Runaways and Shotguns

For reasons unknown, two young sisters set off on a trek through the desert wilderness south of Deming.  This story resembles the plot of the 2002 Australian film directed by  Phillip Noyce; Rabbit Proof Fence. The journey of these two girls was not nearly as expansive as the aboriginal girls in the movie, but  nonetheless the older girl survived for five days in a wilderness that was not any less hostile or isolated than the Australian outback.

Sept. 7th  1906   Deming Graphic
Runaways!
On Thursday Aug. 30th, two little Mexican girls aged respectively 8 and 3 daughters of Juan Diaz disappeared from their home.  The mother and some of the neighbors scoured the town all that night in a vain search for the missing children.  Next morning the civil authorities were notified and a systematic search was inaugurated, resulting in the finding of the younger child about four miles south of town and which indicated that the children were attempting to go to their father who was then at work in the  Florida mountains twenty miles away.  The search was then extended, the line reaching out eighteen or twenty miles.  At a point about eighteen miles out, tracks of the child were found but with night coming on the search had to be abandoned.  On the morning of Sept. 3rd. soon after daylight the trail was taken up and the dim footprints of the fleeing child were soon discovered.  To elude the officers, the child then hid under the mesquites running and  dodging among the bushes, in this manner she succeeded in evading her rescuers until 10 o'clock when she was overtaken and captured. For nearly five days the child had subsisted upon nothing but prickly pears and when found was well, but her hands and feet her face, mouth and tongue were full of cactus thorns.

Two very different reports involving shotguns from the archives  of the Deming Graphic. Both are tragic, one an accident and the other deliberate.  One happened just as a young boy was on the cusp of manhood and the other ended the pain and suffering of a man who had lived a long life.  Shelby Phillips overcame the loss of his right hand to become a prominent and successful rancher in Luna County.

A sad accident

Jan 5th 1906   Deming Graphic

While out shooting  quail at the ranch of his father, Shelby, the sixteen year old son of James Phillips accidentally shot himself last Friday with a No.12 Winchester shot gun loaded with No.6 shot.  While walking over a slick rock the young man slipped and fell, striking the hammer on the rock and breaking it off, thereby discharging the gun.  The whole charge took effect in his right forearm, tearing away the thumb and many bones of the wrist. The day was cold and stormy and the thirty mile ride to town,  though made as easy as possible, together with the great loss of blood, would have been a severe trial on the strongest man.

Though the hand was in very bad shape an effort was made to save a part of it, but on Sunday night it was seen that the force of the charge had destroyed so much of the arm that further effort to save any part of it would result in death to the boy. Drs. Swope and Steed then amputated the arm just above the elbow. While the great strain on his system for a time seemed more than he could bear and his life seemed almost despaired of, at last a rugged constitution asserted itself, and he is now on the high road to recovery. Though beginning the new year with so great a loss, it may be some consolation to the young man that many of our greatest men have been similarly afflicted.  Shelby has the reputation of being an exceptionally good and bright boy, and with these two sterling qualities there is nothing he may not yet accomplish in life.

Aged Man Ends His Sufferings
March 15th 1906   Deming Graphic
Last Sunday afternoon about 4 o'clock the people of Deming were greatly shocked on learning that Robert Redding aged 70 years, had committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart with a shot gun. No one witnessed the terrible deed.  The full charge passed through his body as large as a man's fist.  The whole heart was shot away and the man's body presented a ghastly sight when found. Redding had for the past year conducted a restaurant near the Union depot.  Deceased, who had long suffered from asthma and heard to remark, Sunday morning, "I'll never put in another night of suffering like I did last night"
His wife becoming alarmed and knowing that her husband had on several occasions threatened suicide, left the house on Sunday afternoon for a short time to secure some one to spend the night with her husband.  Upon her return the body of the unfortunate man was found lying on the floor, dead, with a shot gun and poker lying nearby.  The supposition is that Redding placed the muzzle of the gun to his breast over the heart and pulled the trigger with the poker. Redding is an old settler of this section, having come here some thirty five years ago and has resided in Luna and Grant counties ever since.

Mine Hill

A family outing that took a tragic turn, would forever haunt Chance City and Mine Hill.  The tragedy that befell 10 year old Dan Hollenshead brought into clear focus the real and immediate danger that these abandoned mines posed.  The accident left local residents and his classmates, grasping to understand how and why this could have happened.  The mine workings had been abandoned for years, with little or no effort made by owners and operators to safeguard them prior to shutting down operations.  Located in close proximity to the Gage pumping station  (operated by  El Paso Natural Gas Co). Housing provided at the site was home to a number of families (including the Hollensheads).  With so many dangerous and unsecured mine openings nearby,  it  was an accident waiting to happen.  On April 27th 1968, around noon, the Hollenshead family and some friends set out from the Gage Compressor Station.  The purpose of the outing was to explore some of the mine openings  on the western slope of Mine Hill.   Of interest to the group was an adit with a large portal located near a draw at the bottom of the slope.  This adit was part of the Hearst, Haggins & Tevis holdings and was first worked around 1882.  I have not been able to identify this mine by name, nor have I found any records that identify the mine.  Then Luna County Sheriff, C.C. "Slick" Gray told a reporter for the Deming Headlight in 1968, that  "It was the old Quincy Mine" however that information was incorrect.  Most likely this adit was part of the Jessie Group or Burke Mines, possibly the Little Jessie Mine.

During the 1994 NM-AML safeguard project,  the adit was designated as  #131, which the contractor spray painted above the portal.  The Hollenshead party entered the adit and proceeded an estimated 450ft. into the hillside at which point a vertical shaft intersected their path.  This shaft starts at the surface about 200' above where it intersects the adit. It is located amongst a cluster of open stopes and shafts that are now secured with steel netting equipped with bat gates.  As Danny's brother Edward climbed around the opening, Danny approached, lost his balance and plunged an estimated 100 ft. into the shaft.  A call went out to emergency responders, The Luna County Sheriff's Office, The Deming Fire Dept. & The State Police arrived on site.  A radio call  went out to the Grant County Sheriff's office to contact  R.A. White, Deputy Inspector of Mines for the State of New Mexico in Silver City.  White's expertise was needed to determine  how much rope would be needed to reach the boy.  Lee Pelayo (at the time a Luna County Commissioner) was on the scene, as the lightest member of the rescue party he was lowered into the shaft and recovered the lifeless body. For Pelayo, a World War II POW and Bataan Death March Survivor, it was a heartbreaking experience.  The Hollenshead family put up a plaque at the mine opening, now secured with heavy angle iron.  A tribute to a young man who in an instant was taken from this world. Not an uncommon occurrence at Chance City, but hopefully the last.

