This sudden appreciation has given a stimulus to further research, resulting in finding large turquoise deposits near Silver City, in the Hatchitas and Cow Spring mountains, of great merit. One of the new discoveries is phenomenally large, considering quantity of production, size and color of stones found in it.

In addition to the above named are found native euclase, the so-called Montana sapphires, garnets, milk and fire opals, peridots, a great variety of fine agates, besides petrified woods, fit for inlaying, mosaic work, or jewelry. Gold and silver quartz, valuable for fine work in jewelry, are produced from various mines.

COAL.

Chief among them is that of coal, of which there are large beds of bituminous situated in nearly every county in the Territory, and an extensive body of anthracite coal near Cerrillos, in southern Santa Fe County.

WEALTH IN SULPHUR.

BEDS CLOSE TO A PECOS VALLEY STATION.

The following article on the sulphur beds lying just west of Guadalupe, on the Pecos Valley road, is taken from the El Paso Herald. A number of Eddy parties are interested in the deposits, having been engaged for some time in investigating them. During the past two months E. Miall Skeats, of this city, has spent considerable time there, and The Argus believes that he is very sanguine of the results. The article from the Herald is as follows:

"One of the greatest sources of the as yet undeveloped mineral wealth of El Paso County lies in the extreme northeastern portion of the county, and is in the form of almost limitless deposits of nearly pure sulphur, easily accessible, and requiring but little capital (chiefly for refining works) to place it on the market as a finished product. These deposits fill numerous patelliform basins or craters of extinct volcanoes on the plains southeast of the southern point of the Guadalupe Mountains, beginning 2 to 3 miles south of Delaware Creek and 12 miles west of Guadalupe Station, on the Pecos Valley Railroad. So far they are known to exist on some twelve or fourteen sections of land, and are believed to extend over many more, though but twelve claims have been located, and these but superficially prospected by shafts usually from 12 to 15 feet in depth, only one being as deep as 30 feet, and all these in nearly pure sulphur to the greatest depth attained. The region roundabout might be called a prairie, though dotted here and there with low hills overgrown with scrub cedar and covered with the finest grasses. Numerous springs of pure water exist in the vicinity, and Tinnin's great spring ranch lies 6 miles south.

"These basins or craters are usually from 600 to 700 feet in diameter, and toward the center it declines to a depth of 3 or 4 feet, the surface being a thin covering of blackened earth, strongly impregnated with sulphur, and presenting the appearance of having been blackened with sulphuric acid. In one shaft, sunk in the hope of striking water, a liquid was encountered at a depth of 15 feet, but on being tasted it proved to be very strong sulphuric acid, and when the taster hurriedly ejected it from his mouth, adulterated with saliva as it was, it stained deeply and did some injury to his coat sleeve. It is believed, however, that this acid is small in quantity, detained by some solid rock basin, and that it was formed by percolating rain water taking sulphur in solution as it descended.

"As indicating the process by which these vast masses of sulphur were deposited, time has left no trace. As the country roundabout is gypsum, it might be inferred that both minerals were deposited from sulphur springs, or springs containing sulphide of hydrogen, which sometimes deposits sulphur by the partial oxidation of the hydrogen and gypsum by the more complete oxidation of the hydrogen. Such springs flowing into a basin lake then covering the region would pour limitless quantities of sulphide of hydrogen (only partially oxidized) down the craters of extinct volcanoes, thus ultimately filling them with sulphur to unknown and probably very great depths, while the impregnated water spread out in the shallow lakes would become more completely oxidized and deposit the gypsum beds now found surround

ing the craters. Or, as the craters of extinct volcanoes (as in the case of Popocatapet) are frequently found plugged with sulphur, it may be that this mineral, in a sublimated state, arose from great depth and was precipitated on the lips and walls of the crater until the orifice was filled. But, whatever the process of deposition may have been, it is certain that these deposits of sulphur are of such vast extent and purity that El Paso is destined to rival the famous sulphur deposits of Sicily, from which island the United States alone formerly imported $50,000,000 worth of sulphur annually.

