of the large mining population of San Juan must look to some other source for a supply. Last year potatoes raised within a hundred miles from Silverton sold for fifteen cents per pound, and turnips at ten cents, and butter seventy-five cents per pound. This great demand and limited supply of provisions from the adjacent country led many into the rich agricultural districts on the Lower Animas River and the San Juan Valley. The alti tude here is much lower, the summer season longer and the climate more humid, and the country, of course, more productive. The grasses west from Pueblo, and especially in San Luis Park, are thin and short, while on the Lower Animas and the broad open country along the San Juan River, the growth of vegetation reminds one more of the best portions of the Mississippi Valley. J. P. Lamb, of the San Luis Park, will put in two hundred acres of wheat in the Animas Valley, forty miles below Silverton, this season. Much better lands can be had further south than this, and a railroad running into the Animas Valley to the mines would take with it the product of the best agricultural portion of Colorado. That this will be accomplished before many years is as much a certainty as anything will be that is not already done. The profits of farming there will yet be nearly equal to the profits made in the history of California. White and yellow pine, spruce and cottonwood grow in abundance and great thrift upon the mountain ranges that lie along these valleys. The value of this immense timber growth to the great silver regions farther up the Animas is incalculable. When we remember that the mines of Nevada have expended millions of dollars for timber, and the scarcity which has followed mining operations there, it is a difficult problem to solve where the timber to be used in the thirtyfive hundred mines located on the western slope in the San Juan country is to come from ten years hence. Already the mountains about Silverton begin to show their bare bosoms, and their crimson crests seem to blush for the rough ruin wrought. It is impossible to make estimates. at all satisfactory of the bullion yield for the coming years, yet we will take the liberty to use a statement from a work published by C. A. Warner & Co., at Denver, upon this subject. The writer says: "There never has been opened, in the United States, a mining section, that required to any degree, the amount of transportation both to and from, that San Juan will need at a very early day. "Commencing with July of the present year, it is not too much to say that two hundred tons of base bullion will be produced in twentyfour hours, and that early in 1877 that amount will be doubled, while early in 1878 it is safe to say that the total product of base bullion by the San Juan furnaces will exceed five hundred tons in every twenty-four hours. In addition to this wonderful yield, the great value of the ore will Take the Kansas Pacific Railway for all Mining Towns in Colorado. be an inducement to owners to trans-upon the observer that, with the presport it to the East and Europe for re-ent condition of the country, which duction. The best advised persons demands some new field of action, the are of the opinion that the transpor-increase in wealth and population in tation of ore will equal in tons the San Juan must be rapid and unceasbullion." ing for a number of years to come. Thus writes every one who has visited that country and has undertaken to estimate its importance. And although the hidden treasures of the Rocky Mountains are hidden truths, yet with the present amount of development the conviction is forced PASSENGERS to the the "San "San Juan Mines" should travel by the Kansas Pacific, and enjoy the delightful ride through Central Kansas and across the great plains of Colorado. COAL IN SAN JUAN. Naturally enough when the mineral | coke of a superior quality. The vein. character of San Juan was deter- on the Mancos is much more desirmined the investigation of all that pertained to its development followed. It was, however scarcely expected that coal, so necessary to the large smelting interests that must soon grow up there, could be found at the very doors of the furnaces, as it were; but in this the discovery of coal on the lower Animas river, near Elbert, and the still larger bodies discovered on the Rio Mancos, about seventyfive miles below Silverton, was a glad surprise to everybody interested in that country. The coal near Elbert has a vein about sixteen feet thick, and resembling what is known as cannel coal. It is found over a large scope of country, and is said to make able, being fifty feet in thickness, and equal for coke to the best Connellsville coal, with a much larger area than the first mentioned. The value of these coal deposits is incalculable, being far superior to the Anthracite coal of Pennsylvania or the soft coals of Missouri and Kansas, which are not suitable to make the coke used in smelting. Pittsburg furnishes Colorado smelters large quantities of coke made from a coal found near Connellsville. PASSENGERS for the San Juan Mines who travel by the Kansas Pacific, enjoy the advantage of seeing Denver and Colorado Springs, the two largest cities in the Centennial State. For the Lowest Rates of Freight to Colorado apply to T. F. OAKES, General Freight Agent, Kansas City. EXTRACTS FROM MINING JOURNALS. MANY of our people have been quite | ores. There is a feeling of general successful in raising trout. They use satisfaction among all classes. Two Main Trunk Lines, owned by the Kansas Pacific Railway, reach Northern and Southern Colorado. San Juan country, the last to be opened up, from the evidence before us, furnishes the most satisfactory assurances to be not only the richest portion of Colorado, but contains the most extensive, in point of numbers, and the richest gold and silver producing mines in the world. "Colorado Mining and Land Company," in that city, with C. H. McIntyre as president. The field of operation of this company will be in Uncompahgre district, where they have secured five mines. Speaking editorially of this enterprise, the Leader says: "Its officers are composed of some of our most active, reliable and trustwor ROSITA MINES.