Few reports concerning accidents in abandoned mines  have happy endings. New Mexico has experienced at least eight  abandoned mine related fatalities in the last 40 years and numerous related injuries.  Author Philip Varney (New Mexico's Best Ghost Towns) writes of a conversation he had with an EPNG employee at Gage, who told him that he was the replacement for another employee who was found at the bottom of a mine shaft at Chance City. However the NM-AML has no record of this accident nor have I found any mention of it in local newspaper archives.  The accident that took the life of young Dan Hollenshead, in 1968, led to the safeguard efforts at Chance City.  However, there was a lapse of  26 years between the time New Mexico Inspector of Mines, William Hays filed the report and when it resurfaced.  NM- AML Bureau staff made  securing the mine openings at Chance City a priority once they became aware of the tragic events.  In 1994 the project was launched to safeguard all the abandoned mine  adits, shafts and open stopes on Mine Hill.  The project started on June 14th 1994 and was completed by October 2nd. 1994.  In all, 164 mine openings were identified for safeguarding. The NM- AML Bureau worked with UNM bat biologist J. Scott Altenbach, to identify the mine openings and features used by bats and owls as habitat.  The Museum of New Mexico also conducted a survey of the site and recommended  that the remaining ruins of Chance City and other surface features such as head frames, timber load outs, hand laid rock retaining walls and even trash piles be preserved.

With many of the openings located high on the steep hillsides, getting the materials to construct grates and bat closures proved problematic.   Using explosives, polyurethane foam plugs and by back filling, the contractor secured over 130 mine openings.  On the western slope, a system of open stopes and shafts were enclosed with heavy steel netting that allows bats to exit and enter while keeping humans from falling in.  Where the openings  were not accessible to heavy equipment or vehicles, men carried the materials up the steep hillsides.  What leads someone into a mine opening? For some mine explorers the need to know or see what is inside, motivates them, yet most of the time there is nothing to see inside a mine shaft. However this intuitive curiosity can cause a normally cautious person to ignore safety concerns.  The key to safety around mine openings is to visually establish an immediate safety zone, If it doesn't look safe, it probably isn't.  Dan Hollenshead was a classmate, I attended Smith School with him. I remember him as a good natured, lanky kid, always up for a game of kick ball or tag. Whenever I venture out to the Victorios, I stop by adit 131 for a quick prayer and sometimes a verse of Danny Boy, always in the hearts and memories of those who knew him.

Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying

And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me

And oh, my grave shall warmer, sweeter be"

This is the report of the accident as printed by the Deming Headlight: 

Youngster killed  in mine mishap

A family outing Saturday ended in tragedy for Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hollenshead of Gage when their son, Danny Waller Hollenshead, 10, fell more that 100 feet to his death in a mine shaft.  The family and some friends were exploring an old mine about 20 miles west and five miles south of Deming near the El Paso Natural Gas Co. site when the accident occurred.  According to Sheriff C.C. "Slick" Gray, it was the old Quincy Mine, which was originally mined by the Spanish and worked again in the early 1900's.  The group had gone about 450 feet into the mine by means of a lateral shaft to a point where a vertical shaft crossed their path. Investigating officers stated that Danny was watching his brother, Edward climbing up in the vertical shaft and lost his balance, plunging down into the pit. An emergency call to the Sheriff's Dept. brought members of the Fire Dept., Sheriff's Dept. and State Police to the scene as well as County Commissioner Lee Pelayo. As the lightest member of the party, Pelayo was lowered on a rope to recover the boy's body.
In addition to his parents and brother, Danny is survived by his sister, Karen and both sets of grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C.D.Hollenshead of Hot Springs,Ark. and Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Lehman of El Paso. He was born Feb. 22, 1958 in El Paso and was a fourth grade student at Smith School.  He lived in Gage for the past two years and was a member of the Methodist Church.  Memorial services were held at Wheeler's Chapel at 10 a.m. Monday, the Rev. James Miller of El Paso officiating. Burial was scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday in Restlawn Cemetery in El Paso with the Rev. Miller also officiating at the graveside services.

Chance City

"Leave nothing but footprints, Take nothing but  photos, Break nothing but silence."

Chance City is dying. It's alarming how rapidly the ruins are deteriorating.  Some of the deterioration can be attributed to the natural effects of weathering and time, however I attribute much of it to vandalism.   John Wayne is famously credited for having said “Life is tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” this could be amended to say "Life is tough, but it's tougher when others are stupid,"  For someone to journey out to such an isolated site in order to destroy something is the lowest form of stupidity.  Since my first visit in 1997, Chance City has been on my mind.  Like a rock  stuck in my shoe, I couldn't ignore it. I've made dozens of trips to the site, spending countless hours tramping up and down the slopes.  I've sat for hours on nearby hills studying the layout and connecting the dots.  It has taken a vast amount of research and effort to peel back the layers and understand what took place there.   With such an enormous amount of mining activity packed into a moderately sized area, this turned into a complicated project.  However I loved every minute of it, as The Victorio Mountains became my cathedral.  Four miles to the north, the community that grew around the train stop at Gage would survive.  The construction of U.S. Route 80 and the advent of automotive travel would give it new life.  A motel, diner and service station were built, all in a faux Californian mission style.  The place would thrive as an oasis in the desert on the human highway to California.  What finally did kill Gage was the same thing that had saved it, progress. Since it was located on the south side of the Southern Pacific Railroad (by rule all townsites were plotted south of the railroad tracks)  when I-10 was constructed, it left the townsite sandwiched between the tracks and the interstate.  A modern travel stop was built south of the interstate and it slowly drained commercial traffic away from Gage. By 1980 the abandoned buildings were in ruins, they would soon be razed and the site cleared

