PARTTHREE. THE OMAHA ' , SUNDAY
TWENTIETH YEAH. OMAHA , SUNDAY MORNING , 5. MAY 17 , 1801-TWENTS" PAGES. NUMBER 328.
A GARDEN AMID MINES
Hew Discoveries Constantly Being Made in
the Great Gold Hill District.
MOUNTAINS FULL OF RICH MINERALS.
Valuable Btcck and Cultivated Farms in
Wyoming's ' Upper Platte Valley.
SARATOGA IS THE GATE-WAY TO ALL
That Town is Fast Becoming the Center of
Phenomenal Activity in Mining.
RICH PLACERS READY TO BE WORKED.
Striken nro lining Made In n Section
Which HUH Never Iloforc Ilccn
VlHltc-d by Prospector
or Miner.
Tucked nwny in n poclcot of tlio mountains
of southern Wyoming , thirty inllos from the
line of the Union Pacific railway , Is ono of
the most furtllo agricultural sections In nil
the west- the Upper 1'lutto valloy. Its iiatu-
rnl botituliirlos on thrcu sides nro tnountnlns
which contain practically Inexhaustible deposits -
posits nf all kinds of mineral.
Until recently this section was seldom or
never heard of outside of Wyoming. Even
to the people of that state the great natural
advantages and wealth of resources of tlio
vnlloy nro us yet llttlo understood or appro-
clntud.
It Is a significant fact that the first perma
nent residents and actual settlers along that
part of the I'hittu and on the streams tribu
tary to It wore from among that nomadic
Class of pioneers who had n historic share
In the exploration and civilization of
the Rocky mountain section. When the
spirit of adventure of these men had been
latlsllcd , they selected for their homes fav
ored localities m the valley. Thoroughly
familiar with n vast expanse of country , they
preferred the 1'lalto valley ns a place of resi
dence to other sections which were better
known and moro easily accosslblo. Thither
thej- removed their families and all their
worldly possessions. While the vnlloy was
" ntill the disputed territory of hostile or ma
rauding Indians , the early settlers started in
to cultivate the rich soil niul raise well-
graded stock on n safe plan not unlike that
practiced by stoclcgrowcrs In thickly settled
communities.
Voar nftor year the acreage in grain , hay
mid vegetables has been Increased and the
quality Improved. Season by season the
little * herds of cnttlo litu-o become moro
valuable both as regards the num
ber of animals and as to the
Improved character of the stock.
Now there nro 50,000 to W.OOO acres of land
under cultivation In the valley. The herds
aggregate 25,000 head of cattle. There nro
besides 10,000 horses , and 80,000 to 1)0,000 )
ihccp.
What Irrigation Will Do.
Naturally other settlers were attracted
there its a consequence of the good progress
and results nmdo and achieved by the
pioneers. Irrigation has done wonders for
that section , but It was not till a few enter
prising men had shown the way was their
example copied.
It was only six years ago that upwards of
45,000 head of cattle wore lost In the valley in
a single winter. That was because the cat-
Icinen persisted In clinging to the old range
methods and , unlike the old timers and their
inltutors , failed to make provision for n hard
winter by raising hey to feed the
Block. Tliat costly experience wound up
the old range business In the valley at l ast.
Most of these who were frozen out wore En
glishman or young men from the far east
who had been staked by their families. They
were willing to sell out their ranches cheap.
They found purchasers in men who were
willing to work and to learn from the experi
ence of these who had successfully weathered
the hard winter.
Slnco the advent of this class there has
been n steady growth and healthy develop
ment in the valley. At llrst there was room
for anyone to carry out his own pot scheme
of irrigation awl only the water of the numer
ous feeders of the Platte were utilized for
that purpose. Under this plan over three
hundred miles ot irrigating ditches , exclusive
of laterals , have boon put In and are now In
operation in the valloy. This work has been
done atu very small expense. But the valley
Is over sixty miles long and has an
overage width of twenty to twenty-llvo
miles , As all tliu land , by Irrigation , is sus
ceptible of utility and cultivation for stock
raising or fanning purposes , several plans
nro now perfecting for putting all that sec
tion under ditches. Enough water runs to
wasio In the 1'lutto and Its tributaries to In-
iuro the success of thobo projects. Even before
theso.blg enterprises nro carried out there
are chances for water rights to bo acquired
nnd ditches built by whicli many valuable
farms can bo nmdo out of the unoccupied
arid lands.
'
Hluh Mineral Soot Ion.
Prosperous though the valley has been In
the past , the celebrity which It has recently
attained Is in the main duo to other causes
than the Increasing publicity concerning its
Advantages as an agricultural and stock
country , great though they are.
It was only a few months ago that rich
mineral discoveries made on ono of a chain of
mountains which hem In the valley turned
attention to that section. Slnco then the
fame of the Gold Hill camp has boon grow
ing , as ttio reports of the numerous big
trUos in free-gold and gold-bearing quartz
and placer ground have been circulated. Seldom -
dom has n new camp advertised itself so well
In so short u period as has Gold Hill. It is
the objective point of an army of prospectors
from nil over the country and of miners who
are preparing to desert old camps for this
now ono , which can only bo reached by way
of the Platte valley.
The excitement which has been created In
mining circles over the discoveries at CJold
Jilll has already transformed the town of
Saratoga , which Is the only settlement In
the valley , from n small trading point
into a veritable mart of trade. Sara
toga has become the headquarters
of an extensive and rich mining
district. Nothing can check the rapid
progress of the town which has been so
quickened by the numerous mineral tlnds
made In the country directly tributary to It.
