THE SUMPTER MINER
r
VOL I.
SUMPTER, OREGON, AUGUST i, 1900.
NO. 47
v
V,
THIRTY-FIVE THOU
SAND DOLLAR HOTEL
ARRANGEMENTS FOR BUILDING
PRACTICALLY COMPLETED.
In Sumpter $12,000 of the Capital Stock
Subscribed and the Remainder of the
Sum Asked for Assured David Wilson
Puts up $20,000 and Controls the Prop
osition. For eight months past THE MlNKK
has been having more or less to say about
the big brick hotel which David Wilson
contemplated building on south Mill
'street. When the announcement was
first made, it was stated that work would
surely be commenced as early In thesprlng
as the weather would permit the making
of brick and the working In mortar.
l:or one reason and another the beginning
of work has been postponed from time to
time and has not yet been commenced.
It looks now, however, that at no dis
tant day the work will be inaugurated.
David Wilson put in all of last week here
working on the proposition. He asked
that $15,000 be subscribed here. The
building will cost 35- He will put
up f 20,000 of this amount and control the
proposition. Twelve thousand dollars of
the 1 1 5,000 asked for was subscribed
here. Little effort was required to secure
this sum. Sevetal of those who signed
for certain amounts, stated that If more
were required, they would Increase their
subscriptions. Others who will subscribe
were not seen, so there is scarcely a doubt
but what the entire amount will be se
cured. These are not donations, but
subscriptions to the capital stock of the
company.
Architect Samms, of Baker City, who
drew the plans for the hotel, was here
Friday and Saturday looking over the
site, for the purpose of preparing specifi
cations for the foundation.
There will be little change from the
plans, detailed descriptions of which have
been published In these columns. Mr.
Wilson was called by wire to Ontario
Sunday, but will return to Sumpter in a
day or two, when some definite an
nouncement regarding Ills intentions will
be made.
OLIVE LAKE FOR POWER.
Red Boy Mine Will go Sixteen Miles for
Water Power.
Under date of July 3. the Telegram
correspondent writes from Granite as fol fel fol
eows: Perhaps one of the greatest ripar
ian enterprises, as well as most interest
ing to the Miner, in eastern Oregon, is
that of utilizing the waters of Olive lake
for mining purposes. Back of tills enter
prise are E. J. Godfrey and Clark Taber,
owners of the Red Boy mine.
The Red Boy mill Is operated by water
power, the water coming through a cov
ered ditch from the mouth 0 Beaver
creek, about two miles distant. This
ditch taps both Beaver and Clear creeks,
and also Olive, which empties into Beaver
near the mouth of the latter. As during
perhaps two months in the fall of the
year, however, all of these streams get
very low, the owners of the Red Boy
have been driven to the necessity of re
plenishing the supply. This necessity
has resulted In the Olive lake enterprise.
Olive Lake Is situated about 16 miles
southwest of the Red Boy mine, hi a fir
filuged basin along the nortnerly slopes
of tile Greenhorn range of mountains. It
has long been known to the pioneer pros
pector and hunter as a paradise for the
lover of the piscatorial sport. Its waters
teem with trout. Though scarcely a mile
long and perhaps half a mile wide, no
one has yet been able to compute the
amount of water It contains. Attempts
have been made to sound It, but in each
attempt the sounding line gave out with
out touching bottom. The altitude of the
lake, as nearly as can be estimated, is
about 8200 feet.
With such a reservoir to draw from, it
is little wonder, therefore, that the enter
prise of mining men should invade even
the lotig-uiidlsiurned haunts of the festive
trout. Distance offered no obstacles to
Messrs. Godfrey and Taber In their search
for water, and they have already estab
lished direct communication between the
waters that rightfully belong to Olive
lake and their mill. The Inlet to the
creek that feeds the lake has been
dammed about a mile above Its outlet,
and here a natural reservoir covering
some 200 acres lias been formed. The
water in this reservoir averages from 12
to 15 feet in depth. A ditch connects the
reservoir with Ruby creek. Ruby creek
empties into Clear creek, and thus the
water makes its way to the Red Boy
ditch, having its source at the mouth of
Beaver.