After pouring over topographical and satellite maps, I still found myself unable to identify most of the mines.  With so many mines concentrated in one area, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact location of certain mines. Starting from the north, the group of mines in the vicinity of a rock retaining wall include; the Parole mine and the Arizona Lode. Just above these mines there is a rock formation with a cave like opening that serves as habitat for both bats and owls. Further along the path is a draw that leads to an adit, this is the site of the tragic Hollenshead accident.  This adit has a natural draft flowing through it, the air temperature is always colder than the ambient temperature. During the summer months a strong barn yard smell emanates from the portal, indicating the presence of a large bat  colony.  It's a long adit (possibly as long as 500ft.) intersected by a deep vertical shaft that plunges to about 300 ft.  This adit, like the open stopes and shafts located just above and to the south, could be part of the Jessie Group. Slightly below that area is an adit of indeterminate length. There is no air flow, suggesting that it does not connect to any open shafts or stopes.  At about the same elevation further to the south there is a hopper, just behind that is a large mine opening, it's been back-filled so it's hard to tell if it was a vertical  or  inclined shaft. This site resembles a quarry more than a mine, it features  a jumble of boulders similar to those at  The City of Rocks State Park

Further to the south Chance City unfolds before us.   It never had the old west flavor of Shakespeare or the ghostly mystique of Cooks.  It did however, have a good run as a rough and tumble mining town. The buildings were sporadically spaced along the main street.  These adobe and rock dwellings  were built on the east side of the road, facing west.  They were basic and simple structures with dirt floors, wood frame windows and wooden doors. Judging from the trash piles that dot the hillside, many of the miners pitched tents along the avenue or further down the slope.  The trash piles consist of  lard buckets,coffee tins, tobacco tins, evaporated milk cans & sardine tins, the staples of life before refrigeration.  Water was a prized commodity, that was brought in by wagon from Gage. There was water to be found, today a windmill pumps the life giving liquid from the ground. It's hard to believe that the same wasn't done back then.  For many of the miners, Chance City was just another stop in their quest for Eldorado. They came and went suffering all hardships along the way, determined that the next shaft would bring their bonanza. Here, in the midst of the remnants and ruins, the trappings of the distant past remind us, that for some, the pageant of life came to a sudden and violent end at this site. Ripped from this mortal coil you sense that their spirits still linger about.

Beyond Chance City is a cluster of mines grouped along the road near the windmill.The mine with the head frame is either the Rover or the Sidewiper, The head frame leans at a 45 degree angle, however it once stood upright. It's hard to tell if this happened naturally or is the work of vandals. This mine is of an indeterminate depth with an unknown  number of working levels.  Elevated from ground level, The Rambler (300') is next to some concrete slabs that were part of a hoist system. The Excess (60' shaft w/150' drift) is lined with metal pipe anchored to the sides with poly foam.  At the southern end of the West Slope there was a system of inclined shafts, vertical shafts and open stopes that have been back-filled, with the exception of one shaft (60-80' deep) that is not sealed or has been breached. Just below this shaft there is a large area, bare of vegetation where fissures have occurred over open stopes that were back-filled. 

At the extreme southwestern edge of Mine Hill, the Helen and Josephine Lode mines string out along the lower edge of the hill wrapping around the slope. The head frame for the Helen Mine rises alongside the pipeline service road, amidst a scattering of debris.  The Helen shaft drops  appx. 200 feet down to the working levels.  A gated road connects the western side of the hill to the eastern slope, it forks off with one branch leading to the summit and another leading to the Chance Lode mines.  The Last Chance mine was owned and operated by George Hearst and his group of investors.  The 300' deep shaft, now secured with an impressive metal grate, leads to an extensive underground network of tunnels and shafts (est. 7,000' to 8,000' total length).  At their peak, the Hearst, Haggins & Tevis owned  Chance Lode and Jessie group mines were the most profitable and productive in the district.  One level below the Chance mine an imposing rock wall forms the foundation for the roadbed above.  The extent of the underground works is evident by the immense tailing dump below this level.

The southern slope of Mine Hill curves north between the Helen Mine and Mineral Hill.  The Daisy, November and December claims are a small cluster of mines located just short of the midway point.  This site consists of a small adit with two open shafts in the roof.  To the east is a large open stope that doesn't connect to the adit.  This stope drops about 50'-70' with a drift that cuts to the northwest at the bottom.  Above this site there are 3-4  shafts (The Star claim?) while to the east, at the same elevation, I found an opening into a narrow shaft that drops at least 100'.  The lack of tailing at the site would indicate that this is a natural shaft.  Mineral Hill, at the southeastern point of the mountain, was the site of ample activity.  The Advance, Independence & Crackerjack claims are located near the top of the hill.  An adit cuts into the hill for about 80', with a parallel drift of an unknown length located above it.  There is a winze that drops down 30' to 40', leading to a drift that runs northwest, also of an unknown length.  Both the adit and winze double as a home for a colony of bats, just inside the adit, I found a cluster of bats roosting on the roof. A larger variety of bats was swooping in and out of the winze as I approached.  West of Mineral Hill on the slope, there is a series of connecting open stopes ( Armistice claims?) and a deep inclined shaft (The Esperanza?) On the slope facing to the northeast there is a cluster of shafts that made up the Virginia Claim.   A washed out road that climbs to the northwest, leads to the Victorio and Southern Pacific prospect shafts, that were also part of the Hearst, Haggin & Tevis holdings.   On the northwestern slope, facing the quarry, there are some scattered prospect shafts and one aborted adit. (Tipton Lode or Verdun Claim?)

The Tungsten Hill prospects (including Quarry Hill) extend to the southwest over an area of appx. 1 sq. mile.  Directly west of Mine Hill, there is a group of prospect shafts of varying depth situated along the slopes of a craggy hill.  In the valley behind this hill, accessible by a bumpy service road is the Irish Rose mine.  This was the site of much activity and while it was never built up to the degree of Chance City, a small  camp was established.  There are a large number of prospect shafts, pits and trenches, The Irish Rose was the most productive, the 150' inclined shaft connected to a number of shafts and stopes.  The site is marked by an enormous debris field of tailing and trash, the Irish Rose mine is not secured, but entering it, is not recommended.  As the name would suggest, the miners dug for tungsten and beryllium in this area, well after the brief boom at Chance City had passed.

