THE SUMPTER MINER
vol I.
SUMPTER, OREGON, OCTOBER 4, 1899.
NO. 4.
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Gen. Warren Offers to Build a
Telegraph Line.
FAIR PROPOSITION
To Be Operated by the Sumpter Townsite
Syndicate in Connection with the Western
Union for Three Yert That Company
Now Considering the Matter.
General Warren, general manager of
the Sumpter townsite syndicate, has made
a proposition to the Western Union Tele
graph company to contract a line from
Sumpter, to connect w 1th that company's
wire at Baker City. That the offer Is
bona tide Is proven by the fact that no
unreasonable conditions are Imposed.
He merely agrees to string the wires at
once; the townsite syndicate to operate
the line in connection with the Western
Union, for three years, and at the end of
that time sell to that company at actual
cost, provided the big concern will promise
not to construct an opposition parallel
Hue.
This offer was made about two weeks
ago by letter to J. J. Dickey, superintend
ent of the western division, stationed at
Omaha. He has received a reply to this
letter stating that the offer is a favorable
one, and that It, together with a copy of
THE SlIAU'TEK MINER, ill which the ne
cessity for such a wire Is explained, had
been forwarded to Frank Jayues, Pacific
coast superintendent, with the request
that he look Into the matter and report at
an early date. No word has yet been re
ceived from Superintendent Jaynes, there
not having elapsed sufficient time.
And, speaking of telegraph lines, Gen
eral Warren has made formal application
to President Melvin Stone of the Associ
ated Press, a personal friend of Ills, for
the franchise of that great news purveyor,
both at this point and Raker City. Hut
on tills point the General is not very com
municative, and it Is Impossible to surmise
just how high a journalistic card he has
up his sleeve.
Fame of Sumpter Growing.
The name of Sumpter Is being heralded
around the country. Last week the staid
little town of Centralla, Washington, was
taken by the ears on account of a private
letter and a copy of THE MINER which
were received there by a gentleman from
a well known business man of Sumpter.
Emisarles were at once dispatched to
this tow n to see If the reports of its pres
ent and future prospects were as repre
sented. In all probability the half of
Centralla will tie coming here before the
close of the year. E. C. Finch has also
been shedding the light over In that sec
tion recently.
New Mining Company.
A new company has been qrganled to
work the Hard Scrabble group of claims,
comprising the Trade Dollar, Verde, Ban
ner and Hard Scrabble, located on the
west side of Silver creek and supposed to
be on the Columbia-Climax vein. These
claims are on a slate belt and w Ith proper
development, which Is assured, have ev
ery evidence of making a paying mine.
Jr. Pittwood, of Spokane, who has
ither interests In this section, and who Is
n enthusiast over the district, is, with
ther Spokane associates, at the head of
WIRE TO BAKER
he &"' jhe capital stock
'' -J''W, HUM Ulia IUM ltlll.lll.IMUM
marks a favorable feature, which will
recommend It to investors. Among the
stockholders Is noticed many of leading
Sumpter citizens and about two hundred
thousand shares w ere disposed of today.
Work on the property will begin at once.'
Build a Down Residences.
Last week THE MINER published the
statement that it was reported around
town that some one intended building a
dozen residences here, but his namccould
not be learned at that time. It has since
been ascertained that Atessrs. Harrison
and Barchard are the gentlemen who will
make this wise investment. They re
cently arrived in Sumpter from Kossl.md,
British Columbia, where they have been
operating fh mines for several years,
making an Important sale some weeks
since. They have bought lots in the vl
cinity of the school house on which to
build these houses.
CHEAP RATE TO SPOKANE.
O. R. N. Sells Round Trip Tickets
From Baker for $15.65.
THE MINER received a telephone mes
sage from Portland last evening stating
that tlie O. R. cV N. road, with its char
acteristic liberal enterprise, learning that
many miners in tills section of country
wished to attend tlte Spokane fair, had
made a rate of $16.65 from Baker City to
Spokane and return. This is only a few
cents over half fare.
Tickets will be on sale Thursday, (to
morrow) the 5th, and Monday, the oth,
good for six days from date. Though
these tickets will be sold only 011 the days
named, they will be good any time during
their life, those sold on the 5th until the
1 ith, and those issued on theytli until the
15th.
Notice of this action on the part of the
O. R. & N. has been sent to all the
camps In tills district, and it is hoped that
many will take advantage of the oppor
tunity to go to Spokane, the throbbing
heart of all mining enterprise in the
Northwest, and there b.irk for tnis, the
richest gold district in all the Inland Um
pire. Imperial Has 400 Feet of Good Rock.
On the Imperial group, in the Cable
Cove camp, work Is busily going ahead, j
preparatory to taking out and making 1
large and constant shipments of ore dur
ing the coming winter. The product of
this property goes mostly to the North- j
port smelter for treatment. Drifting In
over 600 feet has given tile Imperial peo
pie over 400 feet of vertical depth, where
they find good values. Comfortable
quarters are now being constructed and
tills mine will doubtless make a record
this winter.
Sampler Meeting With Success.
Messrs. Fritz and Arthur report that
their sampler proposition is meeting with
much favor witli the business men of
Sumpter and a gratifying measure of
financial success. The capital stock has
been fixed at 6,ooo, which will be used
principally for buying and Installing the
plant. Arrangements have about been
perfected for securing the working capi
tal. It is perhaps safe to say that the
sampler will be in operation before Janu
ary 1, 1900.
Tunnel on the Free Coinage.
A contract has been let for 100 feet of
tunnel work on the Free Coinage prop
erty in Cracker Creek district. The vein
has been cut, showing eight to ten feet of
good ore.
deal in the diggings
THORNBURG BROTHERS SELL TO
DENVER PEOPLE.
