zinc-blende. The capacity of the mine at the time of Mr. Eilers's visit was about 30 tons of second-class ore and less than one ton of first-class daily. The $60 ore was, at that time, thrown aside to be worked in Mr. Breed's own mill in the future. Only the ore between the surface and the first level, 50 feet deep, was stoped out entirely. The second level is driven 100 feet from the top, reckoning from the mouth of the engine-shaft, and 80 feet from the mouth of the east shaft. It connects the two shafts, and is also driven toward the west, where it will eventually connect with the west shaft, now only 60 feet deep. West of the main shaft the ground between the first and second levels was stoped out for a length of 35 feet, and some underhand stoping below the level had also been done here. East of the main shaft, between it and the east shaft, a winze had been sunk from the first to the second level, and a small portion of the ground was stoped out above the second level near the east shaft. The third level in the main shaft was started 180 feet from the top, and had been driven 20 feet to the east and 15 to the west. In the east shaft the third level started from the shaft in its bottom, 115 feet from the top, so that it would not connect with the third level of the main shaft. The level had been driven 25 feet to the east and 30 feet to the west. In the latter portion a chamber about 20 by 25 feet had been stoped out. There was ore visible in every part of the vein exposed, and the reserves were quite large. The first-class ore yielded from $500 to $700 per ton; the second-class from $150 to $200. Mr. Breed was erecting at Middle Boulder a splendid mill, with four Brückner cylinders, which has since been finished and put in operation. Much delay was caused by the breaking of castings during the earlier part of its running, but it is now reported in working order, and several heavy shipments of bullion have been made.

The hill above and below the Caribou is covered with a complete network of veins, and a great number of locations have been made. But all these veins must, as yet, be considered undeveloped, though small lots of ore from many of them have been shipped to Black Hawk, which generally yielded well. Some of these veins, especially the Perigo, appear more like gold than silver veins, but most of them carry rich silver-ores-so far all decomposed.

A Mr. Kearsing erected during the fall a reverberatory furnace in the town of Caribou, in which it was his intention to smelt ores from the district. It is a pity that such mistakes should still be made at the present time. The Grand Island district contains very few smeltingores, and none which are free enough from quartzose gangue to be smelted, without enormous loss, in reverberatories. The latest information from that quarter is, that these smelting operations are a failure.

In the Ward district mining is reported to have been carried on quite. actively. I am, however, unable to speak, with positive knowledge, as neither Mr. Eilers nor myself could visit the district. In June the Caribou Post reported the following:

On the Ni-Wot hill a crowd of busy men, repairing old buildings and preparing for new ones, give the appearance of reviving prosperity. Adjoining the mill, buildings, one hundred and twenty feet long in all, are projected to accommodate the chlorinationworks of Mr. Richardson, excavations for which are now being made. He will use four Brückner cylinders at first, and add others as the business increases. Mr. W. M. Tobie will run the stamp-mill for Smith & Davidson. That wonderful mine, No. 10 west, on the Columbian, discloses an 8-foot crevice in the west drift. This, and a 4foot crevice on the Benton, are thought sufficient to feed forty-five stamps. Carson, Long, and others are working the Nelson; Mitchell, Williams, Mooney, McDonald, the Benton; Crary, Benson, and others, the Columbian. The miners in Ward have lately gone down into the Columbian shafts, in which the surface quartz has once been worked out, and here they ran a cross-cut for parallel veins. Some of these side veins

are found larger and richer than the one originally worked. In this way thousands of dollars will be obtained this season. The width of the Columbian lode at the surface is not yet determined. The gangue which fills the vast space between the walls yields, under stamps, about two ounces of gold per cord. This is easily mined, and may be obtained in such quantities that, if all the stamps in Colorado were put at work on it, the supply would not soon be exhausted. The iron and copper pyrites contain from three to four ounces of gold per ton, and fifteen to twenty ounces of silver per ton, and this gold is diffused, with remarkable evenness, through the ore the whole length of the vein. None of the rock which fills the vast space between the walls is entirely destitute of gold. About 20 per cent. of the assay is saved by the stamp-mills. The lode has yielded, up to the present time, not far from a quarter of a million of dollars, and, in obtaining this, it is probable that not less than three-quarters of a million have been run down the creek and lost to the commerce of the world. GOLD HILL.-H. Fullen is working a 7-foot crevice on his White Rock lode. best of his ore-solid mineral, iron and copper pyrites-runs 14 ounces per cord, and it averages so well that he is making a net profit of not less than $100 per day. He is proposing to put up another stamp-mill with steam-power, so as to run next winter. FOUR-MILE.-Six or seven parties are now working the bed of this creek for gold, and are doing well. Some of the claims worked are well up the creek. It is the opinion of the miners that the coarse or shot-gold obtained is washed down from the head of the creek, which forms on the eastern slope of the bald mountain between this place and Ward. This place (the head of the Four-Mile) is as unknown and unappreciated as Grand Island was two years ago. Without doubt there is a gold area there as yet undiscovered. Rich specimens of gold-ore have been brought in from that locality.