But the formation of this large reser
voir above the lake is only an incident of
the plans of tne Red Boy owners to utilize
the waters of Olive lake in their mining
operations. An excavation has already
been dug for the building of a dam across
the outlet to the lake, and work upon the
dam, which will be of a solid stone wall
four feet wide and about 120-feet long,
will in all probability be begun this fall.
Through this dam the water in the
lake will be raised about 15 feet, and its
surface area considerably increased. The
shady groves now used by campers will
be inundated, and new camping retreats
will have to be sought.
Upon the completion of this dam it is
the intention to build another ditcli from
the lower end of the lake to Ruby creek,
and through Ruby and Clear creeks con
vey the water to the mine mill ditch.
Through the completion of the enter
prise projected, the Red Boy owners will
be able to dispense with their 2oo-acre
reservoir above Olive lake, and be as
sured of an inexhaustible supply of water
from the lake Itself.
Nuggets Versus Sumpter Nine.
A game of base ball was arranged yes
terday between the Nuggets and the
regular Sumpter club, on a bet of twenty
live dollars to ten. The Nuggets, who
give these heavy udds, consist of some
men around town who have played ball
in their day, but are not now in any or
ganized nine. The game will be played
Sunday.
Go or send to the City Green house,
Baker City, for choice carnations; thirty
five cents per dozen. Roses fifty cents
per dozen.
Only the best of Wines, Liquors, Ice
Cold Beer and temperance drinks at
Barnard's Halfway House.
All kind of cake, pies bread etc., at
Brechtel's bakery, opposite the depot.
All orders filled promptly.
Keep your money in Sumpter and drink
Columbia beer a home product.
TALK OF THE TOWN.
II. II. Fritz expects to leave today for
Republic.
Mr. and Mrs. John Gagan leave today
for a summer outing In the hills.
Mr. and Mrs. A. J.Stlnson returned to
doy from a trip to Portland and the coast.
Atr. and Mrs. J. II. Robbins have been
to the Concord mine for some days past.
Stop t Stop I See Joe Schmidt at the
Brewery Saloon. Five cent beer. Best
in town.
There was no council meeting last Sat
urday evening, there being 110 quorum
present.
The tire bell tower is finished and the
bell in place, on Center street, between
Granite and North.
J. K. Harris, of the Portland Telegram
circulation department, is here on business
connected with that paper.
A. W. Bills returned some days since
from Salt Lake City, where he went a
couple of weeks since on a buslaess trip.
Wm. Miller, district attorney of Grant
county, passed through here yesterday on
his way to Granite, wli-rc he has ollici.il
business.
Miss Margaret McMeekln.of Portland,
nelce of George Baker, is visiting her
uncle and family for the remainder of the
summer.
Harley G. Wood is recovering from a
severe attack of rheumatism and threat
ened pneumonia, which kept him confined
to his bed all last week.
Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Richards, James
K. Pardee, W. C. Calder andC. O. Mor
rell were in LaGrade this week transact
ing business before the United States
land office.
J. H. Brown and M. B. Baine are over
in the Burnt river country doing some as
sessment work 011 properties the former
owns there, and prospecting. They will
be absent a mouth or more.
Dr. Brock has been over in the Prairie
City country for several days past. He
is expected home this evening, having
been telephoned to return, on account of
the illness of Mrs. Brock.
John Goss left yesterday for Prairie
City and Canyon City, to make final ar
rangements for A. P. to open branches of
his Bank of Sumpter at Prairie and either
at Canyon City or John Day.
A number of Sumpter citizens have
taken up timber claims along the extru
sion of the Sumpter Valley road, and
many mote are preparing to do so. The
building of tills branch renders valuable
large tracts of timber.
