A two days' jaunt on horseback took me from Rhyolite hill, on the north, to Grouse mountain, on the south, and from Pisgah, on the west, to Wilson creek, on the east, within which boundaries some four thousand claims have been located.
The greater part of those have nothing more than the assessment work done upon them, and in many instances, this has been so indifferently done, and with such an utter abandon and disregard of the statues, that they cannot be held for a moment to comply with the legal requirements.
But, in traversing Ennis, Globe, Gold, Bull, Tenderfoot, Womack, Mineral and a score or more of hills in the district, sources of Cripple, Wilson, Requa, Squaw and other water courses, I came upon scores of properties that were being developed with more or less vigor and intelligence, some with tunnels or inclines, others with shafts or open cuts, and the owners of each full of hope and expectations.
Blue Bell in Squaw gulch is one of those with good indications of mineral, and from statements made to me by different parties I have that the Blue Bell had $30 to $40 In Superficial Workings; with $60 in Average Assays; whereas Picked Specimens gave $250, in addition to 180 ounces silver.

Dr. A. J. Lanterman, having resided in Leadville and at Buena Vista for the past fourteen years, and being everywhere, is recognized as a person of the highest integrity. Since November last, he has spent more than half of his time in the Cripple Creek district and is doubtless second to none in possession of information concerning its resources. He has watched the progress of events with painstaking interest from the beginning, and his simple relation of them constitutes a pretty succinct history of the camp.

"I know but little about the Blue Bell; the Blue Bell vein is from six to fifteen inches, and it is a true fissure vein with granite walls. The other true fissure vein I know of is located in the Washington. In all the other claims I have seen, they all have walls of porphyry.
I am not a geologist or a mineralogist, although engaged in mining for many years. I am not, therefore, bold enough to entertain a theory of the formation of this district. The generally accepted idea, however, is that the porphyry has been thrown out through the fissures in the granite, and the mineralized quartz has formed true fissures in the porphyry."

Col. Ed F. Browne, of Aspen said that "contrary to the general opinion, I do not find that the porphyry is generally mineralized, or that there is a second deposition of porphyry in fissures; but the fact is, there are well defined leads of quarts that pass through this massive porphyry, and it is the gangue of the veins.
While there are parts of the porphyry rock that is mineralized, those parts that are rich at all are lying between stringers of the quarts, and it is easily seen how it should be mineralized, lying in such a position.

"The Blue Bell is on another well defined contact fissure, between granite and porphyry, and is the only vein that gives indications of silver, lead or zinc in the camp. Its direction points west of north about ten degrees, and undoubtedly extends through to Lawrence, a camp on the south end of the district.

"It can hardly be supposed that all the leads and fissures through which this mineralized quartz is found will ever be great mines; but it is an indication that shows great strength and permanency to the large veins that are discovered, and possibly many of these smaller stringers of quartz may lead to mines of values.

"I am thoroughly of the opinion that there could possibly be some great mines on the Blue Bell vein. I am also of the opinion that the greatest mine of this camp will be found in a locality not yet developed.

According to Col. H. W. Comstock, there is no free milling ore, strictly speaking, in the district; but there is a vast tonnage, already uncovered and tested, that can be treated in the ordinary gold mills with little if any preliminary treatment. This is, of course, surface ore, and as we approach water level we may, and shall, undoubtedly, find it necessary to roast most of the product in order to save a reasonable percentage of its value, as much of it is exceedingly complex in character.
While there been said that the dominating metal in the Blue Bell ore is silver, Col. Comstock said; "In the Blue Bell a thin band of galena, with which is combined some bismuth, carries more silver than gold; but an average of the entire vein matter between the granite and porphyry walls shows that gold is the dominating metal."

G. Kurt is working a lease on the Blue Bell claim on Squaw Gulch. He has recovered the vein carrying lead, silver, and gold. In a winze sunk 40 ft. below the adit a streak 14 in. wide has been found assaying 50 to 64 oz. silver, $8 to $10 in gold per ton, and as much as 25% lead.

THE BLUE BELL.
The Soper Concentrating company, that has a lease on the Hartsell mill, a plant that is less than 100 feet away from the mouth of the Blue Bell tunnel, now has all the ore it can possible handle, and if it will pay there is enough in sight to run the stamps day and night for an indefinite length of time.

In the Blue Bell there is a strong vein that carries ore of a low grade. Almost if not quite six years ago there was a pocket of high grade mineral in this same vein, but it was quickly taken out and up to the present time water has prevented sinking upon it.

People who saw the Blue Bell when it was in pay are still staunch friends of that property, and in and out of season predict great things for it.
If the low grade ore that is now being broken on its ground carries sufficient values to pay under the stamps, it is more than likely that development will open up an ore chute on the vein.

Blue Bell Mining, Milling and Power Company—At the deferred annual meeting in Cheyenne, Wyo., the following directors were elected:
Charles Walden
Duncan Chisholm
H. C. Shimp
John McConaghy
C. F. Rickey.
Mr. Rickey was afterward elect­ed president, Mr. Walden vice-president, Mr. Shimp secretary and Mr. Chisholm treasurer.

PTARMIGAN'S PURCHASE
The Blue Bell Bought by the Ptarmigan People

The Ptarmigan Gold Mining company, one of the recent incorporations, has secured two valuable claims in Cripple Creek and is in a position to make things hum, which they are rapidly preparing to do. The company has purchased the Nora H., close to the Elkton on Raven hill, and the Blue Bell on Gold Hill, near Anaconda.
The latter was purchased from the Blue Bell company for $7,500, one third of which was paid in cash and the balance is to be paid in eighteen months. The Nora H. was purchased from Henry and others for $10,000.
The Blue Bell has been developed by a 600 feet tunnel and several shafts. About half way in the tunnel there is a vein of ore that runs two ounces gold, seventy ounces silver and twenty-three per cent lead; in the breast there are twenty-one feet of ore that will run from $20 to $30 gold.
The Nora H. is also making an encouraging showing and is being prepared for a patent.

The company has ordered a plant of machinery and will sink{?] on the Blue Bell to the tunnel, at the same time the work of taking out ore from the tunnel will continue. It is proposed to ship the first 1,000 tons to the cyanide mill at Florence, and arrangements looking to a contract with the Florence people are now pending.
The company capitalized for 1,000,000 shares, par value $1 each, has 200,000 shares treasury stock and $30,000 in the treasure with no debts.
W. H. Jacobs, who has mined successfully in Boulder, La Plata and Clear Creek counties, is president.
A. A. McDonald, the owner of the Belden mine at Red Cliff, is vice-president.
G. E. Hannan, one of Denver's most popular business men, is secretary.
Ed. Dickson, one of the leading attorneys of Denver, is a member of the board of directors.
H. J. Sisty, a mining man of wide experience, is manager and also one of the directory.

The main vein of the Blue Bell at Cripple Creek, has been uncovered for a distance of a thousand feet, the tunnel is now in 450 feet and the shaft has reached a depth of 160 feet. It is intended to connect the shaft and the tunnel as development proceeds.
The present development consists of upraising and driving forward in the breast of the tunnel. The vein is six feet wide, in a granite and porphyry formation.
There are many hundreds of tons of ore on the dump and in the ore house waiting the completion of the new mill which is to be erected just below, near the mouth of the tunnel.

The Blue Bell is running five shifts, three in the mine and two in the shaft. A large quantity of ore is awaiting shipment.
The tunnel is 200 feet down.