The Victorio Mining District

The Victorio Mountains are located 20 miles west of Deming, 3.5 miles from Gage,N.M.  The range runs north to northwest, the elevation of the  highest peak is 5,375 ft. The range is made up of volcanic ridges and sedimentary rock rising above the surrounding plain. The first ore deposits were discovered by prospectors in the late 1870's. At that time this part of the territory was in the grips of a panic brought on by repeated Apache raids and depredations.  The prospectors or any mining men for that matter did well just to get back alive.  Further exploration or exploitation of the ore deposits would have to wait until the arrival of the railroad. Between 1880 & 1882, the mining firm of  Hearst, Haggin, Tevis & Co. bought into the Last Chance Mine and The Jessie Group mines.  This influx of operating capitol was the catalyst that set off the Victorio boom.  George Hearst was known as an expert prospector and a shrewd judge of mining properties.  Starting in the 1850's he navigated his way around the west seeking out and buying some of the richest mines in the country. The Comstock Lode, The Ophir (both in Nevada) The Ontario (Utah), The Homestake (South Dakota), The Anaconda Copper Mine (Montana) and The Cerro de Pasco Mine in Peru were all Hearst,Haggin,Tevis & Co. properties

The proximity of the mines to the railroad and a smelter at Benson,Az. made the venture attractive. Hearst may have been looking for a much bigger strike at Victorio, but the payout was still much larger than their investment.   Most of the mining activity in the district took place at Mine Hill, the southern most feature  of the Victorio Range.  From above Mine Hill resembles an overturned rowboat, with three distinct slopes facing, west, south and north east.  The outcrop rises at a moderate rate to 4,871 ft.   At the summit there is an undecipherable inscription gouged into rock that reads "Aug. 1882, XXM No.1, JT Reed USMDS." Below the summit facing west,  Chance City and a majority of the mines occupy the slope.  The Hearst owned Chance mine (aka Last Chance) is located just below the ridge along the southern slope.  Most of the southern slope was untouched except for those mines concentrated between the Chance mine and the Helen Mine.  There was sporadic activity on the northeastern slope, mostly on and around Mineral Hill.  With the exception of a few prospect digs, little activity took place on the part of the slope facing towards Quarry Hill. The western slope saw the most activity with several mines located close to the foot of the mountain. It is lined with paths to and from the mines, all connecting to  a main road that runs through the heart of Chance City.  The townsite was laid out quickly, wood frame, adobe and rock dwellings sprang up, a general store was established as were two saloons, a boarding house, blacksmith shop and all the usual entrepreneurial establishments associated with boom towns.  At it's peak Chance City (also known as Victorio) was home to appx. 200-300 hardy souls.   The Southern Pacific Railroad stop at Gage (3.5 miles away) brought a stream of men to work the mines or in some cases  to work the miners.  Chance City located in rough country became known as a rough place.  Men met violent death either in the mines or at the hands of their fellow man.  Despite it's  reputation Chance City was probably no more violent or dangerous than most mining camps in the New Mexico territory. A post office was established in 1885, but would close the following year.  The mining boom quickly peaked and by 1887 most of the gold and silver ore had been mined out.  Mining operations would continue at Mine Hill as new investors and speculators bought in and took their chances. The deeds to the mines would be sold back and forth between the unscrupulous and the unsuspecting.

Chance City clung to life for several years after the initial rush had subsided.  Though It seems that by the turn of the century,  Gage and Chance City were all lumped together as one locale.  The number of people still working or living at Chance City during that time is unknown.  However records do show that Chance City could still be a hard and  violent place.  Mahoney Mortuary's records list several people who met their demise at Gage (this included Chance City)  On Nov. 15th 1906 an unknown man was "killed at Gage" probably a mining accident.  Pablo Hermanez died in a mine accident on the 22nd. of Dec. 1906.  D. Mendoza was shot to death at Chance City on the 25th of Oct. 1907. On the 3rd. of Nov. 1907 an unknown Mexican man's death was reported as "Accident,Cars"  this probably refers to railroad cars.  Martin Amador was "Hanged" on the 13th of Jan. 1907 (there is no mention  if this was a vigilante action, a suicide or an accident) Jane Hodgdon died 3/30 of 1908 a victim of pneumonia and on May 21st. 1908 a child (last name Bosworth) died of unlisted causes.  Gage is not mentioned again in these records after 1908.  It appears that  after 1908, Chance City was abandoned and the population at Gage had dropped dramatically.  A cemetery was never established at Chance City or anywhere in the Victorio Range.  Nor have I found any solitary gravesites in the vicinity, as is often the case at other mining camps.  I can only surmise that with the railroad close by, it was easier to ship the deceased elsewhere for burial.

For those interested in New Mexico Mining Camps & Ghost Towns, there are two books that you must have.  You can't tell your ghost towns apart without them.  "Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of New Mexico" authored by James E. & Barbara H. Sherman, first published in 1975.  And Philip Varney's "New Mexico's Best Ghost Towns" first published in 1981.  These are vital guides for anyone interested in mining camps or ghost towns in New Mexico.  However, there is a discrepancy that's found in both books: 

William Randolph Hearst did not own any mines at Victorio.  In 1880 he would have been 17 years old, and even if he was highly precocious, running a mining empire was probably beyond his abilities.  It was his father George Hearst in partnership with James Ben Ali Haggin and Lloyd Tevis that bought into the mines at Victorio.  This error first appeared in T.M. Pearce's "New Mexico Placenames" with both the Shermans and Varney books repeating the mistake.

Some common misconceptions about the Victorio Mining District:
1. The mines at Victorio were not a bust; between 1880 and 1904 anywhere from $1,150,000 to $1,600,000 worth of ore was assayed and shipped from nearby Gage. After 1887 the production tapered off drastically, but even at that, the New Mexico bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources reports that between 1880 and 1957 (the last year of any known activity) $2.3 million worth of lead, zinc, silver, gold, and copper were mined from that district. Not  Comstock, Homestake or Ophir numbers, but for Hearst, Haggin & Tevis  the venture was profitable.
2.  Victorio Peak, infamous as the site of Doc Noss's "lost treasure" is not located in the Victorio Mountain range.  That Victorio Peak is located in the Hembrillo Basin near the San Andres Range. The Victorio Mountains unlike Doc Noss produced actual gold.
3.  The travel center at the present day Gage exit is not Gage.  This site has long been referred to as either Continental Divide or Butterfield Station. It is owned by the Bowlin Corp. that operates the store and the Dairy Queen.  Gage was located to the north between the railroad tracks and the interstate, that site has been razed and cleared.
4.  The lead character in the 2007 movie, "There Will be Blood" is not modeled on George Hearst. The movie loosely based on Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil" features a protagonist named Daniel Plainview.  Director Paul Thomas Anderson revealed that the character was based mostly on the life and times of Edward L. Doheny, who made an enormous fortune in oil after starting out as a silver prospector in Kingston,N.M.  However, George Hearst is included as one of the main characters in the HBO television series "Deadwood."  