It Is a good thing for the beer consum
ing public that the price of that popular
beverage was reduced prior to the present
hot spell, for those on the 'outside"
would either have gone broke, or else
suffered with burning thirst.
Mrs. C. H. Marsh, who has been un
dergoing treatment at the St. Vincent
hospital in Portland for over a month,
has sufficiently recovered to be able to
leave that Institution, but is not well
enough to return home as yet.
Monday was the hot day of the season.
The mercury stood at 102 to 106 In the
shade in several locations around town.
There was a breeze stirring, and when
one kept quiet, In the shade and draft,
with a quart mug of beer at hand, life was
not entirely unendurable.
Mr. and Mrs. Tom McEwen, Mr. and
Mrs. Joe Hurt, Mrs. M. Fuchs and Milton
Bloch, the latter two of Baker City, came
in from a ten il iv outing on the McEwen
ranch in the foothill, near McEwen sta
tion, all limiting the better for a few days
ot out door life. Joe Hurt says there am
plenty of deer and grouse where they
u ere.
Baker City papers state that the
Cleaver Brothers have made arrange
ments for developing tlieOregon Wonder,
and that all kinds of money have been
provided for this gigantic undertaking.
If this property pans out as it indicates,
audits owners hope for, it will be a greate
mine tlian the Iteadwell or the Home
stake. There were more than a hundred people
on the excursion train from Baker City
to Sumpter Sunday. A bridge, a few
miles this side of Baker, burned during
the day and the train did not reach hern
on its return trip until 12 o'clock at
night. Many of men folks had fun
with themselves loading up, which the
ladies couldn't do, of course.
Major Manning Off For Pekln.
Major W. T. Manning, who has been
In Sumpter since last fall, saw in the press
dispatches some days since that the Chi
nese of Los Angeles, California, had ex
posed their willingness to assist thn
powers in supressing the Boxer riots in
the Flowery kingdom. Above and be
yond all else, the Major is a globe trotter,
and he saw In this an opportunity to com
bine his ruling passion with an chance
to do a good turn for humanity, by
setting the Chinese to work killing each
other. With this Idea in his head, he left
Saturday afternoon for Los Angeles with
a view to organizing a Chinese regiment
for the relief of the foreigners at Pekln,
which expedition he hopes to lead him
self. In the event that the laundrymeu
of Los Angeles were merely following the
example of the American politician by
making a remark or two to the gallery,
and have no Intention of fighting their
brothers at home, Major Manning will
proceed to Prescott, Arizona, which town,
he reasons, will have a boom this winter
as a result of the building activity neces
sitated by the recent lire there.
Development in the Old Gem Mine.
Mr. F. J. Perkins, manager of the Gem
mine, near Sparta, now owned by a Port
land syndicate, who purchased the prop
erty several months ago, is in the city,
and to a Democrat reporter yesterday fin
outlined the development work that is In
progress at the mine. A depth of 4611
feet has been attained. Levels are being
run 450, 350 and 300 feet in depth. An
upraise from the 450 to the 350 level is
being driven for air. A prospect tunnel
is being run 300 feet north of previous
workings and Is to be 150 feet In length.
A contract has been let to sink a prospect
shaft 300 feet south of all previous work
ings. In doing development work larger
ore bodies are exposed and there is urn
enough in sight for a io-.stainp mill for
years to come. The old Gem was worked
30 years ago by Captain Alusworth and
Captain E. M. Whltc.but was abandoned,
so far as working was concerned. It
was in the days of extravagant manage
ment and poor direction. The wealth of
the mine was little known, as recent de
velopments show. The property now
bids fair to be a great producer. Demo
crat. "The Portland", conducted by Gu
Woodward on Mill street, is fully a
representation of its name. A visit will
convince you of this.
Columbia beer, brewed In Sumpter, te
second to none.