-The production of thy business men, who have associated the camp during 1875, was as follows: with them as officers and stockholders well known capitalists of other localities." SOME of the Chicago papers have been pleased to speak in most favora About eight thousand feet of min-ble terms of San Juan, and informaing work, including shafts, levels and tunnels, have been driven since opening the camp. Perhaps $100,000 has been expended in this development, which gives a net profit, not including smelting, of $134,200. A NEW way of turning silver to a useful purpose has been discovered recently. Some Comstock friends of Senator William Sharon gave him a dinner in the Palace Hotel, before he left for Washington. In front of each guest lay a bright silver tablet as thick as a half dollar piece, with an engraved list, in French, of the recherche viands adapted to the remarkable occasion. On taking his leave each gentleman put this enduring forty dollar bill of fare into his pocket, and stowed it away among his precious things at home. THE Buffalo Sunday Leader of the the 5th ult., notes the formation of the tion from all parts of the Union shows that excitement relative to our mines is growing and spreading. We have heard of very many companies that have been formed in various localities for the purpose of engaging in mining or working ores in this region. We shall not be surprised if the increase in San Juan population and amount of capital invested during the present season far surpass the expectation of our enthusiastic prophets. the ALL kinds of mechanics are wanted in San Juan mining camps, and at good wages. Capitalists with money to assist in developing the country of course are wanted. Young men with a few thousand dollars. are wanted in every town in all branches of mercantile pursuits. Sagauche, Del Norte, Lake City, Eureka, Silverton, Ouray and Animas Forks are all open to the business man. At all these points are postoffices, with a tri-weekly Miners and Mill Men ship by the Kansas Pacific Railway. mail. Coaches run as far as Lake City from Sagauche, and during the coming summer the lines will be extended to Animas Fork, the Uncompahgre and Silverton. [From the Rocky Mountain Presbyterian.] The Rocky Mountain region is the great treasure-vault of the world. It contains gold, platinum, silver, copper, tin, zinc, quicksilver, lead, iron, and other metals, together with coal limestone, marble, gypsum and all the precious stones. There have been found in the Rocky Mountains diamonds, emeralds, sap phire, ruby, onyx, spinel, chrysoberyl, agate, topaz, iolite, garnet, tourmaline, chalcedony, amethyst, carnelion, cacholong, sardonyx, jasper, and many others. Here, then, is a field for the researches of scientific men and industrious laborers that no other part of the world can present. "ST. LOUIS should look after the shipment of ores from the San Juan country, since she is naturally a smelting point. The railroad connections and routes are on a direct line west; coal is in abundance; and iron, so indispensable for flux, is at her very doors. Capitalists understand this; the only question is as to the supply of minerals. Every one who has ever visited the San Juan country tells the same story, that the supply is beyond computation, and of a grade that has no equal anywhere. It only remains for those who would know to examine for themselves. The day is past for Take the Great New Route into San bogus mining speculations. Everybody has been warned against undue haste, but one of the best interests that we have in the West to-day should not suffer by too much timidity." [From the La Plata Miner, at Siiverton.] From all parts of the country comes the news that the people are excited over the news of the richness of the San Juan country, and parties are organizing to come and see our mines. When they come they will be led to exclaim, "the half hath not been told us!" While the Centennial Exhibition will call many off, and distract attention from the mines, yet there will be a great rush in here in the spring. The reputation of this country has been well established, not by wild and fabulous rumors, like the Black Hills excitement, but by the experience of wall skilled men who have come in here, examined our mines, and then have returned to their homes in all parts of the country, bearing the tidings of the great wealth of the mines of Southwestern Colorado, and what was better, carrying with them. specimens of the ore for unbelievers to see. [The Mining Review.] THE SAN JUAN MINES.-It has become a recognized fact that what is known as the San Juan District is certainly to be at no distant day a rival of any mining district in the West. Beyond a doubt the ores are there in great quantity, and the question of a large bullion out-put is only of time. Meanwhile, it has been discovered, by Juan by the Kansas Pacific Railway. |