THE SUMPTER MINER
vol l.
SUMPTER, OREGON, JULY 11.1900.
NO. 44
ACTIVITY IN MINING.
MORE IN THIS DISTRICT THAN
EVER BEFORE.
Another Representative of Capital, De
spairing of Buying a Mine, Will De
velop Prospects Confidence and Faith
of Mineowners in Their Properties
Contagious and Whets the Appetites
of the Prospective Buyers.
During thr past month there has been
more activity in mining matters in the
Sumpter district, and those Iviug on the
west and north and south, than at anv
time during the past year, when the
'boom" in this section tirst began.
In every column of 1 HI: MlNi'R for
v eeks past there has been recorded deals
in mining properties that a year ago
would have startled this whole section,
and which today are only worthy of pass
ing comment receiving a paragraph in
this, the leading paper in the district.
This is indeed an encouraging sign.
It is not the Intention here to repeat and
summarize these important transactions.
Many has been mentioned in det.iil during
the past few weeks, and others are
spoken of In the paper today. These
facts are recalled merely to emphasize the
remarks of a gentleman who reached this
camp ten days since from California.
Last evening he said to a MINER man.
"I have been in most of the mining dis
tricts of the west looking for properties
for a Sail Francisco syndicate, but this is
the toughest proposition I ever tackled.
Talk about 'all mines having been made
to sell,' these people out here don't be
lieve tiiat unrefuted truism. They think
it pays to hold and even to work them.
"I have had considerable correspondence
with different parties during the past three
months and so was not looking for a
needle in a hay stack on my arrival, but
knew exactly what deals to tackle. My
honest opinion is that there is not a devel
oped property in the district that can be
bought within twelve hours. It would
surprise you to learn how many of what
you call the big mines are now under
bond. Others that I have learned are not
bonded, I have been unable to tie up, for
the reason that there are other parties ne
gotiating for their purchase.
"All thi gives the prospective buyer
confidence in the district and whets his
appetite for a property, withal. Of course,
the men who own the mines know what
they have and their confidence and faith
in their holes in the ground are tested and
proven genuine when tliey refuse to ac
cept bona tide, munificent otters for their
properties.
"I have read considerable about a man
named Conroy, representing Pennsylva
nia money, making large purchases here.
He undoubtedly has, and good ones, too;
but he has put in more than a year doing
it. The people whom 1 represent wouldn't
stand any such delay as that. If I can't
close a deal in thirty days, the deal is
liable to be declared off. 1 his merely Il
lustrates the difference between eastern
and western methods of doing business,
and I'm not sure that ail the advantage
lies with our system of rushing things
through in haste and regardless.
"I have about nude up my mind to do
as I am informed Captain Wood, of Chi
cago, was forced to do; develop a lot of
prospects under bond, having been unable
to buy a mine. I Inve heard of Mm be
fore and he knows his business. Ills
action in this case shows It. He has
spent a whole lot of monev sinking profit
less shafts, but it all doesn't amount one
tenth of what lie would have had to pay
for a mine. And If he hasn't a mine over
on Quebec mountain, I don't know a
good thing when I see it.
"Having reached this decision, the
reason for my request not to have my name
mentioned in this connection is apparent.
Bverv claim owner in this district would
want to do business with me, and I prefer
to do business with only a dozen or so of
my own selection."
Sam Stott's Leg Broken.
From exchanges it is learned that Sam
Stott had his leg broken at the encamp
ment in Salem Sunday. His friends
here have bad no word from him and are
anxious to leant the details. His partner,
Lieutenant Shelton, Is with hi in and, as a
matter of fact, he Is surrounded by
friends. One account of the accident
says: Sergeant Sam R. Stott, of the
Sumpter Rough Riders, was riding near
the street car track when his horse shied,
stumbled and fell, breaking Stott's leg
just above the ankle. The injured man
was taken to the hospital where he is re
ceiving the most careful attention under
Major Whiting, brigade surgeon. The
Injury will probably prove nothing more
serious than that of putting Stott out of
service during the encampment. He was
formerly a lawyer In Portland but is now
a practicing attorney in Sumpter.
