OCR Text |
Show 1270 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. of it. The range trends north and south ; the lode9 on the east trend north and south, and those on the west, northeast and southwest. The eastern slopes are gentle, and there the discoveries are in the foot- slopes, and adjacent to the town. The country-rock is granite. None of the mines there are being worked. The Mount Vernon mine was mo> t extensively developed, and is considered valuable. It is now flooded with water, which, in the granite, is reached at 100 feet. On the western slo]> e the strata are much exposed, the descent being very abrupt. The discoveries range through about 1,000 feet in altitude, commencing near tbesummit, and extending a little more thau halfway down the slope. The deposits are richest in the slate and limestone. A metamorphic rock also abounds. The Last Chance, Grant and Colfax, and Canada mines, on all of which work was being done, are in the same belt of rock. It is about 600 feet wide, and cuts across the country- rock. The Lisbon mine, also on this slope, has been worked to a considerable extent. The Last Chance may be taken as a sample of the first three ; it has three shafts or inclines, respectively 100 feet, 133 feet, and 40 feet, with about 70feet of levels, ruu on the vein. The hanging wall is a seam of indurated clay, about 4 feet thick, the foot- wall slaty limestone; barren horses of slaty limestone occur at intervals, but the continuity of the vein seems well established. The ore is principally chloride, with a little iron, and traces of copper. Assays show its value to range from $ 6S to $ 236 per ton, with an established average of over $ 60 to the ton. The dip is southwest; the inclination to 60 feet is 7f)°; below that, as far as developed, it is 85°. The Grant and Colfax has a shaft, of 60 feet, with a level of 40 feet on the ledge, and a tunnel has been run 100 feet, that will reach the ledge 110 feet farther on. The Canada has a tunnel run 35 feet on the ledge. These three mint s have been actively worked since their discovery, which is recent. The ore will be easily extracted ; its transportation to the mill, which must be on the • astern slope, to be convenient to water, will be a matter of some difficulty. It is contemplated to build a wagon- road ; it can be graded to the summit in about 1 mile. This would give a grade of about 450 feet from the summit to Ellsworth ; where the mill is to be eituated, the distance would be abont 4 miles, with an easy grade. Mr. W. H. Raymond, of Oaklapd, Cal., is negotiating for the Last Chance mine, and it is expected to shortly ereot a new mill at Ellsworth. The one already there is a 10- stamp mill, with Stedefelt furrace, 750- pouud stamps, an engine of 40- horse power, and with 2 settlers and 5 pans. Wood is abundant and convenient, and there are unfailing springs just above the town. Gold is found in the ore, and said to average from § 10 to $ 15 to the ton. The indications of increased prosperity for this district are good. LOW MINING DI8TRICT Was discovered by F. M. Pearson, A. Welsh, and J. H. Williams, and was organized in September, 1875. It has been actively worked since that time. The recorder is Joel Holden. Ellsworth is the post office. From Wadsworth the distance is abont 100 miles; the road to within 10 miles of Lodi being identical with that to Ellsworth and lone. Tie district is bounded on the east by Mammoth district, south by the old Wellington road, west by the Hot Spring Range, and north by the Wadsworth road. The principal ledge is sitnated ou the east slope, and at the eastern extremity of a somewhat detached group of hills, but which have here a ridge extending several miles east and west. Lodi Peak, the highest point, is 6,486 feet above sea- level, aud 1£ miles west of the ledge. This ledge trends a little we^ t of north, and the mineral croppings show an area about 1 mile long by 300 feet broad. The walls are nearly perpendicular, being an exceedingly hard black rock, apparently a fissure, retaining well its width. The richest deposit is found where the ore vein contracts to a couple of feer, the remainder of the fissure being here filled with a loose, friable, yellow-colored rock. The ore is carbonate. It contains abont 7 per cent, of antimony, a pood deal of iron, and abont 25 per cent, of lead- carbonate. The assays give about $ 15 to the ton in gold. The Illinois mine on this ledge has one shaft 60 feet, aud another 90 feet, deep, on the ve> n. In the latter shaft is a drift 20 feet north, at a depth of 60 feet. Several locations lave been made ou the extension of this mine. The Lodi mine, northwest of this ledge, has a shaft 115 feet deep, with a cut across the ledge at GO feet; its walls are perpendicular, and trend east and west. From the Illinois mine about $ 20,000 worth of ore has been shipped to San Francisco; a quantity of this assaying $~ i00 to the ton. The average of the assorted ore is $ 300 to the ton. This mine has also ueeu purchased by Mr. Raymond. No mill has been erected as yet. The shafts and drifts will be run in the vein matter. There is no water near the mines. Two springs, Welsh and Wilkinson, are on the opposite side of the valley which separates the Lodi hills from the Mammoth Range; they are, respectively, about 3 and 34 miles from the Illinois mine, in a direct l> ne. The highest one is 90 feet above the level of the mine. The lowest ( Welsh) is about the level of the mine. Timber could be obtaiued from the Mammoth Range. On this, the west side, however, the timber only grows near the summit. Freight from Wadsworth costs 2± cents/ and returning 1± cents. |