CHAPTER V. 



ECONO^illC GEOLOG-Y OF THE SWEETWATBll DISTRICT. 



aoLD. 



lu Chapter I the iiiuiforous schists of the STreetwiitcr region have 

 been spoken of. It Vv'iil "be re:iien5])eicd that they vrerc reixaixicd as the 

 oldest laetaraorphic series of the rej.>'iou. In 1807 the iirst ore-hearint; 

 lodes Avere discovered in the vicinity of South Pass and north of Camp 

 Stamhaugh. The former was called the Shoshone, the latter the Mmers 

 Delight district. For a number of years lode-mining- and gulch-mininfi' 

 were carried on with varying success. Partly the discovery of other 

 regioiis promising greater remuneration, partly the speculative tendency 

 which had taken ])ossession of the Sweetwater mining operations, caused 

 an abandonment of the greater portion of the mines. Duiing the lime that 

 I visited the districts (July and August), but veiy little vfork avp.s carried 

 on and few of the mines only could be examined. At Miner's Delight a new 

 imj^ulse seemed to have been given to mining operations, and some worlc 

 was just being taken in liand at the time. Information as to the former 

 condition and production of these mines may be obtained from the re- 

 ports of E. W. Eaymond, United States Mining Connnissioner. 



AURIFEROUS VEINS. 



Sonfh Pass City. — This town is located in a imrrow gulch on Willow 

 Creek. Dr.ring the first Hush of mining excitement it attained quite a 

 cont;iderable size, but since tliat time many of the stores and d\\elling!? 

 have been r.fcaudoned. The veins were discovered on the surrounding 

 hdls and determined the site of the settlement. 



Cariso Mine. 



The Cariso vein was discovered in 1867. It is situated on a hill 

 directly northeast of the town, on the south side of the stage-road. 

 Three main shafts have been sunk on the vein, tlie Cariso, Marshal or 

 East End, and West End shafts. In the West End some stoping has 

 been done. A drift connects the Marshal with a smaller shaft still far- 

 ther east. The main shaft has been sunk to a depth of a. littl<3 over 200 

 feet, the I^Iarshal to about 80 feet, and the West End to (]0 feet. Build- 

 ings above ground are still in good condition, as is the machinery. 

 Within the mine some timbering has been done to prevent " scales " from 

 coming down. At the time of my visit the mine was lying idle. It is 

 owned at X)resent by Mr. B. Eoberts and superintended by Mr. tl. Eidell. 

 I understood that work was to be resumed shortly, upon tlie arrival of 

 some new machinery. 



Having a strike of about north 43° east, the vein is in(dosed between 

 beds of gneissoid schists. A dip of about 75 degrees (from the horizon- 

 tal) is noticeable in the vein. Both strike and dip conform entirely with 

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