J. Nat Hudson Will Take a Rest.
Colonel Jay Nat Hudson has quietly
folded his tent, figuratively speaking
packed and shipped his Boulder printing
outfit, literally speaking, and quit Gran
ite. He made no definite announcement
of this intention in the last issue of the
paper. He says the proposition was not
a money maker and he Is not the kind of
patriot to work for the public good for
glory only. The Colonel has stored the
material in a building which he owns
here, awaiting an opportunity to fill a
long, urgently felt want somewhere In
Oregon. In the meantime, he .vlll prac
tice law, giving his brain a rest. This
Granite experiment has demonstrated the
futility of trying to run a paper in a town,
refusing all local business.
Machinery for the Golconda.
A carload of in ichinery from the His
dou Iron Works, Sail Francisco, for the
Golconda mill was unloaded here this
week and hauled to the mine, where it is
being installed under the direction of H.
L. McLaiu, the millwright who has built
nearly all the mills In this district. Mr.
I. eland, representing the Risdou company,
is now at the Golconda. He Is a relative
of John F. Leland, the well known min
ing man of this place.
Development Work Contract on the Ibex.
Development work on the Ibex is being
pushed continuously. A contract has been
let to Thomas Hesseler to sink 130 feet,
which will give a depth of 400 feet to the
mine. Mr. Chapman stated to a MINER
reporter that another ioo-foot contract
would probably be let on completion of the
present one. Mr. Hessler also has charge
of thr work at the Grand Trunk near the
Ibex.
The half way house of C. H. Barnard
on the Bourne road Is a well conducted,
respectable place where ladies or gentle
men can stop for ice cold refreshments
and lunches.
Handsome lot of Dickens' vest chains
for men at F. C. Brodle's jewelry store,
Opera House block.
SUMPTER STREETS
LIGHTED TONIGHT.
With Ten Arc Lamps of 2000
Candle Power Each.
Sumpter will be lighted tonight with
! ten arc lamps of 2000 candle power each.
These lamps have been placed at the cor
ners of Austin and Mill, Auburn and Mill,
Auburn and Bonanza, Granite and Co
lumbia, Granite and Mill, Granite and
Center, Granite and Cracker, High and
Cracker, High and Mill, Sumpter and
Center.
According to the contract with the
council this mikli needed street lighting
service was to have been commenced
May 15, but a serious accident accurred to
the arc dynamo, to repair which two
months has been required. Starting In at
this particular time, when the moon is
at its full, these lights will not be properly
appreciated, but they will have their turn
at popularity during the dark, rainy
nights of next fall.
President Cannon, of the Light and
Power company, returned from Portland
to Sumpter Monday. Since then he has
been so busy at the power house that only
this noon did he find time for a breathing
spell. While taking this rest, a MINER
man slipped up on him, and learned that
he has not been east during his absence,
but has been busy at his headquarters In
Portland. He will leave for the east,
however, in a day or two on business per
taining to that electric railway proposition,
a franchise for which has been asked for
from the council. This is the nucleus of
a gigantic scheme, in which the O. R. &
N. Is said to be interested, but about
which THE MINER is under bond not to
print a word, or give a suggestion.
PLACER PROPOSITIONS.
Eastern Oregon Offers Some Excellent Op
portunities. Neil J. Sorensen, of Sumpter, president
of the Oregon Placer & Power company,
who owns 200 acres of rich placer ground
in eastern Oregon, Is in Portland, says
the Telegram.
