Oro Fino
Denmark
Deldosso
Silver Queen
Enderman
In Bitter Creek Canyon opposite the Memphis Mine lies the Neptune, which was owned and worked by Louis Scavarda. His colorful background was quite unusual but so was that of many of the early prospectors and miners.
Luigi Vitorio Scavarda was born in Italy in 1863. At age 15 he came to America, arriving at Galveston, Texas and quickly changed his name to Louis Victor. He wandered first to Austin, Texas where he obtained a job helping to build the state capital, then later moved to St. Louis and subsequently to Starkville, Colorado which became his permanent home. During this time he married Dominica ('Minnie" ) Tasso.
In Colorado he initiated a number of ventures: a ranch, packing house, general store, saloon, and macaroni factory. In 1904 he caught the "gold fever," came to New Mexico, and purchased three claims, the Neptune, Varida, and Morning Star. All of these were located on the western side of Bitter Creek Canyon, approximately three miles above the town of Red River, with the Neptune being opposite the Memphis Mine. For most of the remainder of his life, Scavarda. would spend the summers working his claims while returning to Colorado each winter.
Although the claims never produced great riches, Louis worked them diligently. He obtained patented deeds to the Varida and Morning Star in 1913 and to the Neptune in 1925. At the Neptune two tunnels were dug, 600 feet and 160 feet and the deeper one had a crosscut of 80 feet. At one time the Neptune produced ore at $76 a ton but this pocket quickly ran out. As far as is known, the Neptune may have met expenses but never produced any significant money.
In the 1920s, Scavarda, turned the mine over to his son, Charles Scavarda, who continued to work it sporadically.
Scavardas at Cabin
Neptune Entrance
Neptune Building
Varida Mine
