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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 1900)
Wednesday, December j, 1900 THE SUMPTER MINER LACLEDE COMPANY. Has Valuable Gold and Copper Mines on Powder River. G. G. McNamara, a resident mining engineer, of this city, returned a day or two ago from a visit to the Laclede Con solldated Gold and Copper Mining comp any's property on the North Powder river, about twenty-two or live miles from North Powder station on the O. K. & N. rail way. When Mr. McNamarn was seen by a Democrat reporter he said: "The prop erty consists of 160 acres of land upon which a United States patent has been obtained. The 160 acres seems to be the center of an extensive minetal beaiiug zone, there being no less than seven m eight distinct veins, varying in width from two to twenty feet, each carrying good values in gold and copper, the copper pre dominating. However, some of the large veins carry only gold and are entirely free from copper, making the treatment of the ares amenable to stamps and the cyanide process. "The surface prospecting has been very thorough; test pits have been sunk at many different places on these veins. These test pits are from three to ten feet 4eep. Their object was to define the strike and dip of the veins as well as to ascertain the surface values. Besides the above there are about 400 feet of tunnels and shafts and a depth of 170 feet has keen obtained. In all these deep work ings the veins are well df lined and the ores are of high values, yielding from f 20 to f 140 per ton in gold and copptr. There is several hundred tons of this high grade re on the different dumps ready for ship ment or treatment on the ground. "Making calculations from the dip or inclination of live of the copper bearing veins, which are from two and one-half to ive feet wide, the indications are that they will converge into one at a depth of a few hundred feet. "Much credit is due Mr. G. H. Downs, the company's manager, for the substan tial and aiiiier-like way in which all the work has been done. Everything shows areful attention to detail. "The property is well equipped with large and commodious bunk and boarding houses, blacksmith shop, etc. "Heavy and substantial framework is now completed and ready for the hoisting machinery to be put in place as soon as it arrives from the east, where the order was placed some weeks ago, and it is expected to be in operation by the first of the new year. At the point where the hoist is be ing placed a double compartment shaft, well timbered and ready for the cage, is now down over 50 feet. It is the inten tion of the company to continue tills shaft to a depth of 400 feet, making It the main working shatt for the different veins con tiguous thereto." Democrat. Treadwell Ore Treated for 92 Cent a Ton The annual statement of the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining company tor the year ending May 31, 1000, which has just been published, Is an object lesson on the worth of economy in quartz mining. This is the great gold quartz mine located on Douglas island. During the year cov ered by the report tvso mills have been operated, one containing 240 stamps and the other 300. The former was running 154 days by water power and 158 days by steam. The latter started May 6, 1809, and its stamps were hung up during the winter from January 3 to March 21. Ex cepting the holiday July 4 and the time occupied in cleanups, neither of the mills were idle, except when there was a short age of water. The total quantity of ore nlned and milled amounted to 557,060 tons The average yield of bullion ob tained was f 2.067 1 per ton, the total amounting to $1,153,368. Ir cost to mine 49.86 cents, or a little less than 50 cents per ton, and to mill and concentrate 19.88 cents, or a trifle under 20 cents per ton. Other charges against the product of the mine, Including new construction, brought the total expense up to 92.14 cents per ton. There was a net working profit, after paying all expenses, of 1.2070 per ton, making a total of $673,691 Out of this $300,000, equal to 6 per cent, on the stock was paid in dividends, leaving a balance of $373,061 to be added to the reserve fund of $230,717 brought forward from the previous year, making a total reserve of $004,678 at the close of the year. The total net working profit of the stock amounted to 13 48 per lent, on the slock. The men are well paid. Resides '.ward and lodging (excepting Indian laborers), they recelvethe following wages: Machine drillers, $2.50 in summer and $) In winter; machine helpers $2.25; white mine laborers, $2, amalgamator-', too per month; feeders, $70; vaunermen, $65 to $100; machinists and helpers, from $2 to $6 per day; blacksmith-.' helpers, $2; In dian laborers, $2 without board. Labor was scarce through the year, the gold discoveries at Cape Nome and elsewhere In the north havlug attracted all the sur plus. American Mining News. Myitrry of "Rutty" Gold. The mystery of "rusty" gold, or gold that well not amalgamate, has never yet been satisfactorily solved. Theoretical metallurgists state that it is a condition In which the grains or scales of the metal are covered with a "metallic oxide," but do not state what o.id or what metal. Practical metallurgists do not attempt to explain It, but hope the day may come when it will be understood. Persistent rubbing or grinding will often change "rusty" to "live" gold; sometimes acids will have the same effect, and sometimes alkalies. One of the most likely theo ries on the subject is Uiat the particles of the precious metals are enveloped in a film of very finely divided clay or talc and that Is the reason of its suspeuslou in water. Again it Is asserted that the trou ble is always with tie mercury and not with the gold. A fine selection of goods saltable for Christmas presents will be here In a few days, Including the follewing: Fine French china ornaments and useful artl cles, solid sterling silver table ware, nov elties, Rogers Brothers knlvr, forks, spoons, etc; also a full line of watches and jewelry. F. C. Biodie, Opera House building. THE STAR HOTEL C. H. CROMWELL PROPRIITOR Free 'litis to uml frwin all train. Heuriquurterx for mining men. Mot .comfortable rooum in town. 1'iuw cugerx wiiybilled ut hotel office for all interior oiut. Half block from jxwtorfice. SUMFfEK, OKEUON F I R E & IRE FIRE! ("YlTR Saw Mill and Dry Kiln were totally destroyed y fire, but we still have a large stock of Lumber and General Merchandise so we can fill all orders promptly. .j Sumpter Lumber Company j J. B. STODDARD, Mgr. Delmonico Hotel M. M'ANC'il I I. I'.npilcl.r A First-Class New House, Well Furnished and Superior Trihsi Service. Transclent Rules Reasonable. SpeclalRatestol.oc.il Pat rons by the Week. Located One itlock East of Depot, Corner Co lumbia and Auburn Streets. SUMPTER. OREGON Avenarius Carbolineum KliUISTI-KUDj -r BEWARE OF IMITATIONS" The world famed Wood Preserver for mining tim bers, fence posts, house props, shingle roofs. A radical remedy against Chicken Lice and all insects that prey upon timber. Fhrruukon Paint (anti rust). A permanent coating for ipon roofs. Fire proof for stacks. Send for circulars. Basche Hardware Company Agents SUMPTCN no BAKCR CITY, OREGON GRAIN'STROM'S AND OYSTER IIOUSl: Baker City, Ore. NOTHING IN EASTERN OREGON TO SURPASS IT ... ALL KINDS SHELL FISH A SPECIAL! Y ni.vi:h ciusi.d (ndi.n anti i us ik) i ix lW'-'W' George W. Weigand... HIGH GRADE LIQUORS AND CIGARS Mining Men's Headquarters Next Doer to Wonder Store BOURNE, OREGON