There is already a dully stage line to the
Qold Hill camp , which Is only twenty-eight
miles from Saratoga. Other mail lines run
to the dlnVrent parts of the valley , nnd
whenever the travel will Justify it
Mifllclcnt to accommodate the treasure seekb
ers will be put on.
Reference to the accompanying map shows
how welt equipped Saratoga Is to control the
trade of the Platte vnlloy anil the mountainpi
ous section which encloses It.
The town Is located In the center of n
horseshoe-shaped district , formed by mounpi
tuln ranges to the cast and west , which trend
In n southerly direction and rome together at
their lower limit near the Colorado line ,
Hero . tlio valley narrows down so
that In some places there Is barely
moro room than is required for the
passage of the Platte as It Hews out from Its
source In North park. With natural barriers
on both sides , entrance to the vnlloy can only
bo had from the north and south. In either
case travel to the Gold Hill camp must bo by
way of Saratoga for at that point Is the only
bridge across the Pintle , which during ttio
spring and summer months runs so much
water ns to render It dangerous , If not. nbso-
utcly Impossible to ford the rlvor. The cur
rent of the stream Is so strong that It Is n
reckless undertaking to try to swim animals
across It.
At ono time or another the Platte has been
bridged at various points. These structures
have nil been swept away save
the ono at Saratoga , which is of
F.O substantial a character that it
alone has been able to withstand the Hood of
waters which the Platte drains. Private en
terprise is not 1'kely ' to bo enlisted in any
new scheme of bridging for a long tlmo to
come. Nor will the Carbon county authori
ties feel Justilled in incurring any additional
expense on sucn n score m the near future
slnco the Improved bridge of Iron and stouo
ut Saratoga cost the taxpayers $10,000 only
about thrco years ago.
Saratoga tinGateway. .
Attempts which have been made to build
now roads to the Gold Hill camp from other
towns , to shorten the distance or to avoid
Saratoga altogether have all been signal fail
ures. The natural obstacles which have been
encountered were of so serious n kind and the
cost of the work so great that such projects ,
however commendable they may have been
In point of enterprise , have had to bo aban
doned. Saratoga , therefore , retains undts-
mitod sway as the gateway to the valley and
the mineral treasures locked In the moun
tains. This distinction the town will con
tinue to hold.
After all that has been written nbout the
Gold Hill camp , it is unnecessary to enter
Into details concerning the rich mineral pros
pects that have been found there or the wonc
of development that has been carried on and
which has shown up an Increasing wealth of
deposits. Assays ranging ns high as $3,000
to the ton In gold have boon obtained from
rock taken out near the surface. Picked
specimens have shown returns running 'way
up In the thousands for gold. A large amount
of free-milling ere carrying natlvo gold has
neon exposed by a limited amount of exploit
ing. Already arrangements have been made
to erect a stamp mill there within
the next few weeks. On account of the
great depth of snow which fell on the moun
tains last winter the development of the nu
merous claims In the camp and active nnd
systematic mining had to bo postponed till
the summer. The snow lingered so long
there that a short season for prospecting and
actual mining was anticipated. Fortunately ,
though , the snow is disappearing so rapidly
uow that by Juno 1 the campaign will bo
opened. It will bo n busy season for that
camp. Although It was at ilrst supposed
that a strictly gola camp had boon estab
lished , there are , on all sides , abundant evi
dence that rich and extensive deposits of sil
ver will bo exposed. Nor Is the Importance
of the gold discoveries to bo discounted. In
all the canons and gulches that head on or
towards Gold Hill rich placer grounds
have been located. So flattering were
the prospects obtained that work
was begun in various localities oven before
the snow had gone off. Preparations are
making for hydraulicUlng on a largo scale.
lllcli Gold UiKKlUK * * '
A company organized In Rock Sprlncs has
been rewarded for Its enterprise and early
operations by striking n rich pay streak six
Inches wide in the llrst bed of gravel on
their ground In Buffalo gulch. They found
bed rock at n depth of only sixteen foot , The
dirt runs 25 cents to the pan. The scene of
these operations is only fourteen miles from
Saratoga.
Along the Medicine Bow river and on the
North lirush and South Brush creeks , that
head on Gold Hilt , ten thousand to twelve
thousand acres of placer ground have already
been located. Some of this is owned by prl-
vato individuals , \\lio will wash for gold ,
while other properties belonging to coin-
pantos will bo worked by hydraulicklng on a
largo scale.
In the vicinity of Gold Hill Is n largo area
whore prospecting has been hurriedly or Im
perfectly done , If any attempt at all has been
made to llnd leads or evidence mineral . do-
poslts.
But while Gold Hill Is at present the Mecca
of the prospector nnd minor , there are other
localities adjacent to Saratoga where the
chance : for equally as good strikes are in
dicated by the little prospecting and exploit
ing of mineral claims done In previous sea
sons. To nil that mountain region on both
sides of the Platte valley has been given
the name of the Gold Hill mining district.
There Is n popular fallacy that whatever
of Importance tlio section may attain in the
mining world depends on the results ob
tained In the Gold Hill camp. Nothing could
come wider of the mark than such u hap
hazard prediction or supposition.
Long before Gold Hill was ever heard of
experienced miners found rich prospects on
both the cast and west ranges. On the west
range or Continental divide within twenty -
Hve or thirty miles of Saratoga work has
been done on n half-dozen claims during tlio
past llvo years. It is estimated that upwards
of f. " > 0,00u has been expanded on those prop
erties during that tlmo. They have been
patented and Are In good working shape ,
with many tons of ere on their uumps , sorted
and uncarted , which would pay to ship ,
Leads carrying silver ere that runs ns high
ns 700 ounces of silver to the ton have been
followed down t < * n depth of 1H5 foot or moro.
