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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1899)
Wednesday, September 27, 1899 THE SUMPTER MINER. - M k RETURNS AFTER 19 YEARS. How Sumpter and Vicinity Impresses a Man After That Long Absence. Hon. J. H. KobbiiiSi of La Grande, Is at the Sagamore, having returned here Thursday by the Sumpter Valley railway from a week visit to Sumpter, Granite and many of the surrounding mines. Mr. Hobbins is ex-receiver of the U. S. laud office, and Is now manager and vice president of the Chicago Store company; whose mercantile establishment In the "sugar city" is the largest of the kind in Union county. This gentleman's younger days were passed in the now famous gold fields about Sumpter and Granite. From 1864 to 1880 his father, Harvey Hobbins, had trading posts at Sumpter, Granite, Robin sonville and North Fork; also operating a sawmill. He conducted a hotel at the Monumental mine, and at various periods was identified with almost every Import-1 ant enterprise in a big scope of country, j Mr. Hobbins in an informal talk with a 1 Democrat representative remarked regard ' lug his week visit in the gold fields: "I left that country nineteen years ago and have not visited it for about nine years. The country Is now truly great and the vast changes are to me truly wen: derful. "Resides the present milling facilities, there are being erected in the country I visited four up to date quart, mills. Hut if I told you of the many Improvements which I myself saw it would till columns of your paper. "Everywhere I went I found people busy and did not see an Idle man. You meet scores of newcomers, on horseback, 011 toot or In vehicles. They all seem to have on hand Important business and rush along as though they were on the chase of a sure thing, mighty good thing. "Sumpter is enterprising In the fullest sense ot the word and is growing rapidly. There will be oilier good mining camps, hut Sumpter has even now plenty of nearby mines to always maintain her as a city of very considerable milling and com mercial importance. It may be booming there, but the boom is one of the kind w hich has a solid bottom which will never drop out. "( iranite lias just started but she has a good lot of the same active, working min ing fever everywhere manifested in Sump ter. It will not be long until at least live good quart, mills arc thundering away 011 pay rock within easy reach of (iranite and I would not be at all surprised to see a splendid camp there in the not distant future. "Willie there is sure to be a mighty good city at Sumpter and an important point at Granite, you may say that it is my opinion that nothing on earth will ever take from Baker City her place as Oregon's principal mining center. The people of Sumpter and Granite and of those golden mountains generally are made of the true American stuff which does not wait for prosperity, but makes it by rustling. Hut Haker City's central position will continue here as the chief ' mining center among sill the other im portant points in Hastem Oregon, among which will always be the wide-awake city of Suinpter." Baker City Democrat. Abandoned Mines Prove Valuable. The alternating periods of depression and revival of mining, such as we have experienced during the past decade, al most invariably prove to be conditions that are needful and appear as though providentially designed. The resumption of work In old, neglected mines, and the reconquest of abandoned and depopulated camps lias resulted in many startling rev elations of discovery for which the his tory of mining in America during the past twenty years furnishes the most valuable precedents. For instance, when at a depth of 1 50 feet the Congress mine in Montana was dtemrd a worthless prop erty. Now, at 800 feet, it is held at valuation of f j,ooo,ooo. The Fortunia at ' , 1500 feet was sold for 5140,000, It is now j ; valued at more than 53,000,000. The famous Copper Queen mine, Arizona, Is to be placed in the same category. An- propos, the recent habllitatlon of numer-'i tuts old mines and camps of Colorado has I been fruitful of many Immediately happy results, and among these the old pioneer district of Empire can be cited as a bright and promising example. Mining Reporter. MINE OWNERS, ATTENTION I Call for a Meeting to Organise a Mining l District. There will be a mass meeting of the I mine owners of Cracker Greek, Red Hoy, ' Granite, Bonanza, and all other camps in ' tills vicinity, at Ellis opera house, Sump- ter, Oregon, Saturday, October 7th, at 2 p. m., for the purpose of forminu a recti-1 larly organized mining district, making laws, rules and regulations defining its limits and transacting such other business as may be necessary for the formation of such district. Signed: JOHN RHODIN, J. F. CUIMD, F. L. Hl-ALV, A. J. STITSON. S. CHAPMAN, LEVI SMITH. CHARI.HS S.WARRI-N. VV.C. CALDI-R, J. W. DUCKWORTH, A. L. MCEWF.N. E. l. manning and many otiii-rs. Developing the Black Cat and Carbon. John Harris, of Spokane, who bought and incorporated the Black Cat and Car bon claims on Ibex mountain last winter, ' 1 was here with G. C. Munro, the I managing director of the company, and paid a visit to the property last week. Mr. Harris says the ledge In a big one, running about parallel witli the Ibex lead. The cropping of quart, are very large, but somewhat broken up on the surface. The character of the quart, is almost identical with that from the Ibex. A good deal of surface prospecting has been necessary to locate the right position for a shaft. It will take some little time to determine the width and values on the lead. A cabin and blacksmith shop are, in course of erection, preparatory to get ting in supplies tor the winter. Van Duyn Be Swiggctt, Brokers. C. S. Van Duyn has resigned his posi tion with W. C. Calder, to engage in the real estate and brokerage business. He , has formed a partnership with L. V. Swlggett and opened an office temporarily In the parlor of his popular hotel, the Van Duyn. Mr. Swlggett, before coming to Sumpter, was engaged in the real estate" business at Butte, Montana. They are both rustlers, and courteous gentlemen, thoroughly up in the business, familiar with the local situation and are sure to occupy a conspicuous position as mining and real estate brokers hi this prolific tield. Fine job printing done at Till: MlNKR office. Sumpter Hardware Company. General Hardware, Stoves and Ranges. Mill and Mining ( Supplies. All kinds of build ers and Plumbers supplies. U. Agents For Schuttler Wagons.... j The Red Front. SOME NEW SUGGESTIONS .. . Ladies. I. Mil LION. M V. MOIT. We have Just received a line new line of Dress Goods, Exclusive Patterns, Dress Skirts and Trimmings, Outing Flannels, Ties, Ribbons, Laces, Under wear, Etc. Men's Wear, The latest shapes In F'all and Win ter Hats. We carry the iro. G. Snow Shoes. All the weights in Seasonable Underwear. STO'I I A SHELTON, Attorneys at Law. MIMI'l i:k. OHftiON. W. A. SAMMS, ARCHITECT, HAKI-R CITY, OREGON. Reliable plans, specification-, and esti mates furnished. P. E. POINDEXTER, MINING OPERATOR, SUMl'TEK, OHriiON Mine raamlnrJ nj rrpdlcd un. Rcfrrrrxe. any tutnr cr mlnlnj; man In Sumpter. Just Look at This. A FEW ITEMS IN TABLE DELICACIES. J.;, Gordon & Dillworths Port, Cognac and Sherry Jellies, English Plum Pud dings, Orange Marmalade, Peach, Straw berry and Raspberry Jams, and many other good things for the stomach's sake. ;,ll w. c. THE RED FRONT. , Prop. Sumpter, Oregon.