High Noon in Deming

Deming newspapers in 1906 were not all that different from their modern successors. The bulk of news reports and articles came from national wire feeds.  The newspapers published once a week and were heavy with ads and advice columns that covered everything from health to wealth.  I've found that it takes a keen eye to cull the local stories of interest from the spam of yesteryear.  For instance neither one of the Deming newspapers ran this story on the front page.  You sense the reluctance on the part of both editors to report the incident.  Both papers took great pain to draw a line between their reporting and the waves of gossip that seemed to have engulfed the community. This unlikely gunfight between a school principal and the superintendent of schools, rocked the small community to it's very core.  However no mention of any resulting court action or criminal charges  were reported in the following months.  The motive behind this bizarre duel, between two professional educators remains a mystery.  Within a week, New Mexico Territorial Gov. Hagerman, appointed A.A. Temke of Deming to be superintendent of public schools of Luna County replacing the late Prof. U. Francis Duff.  

The following articles are posted here as they appeared in 1906.  A short article published in the New York Times (Apr. 30th 1906) gives us some insight  as to the dueling duo's state of mind.  An in-depth report published on May 3rd. 1906 in The Deming Headlight, the assumed author is editor George L. Shakespeare.  The story as reported by the Deming Graphic on May 4th 1906, which was probably authored by editor and proprietor  A.L. Sangre.  Also included is a letter submitted to The Deming Headlight by  an anonymous source and published on May 10th. 1906. That letter describes U. Francis Duff as a gentle soul, beloved and well liked by all who knew him. The public opinion of his killer may not have been as generous.  Prof. U. Francis Duff was buried at Mountain View cemetery in Deming, N.M. in the Old Masonic Section. In 1955 his beloved wife Emma, was laid to rest beside him.  W.H. Dickey and his family seem to have left Deming  shortly after his recovery from the bullet wound. What was the cause? Only Profs. Duff and Dickey really know what caused both to deviate from their normal character.  Over the years very little information leaked out concerning the incident. Only the gossip and rumors that spread around the town after the shootings  provide any insight as to the reasons behind the duel.  It seems that rumor of an affair between Prof. Duff and the wife of Prof. Dickey had been circulated.  It is believed that rumors of this illicit affair had been started by Duff himself.  Dickey confronted Duff about the situation, with Duff neither denying nor confirming his involvement. This quickly poisoned any relationship (personal or professional) between the two highly respected educators. Dickey's wife soon became pregnant and more rumors spread concerning who the father really was. After the child was born (the infant boy was less than a year old at the time the shooting took place) Duff supposedly claimed that the child was his, when word of this spread to Dickey, he confronted Duff and asked him to take back his statement and apologize. Duff not only refused but he told Dickey that the next time he saw him he would shoot him dead on sight. Thus the stage was set for one of the strangest (and one of the last) gunfights the old west would ever see.     

Educators in Duel!
Prof. Dickey kills Prof. Duff, Superintendent of Schools
Special to the New York Times,  Dateline: Deming, N.M.  April 29th 1906

Prof. W.H. Dickey, Superintendent of Deming Public Schools, today shot and instantly killed Prof. U. Francis Duff, Superintendent of Luna County Schools, one of the most prominent educators in New Mexico and a student of archaeology. Who had achieved a National reputation by his writings.  The shooting took place shortly after noon in front of the Post Office in the main street of Deming. Dickey had been driving about town in a buggy during the morning and had passed Prof. Duff several times. As he drove in front of the Post Office, Duff stepped out drawing a revolver and called Dickey to stop. Dickey drew his revolver, leaped from the buggy and opened fire. Both pistols cracked at once, Prof. Duff fell dead with a bullet through his head. Dickey was shot in the side, but is not believed to be fatally hurt.  For some months there had been enmity between the men arising from differences in connection with the management of the Deming schools, although it is hinted that personal matters have also entered into the quarrel.  It is said that Duff had frequently threatened to shoot Dickey on sight.

An Awful Tragedy     Deming Headlight May 3rd. 1906
It is with the most intense personal dislike that the Headlight makes any mention of the awful tragedy that was enacted upon the streets of this city last Saturday at about fifteen minutes of twelve o'clock, where one of our good citizens lost his life and another now lies on a bed of pain, suffering pangs of sorrow and regret.  Last Saturday at the hour mentioned, U. Francis Duff, superintendent of schools for Luna county and assistant principal of Deming Public Schools, stepped to the edge of the sidewalk at the post office corner and called to W.H. Dickey, principal of Deming Public Schools, who was driving west on Spruce street;  "Stop Here"  Dickey at once stopped and as Duff was advancing on him with a pistol, called; "See what that man is doing, stop him." at the same time springing into the ground on the opposite side of his buggy and drawing a pistol. Instantly two reports that were so close together that for a time many who heard them declared there was but one rang out.  Prof. Duff lay on the ground with a bullet wound in the head a little to the left of the center of the forehead and Prof.Dickey shot in the left front side was running toward Henry Meyer's Meat Market at the opposite corner of the square as Dickey ran he looked back at Duff lying on the ground and exclaimed "My god he is dead, I didn't mean to kill him"
Duff was at once carried to Doctor S. M. Strong's office on the opposite side of the street, where a hasty examination of the wound disclosed the fact that the bullet had penetrated the brain and it would be only a question of a few hours at the most before he would pass away. Dickey was placed on a bed in a rear room of the meat market and an examination of his wound,which was in the left side, just below the heart, showed that the bullet had gone around, probably following a rib, and that while it might be of a serious nature, he was in no immediate danger.  Kind friends took him to his home, where a little later on, an operation was performed and the bullet extracted.  Prof. Dickey at this writing is resting comfortably and doing as well as could be expected and should no unlooked for complications arise will be out again in due time.  Prof. Duff died from the effect of his wound at 7 o'clock Saturday evening. The above are the bare facts of this most deplorable affair. As to the cause of this most unfortunate encounter, we doubt if any one in this community outside of the immediate members of the families of each of the participants in this duel to the death have any knowledge.  One thing is certain, the private differences of these two men was no affair of The Headlight and while there is any amount of surmise and hurtful gossip going the rounds, doing no one any real good, except that it may satisfy the cravings of a gossiper, we have nothing to say regarding the matter, other than that it is the opinion of the citizens in this town that too much has already been stated by parties having no knowledge of whereof they speak.
Both Prof. Duff and Dickey are highly educated, cultured and well bred gentlemen, both were members of the Presbyterian Church and active workers in that institution of Christianity.  Both were members of the Masonic Order, Duff particularly being a mason of high standing in the McGorty Commandry of this city. The deceased leaves a family consisting of a loving wife and two interesting daughters, who have the heartfelt sympathy of this whole community in this their great bereavement. Prof. Dickey also has a loving wife and two little children, one a boy of five years and the other an infant about one year old. The brother of Prof. Dickey, Mr. G.L. Dickey arrived Sunday evening from his home in Tyler Tx. and is attending closely at the bedside of his brother.
Originally U. Francis Duff came from Ohio, of which state he was native although for some fourteen or fifteen years past he has been a resident of this territory and was largely known in educational circles throughout the south west. He was a writer of considerable note, many of his articles having been published in the leading periodicals of the east from time to time.  For the past eight years he had held the position of assistant principal of the Deming Public Schools and beloved by all of the scholars who in that length of time were under his tuition. For the past four years Duff held the offices of superintendent of schools of Luna County. At the last election he was elected on the Republican ticket over his Democratic adversary,  by a large majority. His remains were laid to rest in the Masonic Cemetery last Sunday afternoon, services being conducted by Deming Lodge No.12 A.F. & A.M.  W.H. Dickey came here three years ago as superintendent of the public schools and has given general satisfaction to all in that capacity. He also is a man of rare educational attainments and by his superior knowledge and thoroughness has succeeded in placing the schools of this city on the very highest plain, in fact under his immediate supervision our public Schools stand in a most enviable light today as compared with like institutions any where else in the territory. Mr. Dickey is a native of Tennessee although, we believe he taught some of the best schools in the state of Texas before he came here.

