1 873.] Colorado Gold Mines. 17 



it is estimated, yielded about 3,000,000 dollars' worth of 

 bullion, — no insignificant yield, considering how short is the 

 really metalliferous portion of the lode and shallow the 

 shafts, few exceeding 400 feet. These lodes carry less 

 galena and blende than most others, and a larger percentage 

 of copper. These three lodes run almost parallel, and so 

 close together that the slight convergence in their course 

 westward has given rise to the conjecture that they unite to 

 form the Mammoth Lode, which can be traced for about 

 3000 feet from a point a little west of the known westernly 

 limits of the Bobtail. This lode is likewise divided into a 

 number of small claims, the longest of those owned by 

 companies being 400 feet. The lode is wide, and the ore 

 highly charged with iron pyrites ; strange to say, almost 

 free of gold. But proceeding further west, and crossing a 

 ravine known as Spring Gulch, we reach a group of parallel 

 lodes so similar in course and dip to the Gregory, Bobtail, 

 and Bates, that, though undetected in Spring Gulch, one 

 cannot but look upon them as a continuation of those three 

 lodes, or, if they are really united in the Mammoth, of this 

 lode again split up into several branches. The most notable 

 of this group is the Burroughs Lode, on Quartz Hill, on 

 which — 



Feet. 



The Ophir Co. owns 462 



Gilpin Co. owns 262J 



Colorado Co. owns 200 



Burroughs Co. owns 200 



Cooper Co. owns 50 



Hardeslis Co. owns 200 



Pacific National Co. owns . . . 550 



First National Co. owns .... 600 



Gold Hill Co. owns 70 



Quartz Hill Co. owns 30 



This group and the lodes of the neighbouring Nevada 

 district are, as a rule, poorer in gold and copper, but richer 

 in argentiferous galena, than the preceding.* 



The ill effects of such a subdivision it is not difficult to 

 conceive. As every proprietor sinks one or more shafts, a 

 vast amount of unnecessarily expensive work is done. 

 Moreover, the chances of individual failure are greatly in- 

 creased ; for unless the owner be fortunate enough to hit a 

 rich chimney of ore, which sinks vertically without inter- 



* For a full and accurate description of the most important mines consult 

 vol. iii. of the United States Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel, On 

 Mining Industry, by James D. Hague. 



VOL. III. (N.S.) D 