Llttlo stir has hcom made about these
mines , because they were originally lo
cated by ranchmen who settled In
the valley after considerable experience in
mining. They quietly prosecuted develop
ment work when they could spare the tlmo
from their farming and stock-raising. When
they grow tired of this slow gait It was an
easy matter for them to interest a shrewd
man of business who after a full examination
of the properties of these ranchmen-minors ,
supplied the necessary capital for moro active
development work.
These mining claims , which are owned by
Suto Senator Frank O , Williams and Henry
II. Jones , the original locators , and J. W.
Heather are only twenty-five inllos south
west of Saratoga at the head ot Jack creek ,
Good Field for lron | > i > itlnti ,
The neighborhood Is full of quart * leads
which prospect well ou top. Souio of them
are thirty feet wide and run In great bulls
from the Atlanllo lo the Pacific slope. It U I
u.freat wonder that fewer locutions ,1mve I 1
been made in that section because only a few
years ago there was an excitement over the
discovery of gold in the Savory country Just
across the range on the Pacltlo slope , Rich
placer diggings wcro found there and
attempts make to work them. But It cost
raoro money to carry this on than the owners
possessed because there was an Instifllelont
full of water. If capital could have been ob
tained the Savory country might ere
this have become conspicuous as n gold-
producing section. It Is not at all
visionary to expect that at some time In the
near future work on tlieso placers may bo re
sumed wllh prolit.
There Is gold in all the streams nnd on both
( dopes of the range. In Iho second wash a
slrin of gravel Is found lhat Is seldom less
than three Inches wide , that carries both
coarse and Hour gold. On the Atlantic slope
tbe streams are stronger nnd have n greater
fall. This seems lo Indicate that what was
regarded as a serious drawback In trylnc to
work the Savory country pincers will not bo
experienced in operating these on this sldo
of the ran o.
Ten miles southcasl of Iho Willlams-Jones-
Hcallicr group of mines referred lo are other
claims owned by them on which loss de
velopment work has been done , but which
overiheless glvo promising Indications
f largo deposits of mineral. South
f there , between the Indian crock anil
ho Grand Encampment , Is a slrelch
f lerritory ( Ifteen lo twenty miles square , lu
ivblch , according to old residents , no pros-
lecting has ever been done. Oii the Pnclllc
lope vry lltllo prospecting has been
ittemptcd. Ono of the stories told by a
lotcd hunter concerning life big lo.ids found
hero passed in the community ns a sort of
egcnd. Finally a well known business man ,
, vho accompanied the hunter on ono of his
rips , was rewarded by n sight of a mam
moth ledge , whleU ho describes as upwards
f thirty or forty yards wldo. A piece of
rock broken off ftotn a huge outcropping
iilong this Icdgo , at a point whore its width
, vas considerably moro than one hundred
'cot , assayed $4 in silver to the ton. This
huge load can bo traced for miles , It Is
: lnlmed. An expedition will bo lltlod out
, his season to prospect that section.
Ilijt Sliver Deposits.
Several years ago some prospecting was
done on the Grand Encampment , whoso
waters ( low Into the Platlo about twenty
miles south of Saratoga. Eight miles up the
canon n number of locations were made
, vhero the surface indications were rich in
copper. Kxccpt in one instance litllo work
: ias been done Ihero. These who staked off
claims have been walling lo see how Iho work
which has boon proscculod by Chatterton ,
[ Curtz and Forney should turn out. These
: nen were so encouraged by the strong silver
ndlcations , when a shaft had been sunk to n
depth of about forty feet , that they decided
to tunnel Into tha hill to see If
they could not strike Iho load at n
deplh of 250 feet. They have spent
considerable money during the post three
> -oars in running their tunnel. When they
had driven into the hill a distance ot six hun
dred nnd Ihtrly lo six hundred and forty
feet , It Is claimed that they cut the vein
which showed ruby silver and gray copper.
From time to tlmo assays that went $700 or
more a ton in silver wcro obtained ou ere
taken out of the tunnel.
Since this gratifying result was attained in
the CliaUorton mines old claims have been
relocated and preparations are being made to
prospect the country In that neighborhood.
Intensive Asbestos Fields.
Farther down the canon nnd within
twenty-four miles of Saratoga , nro largo de
posits of asbestos. Tlieso beds havoonly been
partially opened up , but enough has
been done to show that an Immense
quantity of this valuable mineral , which
brings 75 ccnls lo $1 per pound ,
can bo laken out at small expense. The
asbestos Is of good quality and the fiber long.
Some of it is of n pure white color , but other
kinds and of variegated colors are found.
Negotiations have been pending for some
tlmo for the purchase of a largo tract where
these deposits occur. Other beds of an even
finer quality than lhat described have re
cently been discovered on the Grand En
campment and In the hills beyond it. It Is
reported that nearer Saratoga than this de
posits are known to exist , but up to this time
nothing has been done to determine their
extent.
At Battle lake on the Pacific slope , Ihlrly
miles from Saratoga , some rich copper leads
have been exploiled , Ihough not to any great
extenl. Within Iho past few days reports
have come of a strike on an eighteen-foot
vein which carries silver that assays $100 to
the ton.
Hlskcd Their Lives for Copper.
What Is known as the Battle Lake mine
was lirst located as far back as 18(17. ( For n
n long tlmo no work to speak of was done ou
Iho property. Now It has n shaft down sixty
feet and shows a red oxldo that runs 37 per
cent in copper.