Deming Shocked!
A fatal Mid Day Duel. One Killed, Another Wounded
San Francisco received the most severe shock in its history on the 18th of last month and Deming was shocked as never before by the terrible tragedy of last Saturday. Already the press dispatches have given the public an account of the matter most of which are in the main correct.   Prof. W.H. Dickey principal of our public schools, and Prof. U. Francis Duff principal of the high school and county superintendent of public schools, on Saturday last met at the post office  just before the hour of twelve both armed and prepared for the meeting, and without any waste of words  fired at each other at the same instant. Prof. Duff fell shot through the brain and Prof. Dickey wounded in the left side walked across the street to Mr. Meyer's market and was from there taken to his home.  Prof. Duff  was carried across the street to the office of Dr. Strong, where without regaining consciousness he died about seven o'clock of the same day.
Both were teachers in the same school, both occupied the same recitation room for nearly three years; were prominent members of the Presbyterian church and active in Sunday School and Christian Endeavor work.  Both were members of the Masonic order.  Prof. Duff was a Knight Templar and at the John Paul Jones memorial services on Thursday evening delivered one of the finest addresses ever heard in Deming. We observe that some of the daily newspaper correspondents undertake to give reasons for this bloody tragedy. So far as we have given them perusal they are only rumors and surmises, part of the town tittle tattle. Gossip may have had its part in the causes that led to this fatal encounter and perhaps if there had been no cruel tongue wagging there would have been no tragedy.  We say perhaps for we believe the true reasons have
never been made public. Since we first met and became acquainted with these prominent educators and active church workers, our relations have always been brotherly and cordial and to us nothing could have seemingly been further from their hearts than a feeling of enmity toward each other. We rejoice to know that Prof. Dickey's recovery is assured and that he will soon rally from the shock and the wound.  He is still a young man and we hope a long life of usefulness in in store for him.
Prof. Ulysses Francis Duff was born in Mt.Pleasant, Ohio on Aug. 17 1865. He was educated at Bellair, Ohio and received a degree from the Chicago Univ.  He was authority on archeological researches has been in the employ of the government in work for the Smithsonian Institute among the cliff dweller ruins, and has written along this line for several eastern and western magazines. That he was under some great mental excitement for several days was known to a number of his most intimate friends.  As an evidence of his condition, we add to this notice a part of a poem that was begun or as we say, blocked out but never finished, and was evidently one of his last pen productions.
"Is with me always....thy rough, lone nights and days
The swishing rod....the anguish of the flesh
The tortured spirit.... that no look betrays
The opening of the old sad stripes afresh
prostrate and praying, as my soul doth live
out of the ashes.... at thy feet i fall
only one word....one word...forgive."
Prof. Duff was buried from the Presbyterian Church at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, Rev. W.H. Dubose officiating with Masons and Eastern Star members in attendance. A wife mourns the loss of a husband, two daughters of a father, to whom the great heart of our stricken community goes out in loving sympathy.  And to him who holds his children in the hollow of his hand, a united prayer that he will be a father to the fatherless and in very deed the widow's god.

 
In Memorium of U. Francis Duff (anonymous, published in the Deming Headlight May 10th. 1906)
In the passing of this life from our midst in the prime of its years and usefulness, there has come with its sudden closing an emptiness in the room of his frienships, difficult and painful to realize.  With the wealth of bloom laid upon that new made grave, went many a warm tribute to the kindly, generous, impulsive quantities  that had won and held so large a portion of confidence and esteem. The bright and cultured mind and the cherry, sympathetic manner that went with it. The warm heart, the open, friendly, helpful and spontaneous cordial hospitality, the quiet beauty of his home and family life.  These were the things that turned simple social intercourse into enduring regard. Friends came to him unbidden and the loving heart of youth and childhood followed him with trustful affection. In the supreme test of duty ,honor and courage, that comes to but few, he bore himself as a man and in none of these was he found wanting. From the place he made fragrant with the perfume of gentle deeds and words, the strong yet kindly spirit that takes the hand of each in turn, had led him forth into the larger spaces of eternity. In the wide western land he loved so well and which he never felt to be a far or lonely country, his grave is made;  but with those who know him best he leaves a gracious memory that will not pass.

A Fool and His Gold Are Soon Departed

This is a fantastic tale of lost treasure, betrayal and ultimately murder.  It involves skeletons staked to cavern floors and tethered to cavern walls, skeletons stacked like cord wood, military cover-ups,  mine openings blasted shut and never found again, off duty Airmen stumbling on a cache of gold bars and gold seekers buried alive (allegedly).  All this over a mound of rock and dirt, barely 500ft. high. A hill that you could walk around and over twice before you got tired.   That the murder took place is probably the only part of the Milton Ernest "Doc" Noss lore that is based on reality.  Then again, the man who killed Noss, Charles Ryan was acquitted of all charges, thus according to the courts, not even a murder took place. 

