Wednesday, September 12, 1900
'THE SUMPTER MINER.
v
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRESSING.
Eastern Oregon Gold Fields
Coming to the Front.
The development of the eastern Oregon
mining districts is progressing better in
these days than ever before, and it does
not take a man with great wisdom to
discover that it will not be long before
that locality will be over run with pros
pectors, with men of caliber and money,
determined to know the extent of the ter
ritory and what there Is In it. It will be
well If those having interests there will
realise the importance of giving a royal
welcome to them.
Eastern Oregon Is getting some good
advertising hi the eastern states and its
effect is being felt by general Injury
r.mjiig the'wnks as to the truth of things,
and also by sending of capable and ex
perienced men from that locality to cover
tne district thoroughly and ascertain the
truth. We know of one such inquirer
this week coining from New York City, a
gentleman versed in all the intricacies of
Wall street, having a good reputation
there for probity and honor, and backed
by well-known businessmen; who is ac
companied by a thoroughly experienced
prospector, with instructions to spcid
three months in the district if necessary.
Such men should be given full opportun
ity, if known, and as in all probability he
will not tell his business on the housetops,
tiie best way is to give all strangers a
welcome under the theory that thereby
they may entertain angels unawares.
This business of discouraging new com
ers, of decrying localities and mines, of
silence when your own property is being
explored, of a general hoodoo of everything
in a dog-in-the-manger spirit, should be
relegated to the rear. Give the district a
chance. You can't stop it entirely, how
ever much you may try, and though you
may delay the march of civilization for a
time, those who have claims and prospects
:ire not going to be wheedled out of their
property for nothing, and the time will
come when there will be more than one
person looking for the same proposition,
when competitive bids will work their
work to the betterment of the district.
Portland Mining Review.
Mining a Bulne Proportion.
The time was when mining was consid
ered among that class of accidents we call
"luck." It seems left for our age to re
duce it to regular business regulations
,-ind enroll it among one of the world's
great Industries. Luck mining is only
like luck farming, or any other kind of
s-o-called chance work. Men have had
"wind-falls in almost all kinds of busi
ness, but for the mass of common mortals
the safe way is by the way of common
sense, and wisely adapted toil. We must
"dig" for it. The "up-to-now" Idea of
the matter is briefly expressed in the fol
lowing clipping from the Mining Record,
,iys the Coeur D'Alene Mining Journal.
"Indications are that this activity is but
the beginning of a better day than the
mining industry has ever seen. Since
the days of the great gold mines of Ophir
and the mysterious diggings whence
came the Ingots of the Incas of Peru,
mining has had a hazy halo of romance
around it. The cool-headed man of com
merce has been too much inclined, In
many ages past, to regard mining as a
gamble, a venture, a wild speculation.
That idea is fading. Business methods
are transforming mining from the theme
of the story teller to the subject matter of
the figured statements of the business
world. Mining Is business. Therein lies
the brightness of the future of the indus
try. A weird tale of a lost and rediscov
ered mine is still attractive, but long lists
of published dividends are better for the
mining districts. Once get the Idea firm
ly established In the business world that
there is profit in legitimate, business-like
mining, and the west will enter upon an
era of wealth production which will sur
pass the dreams of avarice. That idea is
growing in the commercial world."
Briitol Bay Plcm a Rank Fake.
The United States fish commission
steamer Albatross, Captain Jefferson T.
Moses, has reached Sitka, Alaska, on her
return from a summer's cruise of the can
neries and fishing and sealing grounds of
the Alaskan peninsula. For over a year
the Albatross has beeit prosecuting re
searches in the Interest of science in the
South Sees and in Oriental and Alaskan
waters for a good part of the time, with
Prot. Lewis Aggasiz, the eminent scien
tist, aboard. Two members of the Ui.ited
States full commission, A. B. Alexander
and H. C. Fossett, have been aboard.
Aivnrillnp to The Sitk.i Al.isk.-in. wlilrh
readied here by the Queen, the Albatross,
which put in at Bristol Bay, reports the
alleged placer strike there a rank fake.