The

In July the same paper brought additional correspondence from this district:

THE WARD MINING COMPANY.-Ames, Dixwell, and associates, of Massachusetts-E. K. Baxter, of Central, agent-are opening the Volcano, Belfast, and York lodes, and will put a whim on the Manhattan. Their 20-stamper, now run by Mitchell & Williams, is to undergo thorough repairing in view of continuous work. This mill is supplied with percussion concentrating-tables, which, on account of the siliceous character of the Ward ores, work admirably. There is already quite an accumulation of concentrated tailings. This company propose the erection of smelting-works. They have 600 consecutive feet on the Princeton, an easterly extension on the Columbian vein, and the same number of consecutive feet on the Manhattan, besides as much undevelTheir main shaft on the oped property, amounting in all to above 6,000 lineal feet. Princeton is 250 feet deep. Their mill-building is a costly and substantial structure, 85 by 50.

NI-WOT.-Sam. Graham is driving forward the construction of Richardson's chlorination-works. Smith & Davidson are running the 50-stamper to great profit. Their main shaft opens into the mill, and is now 220 feet deep. In the bottom the converging mineral-seams are nearly united. It is thought that 10 feet more will unite them in one solid crevice. We are told their purpose is to sink 30 feet deeper, and then run a level each way. The ore above this level will be broken down by overhand stoping, while the main shaft is continued downward. The mine is now in condition, the superintendent reports, to supply Richardson's works in full. The mine will be worked by running levels, and disclosing the ore in advance of present requirements, in order to insure a full supply for larger operations. It has been in an unsafe condition, but is now being timbered and made secure. The mill will also be overhauled and put in perfect order. It is reported that Davidson & Smith are negotiating a sale of a third interest to Mr. Gill, of Denver. It looks as if there would be a stubborn fight for the title to this property.

The Celestial is one of Deardoff's old discoveries, newly opened, and now worked by Benson & Long. The ore prospects for $200 per cord, and there appears to be a great deal of it. The situation, at the head of Spring Gulch, is most convenient. The quartz goes to the James Creek Mill, the most northern stamper in Colorado. Mitchell & Williams, at the depth of 60 feet on the Benton, have passed through the surface quartz to iron and copper pyrites, which run well under stamps.

I am not informed whether the chlorination-works above mentioned have been completed and are in operation.

In Summit County, the placer-mining season of 1871 has not been as prosperous as heretofore, owing to the small amount of snow that fell during the winter, and also to the scanty rain of the summer. The supply of available water has been much less than in average years, and, as a necessary consequence, the amount of bullion produced has been less than usual. Still, the yield of gold per hand per day is reported as nearly

one half ounce, and the total shipments of gold from the county are given as 3,700 ounces. Considerable new placer-ground has been discovered and developed; many new ditches have been built, and some companies have made very extensive preparations for next season. Although there were not as many companies at work in French Gulch as the year before, a fair share of placer-mining has been done here. According to a correspondent of the Central City Register of July 5, the following work was going on at that time:

George Day was running two flumes, 600 and 500 feet in length, respectively. He was working ten men, had considerable ground stripped, aud was averaging about $10 per day to the man. Calvin Clark was working fourteen men, had in about 1,500 feet of flume, had a No. 1 derrick, and considerable ground sluiced off ready for shoveling, and, as heretofore, was averaging about $10 a day to the man. J. Todd was working four men, had in about 800 feet of flume, and was in good pay. The Badger Flume Company, owned by Rood, Clark, Eyser & Co., William McCartney, superintendent, had in about 500 feet of flume and were working three men. The mine so far had not paid expenses, but they expected to reach bed-rock inside of 200 feet. The Grant Flume Company, owned by Iliff, Pollock & Co., had in 1,700 feet of flume, and were working eleven men. They were running the flume and also side drifts, all of which prospect largely. On Stilson's Patch, west side of French, Mr. Sissler was taking out good pay. Mower & Hays, by means of a tunnel and shaft, developed some good ground in the Patch last winter, having struck dirt which averages 40 cents to the pan. Pearce & Co. (late J. McFadden) intended to start up in a few days. J. Johnson had taken up some old ground in the vicinity. Jeff. Davis and Lilian Patches, on the west side of French, near the head, have yielded immensely, but owing to several reasons they were not worked this season, except by C. H. Blair, who had in about 50 feet of flume, was working in two places, employed seven men, and was obtaining fair pay. Two men were working ground on shares which belongs to Calvin C. Clark, and were making it pay. George M. Clark & Co. were employing two men in opening some new ground, which prospected well. Rippey & Co. were taking out good pay in Webber Gulch. Fred. Dorl and others were booming in Gibson, with good results.

French Gulch is about five miles long, and, with Stilson Patch, has about 17 miles of ditches, 6,700 feet of flume, five hydraulics, and in July had a population of 165.

About the same time, Gold Run was worked by the following companies, who were all averaging about $10 per day to the man: Solon Peabody was working twelve men; Moffat & Shock six; Blodgett & Mayo six; Catel six; Walker six; and John Nolan seven. Buffalo Flats, situated at the lower end of Gold Run, were worked by George Mumford, who employed fourteen men, was running four flumes, and taking out good pay. Gold Run and Buffalo Flats are covered by two and one-half miles of large ditches, and use seven hydraulics. Delaware was being worked by Stogsdill & Twibell, who worked five men, and were taking out their usual good pay. Andy Delaine was working four men, and expected to realize better than last year. Delaware has about six miles of ditches and two hydraulics. Galena was worked by two companies. Riland, Coatney & Roby were working ten men, were running two flumes, and expected soon to make clean-ups similar to last season. Messrs. Roby & Co. were working the upper portion of the gulch, employed a number of men, and were doing well. Galena is covered by a five-mile ditch and uses two hydraulics. Georgia, Humbug, and American Gulches were

owned by six companies, and considered the richest in the county, as they yielded from one to two ounces a day to the man, with a few inches of water. Eli Young & Co. were running a bed-rock flume in the Swan, near the mouth of Georgia, for the purpose of striking the pay-streak in each.

In Illinois Gulch William McFadden was working six men. He averaged $10 per hand per day-more than in previous seasons. In Salt Lick Gulch the yield was satisfactory. Toward the end of August, T. H. Fuller & Co. had finished their extensive preparations in Mayo Gulch and commenced working by the booming process, which gave them good results. They were, however, at the same time constructing a ditch from Indiana Gulch, which they hoped would give them sufficient water for ground-sluicing during the next season. At the same time Greenleaf & Co. were mining extensively in Utah Gulch. They were building a ditch from the Blue River to the head of the gulch, and expected by this means to do the largest placer-mining business in the county during the next season. In Hoosier Gulch, in the extreme southeastern end of the county, Bemrose & Co. have been mining with good results, their ground, an old channel, being very rich.

Many new lodes have been discovered during the year in the county, especially in Ten-Mile district, but the principal work in lode-mining was done by the old companies mentioned in my last report. Prominent among these stand the Boston Silver Mining Association and the Saint Lawrence Silver Mining Company.

The Comstock, the property of the Boston Silver Mining Association, was reported, in August, in shape to furnish 20 tons a day, and 1,500 A tons of ore were on the dump. The company employed 100 men. substantial tramway was constructed from the mine to the new mill, which was under construction. It is to have a capacity of 20 tons per day, and will include smelting-furnaces for the beneficiation of the galena-ores, while the greater portion of the ore is to be roasted and amalgamated. There is a 100 horse-power steam-engine at the works. The mine was, at the time mentioned, 260 feet deep, and about 1,200 feet of stoping ground were exposed.

