November 11, 1879
Editor Gazette:
Knowing that you will naturally take an interest in any section of New Mexico which draws its supplies from Las Vegas, I will give you some items regarding this rich country.
There seems to be sixteen or seventeen miles of a mineral belt, covered with leads of quartzs bearing gold, silver, copper and iron and in nearly all of them a pick has never yet been struck. It is almost too wonderful to be true, but during last summer a handful of miners, some four or five, who were placer mining in Baxter Gulch, concluded that the Gulch being so rich, the gold must come from some where and commenced looking around and within one mile soon discovered some 25 or 30 quartz’s leads, four or five of which showed free gold. They cut off specimens and all showed mineral varying from $300 to $1,000 per ton.
First in order comes the “Homestake,” the history of which is a little peculiar, a regular mining tramp came along and stating to one of the boys that he knew something of mining, and had visited all the good camps in the West. he was staked with what they call a “GrubStake” and started on to see what he could find. In less than 300 yards from the camp he found the “Homestake” lead, which is from 3 to 4 feet wide: brought down some of the rock, pounded it up and washed it out showing remarkably rich, though no gold was visible. The boys all rushed off to the place and after trying the rock found it was a true bill, and one of the immediately bought out the tramp for some forty odd dollars and he went on his way rejoicing back to Vegas to spend the money. Two recent assays from this mine show, one $78.00 per ton. The other 51 oz. or over $1000. It is owned by John Wilson and Jack Winters. After they get done building a house to make themselves comfortable for the winter, they say they are going to sink shafts and open the mine. Such an independent set of miners you ever saw. They have rockers and haul the water three miles, at 50 cts, a barrel, and yet the ground is so rich that 2 or 3 hours per day will give them half an once or $8.50, for they sell it at $17.00. They have a sure bank to draw on and are not afraid of the band’s breaking. View Source
| DEED | DOLAN CAROLINE F | 1 | B | 44 | 2 | 18791223 | HOMESTAKE LODE | 18791223 | WHITE OAKS MINING DISTRICT | 187910044 |
| 1 | WINTERS JOHN V | 187910044 |
Timeline
May 18, 1880: Weekly Miner article about Jack Winters
March 21, 1881: Jack Winters Dies and is put to rest in Cedarvale Cemetery