Near the surface of the basins in question, where more or less earthy matter has become mixed with the mineral, and even pebbles of foreign rock are embedded, the mass shows only about 60 per cent sulphur, but deeper down the sulphur is found almost pure (98 per cent) and in massive beds, finely lined with varying colors and resembling the finest yellow clay. Twelve different companies have already treated and partially prospected claims, and one of these companies has projected a railroad from Guadalupe Station, on the Pecos Valley Railroad, to the mines, there being already a fine wagon road to the south, extending 30 miles west from the Pecos Valley road. As these deposits are numerous, doubtless of great extent or depth, and are known to be exceedingly rich, the field is an inviting one for prospectors and small capitalists. The material can be mined and refined at little cost, and can be marketed at wholesale at $32 per ton for roll and $33 to $35 per ton for flour."

SANTA FE THE NATURAL CENTER OF MINING OPERATIONS IN NEW

MEXICO.

[From Santa Fe Daily New Mexican.]

The New Mexican has the satisfaction of exclusively publishing the first map showing the numerous mining districts naturally tributary to Santa Fe, N. Mex., ever placed before the public. It was drawn and engraved expressly for use in these columns, and will be found accurate, complete, and instructive. It is deserving of careful study on the part of everyone interested in the future growth and prosperity of the capital city and the localities immediately environing it. Especial attention is called to it in detail.

MANY FACILITIES.

It will be observed in the first place that Santa Fe is the only city in this region that enjoys the advantages inevitably accruing from location on two competing railroad lines, the great Santa Fe system affording it direct rail communication with the East, West, and South, and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad connecting it directly with northern New Mexico and Colorado and all points in the East, West, and South, and thus in one important respect at least its transportation facilities are superior to those of any other city in New Mexico or Arizona. Right here it should be noted that it is located on two rival express lines reaching all parts of the country; offers a choice between two competing telegraph lines with all quarters of the globe, and is soon to be brought into close communication with all the principal cities and towns of Bernalillo, San Miguel, Mora, Colfax, Taos, and Rio Arriba counties by means of projected telephone lines. It is also connected with all the tributary mining districts by an excellent system of wagon roads.

NEW PLACERS DISTRICT.

A few miles southwest of Dolores is situated the extensive New Placers mining district, which comprises the numerous rich gold and silver-bearing lode claims in the hills around Golden and in the neighboring Tuerto Mountains; the great gold, silver, and copper mines 6487-18

around San Pedro, 2 miles farther south, and several miles of pay placer ground. This district unquestionably holds values to the amount of millions of dollars, and as development work is prosecuted the showing constantly improves. Two groups of copper mines near San Pedro, known as Santa Fe No. 1 and Santa Fe No. 2, embracing 16 patented claims, were recently transferred to the Santa Fe Gold and Copper Mining Company for a consideration estimated to be equivalent to $750,000.

COPPER AND MICA.

Northwest and north of Santa Fe, in Rio Arriba County, are deposits where large kidneys of almost pure copper have been found on the surface and big bodies of good copper ore are known to exist, the promising Headstone mining district east of Tierra Amarilla, the valuable mica mines west and south of Tres Piedras, now being operated by a strong Colorado Springs company, and over 1,000 acres of pay placer lands extending up the Chama River from Abiquiu and including much of the adjacent mesa land as well as the river bed.

TAOS COUNTY WEALTH.

East of Rio Arriba and north and northeast of Santa Fe is fruitful Taos County, which is traversed by the Santa Fe division of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, and is reached from this city by good wagon roads. In this resourceful county are found the Ojo Caliente mining district, the copper-mining district east of Embudo, the Amizett gold and silver mining district east of Tres Piedras, and the cluster of rich gold districts north and northeast of Taos, known as the Rio Hondo, Keystone, La Belle, and Red River districts. Farther east, in Colfax County, are the profitable gold mines of the well-known Elizabethtown and Baldy districts, and the mines near Cimarron. The mines in all these districts are undergoing systematic and extensive development work, and many of them are realizing their owners steady yellow profits at the mills and smelters.

A NEW DISTRICT.