The story told by The Alaskan, as gleaned
from the Albatross' officers, if true, Is one
that should cause a good deal ol shame to
those who are engineering It. No names
are mentioned, but it Is said the st.uy of
the strike was started In order to create a
stampede for the district next year. But
three or four men are interested in the
game. These men have a trading store
at a village on the Nushagak river, 350
miles or so up from Bristol Bay. The
game of the men in the plot is said to
have been to exhibit hi this city and else
where, 510,000 in gold dust by the men in
succession until excitement was caused
sufficient for their purposes. Seattle
Times.
1 Machinery for the Gold Ridge.
A tine set of pumping machinery has
' 1.10. ftAAn nii.Hn.dil fnp .I(ja f.tl.1 Ul.lna
JU91 UCCII !Ulkll19CU IIJI IHC VJUIU IXIUC
mine and has been billed to arrive from
ortland at Haker City within a few days,
and on its arrival it will be immediately
hauled by wagon to the mine, and in
stalled by Manager Nichols. Under that
gentleman's active management there is
already a force of men at work engaged
in the preparatory work which will pave
the way for operations on a larger scale
than at any time in the past. The Gold
Ridge is one of the old-time properties of
Lower Burnt river and in its day has
yielded quite handsomely in gold. About
a week ago, as stated in the columns of
the Morning Democrat at the time, the
property passed Into the possession of Mr.
Letson Balllet under a bond of f6o,ooo. he
continuing Mr. Ira B. Nichols in the man
agement, to carry out an elaborate scheme
of exploitation. For that purpose an
ample fund has been placed at the com
mand of Mn Nichols by Mr. Balllet, and
while at present a moderate force is en
gaged at the mine, the same will be in
creased from time to time as room is made
for the men. Heretofore Mr. Balllet lias
been known to Raker City people chiefly
on paper, but It is very evident from the
manner In which he takes hold of the
Gold Ridge, that he means business
straight from the shoulder. His friends
that knew him elsewhere say that Mr.
Balllet is a bold operator and they do not
doubt that he will make his promise good
of making the Gold Ridge one of the prin
cipal producers in the district. Democrat.
Through the Yellowstone.
The new route via the Oregon Short
Line Railroad and Monida, .Mont., enables
you to make a delightful trip through the
Yellowstone National Park, entering via
Monida and coming out via Cinnabar,
making it unnecessary to cover any por
tion of the route twice. For beautiful
descriptive booklet, write or call at Ore
gon Short Line Ticket Office, 142 Third
street, Fortland, Oregon.
.IMPERIAL
Lodging House
MRS. I:. I!. IIUITTI-N
Furnished or Unfurnished Rooms. Neat,
Clean and Reasonable in Price. j j j
OppoilU liieh
nirowin bgmpiny
SUMPTER, OREGON
Mines & Real Estate
If you have a mine to sell
If you have real estate to sell
If you have a prospect to sell
If you have a house to rent
If you want your rents collected
If you want to engage help of any kind
If you want to borrow money 011 real estate
CALL ON
Healy Bldg
Granite St.
W. H. W. Hamilton
Sumpter
Oregon
THE WONDER
GKO. W. WlilGAND,
PKOPKIhTOK.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
A complete stock of Dry Goods, Ladles and Men's Furnishings, Boots,
Shoes, Hats and Clothing.
THE WONDER, BOURNE, OREGON
Delmonico Hotel
M. SPANf.l.KH. lnrlrtor
A First-Class New House, Well Furnished and Superior TaWe
Service. Transclent Rates Reasonable. Special Rates to Local Pat
rons by the Week. Located One Block Hast of Depot, Corner Co
lumbia and Auburn Streets.
SUMPTER. OREGON
Eureka Feed & Livery Company
J. L. SULLIVAN, Manager.
Horses Boarded by the day or Month. First
class turn-outs and saddle horses. Our spec
ialty is the quick and safe delivery of freight
and passengers to any and all points.
HAY AND GRAIN FOR SALEHS
THE
Sumpter Forwarding Co.
General Storage, Commission and Forwarding.
Warehouse and office, S. V. Track.
SUMPTER, OREGON.