Page 66 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

MINING DISTRICTS 65
Socorro, N. Mex., or to the Argo smelter in Denver, Colo.
A local smelter was erected in 1895-1896, but it ran only a short time. It was designed to treat custom ores too low-grade to ship, but the cost of bringing in fuel was as much as shipping the ore out, and the project was doomed from the first. In addi- tion, the outside smelters at once lowered their treatment charges, and after smelting 300 to 400 tons, from which were produced lead bars and copper matte, the plant was shut down. A second smelter was built south of Fairview, which operated for a short time on ores from the Sierra Cuchillo and from the northern part of the Black Range, but it apparently fared no better than did the one at Chloride.
In rapid succession small hamlets sprang up at the scenes of the various discoveries in the region. They thrived and hummed with activity for a season, but the original buildings are standing only in Chloride and Fairview. Among the towns which disappeared many years ago are Grafton and Roundyville, founded in 1881. Robinson, founded in 1885 and named after a vice-president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, is said to have been located as the terminal of a proposed branch line from Engle, a survey for which was actually made. The railroad failed to materialize, and in a short time all buildings and activity had been transferred to Chloride or Fairview. Phil- lipsburg in the Black Range district near the north county line, and Fluorine just on or over the county line, which date back to 1900 and 1909, were never important centers of activity. In 1931-1933 some interest was revived in all of these camps, includ- ing sampling and some actual mining operations.
The original discovery in the Hermosa district is said to have been made in 1879 by Harry W. Elliott, who located two claims there and soon after went to Granite Gap on business. On his return a few weeks later, he found that his claims had been jumped by two prospectors, who were so plausible and con- genial that he gave them a quitclaim deed to the property and went on to Kingston, there in a short while to find the Brush Heap mine, in which he made a small fortune. The prospectors remained at Hermosa, and in a short time produced ore worth about $60,000 in silver. A prospector from Leadville, Colo., named Miller appears to have made the first location on what is now the Palomas Chief, one mile down the canyon from the town. Shortly after, other locators settled in Palomas Canyon on the Albatross, Eagle, Embolite, Pelican, Vulture and other claims, and thereafter the activity in the region centered around the town of Palomas in the canyon of that name, while Hermosa, a mile to the west and in a much more pleasant and open location, ceased to grow. When silver decreased in value, Hermosa and Palomas both declined. In 1933 Hermosa was only one of the headquarters of the Ladder ranch, and few of the original build- ings remained at Palomas.