The story is told that some years ago u man
who knew tha richness of this property wont
to Denver and interested some mining men
In It. The specimens of ere which ho ex
hibited were so rich lhat on the strength of
the showing they made he negotiated
a sale. Fearing to lot slip a chance
for such a bargain as that offered
them Iho purchasers accompanied Iho man to
the mine by way of North Park , Colo. , In
the winter and when such a trip could only
bo made on snowshoes and with great dlfll-
culty. When the real owners of the prop
erty wont there to resume work the follow
ing season they wcro surprised lo find that
their cabin nnd stores had been disturbed.
They were at a loss to account for this until
some men presenlod themselves later on and
explained the circumstances under which
they had boon Inauced to invest their money
wllh a man who had no right to sell the
inino.
This incident might ho regarded as too
trivial to relate save that It tends to show
the richness of the properly which mining
men wcro Induced lo visit when such a trip
was attended by many hardships. Tlioro
are other lodges In the vicinity of Iho Balllo
Lake mine which btiow good surface Indica
tions.
On Iho range which bounds ino valley on
the cast , and to the north of Iho Gold Hill
camp , are indications which are certain to
provo sufficiently attractive to miners for
prosecuting thorough prospecting the pres
ent season. The snow Is fast disappearing
aim will fcoon permit of this to bo dono. This
early some prospecting has been done In the
foot hills and on tha mountains which have
become bare. Only last week a prospector
named Charles Nelson mnde a gold discovery
on Cedar crok , west and north of Gold Hill
and within sixteen miles of Saratoga. Ho
prospected n ledge which Is not unlike these
of the Gold Hill camp nnd obtained encour
aging results. Ledges such as that located
by Nelson have been traced for a long
distance.
; Puss Creek which drains Gold Hill to the
north shows K ° od Indications of gold , both as.
regards ledges and placer ground. Formerly
the placers were worked oy a company , but
t after several seasons they cave up became
capital was needed. Thls was only twenty-
eight miles from Saratoga.
On Lnko creck.fthnt heads towards Gold
Hill , silver ere ha * boon , found that assayed
f. > 8 to the ton.
OicnltiK | lip Communication.
What has hindered the development of
those manv mining UUlrlcts surrounding the
valley has been Ihdir remoteness fro m th
railroad and other traveled routes and the
dltllculty or oxpensd of gelling supplies. But
nil this Is changed now. Stage lines have
been established so that trips can bo quickly
and conveniently nmdo. A dally line runs be
tween Huwlliis on the line of iho Union Pa-
cltic railway , thirty-six miles distant , ,
whjeh is oqulppsd with Concord conches
each drawn by six horses. A good road has
been built over which freight teams make
excellent tlmo. A dally mall line runs to
Fort Stcelo on Iho Union Pnelllc , twenty-
eight mites away. . At some seasons of the
year freight Is hauled over that rond.
But In the spring nnd summer the
the high water of the Platlo makes 11 Impos
sible lo ford Iho river nt Fort Steole.
From a lltllo hamlet Saratoga has sprung
Into prominence as n distributing point for
the entire valley and the mining districts of
bolb Iho east and west ranges. Eventually
the people of that place expect that a branch
of the Union Pacific railway will bo built
from Fort Stcclc , at least as far as Sara
toga. Tin oo years ago grading was
begcn on such a .road on the line of an old *
survey for a route which was to extend Inlo
Colorado. For seine reason Iho work was
abandoned when within eight miles of Sara
toga. But now there Is every reason to bo-
llovo that within the near future the Union
Pacific ofllcials will reach out for the con-
slanlly Increasing business of Hint section ,
which Is estimated to have grown to such
proportions as to Justify the construction of
a branch to Saratoga. There has boon some
earnest discussion among people who ere In
terested In that section as lo the feasibility
of building an Independent line to connect
with the Union Pacific system. As yet no
definite plans have boon decided on.
Aside from its possessing the only bridge
across the Platte , Saratoga has the advantage
of a central location , which makes it easy of
access from all points in the valley and the
localities In the mountains where camps have
already sprung up or are likely to bo starled.
Goon roads radiate in all directions from the
town. The silo is an eligible ono for n large
population and for the transaction of business
ou a large scale.
People have boon flocking to Saratoga ever
sluco the Gold Hill excitement started. There
has been so great a demand for lots for busi
ness hous.es that the residence portion of the
town has undergone a change. Now , these
who are seeking homes are inclined to select
the higher ground above the present lown as
moro advantageous sites for that purpose.
Although the town was first started on the
east bank of the river It has slnco spread out
on the west side , where Iho holler class of
buildings have been' ' creeled. It seems des
tined to go still farther to the westward
where a new addition to the town site has
been laid off. If Saratoga grows ns fast as
her people anticipate It will ere long cover a
much larger area.
Outside Capital Interested.
All sorts of inducements nro offered for the
location of business places and residences on
Iho high ground west of the town , known as
Rochester Heights. This takes Its name
from the Interest held in It by a syndicate of
Rochester , N. Y , , cupitullsls who have had
not a llttlo experience in land investments in
the west. They have already Invested
$15,000 in Saratoga and guaranleed
lo expend $00,000 In improvements
Inside of n year. Uostriclions have boon
placed on Iho properly which make It
especially desirable for residence sites.
Various enterprises of a public characler
are conlotnplalod by the Rochestorsyndlcato ,
which comprises Charles Wlltsy , oiq. , W. T.