 To say that this is a sad and sordid saga is a gross understatement.  The lies started the day that Doc Noss allegedly dug up that rock to reveal a passage into Victorio Peak. According to Doc Noss he removed over 200 gold bars, jeweled swords, coins and a jewel adorned crown from the shaft, and stashed all of it  in the nearby desert. Surely a find of that nature would have been hard to keep under wraps. In fact the entire Victorio Peak tale is full of things and objects that no one ever saw. No gold bars were ever produced,  no one, other than Noss, Babe (his wife) and an inept mining engineer ever saw the shaft.   We are expected to believe that  Noss was able to control the urge to cash in on a king's ransom?   Private ownership of gold was illegal at the time, but a man with access to that much gold (allegedly) would find a way to get that gold out of the country.  The borders were wide open back in those days, he could have driven a truck load of gold into Mexico or Canada. He could have reported his find to the government and negotiated a finders fee. There were options that would have allowed him to live well for the rest of his life. Instead he chose to hide the treasure and live on the edge of poverty in Hot Springs, N.M.!

That however is not why I think the entire story is bogus.  Looking at it from a mining perspective, it doesn't stand up.  Doc Noss entered through an opening  about 30in. wide.  He lowered himself 60ft. into the void before he got to the bottom.  There he found another shaft,  by his own calculations this shaft was 125' in length. He didn't mention using any ropes, so  I assume it was an inclined shaft that sloped down into a natural cavern. Further into the earth he discovered another cavern, 300' to 400' underground.  At that depth, without proper ventilation, lack of oxygen becomes a problem, This would make hauling gold bars to the surface quite a staggering task.  Doc Noss may have been quite fit, he was after all a chiropractor (sneer) but that's a large order for anyone.  It takes a stretch of the imagination to believe that Doc Noss pulled himself up (carrying gold bars that weighed 40lbs. each)  countless times to the surface.  Even if he was using a pulley and bucket with his wife working on the surface, he still had to haul the gold bars to the shaft.   That's 400ft. under the earth in an oxygen starved environment. This leads to another reason that this story is fraught with fraud.  Why would gold be there in the first place?.  The story of Padre LaRue hiding the wealth from his  secret gold mines.  Only to die at the hands of Spanish soldiers torturing him to reveal his secret, is absurd.  Ditto for Victorio and his warriors hiding their plunder at the peak. Think about this, in order to transport that much gold to the site, a train of wagons and pack animals would be needed.  Hundreds of men would have to accompany them, and even in colonial New Mexico, this wouldn't have gone unnoticed.  As for Maximillian's gold, the same holds true, how were they going to transport that much gold and treasure from Mexico City across an international border, during wartime, without drawing attention. It's the stuff of fairy tales, and when it's said and done, that's all it was.  What intrigues me is that so many people took Doc Noss and his wife at their word.  Doc Noss was a grifter and a liar, he played his hand and it cost him his life. There never was any real gold, just a fool and his dreams of gold.

 

Mahoney Mines- Tres Hermanas

If someone wanted to make an argument for the need to secure abandoned mines, The Mahoney Mines in the Tres Hermanas mining district could be used as the perfect example of abandoned mine dangers.  With the exception of steel fence posts driven into the ground and strung with barbed wire to cordon off some of the deeper shafts, the site is untouched.  You get the sense that the barbed wire is more to keep cattle from plunging down an abyss, than to save any persons poking around.   I have explored many mines around the state, and never have I seen so many potential dangers.  An extensive amount of mining activity took place here, there are so many vertical shafts and prospect pits that I stopped counting  or photographing them.  Some of the widest and deepest vertical shafts I've seen are located here.  Many mines in this region are at higher elevations, getting to them can be a chore, but  this undertaking was almost at ground level, as the miners dug, blasted and cut  into the low hills along the  northwestern edge of the Tres Hermanas range.  It's hard rock mining 101 as every mining technique you could think of was used here

The first deposits were discovered at Tres Hermanas in 1881, Production at the Mahoney Mines started in 1905, by 1907 ore was being shipped from the Tres Hermanas District all the way to the Mississippi Valley  for smelting.  The mines would remain in production until the 1920's, at the peak of production, $600,000 dollars of zinc, lead,silver, gold and copper ore were pulled from the hillsides.  What catches your eye first at the site, is a huge berm built from white and reddish tailings at the top of which are two shaft openings, on both sides of the berm are cave like openings with interconnecting tunnels and open shafts.  The main shaft at the top of the berm was one of the most productive mines in the district.  Most of the mining activity took place on three hills, (two small ones and one large) I walked around the larger hill looking for shafts and adits.  I discovered a network of connected tunnels and open shafts, these were more like caves, and seemed to go on for some distance, at a couple of places they dropped down to lower working levels.  The roofs are low but on average the openings are about twenty to thirty feet wide. The numerous open shafts allowed for sunlight and air to filter in as I explored further into the mine opening.

On the south side of the hill, there is another cluster of mines, these were part of the Bulldog group, they include several deep shafts, two large adits and one large mine cave.  I then swung further to the south where I found a group of mines that included an enormous open stope with two tunnels connecting to it. I also discovered a large adit with an open vertical shaft in the roof.  At the two smaller hills to the north I found more  deep shafts, cave like openings and a large adit. Beside the ever present snake danger, here you need to show caution around those shafts and adits that are home to several large bee colonies.  With the cactus flowers in full bloom bee activity is high.  When I was out there, the bees were not overly aggressive, but if disturbed they will swarm. There are deep shafts at almost every turn,  there is an abundance of hazards throughout the area.  It is not a place for novice explorers or the foolhardy, remember these hills are not foolproof!

J.A. Mahoney was Deming's version of mining magnate George Hearst.  He was a shrewd investor with an uncanny knack for making a dollar.  As owner of the Mahoney Store, he dominated the local retail market.  He held a monopoly on furniture sales, operated a lumber yard and owned a mortuary parlor. During World War I, Mahoney and other Deming merchants struck pay dirt by supplying goods to the army training base at Camp Cody.  It was a simple case of supply and demand, so while the Iowa and Minnesota National Guardsmen training at the base grew bitter over getting gouged for goods whenever they came into town. The local merchants could just ignore their plight and continue to haul their cash to the bank. The situation got so out of control that the U.S. Army was forced to implement price controls for goods and rental properties. While J.A. Mahoney was an astute commercial business man, when it came to staking mining claims few men were his equal.  Mines owned and operated by Mahoney and his investors were some of the most productive in Luna County.  Mahoney would also serve in the New Mexico senate, admirably representing his home region.  He lived out his life in the place he had helped to build  and that in turn had helped him build his wealth. He passed away at his Deming home in 1943.  Today it's hard to say if we should admire him for his ambition, or hate him for plundering the environment and landscape without remorse.  It was his drive that brought industry and commerce to Luna County and for that he deserves his place in our history. 