Mr. Sorensen says that tiie idea that
eastern Oregon offers only quartz propo
sitions is erroneous. The divide between
Sumpter and Granite, he says, offers the
best of inducements to miners. 'I here is
an old river channel, which in some pre
historic age by an upheaval of nature was
hoisted up near the top of the Blue Moun
tains. 1 his river bed has been traced for
miles, and every foot of it contains placer
gold. It was the scene of a great excite
ment in early days, )o or 40 years ago,
when men, working with pan or rocker,
took out independent fortunes. The his
toric Downing placers were located 011 this
same river bed.
"The cleanups of early days are even
now being repeated," said Mr. Sorensen.
"At Wiuterville, Austin bought a claim
last fall for jooo. He made a cleanup a
short time ago to pay for the ground, and
see what he is doing. He took out f45oo.
And he has enough ground to keep him
busy the rest of his life. This 45oo all
came out of a spot 80x80 feet. So you
can see there is some good placer ground
there.
"My company will work the 200 acres
it owns on a large scale. We are working
now, putting in pipes and giants, and
when we get to going I do not see why
we should not take out $40,000 or 550,000
per year. We bring our water about six
miles, and have 1000 inches with a pres
sure of 218 feet. 1 Ills is ample for the
work.
"There Is plentv of activity throughout
the whole of the mining country. In the
Cracker district extensive development
work Is going on. I he Ibex mine Is de
veloping on an extensive scale, and the
proprietors are figuring 011 putting in ma
chinery. Thrv are taking out rich ore.
"The Bald Mountain and Mammoth, on
the same vein, arr being developed ex
tensively. Superintendent McCallum is
the general manager in charge of both
properties. He is a thorough mining
man, and knows his business perfectly.
The Free Coinage and Anna-Lulu, ot
the Uunpqua group, are on a side vein,
in whkh rich strikes have been made
recently.
"Over In the Granite district the story
Is the same. The Cougar mine made .1
big cleanup last mopth, and two or three
right around the Cougar are doing ex
tensive dovelopment work. The Red
Boy has commenced to sink a shaft 1500
feet, and has machinery on the way.
Anorher company is running a 2ooo-foot
tunnel to tap Quebec mountain.
" The whole country is alive with men,
and a wonderful amount of work is going
011. I have heard that stories are being
circulated to the effect that eastern Oregon
is dead. I can tell you that more is being
done there than the outside world has
any Idea of.
"I think the Oregon Mining Stock ex
change, recently started in Portland, will
have a generally beneficial effect on the
mining industry of the state. I believe
this is the opinion of mining men
generally.
Sale of the Comstock Group.
C. W. Canfield says he has bough t
from John Adams the Comstock group ot
mines, situated on Huckelherry mountain,
six miles south of Sumpter. This group
consists of the Comstock and the. Pay
master. The property has a tunnel and
some open cuts and about 600 tons of ore
are aid to be exposed. There is some
conflict of statements regarding these
claims. Wallace Si Hart say they have
a bond on the property.
Connecting the Two Mitchells.
M. A. Butler, of Baker City, was in
Sumpter one day last week, fie Is the
law partner of ex-United Stat-s Senator
J. H. Mitchell, and is interested with J.
H. Mitchell, the mining man, in the Vir
ginia, a very promising property over in
the Greenhorn. Ihls has resulted In
much confusion and some annoyance to
all parties concerned.
Ask for the Columbia beer, brewed in
Sumpter.
Columbia beer, brewed in Sumpter, Is
second to none.
The City Green house, at Baker City,
furnishes choice cut flowers.
The Columbia beer, brewed in Sumpter,
is today as good as any made. ' '
Keep your money in Sumpter and drink
Columbia beer a home product.
Quartz and placer location blanks ot
the most approved form for sale at 1 HI:
MINER oflice.
Go or send to the City Green house,
Baker City, for choice carnations; thirty
five cents per doen. Roses fifty ceuts
per dozen.
"1 lie Portland", conducted by Gus
Woodward on Mill street, Is fully a
representation of its name. A .visit wilt
convince you of this.