location 600 feet wide, they can be traced one and a half miles and extend further but are blind from this distance on.

Here are a class of hardy, independent men, who have worked along, made a living, and asked nothing from anv one, with the roughest and most primitive machinery - the wooden rocker and the rawhide arrastra. Many have made money and left, but the wiser are holding on and making more locntions. It is very seldom that the pioneer meets with a fair reward for his labors, oftentimes, perhaps, his own fault. Capital steps in and buys a for- tune for a song. That is just how it is at Pinos Altos, many have more claims than they need or could possibly work, even when machinery is put up. Now is the time for a good speculation.

Last year the Glorietta Minning Company, of Austin, Texas, made a number of locations in this vicinity and their superintendent has a force of men 'engaged constantly in the development of the same. He is highly pleased with the "show up" and is talking machinery strong to the company.

These free gold bearing ledges run into iron and copper pyrites, which cannot be handled without smelters. These pyrites will, however, prove an important factor in the future as a flux for smelters in handling other ores. Veins of carbonate and galena ores, carrying a fair percentage of silver, are also found in this district. The water and timber advantages are good.

This picturesque camp is one least known in our county, yet it is the most promising. It was organized on the 12th day of March, 1881, and located about twenty miles from Silver City. It will pass down into history as be. ing the first stopping place of President Hayes on his late tour in New Mexico.

The camp is located in a splendid valley, and is one of the prettiest I ever saw. It abounds with timber, in the shape of walnut, cottonwood and willows, all of which are now decked in living green. Hundreds of cattle browse on the slopes, the herders sleep in the shade of the willows, and thus it presents to the traveler a picture of rural tranquility.

The road leading through Cow Springs is a good one, and all the travel from the Tres Hermanos and other camps to Silver City, comes that way. Good mill sites are to be had, and water in abundance at 12 feet from the surface. Several good leads are, as yet, unlocated, and the wave of humanity from the East now rolling over the country will not regret it if they stop and examine the new Cow Springs mining district.

A few weeks ago a wonderful excitement was caused in this vicinity and "big strike" was the cry on every hand. A prospector had been looking over a portion of that country for six months, finding indications off and on that gave him courage to renew his efforts and at last he "hit the nail square on the head" and was .rewarded with immense chunks of chlorides of silver right from the top rock. People started for the new discovery in the night and one practical miner who visited and took a good look at the strike, said to us that he could see $25,000 in sight beyond the question of a doubt. We are told that the whole country is now located, and each owner of a claim expects soon to "make his Jack."

The district was discovered by Gillespie, who ownes some of the best prospects here, and began to attract attention, for the first time, some two months ago, since whicH time prospectors have been pouring in from all directions, until now it is next to impossible to find anything in the shape of mineral unlocated. The district is small, being only about one mile by seven. It has one main ledge running the whole length of the district, about seven miles, and every foot of it located. From this, run out numerous stringers and some few cross ledges. The main ledge is believed to be where the greatest as well as the richest deposits will be found, though as yet but a single shaft has been sunk on it, but this shows equally as well as any in the district. The character of the ores is chlorides carrying unusually large quantities of both native and horn silver. These ores are almost entirely free from bases, carrying neither lead nor copper, and but an insignificant amount of iron, being the easiest ore to mill ever yet discovered in this county.

Wood and water are abundant, both for domestic and milling purposes, the gulches all carrying more or less water, and the hills are covered with good fire-wood, and, eight miles from there, is Animas Mountain, covered with fine pine timber.

The country rook is mostly porphyry and granite, with some -little quartzite and lime, but not enough of the latter to affect the water, which is all soft. Some fifteen or twenty miles to the southwest are extensive reefs of volcanic rock, but here the hills and valleys seem to have lain undisturbed for ages.

There has been but little work done here as yet, though what has been done proves it to be the richest camp yet discovered in this southern country. Men who have been here and made locations have to go out and get provisions and tools to sink on their claims, and more or less of this class are returning every day, and in the near future we will have a showing that will make a boom.