The Saint Lawrence Silver Mining Company has also been energetically at work. Their Silver Wing mine is about 500 feet above the works on Glacier Mountain. A tunnel was being driven, in August, which was expected to be in 200 feet by the 1st of September, and which will give 200 feet of stoping ground. The crevice is 5 feet wide, and the vein of solid mineral about 17 inches in width, which produces about one ton of ore to the foot advanced in the tunnel. The ore assays from 30 to 180 ounces of silver per ton, and contains brittle silver, zinc-blende, antimony, gray copper, and galena. The ore has, so far, increased in quantity as the tunnel progressed.

About 300 feet northward is the Napoleon lode, in which a tunnel is also being driven, which will be as long, and open as much stoping ground as that in the Silver Wing, when the contract for running it is completed. The ore is similar to that of the Silver Wing, but gives a higher assay. A track covered with sheds will connect the Napoleon with the Silver Wing. At the tunnel entrance of the latter commodious ore-houses are being built for the reception of the ore from the two lodes, and from here a double-track tramway will be laid, on which the ore will be conveyed through the ore-houses to the rock-breaker. The ore will then pass from the rock-breaker on to the drying-floor, which will be heated by the escape gases from the furnace. From this it passes to the stamps, and is then conveyed by two endless-chain conveyances.

into the weighing-hopper. After weighing it is dumped into the receiv ing-hopper at the base of the furnace. The ore is then raised by an elevator to the feeding-hopper at the top of the furnace. After roasting and chlorodizing it is drawn from the base of the furnace and conveyed to the cooling-floor. After cooling it is passed into the concentrator, then into the amalgamation-pans, after which the amalgam is retorted.

The main building is 30 by 50, contains one of Howland's 10-stamp rotary batteries, two of Wheeler & Randall's amalgamating-pans, (all cast iron,) settler, and retorts. The furnace-building will be 35 by 40 and 50 feet high, ore-house 20 by 40, and the blacksmith and tool shops will be adjacent. The works will be operated by a 50 horse-power engine; their capacity will be 10 tons per day, and next spring another battery of stamps and two additional pans will be put in, which will double the capacity. The Airey furnace, conveyances, &c., will be similar to Stewart's works at Georgetown, and the furnace will be constructed by the same men who built that of Mr. Stewart. By the arrangement above described it will be seen that most of the labor will be performed by simple mechanical agencies and machinery.

The works were expected to be completed in September, but they were not ready to start at the end of the year.

Of other mines which have become well known during the year, the Chautauqua, Register, Tiger, Coley Extension, and Walker should be mentioned. They are, however, not nearly as well developed as the mines of the two companies above spoken of.

The completion of the reduction-works in the early future will undoubtedly do much for the further development of the quartz interests of the county, which have so far principally suffered from want of a market for the ores.

In Lake County the placer-mining interest has suffered from the same causes which affected Summit. In California Gulch, a tributary of the South Arkansas, the most work has been done, and a few men were at work as late as October. Since the discovery of gold in this gulch, it is estimated to have yielded over two and one-half millions of dollars. The yield this year has not been as large as usual.

On the Arkansas, below Granite, some placer mining was carried on during the last months of the year, when the low stage of the water permitted the working of dirt from the bed. Between forty and fifty men were employed there, as late as December, in "rocking." The yield is reported at $2.50 to $8 per hand per day.

Of veins, the Printer Boy, Pilot, Five-Twenty, American Flag, and Berry Tunnel have been the main objects of attention.

The Printer Boy was discovered in June, 1868, by Messrs. Smith & Mullen. For a year at least very little attention was paid to it by the discoverers and owners; but during their absence other parties jumped it and took out several thousand dollars. This drew the attention of the owners, and a suit of ejectment was commenced. Litigation in this, as in hundreds of other cases, brought the lode more into notice. Since Messrs. Paul, Smith & Co. (now the Philadelphia and Boston Gold and Silver Mining Company) proved the property as theirs, a main shaft has been sunk 190 feet, and a boundary shaft 78 feet deep. Between the two shafts a level has been run 450 feet, over which is a stope of ground 60 feet in depth. The greater part of this was worked out the present summer. One hundred and forty-five cords of ore from this stope, treated at the Five-Twenty Mill, gave an average yield of 18 ounces per cord. In November the mill (one battery) was running on wall-rock