Wednesday, October 2, 1899.
THE SUMPTER MINER.
$ -
'.If
SUMPTER HAS A BANK.
In Temporary Quarters Until
Brick Block is Built.
The First Bank of Stimpter Is open for
business.
Friday the directors elected these of ef
ficers: J. H. Robbins, president; J. W.
Scrlber, vice-president; J. W. Mead, cash
ier. The directors are R. H. Miller, Clark
Snyde and the above named officers.
The local stockholders, besides Messrs.
Mead and Snyde, are H. Sloan, Thomas
McEwen, Postmaster Kahler, Mike
Lynch, J. B. Stoddard, J. G. Council
and W. W. Looney. Messrs. Scrlber,
Robbins and Miller are from La Grande;
J. Frank Watson, another stockholder,
lives in Portland.
The bank has bought the corner lot, 25
by too feet on Center and Granite, which
was originally leased for the purpose, pay
ing therefor $2700. This Is the highest
price yet paid for Sumpter realty. At
first this property was leased for a period
of ten years, at a montly rental of $25,
but for some reason or other the deal fell
through.
A two-story brick block, 25 by 60 feet,
will be erected at once on the lot, to be oc
cupied by the bank. The plans were
drawn for a one-story building, and some
little delay was occasioned in having them
changed. The brick have been bought
from C. Y. Burr. They were contracted
for some weeks since. The work of con
struction will be commenced immediately.
The bank is doing business in the
Sumpter Hardware company's store for
the present, and will remain there until
its building Is completed.
BAKER COUNTY'S HEALTH.
Gcbcr Brathcn Make a Good Talk to a
Portland Paper.
"If the eastern Oregon gold mines
were near the North Pole, so that people
would run the risk of freezing to death in
reaching them, what a rush there would
be," said Ed Geiser, at the Portland last
evening. Mr. Geiser is one of three
brothers who are now regarded as pio
neers in the stamp milling industry of
Baker county. Eight years ago the
brothers had a io-stamp mill running on
the Bonanza mine, which they have since
sold to a Philadelphia company at a large
figure. The Bonanza is row running
forty stamps night and day, and the
mines are getting out ore from the 700
foot level, while its former owners, now
men of wealth, are developing other
quartz propositions in the same district.
The Geiser brothers, although still
young men, have been seventeen years in
the mining business. A few years ago,
they came to eastern Oregon from Colo
rado, in straightened circumstances, and
when they obtained possession of the
Bonanza they were in debt. They point
now to many successful men In Baker
county who were no better off than them
selves. The mineral belt of eastern Oregon,
Mr. Geiser says, begins at the Seven
Devils and reaches the head of the John
Day, a distance of 200 miles. In width
it averages sixty miles, and the paying
ledges are simply scattered all over It.
No prospect holes have yet been sunk on
any of its ledges that did not pay better
as the pick and drill sank deeper Into the
earth. This is a record, he says, that
cannot be duplicated in any mining region
if the world, there being absolutely no
risk in taking hold of a mining proposi
tion, according to business methods.
But a quartz mine takes money to de
velop, and the man who has $15,000 at
'is command has an advantage over the
nan who has but $10,000. It takes $io,
xn to develop a quartz mine, and $15,
000 to put up a modern stamp mill. Then
the owner is ready to sell out to foreign
capitalists who are looking for a sure,
paying Investment.
Until recently, the mines of Baker
county have been worked by home capi
tal, which has been limited, and the de
velopment has consequently been slow.
Now, however, capital is coming in from
the East, and from foreign sources, and
the success of the entire district Is as
sured. He thinks it is the greatest min
ing district the world has ever seen.
"Look at the fuss they make over Crip
ple Creek," he said, "a district six miles
square, while in eastern Oregon we have
over 200 miles long by sixty wide, whose
permanence and value exceeds Cripple
Creek at every point. On the Golconda,
last week, ore valued at $55,000 was
taken out within forty-eight hours, and
this Is only one of the many rich ledges
of the district."
Candidly, Mr. Geiser thinks within a
very few years the output of gold in east
ern Oregon will revolutionize the finances
of the world with its volume. Although
millions are now taken out of the region
every year, the product Is only a drop in
the bucket to the output when hundreds
of rich ledges are contributing ore to the
thousands of stamp mills now In contem
plation. Mr. Geiser cannot understand why the
Llnnton smelter is kept shut down, in
view of the hundreds of tons of ore going
to San Francisco, Tacoma and Everett
every year. Portland is the natural point
for a series of great smelters, and the
city is sacrificing growth and prosperity
in its neglect to grasp the golden oppor
tunity. The three brothers Al, Frank
and Ed are in Portland on business, and
will remain here a few days. Oregonlau
Actual Aawimnl Work Neceaary.
As the mining laws become more com
monly understood, there are more reloca
tions of claims for non-performance of as
sessment work. Many claim holders
have appeared to believe that they could
relocate their claims at the end of each year
and hold them as against any would-be
"jumper," some even going so far as to
post a notice on the claim warning others'
to keep off; but the law requires that as
sessment to the amount of fioo or Im
provements In like amount be made an
nually, and a failure to comply with this
renders the claims subject to relocation.
Where the assessment work has not been
done, and the claim owner is on the
ground at the expiration of the year, he
must at once commence his work of as
sessment, and must actually complete it,
exercising reasonable diligence In so do
ing, for the claim still remains open to re
locatien until the assessment work has
been actually and fully performed. Baker
City Democrat.
...Finest Lint of...
walry and
-Watehai
In Eastern Oregon.
... JEWELRY FACTORY ...
LEADING JEWELERS,
MUcheU Smith, Mgr. . (Baker City
THE RED
FRONT
SB NEW SUGGESTIONS
LADIES We have just received a fine new line of Dress
Goods, Exclusive Patterns, Dress Skirts and Trimmings,
Outing Flannels, Ribbons, Laces, Underwear, Etc.
MEN'S WEAR-The latest shapes in Fall and
Winter Hats. We carry the Geo. G. Snow
Shoes. All the weights in Underwear.
JUST LOOK AT THIS-A few
items in Table Delicacies: Gor
don & Dlllworths Port, Cog
nac and Sherry Jellies,
English Plum Pud
dings, Orange
Marmalade,
Peach,
Straw berry
and Raspberry
Jam.and many other
good things for the stomach's sake.
W. C. C ALDER
THE RED FRONT.
Sumpter, Oregon.
THE - BAIN - WAGON
mdard of Excolh
EUSTACE & WHITEHI
iker City, Oreeon
Opera House
Saloon....
SUMPTErVBEER ON DRAUGHT, FINE BILLIARD AND
POOL TABLES.
Age.its for Mnttingly and Moore Whiskey 2o-year-old whiskey as
good as Elixir of Life. All whiskies out of bond and guaranteed
the genuine article. Popular resort for Commercial Travelers and
Miners.
SUMPTER
OREGON.