Fonda , esq. , for many years cashier of the
Commercial National bank of Rochester ; G.
H. Smith , a prominent atlornoy , and other
Investors , Capital' to the amount of (25MX )
has been subscribed for the Platlo Valley
bank which Is soon to bo opened with iMr.
Fonda as cashier. An electric light plant
will bhortly bo put in. Plans for u now liolcl
to bo erected on Rochester Heights nt a cost
of $12,000 are now under consideration and
the stock has nearly nil been subscribed.
Tbcro are already four hotels In Saratoga , but
the accommodations nro inadequate lo meet
the demand. Plans are being prepared for a
number of attractive private residences ,
which nro to bo built on the Heights the
present season , for business men of Saratoga ,
some of which will cost upward of1,000
apleco. Various ther schemes for iho Im
provement and beautifying of that portion of
the town nro now under consideration.
It must not bo supposed that enterprise In
Saratoga is conllnod to outside Investors.
These who arc engaged in business there or
have property Interests are keenly allvo lethe
the necessity for improving tlio town and as
sisting In divers ways to aid in various
schemes looking to tbo development of the
resources of that section In general. Ranch
men In the valley as well ns residents
of Saratoga havq generously contributed
towards the expense of opening now roads.
During the winter It was duo to their sub
stantial aid that communication belwcon Iho
lown and Iho Gold'Hill camp was kept up
continuously. This was not an easy nor
trivial mailer , ns tlio snowfall In Iho moun
tains was unusually heavy nnd of almost
dally occurrence. [ The hardy miners who
weathered the severe winter on the mountain
have the Saratoga people to thank for what
lltllo comfort thejy enjoyed by keeping In
louch wllh iho outsldo world.
Faith in Iho fufu.ro of Saratoga nnd iho
outlying districts bos been demonstrated by
its people , who havp backed numerous en
terprises with tlliir own money nnd by
their investments ' In mining properties.
Ono commendable thing about the aetlvlly
In real ostale , Is.-jthe . policy pursued by
Messrs. W. B. Huyus , J. W. Bcall , J. John
son , H. M. Bennett , A. R. Couzens , F , Chat-
torton and their 'associates In Iho various
companies which/own the townslto and the
additions to It , In keeping down the prices
of lots. Notwithstanding the rush of people
to Saratoga , and Ihojdo.mnd of property for
speculative or building purposes , there has
been no attempt to fix values o.i iho basis of
a bcom , present or prospective ,
Saratoga has an , excellent graded school
for nine months dining the year.
There are two ; ' churches , Episcopalian
nnd Presbyterian , iltov. F. M. Colllor is
pastor of the latter , socloly which now holds
services In the school house but will soon
have a church e'dlllco of its own. The Church
of Iho Heavenly Rest while not a pretentious
structure Is nevertheless an attractive and
commodious one. Rev , Dr. R. E. G. Hunt-
Ingtnn Is the rector.
Saratoga's Celebrated Springs.
The medicinal auJ curative properties of
the Saratoga hot Springs have gained for
Ihom u certain celebrity all over the country.
They were Known to tha Indians for years
and oven before there was any town a crude
sort of sanitarium was established there to
which patients oflUctod with ucnto forms of
rheumatism and discuses of the blood were
taken. There nro three springs hut only ono
Is used nt present. Bath houses have been
built nud a hotel is run by the proprietor , W.
H. Cndwell , In connection with tbo springs ,
The water * contain Iron , potoslutn , lime ,
chloride of sodium and sulphur nnd nro n cer
tain specific for rheumatism. Home remark
able cures have been wrought to these who
have tcsled llio springs. No qualitative an
alysis lias yet boon made of the waters ,
which have n temperature of V" degrees
F.ihrehelt , but one will soon bo made at the
Wyoming state university.
Stale Gecbglst Rlckclls Is credited with
an expression of opinion that other hot
springs can bo located In Snratog.i and vicin
ity by boring. Sucn
a project has been seri
ously discussed by some of the enterprising
citizens.
lliillilln .Material Handy.
All kinds of building material nro found
convenient to Saratoga. Timber Is plentiful
ou all sides except to the norlh. During Iho
past few years upwards of iwo million feel
have been rafled down Iho PJntUi. Most of
the lumber now used in iho valley comes
from n mill iwenly-llvo miles soulli of
Saratoga near Soulh Brush creek. Other
mills will shortly bo put In , two having been
ordered. Ono Is a portable sawmill , which
will bo taken up to Iho Gold Hill camp. The
oilier is intended for a colony of Dunkards ,
located on Iho Grand Encampment , where n
dam 1ms been built for this purpose , as well
ns n shingle nnd a grist mill. These will bo
about twenty-two miles south of Saratoga ,
west of the Platlc.
Quarries which have been opened on Jack
creek , llvo and n half miles from Saraloga ,
supply nn excellent quality of sandstone.
Some of it has boon used In the town in the
construction of buildings. With a llttlo
available the present season. A diim has
been thrown across nn arm of the Platlo ten
miles south of Saratoga. This Is 200 foot
long , tl' { feet wldo and 20 feet across. The
ditch Is recorded for 200 cubic feet of water
n second and will bo carried down to the
town for use there for domestic as
well as Irrigating purposes. An Invest
ment of f 10,000 is represented In tills
scheme. A Iliimo Ilfty foot high nnd 2.000
feet long is building to carry the water over
Spring creek. The ditch will cover (1,000 (
acres of laud and Is capable of Irrigating
seventy acres to the foot , which Is the e.\-
Iri'ino limit allowed under the law recently
passed lu Wyoming. A contract has already
boon let to cover the townsito by this ditch.