The obituary of Deming pioneer and prominent businessman J.A. Mahoney as published in the Deming Headlight, Mahoney was preceded in death by his wife earlier that same year:

Death Takes Mrs. J.A. Mahoney   Jan. 7th 1943
Funeral services were held for Mrs. Joseph A. Mahoney Jan. 2, 1943 from the Church of the Holy Family with interment in Mountain View cemetery.  Mrs. Mahoney passed away Thursday evening after a long illness.  A native of Indiana, she came to New Mexico as a bride, where he has lived ever since.  Mrs. Mahoney is survived by her husband, a daughter, Mrs. Bernard J. Carney and three grandchildren, Joan, BJ  III and Celia.

The death Monday evening of J.A. Mahoney, pioneer business man and builder of Deming, removed from Deming one of her most prominent citizens.  Death occurred after an illness of about three month.  Mr. Mahoney came to Deming in 1882 and since then had been actively engaged in business up to the present time.  He was born and reared in Ladoga, Indiana  where he attended high and normal schools.   For years he was active in any cause leading to the advancement of the interest of Deming and was one of the founders of Luna County. He was vitally interested in the public schools and was trustee for over twenty years.  During that time new buildings were erected, the main one being the Alice Smith school building. He was also regent of the State Teachers College at Silver City, New Mexico and the A & M College at Las Cruces.  He took an active interest in state affairs and was a member of the State Legislature in 1897. He also served on the State Board of Equalization  and was a member of the State Highway Board for four years.  As a member of the Deming Chamber of Commerce, he personally spent his time and money bringing new enterprises to Deming. He never lost faith in the future of Deming and erected one of the finest store buildings in the state at Deming. He was a devout member of the Catholic Church and was instrumental in having the present church building built in Deming. He was a charter member of the Elks Lodge at Silver City and a member of the Knights of Columbus at Albuquerque New Mexico.  Charitable to all and with malice toward none, he will be missed by many needy families in Deming.  Mr. Mahoney's passing will be regretted by those who knew him best.  He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Bernard J. Carney and three grandchildren, Joan and Celia of Deming and Sgt. Bernard J. III, who is stationed at Scott Field, Illinois.  Funeral services were held Thursday from the Holy Family Church and burial was at Mountain View Cemetery in Deming, New Mexico. Thurs. July8th 1943

Directions:  Take NM 11  (Columbus Highway) 12.6 miles south from Deming, at the bend in the road, turn left onto State Route 517 (Brazil Rd.) follow this road for appox 7 miles to a stockyard, go through the gate (close gate please) the mines are on the left.
road conditions:  asphalt and dirt, very good
worth the trip:  yes  (not a place for kids)
mine danger:  extreme
snake danger: extreme
public or private:  BLM

The Bradley Mines

I found much more at the Bradley Mines, then what I was expecting. After exploring other sites consisting of nothing more than tailing piles and scattered  debris,  it came as a surprise to find a camp this built up.  I also found the remains of three separate buildings (one still under roof)  a well, garbage dumps, and assorted remnants of past habitation. The main building (best described as "Bunkhouse Classic") was built slightly elevated from the road. A  rock wall borders the front of this curious dwelling.The ground is littered with garbage both old and modern. Inside there are shelves and racks built into the walls, a linoleum lined counter marks the kitchen area.  The most puzzling features are the window openings,  on the west side, beside two large windows, eleven smaller openings are cut into the wall. I found ten more openings on the front and north end of the building. It's almost as if the inhabitants were expecting Apaches or Pancho Villa to storm down the slopes at any minute.

An "A" frame at the top of a hill comes into view as you walk into the camp. It sits up there cemented into 55 gallon drums surrounded by hundreds of scattered nuts and bolts, the frame was part of the hoist for the nearby mine. The head frame has collapsed covering the mine below it, the pile of timbers and debris is impressive in its size. Some unsafe looking ladders lead down into the pit, it is hard to tell if there is a horizontal opening at the bottom or if this was a pit mine.  Nearby there are two large pits plus a trench cut with a timber bridge built across it.  To the west there are two adits, one is dug into a clay hill, the portal is held up by wood block shims, it was partially back-filled, making it hard to estimate how far it was bored into the slope. The opening was extremely unstable packed with loose caliche and gravel.  A short distance up the slope was another adit, it cut into the slope a distance of appox. forty feet, inside was an old spring mattress frame with a cardboard box holding two large rocks? the purpose of which I could not ascertain. Further up the slope a large gray tailing dump marked the site of another mine, possibly the "The Edna Belle."

There is a gate at the road that leads into the camp, however, it is not locked, nor, were there any signs asking that you not enter.  I hiked in through the gate, from the main road the camp is less than a mile away. As you walk along the road there is a deep draw to the south and Wind Mill Canyon is on the northwest side, it's an easy walk with just a slight uphill incline.  NMBMMR files show that the mines were worked from 1904-1930. Silver,Lead,Copper & Zinc ore were mined,  but production was small. Evidence at the site indicates that some work continued there at least into the 1970's. The year 1967 is etched into the concrete base of a well, while a concrete slab near the "A" frame bears the year 1969 and the name of Bill Birchfield. That family ranched and operated mines in the Florida Range. This included the San Tex manganese mines, at Tres Lomitas in the southeastern end of the Florida Mining District.

How To Get There:  Take NM Highway 11 south to Rockhound Rd., go  east to County Rd. 23 continue past Spring Canyon Rd.,  through the Tres Lomitas Ranch gate.  The road winds its way from south to east back to west before starting south again.  You will see a gate on the right hand side of the road, from the main road the camp is less than a mile away.

Worth The Trip?   Yes!

Accessibility:  Easy
Public or Private:  BLM (fenced w/gate, no locks)
Mine Danger:  Low (don't enter adits, deep open pits)
Snake Danger : show caution