History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 170
[7], iv-vii, [2], 10-826, [2] p., [56] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
is too small for profitable working. In the
Quitman mountains some of the quartz and
ferruginous outcrops show traces of gold,
and by using the pan colors of gold are frequently
found in the gravel and sand. A
small piece of quartz found near Finlay assayed
eleven ounces of gold to the ton. Taking
this evidence, with the general geologic
features of the Quitman and surrounding
mountains, the presence of gold is established,
although the probable quantity is still uncertain.
Free gold has also been observed in
certain ores received from Presidio county.
The best developed mine in this region is
generally known as the .Shafter or Bullis
mine, and is owned and operated by the Presidio
Mining company, who are now working
two mines-the Presidio and Cibolo. In the
former, which was discovered in 1880, the
mine consists of pockets and bunches of ore
of irregular shapes and sizes, generally isolated
from each other, imbedded in a limestone
country rock, thus forming chamber
deposits.
The Cibolo has the same general character,
but, in addition, has an ore body situated in
a well defined fissure, and is a contact deposit.
This company work their own mill and ship
their product as bullion. The mill, which
is of ten stamps of the common California
pattern, is located on a hillside, so that .the
ore from the crusher falls to the automatic
feeder at the stamps, from which the pulp is
lifted to the amalgamaters. The amalgam is
freed from the excess of quicksilver by straining,
as usual, when retorted and fused. This
mill averages from thirty to thirty-five tons
of ore per day, which yields from forty to
forty-five ounces of silver per ton. The motive
power is an eighty-horse pow/r engine.
There is an ample water supply in Cibolo
creek to permit an increase in the size of thismill and the erection of others as well, and
there is also good opportunity to build storage
reservoirs along it. There are other
locations being worked up, many of which
promise good returns, and there is no doubt
that this district must soon become one of
the centers of the mining industry in Texas.
Silver.-Native silver has not yet been reported.
In trans-Pecos Texas, however, the
conditions are more favorable; and there are
two mines now working a free-milling silver
ore in Presidio county, and many trial shafts
have been put down in the surrounding region.
A considerable amount of silver bullion has
already been produced, and shipped to San /
Francisco.
Tin.-The occurrence of tin was reported,
doubtfully, in the central mineral district in
1889, and it was also found in connection
with lead ores in trans-Pecos Texas. In November,
during the examination of specimens
collected by members of his party, Dr. Comstock
found some excellent pieces of cassiterite,
or oxide of tin, and made a special trip
to decide the reality and manner of its occurrence.
This resulted in the discovery that it
occurred not only as cassiterite, but in small
quantities in connection with other minerals
in the rocks of a certain portion of the Burnetan
system extending from the western
part of Burnet to the- eastern part of Mason
county, a distance of fifty miles, and having
a width of eight to ten miles. In this belt
the tin ore has been found at four or five localities.
It occurs in a quartz of somewhat
banded appearance, and when pure may often
be recognized by its weight, being of greater
specific gravity than the iron ores.
Near the divide between Herman creek
and tributaries of the San Saba river, in Mason
county, are the remains of two old furnaces,
and considerable slag which carries170
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History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Book)
Book containing a brief overview of the state of Texas and more specific focus on six specific counties, with extensive biographical sketches about persons related to the history of those places. An alphabetical index of persons who are included follows the table of contents at the front of the book.
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Lewis Publishing Company. History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties., book, 1893; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/175/?rotate=270: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.