Price Paid for 360 Acres, $23,500 Will
Expend $25,000 in Improvements Work
Begins at Once and Will Continue All
Winter.
Monday Grant and Elmer H. Thorn
burg consummated the sale of the Thorn
burg placer claims, Including )6o acres,
located eight miles from Granite, on the
north fork of the John Day river, the
purchasers being Denver parties, who
have organized and will operate under
the name of the Thoruburg Placer and
Lode Atlnliig company of Denver, Colo
rado. The consideration was $2j,5oo,of which
a large portion was paid down. The new
management will expend over $25,000 by
the mldJIe of next summer to improve
the property, putting In new derricks,
ditches, saw mill plant, pipes, etc.
W. S. Duncan, of Duncan brothers,
Denver, will be the local manager and
will begin work at once with a large force
of men.
Elmer F.. Thoruburg has worked these
claims for the past ten years, during
which time about $50,000 has been taken
out, with but a small force of men and no
machinery.
Thn saw mill and other machinery was
ordered this week. Work will continue
all winter.
Live Man Coming to Sumpter.
W. F. Cobban.of Cobban, Casey, Day
Co., Butte, Montana, has been In Sump
ter and vicinity for several days, acquaint
ing himself with the surroundings. He
intends to locate here as soon as he can
make a hurried trip home and return.
Mr. Cobban's company Is the strongest
and oldest established real estate, milling
and loan brokerage concern in Butte, and
he will engage In the same business here,
recognilng this as the most promising
field In the Northwest .for a live man In
his line.
Kihlcr Hawlcy, New Firm.
W. R. Hawlcy, who some weeks since
sold his hardware store, together with the
building and lot, to the Basche Hardware
company, has bought an interest in the
postoflice store from Kahler Si Co. 'I he
linn will in future be Kahler & Haw ley.
They will begin in a few days to take an
invoice of the stock. This makes a strong
team, and the already large business will
surely expand into still greater propor
tions. Will Build an Episcopal Church.
Rt. Rev. B. Wlstar Morris, ID. D.,
Episcopal bishop of Oregon, and Rev.
Clarence H. Lake, of Baker City, re
turned yesterday from a trip through the
mountains to the west. As a result of
the Bishop's visit to Sumpter some days
since, a movement has been inaugurated,
with Mrs. General Warren as the leading
spirit, to organize an Episcopal congrega
tion and build a church here. The town
site syndicate has offered to donate the
lots.
New Words to an Old Tunc.
In the State for September, which is
Issued always at the end of the mouth,
L. Bush Livermore, of THE MINER, has a
poetic gem, "On Guard While the Nation
Sleeps," a song sung by the sea winds, of
Uncle Sam's new possessions; "and the
tune of the song Is an old one,
but the words of the song are new,"
1 say the poem. Mr. Livermore lias pub
lished many clever piose stories In the
various magazines, but tills Is his first
published poem; though it is hoped that it
will not be his last, for he has the poet's
felicity of expression, as well as his Im
agination. Killed by Explosion at the North Pole.
Sunday morning U. C. Brlatt, a miner
at the North Pole was Killed by a prema
ture eploson of a blast, and Frank
Kunock was seriously 'Injured. The de
ceased was trom Ohio and had worked at
j the mine only about one month. He was
a is. 1. ami luminaii 111 111c tvi'im 111
good standing. Nothing Is known of his
family. The body was brought to Case's
undertaking establishment Sunday after
noon. Kunock Is Improving and will re
cover. C J. Johns' Freight Receipts.
During the month of September C. J.
Johns received at his store here in Sump
ter, 307,0)8 pounds of freight. Of this
amount thirteen full carloads of merchan
dise were billed direct to him, the remain
der being In cars with other people's
I goods. And that Is the sle and shape ol
I tlie business which live Sumpter mer
chants are transacting these days.
SUMPTER LOTS NOW FOR SALE.
First Offering of the Sumpter Townsite
Syndicate Properties.
'I he Sumpter Townsite syndicate has
for sale and offer to. the public 100 lots
within the original townsite of Sumpter,
terms on which may be had by applica
tion to W. C. Calder, or Charles S.
Warren.
'I he syndicate will also put 011 the first
of Its syndicate additions, comprising
1000 lots, within the next ten days. The
prices will be reasonable, with terms to
suit purchasers. Nothing reserved, but
first come, first served.
Two engineering parties are now in the
field, under Irving Worthington and W.
K. Wheeler, and arc making rapid prog
ress with tlie work.
Sumpter Rock at Spokane Fair.
P. K. Polndexler Is now In Spokane
witli an excellent collection of ore from
tlie Sumpter district, on exhibition at the
fair. It Is 011 some of this ore that the
small stamp mill will be operated, to give
an object lesson in practical mining. It
was selected for this purpose because It
was known to be the best free milling
rock In the Northwest.
Drift for the Rich Golconda Chute.
'I he Golconda people are preparing to
cut a station at the 3oo-foot level and
drift for the rich pay chute which still ex
ists at the 200-foot level. If they tap
this pay chute and it still holds the same
width and values as at two hundred feet,
this property will undoubtedly be one of
the richest gold mines in the world.
Business and Social Club.
The meeting called for last Friday
evening to organize a business and social
club was adjourned for one week. No
tices have been mailed to many citizens
Inviting them to be present at Ellis hall
on the evening of the sixth for the pur
pose of making preliminary arrange
ments. Calder Advertising the Town.
W. C. Calder Is expected home tomor
row from Portland. Already newspapers
are beginning to arrive, in which he is
quoted as singing the praises of Sumpter,
In his quiet, convincing way. Its a safe
surmise, however, to declare that he has
been misquoted In the East Oregonian.
It Is not necessary and it his not his
method to jump on to any other town.