Immediately east and northeast of Santa Fe is the Pecos River forest reservation, partly in this county and partly in San Miguel County. This reserve covers a section of the rugged Santa Fe range of mountains, in which are found many promising surface indications of gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal, and it is confidently believed that the development work now in progress will soon disclose much pay material. Copper, iron, mica, and coal that burns readily have been discovered on the surface within 2 or 3 miles of this city. A large body of tire clay of superior quality has been opened about 2 miles northeast of Santa Fe, and it is now supplying the penitentiary brick-making plant with much of the clay used. Several lode claims, carrying gold quartz nearly resembling the Cochiti quartz in appearance, are being opened on the eastern slope of the Santa Fe range, about 14 miles east of this city.

THE NATURAL CENTER.

From this brief sketch and the excellent accompanying map, it will he perceived that the capital city of New Mexico is so fortunately located that it ought to command the trade of nearly all the mining

districts of the large and resourceful region indicated, besides the steadily increasing volume of business incident to its being the official and political center of the Territory.

CERRILLOS DISTRICT.

It will be observed that the Cerrillos mining district is located in Santa Fe County, nearly south of this city, and is reached by railroad as well as by good wagon roads. It is quite extensive and remarkably varied in its mineral resources. It embraces the famous turquoise mines of Tiffany and others at Turquesa, about 18 miles south of this city; the promising gold, silver, lead, and zinc mines around Cerrillos, about 12 miles farther south, and the immense anthracite and bituminous coal measures at Madrid, a mile or so farther south and west.

OLD PLACER DISTRICT.

Then come the rich and extensive auriferous placer deposits and mountains of gold-bearing quartz in place in the Old Placer mining district, which embraces Dolores and the 57,000 acres of richly mineralized land known as the Ortiz mine grant. These ledges and placer deposits have been worked for several hundred years and have yielded several million dollars in gold. The Ortiz mine grant has been sold to a powerful syndicate headed by Thomas A. Edison, and the worldrenowned inventor expects soon to demonstrate the practical utility of what he regards as the crowning invention of his life by rescuing the gold from the sand, gravel, cement, and quartz of this grant by means of an electrical process of his own and without the aid of water. The perfection of his experimental plant is now well under way. After thoroughly testing the appliance, the success of which is not doubted, reduction works of mammoth proportions will be constructed.

COCHITI DISTRICT.

W. C. Wynkoop, manager of the Cochiti Reduction and Improvement Company at Woodbury, 6 miles below Bland, has a very interesting illustrated article in the Engineering and Mining Journal of recent date on the Cochiti mining district, which is of importance and of great interest because it is written by a mine expert who is thoroughly familiar with the district and its resources. Mr. Wynkoop says:

The Cochiti district, New Mexico, is a comparatively new mining district, situated in a direct line 35 miles due west from Santa Fe in the Jemez range of mountains. The mines are located on the eastern slope at an elevation ranging from 7,500 to 8,000 feet. The known good ore-bearing veins are confined to an area about 3 by 4 miles in extent, though veins, which so far as known, are barren of good ore, are found on every side outside of the small producing area. Three parallel canyons about 12 miles apart, having a general range slightly west of north, extend through the district. They are from 500 to 800 feet in depth and are bounded by vertical cliffs or precipitous sides. The topography gives good opportunities to study the geology of the region. All the country is volcanic, and the prevailing rock is porphyritic andesite. In few places is it undisturbed; generally it is brecciated or a conglomerate. Nowhere in the region are the underlying rocks visible; local authorities say the overflow took place at about the close of Jura-Trias; Bandolier says the underlying rocks are Cretaceous, but I am inclined to think, without any other basis for the opinion than their correspondence with the similar and near-by rocks of the San Juan region in Colorado, that they are Tertiary; this, too, is the age ascribed to them by the ethnologists, who are just now deep in a discussion trying to demonstrate that man lived on earth during the Tertiary age, basing their claims on evidence of human work found in volcanic rock in this region.