The Ilueus-Mulllson ditch Is laltou fro.u n
a dam on the Platte Just ouisldo of Saratoga.
This dam Is n most substantial structure and
n model of Its kind. It has withstood the
strain of the high water for three season ! *
and Is perfectly dry. Tbo dimensions nro
180 feet between piers ana 5l < j feet high.
The recorded capacity is Ilfty-nlne cubic foot
per second , but an ni-plli-ation was
long ago filed and Is now beIng -
Ing considered for a grant of
water which shall equal S0l cubic feet per
second. If this application Is favorably de
cided upon , it is Iho Intention of its owners
to oxlond Iho ditch as far as Rawllns , and
cover the land lying to the northeast of Sar
atoga. The Saratoga Improvement company
owns half of the ditch tlmt underlies the
original townsllo , while the O.ivls , Folsom
it Brewer ditch covers Iho olhor half.
There are thousands of acres of land lying
on the cast side of the Plnlto between the
Union Pf.citic railway and Saratoga , that
could be put under ditch , and which would
become good farming lands. The same Is
true of a largo urea lo Iho soulh of Saratoga ,
SARATOGA AND THE GOLD HILL DISTRICT.
moro development , It Is thought that an ex
cellent cut stone of various colors cau bo ob
tained In vast quantities from Ibese quarries.
Even nearer than lhat good stouo for build
ing purposes can bo obtained. Limestone Is
found on the Platte within a mile and a half
of Saratoga. All Iho lime used in Iho lown
Is burned from rock lhat comes from Pass
creek.
Lying above the dorlc limestone on Cedar
crook , n dozen miles distant , n variegated
rod and white marble Is found. No
attempt has yet been made to open
n quarry to test the quality or determine Its
commercial value. Not far from the Grand
Encampment what may turn out to bo n supe
rior quality of tnarblo was recently found.
Coal , Iron and Load.
Indications of coal nro seen on all sides of
Saratoga except to the south. North of the
town fourtcoii miles and n mile from the
Plalte on the cast sldo ot the river , is a vuln
four and a half feet thick. A tunnel 120 feet
long was driven. This supplies all the coal
used In Saratoga. Two miles west of this
coal deposit Is another vein that runs under
the Platlo. Near iho river , a fifty-foot tun
nel was driven which shows a four-foot vein
of coking coal. Besides these there are tour
veins that show In the bluffs between Sarato
ga and Fort Stcelo.
West of the river and eighteen miles from
Saratoga on Sago creek near the stngo slation
is u six-foot coal vein on which : t forty-foot
tunnel was run. Norlh nnd enst on Pass
creek , sixteen miles from Saratoga a largo
coal deposit has been found.
Over on the west range nnd especially on
the Pnclllc slope are coal deposits which
cover a largo area and where the veins are of
gigantic size. Mothlnghas .vet boon done to
open Ihom up because ihoro has never boon
any demand for coal in that section. But no
matter where camps u ny bo slnrled , It will
bo only a short haul to supply thorn with an
abundance of fuel both for domestic and man
ufacturing purposes.
Iron Is so abundant that It may bo said to
occur everywhere throughout the mountains.
All varieties have been discovered and so
conveniently located to the coal deposits as
to render It of moro than ordinary value.
Mixed with all the silver-bearing ores Is n
largo quantity of lead , moro than sufficient
for smelting purposes , it occurs In such
qunntllles ns lo give grounds for Iho belief
that nt some tlmo It may be treated for com
mercial purposes.
Great Water Power.
The Platte would supply nmplo wnter
power for mills nnd for Irrigation on n largo
scale. The river is a raging torrent for four
mouths In the year. At Its lowest stngo it Is
a good-sized stream and runs a largo volume
of water that could bo harnessed for mechan
ical purposes nt small expense. Its banks
nnd the configuration of Its valley nro such as
to render It easy to build storage reservoirs
or dams at almost any point alonir Its courso.
The close proximity of all material requisite
fur carrying out enterprises of this sort , such
ns stone , limber and cement. Is nn advantage
which should not bo lost sight of.
What may bo regarded ns low-wntor mark
In Iho Platte Is reached In Octobe.r. The
river was gauged last season In that month
at what was considered Its lowest stage nnd
showed Hint It then ran 3,772 cubic fee ; ot
water per second. The volume during the Ir
rigating season Is at least three to llvo times
rnoro than lhat. With an average fall of
twenty feet to the mile , It will bo scon that
there remains In the Platlo enough walor
lhat could bo ulillzed for transforming nil iho
arid lands In tlm valley Into ns good agrlcul-
lural lanus as Iho W,000 ) to (10,000 ( acres which
are now under cultivation within a radius of
twenty miles of Saratoga.
Correspondence has been progressing
for some tlma wltn Colorado milling
men who are seriously considering the estab
lishment of a ( louring mill nt Saratoga ,
l\\K \ Dllolien Under Way.
Two largo ditches have been taken out of
the Platto. That known as Iho Davis , FeUom
& Brewer ditch is not yet completed , but Its
construction is being rushed so tual It will bo
on the west sldo of the valley
which could bo Irrigated to great
prolit If put under a big
ditch lhat could bo taken out of the Grand
Encampment , which Is a very strong stream
and ono of the most important feeders to the
Platlo. Still further soulh the waters from
Big creek could bo utilized for supplying
water lo a largo expanse of country tributary
to it.
Farming nnd Pasturage.
