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