There are at least two volcanic overflows here, the older one is the andesitic, and it is in this only that the veins are found; the younger one, covering the andesite, is tufa, and is very modern. It is in this that evidences of human life are claimed to have been found. The ethnologists, I think, have made an error by ascribing this later rock to the wrong age. Among other evidences of the late deposition of the tufa is the fact that it is found covering old water channels, filled with water-worn bowlders and ore float, clearly derived from the disintegration of the andesites and their accompanying rocks.

In the upper, or portion of the district nearest the range, the tufa has been mostly eroded, but in the lower portions it still caps some of the mountains, covering the veins which outcrop on the mountain sides below. After the deposition of the andesite the country was faulted and fractured and dikes were formed, and there were considerable changes of elevation, while denudation formed deep sedimentary deposits, which extend easterly to the Rio Grande River, 15 miles distant. The periods of elevation were gradual and extended over long periods of time, until a late one, which was probably contemporaneous with the tufa overflow, which was rapid, as geological time is measured.

The dikes are generally of a soft, gray, acid porphyry, with occasionally one of diorite or trachite. Following the first period of dike formation there was a second one, the dikes of that period following the first and adjoining or cutting them. The second series are smaller than the first, and are composed, so far as I have seen, of basalt or phonolite. Running parallel to and within a few feet of the main dikes are many small veins of white quartz barren of ore. The largest dikes are about 100 feet in width, narrowing in places to a few feet and again widening to more than 100 feet. All of them throw off spurs running at acute angles to the main dike, and extending hundreds or even thousands of feet. The ore is entirely a replacement of the dike material. In some places the replacement has been complete and in others partial. In the latter the replacement may have been all adjoining one wall or in streaks or pockets or bodies anywhere in the vein. Porphyry "horses" are found in all the workings, and frequently chunks of quartz will be found to have a core of porphyry around which the ore is deposited in streaks, forming handsome samples of banded structure.

The quartz deposits are peculiarly characterized by fracture planes (having no better name for them) parallel and from a few inches to a couple of feet apart, which run almost at right angles to the strike of the veins. Sometimes these planes form very distinct boundaries to the ore. Rich or pay ore will be cut off by them, the rock adjoining being barren; at the next, or some other plane, the ore may reappear as suddenly as it disappeared. These barren spots sometimes extend for a distance of 100 feet or more. Practically all of the ore of the district carries from 85 to 95 per cent silica. Siliceous rocks characterize the entire region. Opals (mostly wood, but occasionally a precious one), chalcedony, and brilliant but small quartz crystals are abundant.

Analysis of the ore shows it to be an arsenical pyrite, though the amount of sulphur and arsenic present is very small, generally i to 2 per cent of the former and from a trace to 0.5 per cent of the latter. Copper and lead are found only in traces. Manganese is occasionally plentiful, but does not appear to be a constituent of the good ore. Antimony is more rarely found and is always an accompaniment of high values. The ore of smelting grade, ranging in value from $30 to $50 or more per ton, is generally found in lenticular bodies extending longitudinally from a few to 100 feet or more and vertically the same distances. These pay streaks vary in thickness from a few inches to 10 feet and are often so solid that the ore requires no sorting. Generally the low grades are formed by the dissemination of specks of high grade through an otherwise practically barren quartz. All of the ores carry gold and silver, the relative proportions varying in different properties. On the vein which I have been developing the values are 60 per cent silver (valuing it at 60 cents per ounce) and 40 per cent gold, though it is not unusual to find places where the value is almost entirely gold. In a few properties gold largely predominates. The quartz, as might be expected from its composition, is exceedingly hard and costly to drill, but as a rule it breaks big, and the deposits are so large that it can be mined cheaply, notwithstanding the difficulty in drilling. Its hardness is less of a difficulty in mining than in milling, where in crushing it becomes a great consumer of steel. Most of the veins outcrop prominently, occasionally forming cliffs of quartz from 20 to 50 feet high.

The Albemarle mine, belonging to the Cochiti Gold Mining Company, is the best-developed mine in the camp. It has reached a depth of little less than 700 feet and is opened by seven levels extending and opening the vein for 1,000 feet. The width of the vein above the sixth level varies from 40 to 65 feet. Almost the entire