It has been a revelation to many visitors to
the valley that the sagebrush land , that was
so long regarded as worthless , can bo turned
into arable ground of such excellent quality
and made to bo so productive. Tlio expense
Is merely trivial. All that has to bo done Is
to turn water onto the land and nature does
the rest. Where the land has been under
walcr for u season Iho sagebrush is killed. '
Grass springs up , whicli furnishes good feed
for slock. Thou lalo in Iho fall there Is suffi
cient grass left to burn over the
ground and got rid of the sago brush. The
following year crops can bo raised. The
total expense for clearing land of this sort is
estimated at not moro than $ . " > an aero on the
benches. By such nn expenditure government
land which costs only $1.25 an aero become
worth SiO.
It is not claimed that all of this sago brusher
or desert land can bo turned into first-
class agricultural land. But there nro thou
sands on thousnnds of acres that nro suscop-
tlblo of such transformation by Iho methods
described. All of It , though , can at least bo
turned into rich pasturage , and that Is needed
quite as much as fanning lands , because the
valley Is admirably adapted for slock raising.
A'cKetal'luH and Grain.
Next fnll the people of the Plntto vnlloy
intend to hold u fair nt Saratoga to show
what they can do in ttio way of raising veg
etables , fruits , grain and fine slock. They
will surprise everybody who Is not familiar
with the possibilities of the valley. Some of
the stories told about the big yield
In all kinds of produce seem like fairy tales ,
but the ranchmen are always ready to furnish
proof for their asserilons.
In potnlocs tlioy claim lo equal if not out
rival the famous Salt Lake production. They
grow lo n largo size and nro oflcn shown
weighing two and a half to thrco and even
three and three-quarters pounds apleco. The
average yield for the llrst year Is 200 bushels
of potaloos on Iho bench lands. The bottom
lanas produce double that quantity. .From
three pounds of seed ono ranchman Is known
lo have had n yield of 150 pounds nnd Miothor
got slxtv-cight pounds from ono.
Cnbbngo average eight pounds each on n
patch of 2,000 plants. It is not uncommon to
see heads that weigh lifleon lo twenty
pounds.
Clean heads of cauliflower weigh as much
os sixteen pounds , and the average Is seven
to eight , or nearly twice what are grown
farther enst.
All kinds of vegetables glvo big yields nnd
the quality Is not loss Inferior than the
quantity us compared with the products of
less favored sections ,
It is In grain nnd hay that the valley ex
cels. Nowhere can a heller showing be
made. The legal weight of oats Is thirty-six
pounds to the bushel , which Is several pounds
> nexcess of that In many of the states.
Ranchmnn Brewer , Just below Saratoga ,
avorugcd Iwcnly-nlno and one-half bushels to
the acre on u tract of 100 acres. This was his
third crop on sage-brush land. Oats used to
bo shipped into the valley from Nebraska In
four-bushel sacks , weighing l.'io to UW
pounds. Tlieso same socks are sometimes
used by the ranchmen , but when filled with
oats of ttinir own production , nnd where
there has been no upcclul attention paid lo
Iholr cultivation , they Up the scales at 175 to
225 pounds. An average yield Is nbout
twenty-eight bushels to the aero , though In
favored localities it runs ns high us tnlrty
bushels.
Not enough wheat has been grown on
which to buso any estimate. This season ,
though , there will be ( jullo a largo yield , as
the land and other conditions nro favorable
Six years ago n colony of seventy families ol
DunkanU settled on Iho Grand Encampment
and on , Spring crook. They have raised
n part of Iho wheat for their own consump
tion. In small mills they grind up wheat
grown by thoni which Is mixed with thai
brought from other sections In tlio proportion
of ono part to two. From tills they make
Hour not unlike whnttls called Grnhnui , and
Ihe Dunkanls nro noted for the line bread
they make from this mixture.
In barley , the valley claims to beat tha
world. It Is used principally for fattening
pork which Is raided ou alfalfa.
Rye bus proven very successful , the yield
belnu' about twenty to twenty-live bushels to
the acre.
Hops grow wild nnd have boon pronounced
o oo Iho bo.U In Iho world.
Buckwheat also fares well both as to yield
ml superior quality.
Timothy which can In no other
cctlon lie surpassed crows In the valley , nud
wo to thrco tons an aero can bo easily pro-
need.
Two anil throe crops of alfalfa can ba
Town n season , nnd yields n ton to a ton and
half an acre. It Is high enough tu Iho fall
or feed for stock during October and Novem-
cr. The success of alfalfa on the bench land
is fully assured.
Enormous yields of sugar beets nro ob-
allied. Analysis of tills product by tha
'nlted Slalm agricultural department snows
hat tlio amount of saccharine matter exceeds
.hut . of the beets of nny otl.or section , rang-
ng from II to 111 per cent , while 8 per cent Is
considered u high average elsewhere.
How Cattle Thrive.
The wild grasses are very itulrltlnus anil
hero nro fully twenty dllTeront
nrioties. There is n mild timothy ,
wo or three kinds of rod tot ) are fo'ind , U
ivhlto clover grows in Iho bottoms and an
ther variety Is found on Ihe upland : a blut )
iolut grass abounds ns also two or thrcu dlf-
'orent species of rye grasses , from \\hlch the
ndians used to make meal.
Outside of the agricultural lanus the foot-
illls furnish summer gra/.lng , where tha
jrasscs enumerated grow Unco deep. Oil
his natural pasturage thu stock can
lot fall to thrive , as the country Is un
covered during eight months of the year All
the streams nro timbered and plenty of shol-
er as well as water is assured. Cattle run
on the range from November 15 lill April 1.
The ury stock Is loft out on the range all the
year around , but iho cows , bulls and year-
Ings are put In pasturage during the winter
months. As n sort of Insurance ou
ils own ranch it Is customnrv for
a cattle man to carry slxtv days' feed in hay
o provide for n hard winter.
The loss docs not amount lo I per cent On.
one ranch out ot 1,0JO head only seven wora
est last winter. Under the old rim go system -
tom of lurnlng out the cattle and lolling them
run like a school of mackerel , the percentage
of losses was high nnd as before stated -f.l.OOO
Head were lobtln'lho winter of 1SS4-5. Prices
Tor cattle then went down from ' .0 to
$12. Now stock Is worth $ ll > to $17 a head.
There Is no poorly bred stock in the vat
ley now ; It Is nil well graded. The line ap
pearance mid quality of the cattle Is the sub
ject of comment bj- nil who visit the vnlloy
All the stock feeds on hay and gr.iss ana
fallens on grass. In September or October
four-year olds weigh 1,200 pounds and up
wards.
After January 1 the ranchmen begin feed
ing on liny , and it is nothing unusual for an
animal to dross 800 to 1MO pounds In thq
spring. It Is notable lhat the lung power of
the eatlle raised In the valley Is one-half
groiter than these in the east , which is an
advantage readily recognized. Ono reason ,
why stock keeps In such good condition U
because the ranchmen do not try to run uiora
cattle than they can attend to.
Fine Native HorscN.
Horse raising has of lalo commanded con
siderable nttenllon. A majority of tliu stock
mares were brought there from Iowa , Illinois ,
Indiana nnd Missouri. Many of them are
thoroughbreds. That is also" the case with
tlio stallions. Those are mostly Normans ,
Perrherons , Clydesdales , Cleveland boys ,
English sires and Belgians. Ono
oullll recently Imported twenty-one stallions.
These were English draft horses. Thu snmo
concern has some standard bred trolling
horses , including n brother of Jay Eyii Seo.
The progeny of such stock have superior lunff
power , and great credit is duo to those who
give such careful attention to this business.
Sheep and Wool.
If the cattlemen had their way nbout It ,
sheep would bo driven out of the vnlloy , as
they claim Iho land is too valuable for such
grazing grounds. But the sheep business has
proven prodlablo and the wool clip extraordi
narily largo. It averages higher than most
other sections. Ono band of 2,000 tills season
avoraired llcecos weighing fourtcoii pounds.
Another of 2,500 sheep averaged thirteen
pounds last month. The whole clip was con
traded for nt It ! cents a pound.
Thu increase averages ns high as 70 to 80
per cent , though seine bands make a showing
equal to 00 per cent on account of the favor
able condition for lambing. Ono band of
20,00i ) wintered out last season and thu loss
was small. But the sheep will probably havft
lo go , as settlers arc crowding them and too
much ot the country Is being brought under
fence.
Healthful and Delightful Climate.
hummer in the valley Is a dollvhtfnl sea
son and cannot bo surpassed in thu Rock/
mountain region. The mean temperature Is
nbout 72 degrees and the nights are always
cool while during thu daytlmo there Is a
breeze continually stirring. Storms nro
never bad nnd there are no thunder showers
such as ofcur in some sections of Wvomlnp.
There never has be < ; ii an Instance where llfo
or property wns destroyed by the elements.
Cyclones nro unknown.
The winters nro not severe. A snowfall
to exceed six inches Is n rarity. For fouC
weeks nt a tlmo Ihero nro clear , bright days.
Even when it Is cold a drive of forty or llfty
miles can bo taken. The air Is dry and puro.
Dr. H. M. Dennett , who Is the
only physician In the valley , has
never missed but one cull In llvo years ,
nnd on that instance ho was incapacitated by
nn accident. Tliu vnlloy Is entirely exempt
from diphtheria , scarlet fever , typhoid uud
nil germ diseases , Infantile diseases lire un
known.
No holler commendation of the people can
bo passed than to stnto thai In the history of
lliu valley , where nearly llvo hundred voloa
were east at tlio late election , there have
been only two crlmlnul cases in the Carbon
county court from thoro. In ono instancotho
accusation was petty larceny and the other
cnso wns for horse-stealing and thu culprit
was convicted Litigation Is practically unKnown -
Known In iho vnllov. The ueoplo , who numbered -
berod 2,00il bv the last census , are noted for
their hosplta'lty. '
SlyiiH of KMlcrprlrto ,
Right now Saratoga Is u very busy placo.
Thu construction of now buildings Is being
rapidly pushed lo accommodalo Iho rush
which Is expected. A brick yard which
started up ihcrn sold the first kiln of 2SO.OOO
brick before thuv were burned. They were
of excellent quality , but a superior articla
will bo nmiiu in future as bellurcl.ty has boon
dlseou'rcd on the i.'dL'o of town from which
others equal to pressed brick > vill be made.
An experimental farm has Just been estab
lished under the auspices of Iho slnlo uni
versity adjoining Saratoga. I'orly ncrcs of
land were donated by citizens for that pur
pose which Is all under ditch , Buildings
imvc been contracted for to cost
{ 1,000 and will bu finished ns
soon ns possible. The farm U
under the superintendent of Captain J , H.
Mullison who Is regarded a.i r.n authority on
Irrigation matters having succoisfuliy expe
rimented on u largo farm of hU own In tha
va'.loy for ten years or moro. It Is anticipated
that iho results achieved on the farm will ba
of great benefit to the ranchmen ah it can ba
determined what can bo grown there and tha
best way of doing 1U Ucouui : F ,
