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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1901)
THE SUMPTER MINER VOL. II. SUMPTER. OREGON, APRIL 17, 1901 NO. 2 0 GOLD IN THE TOWNSITE. A. I. STINSON BONDS THE MINING PRIVILEGE. Rich Gravel bat Ban Taken From Numcr crom Wells Theory that it b the For mer Bed of a Stream An Old Story Here but no Effort hat Heretofore Been Made to Work the Ground Plan Will be to Sink and Drift. The Sumpter Townslte company has executed a bond to A. J. Stlnson for the gold which may be found In designated lots In Its additions. For the right to mine on this property Mr. Stinson agrees to pay certain specified sums of money on stated dates, amounting to $7,500 next February. He further pledges himself to begin operations within thirty days from the date of the instrument, one day last week, and continue at work uninterrupt edly. The company Is to get a royalty of fifteen per cent of the output, to be ap plied on the regular payments. The plan will be to sink and drift, hoist the gravel and wash In a rocker. This is a crude and expensive method, but it is believed the enterprise will pay even with such a handicap. For years it has been known that Sumpter is built on a gold bearing gravel bed, but no one heretofore has apparently cared to work it. Numerous wells were dug In the old days before the water sys tem was constructed, in most of which pay dirt was encountered. In certain lo calities, however, very much more gold was found than In others. This line of wells where rich gravel was found can be clearly traced across the townslte. The theory Is, and a very plausible one it is, too, that this was at one time the bed of a creek. In fact, it is said, that before streets were graded and lots improved, there were unmistakable surface indica tions of an old water course. The particular well which attracted Mr. Stinson's attention Is on the line of this old channel. When down about twenty teet, some coarse particles of gold were noticed in the gravel as it enme to the surface, late 'one afternoon. It was thought that bed rock was not far off, and it was the intention to clean it up next morning. But next morning there was two feet of water in the bottom of the well. A rocker was secured and the gold bear ing gravel washed out. In an hour and a half over four dollars in coarse gold was taken out. Operations will be com menced from this point, pumps being used to keep the shaft free from wate Placer miners of experience and good judgement say that the scheme will In all probability pan out profitably. Activity in the Virtue District. The Virtue and White Swan are old producers, while the Brazos and Carrol B. are new properties just ready for mill Ingore. The Brazos has some machin ery, while the Carrol B. for the present, as well as that of the Mammoth, will be milled at the Virtue mill, teams already being engaged In hauling these ores to the mill, which started work yesterday. Deep sinking on the Brazos will com mence at once and the new company, formed yesterday, proposes to make a big producer of that property this year. All five of these properties are on the same ore belt, and all will be devel oped simultaneously. If no other factors enters Into the working of this camp, this one scheme, carried out, means thousands of dollars of new business for Baker City In loot. Democrat. EARLY DAYS IN SUMPTER. Special Edition of the Oregon Scout Istued July 3, 1897. Among the effects of Nathan W. Wood ruff, recently deceased, E. L. Manning, who was appointed to appraise the estate, found a copy of the Oregon Scout, pub lished at Union, July 3, 1897, "devoted to Sumpter, the center of the eastern Oregon gold fields," says the gaudy yellow title page. This Is a special edition of the paper and was evidently then considered something quite pretentious. It Is now of far more interest of this camp than it probably was at the time of publication, for it contains much infor mation regarding the town and district which emphasizes the fact that there has been great progress made here since then. This is an illustrated edition and a cut of the town Is published, that noone would recognize as the nucleus around which has grown the present substantial city. Other Illustrations are of "Main" (Gran ite) street, W. W. Looney's residence, the Sumpter Lumber company's mill, the Star hotel, the building which is now the Capital and the Phoenix saloon adjoining, Tom McEwen's livery stable, Parkinson's blacksmith shop and the adjoining barn, in Sunnyslde addition, a placer mining scene and the E & E mill while in course of erection. The only picture of a prominent citizen which It contains Is that of Hon. J. Nat Hudson, attorney-at-law, who is given two or three swells In the paper. In the write-up of the camp it is stated that the population of Sumpter Is nearly four hundred. Prospect in Burnt River Country. M. E. Bain and J. H. Brown, both more or less connected with THE MINER for some mouths past, and both mining men of long experience, left Monday for the Burnt river country, where they spent most of last season and where they ac quired some valuade mining interests. They bought everything in Sumpter ex cept pack horses, which were secured in Haker City, to which point their supplies were shipped by train. Their friends here hope to hear at an early day that the bo nanza has been caught and caged In bank vaults. MAP GIVEN AWAY. How to Get a Large One of the United States, for the Wall. If you are going east, or thinking of sending for your family, do not buy your tickets until you have secured rates from the Illinois Central Railroad company. Their service Is excelled by none, and they can reach all points in the east, south and sotheast from any point in Oregon, Washington or Idaho. Through tourist car from Pacific Coast to New York. If you will send fifteen cents In stamps to the address given below, we will for ward you by return mail a large wall map of the United States, Cuba and Porto Rice, 34x40 inches. For particulars regarding passenger or freight rates, call on or address, B. H. TRUMBULL, Commercial Agent, 142 Third street, Port land Oregon. PRACTICAL ENTERPRISE. Chance For Sumpter to Get the Trade of 1000 People. L. D. King, one of the prominent ranch ers on Burnt river, was In town yester day, accompanied by J. G. Young, of Whitney, from whom he was buying a lot ot grain, shipped here by rail. Although he lives only sixteen miles from Sumpter, Mr. King has not been in this camp before for twenty years, when there was nothing here except two or three log houses. He says that In his precinct there were cast at the last election 147 votes and that In that neighborhood Is a population of 800 or goo, prosperous ranchers and their families. Scver.il more hundred are in adjoining precincts. Baker City, forty-two miles away, gets all of this trade; the reason for which is that there is no passable wagon road to Sumpter. One can be constructed 1 10 in a point on the Clifford road to the heart of the settlement along an old trail, scarce ly eight miles in length Here Is an opportunity for (lie citizens of Sumpter, especially the men hauls, to get together, without any apparent pos sibility of factional friction, and accom plish something of great benefit to lite town in general and themselves in partic ular. Doubtless through the Influence of Commissioner Gleason, some county as sistance can be secured. II not, It will prove a paying investment for the mer chants of Sumpter to build the road them selves. The ranchers will undoubtedly contribute considerable labor to the enter prise, which will just as valuable as money. There was very little trouble experienced last spring in raising what money was necessary to repair the road to Granite, which was of no especial benefit to this town, so far as anyone has yet ascertained. But this road to an agricultural dlslilct, from which the rancher wilt came here to trade, will be of inestimable value and the matter deserves prompt attention. Death of J. G. McGuigan. The many friends here of J. G. Mc Gulgan learned with deep regret of his death in Portland Monday morning, at the good Samaritan hospital. He fell from a fourth story window In the Im perial hotel ten days previous. For sev eral days after the accident It was hoped he could live, but the Injury to his brain proved more serious than It was thought at first. The body was shipped to Spo kane, where his mother lives, Tuesday evening over the O. R. St N. During his fatal Illness he was cared for by members of the Portland and Spokane lodge of Elks, he being a member of the Spokane lodge. Good Work Done By the Ladles. The ladles who have had charge of the Sumpter free reading room, desire to make the following statement, that the public may know that they have been faithful to the trust reposed In them. We began this work two years ago, but owing to the scarcity of rooms and the high rents charged, we were not able to start the rooms until a little over six months ago. The money that we had collected has been In the First Bank of Sumpter all this time, awaiting our order. We have col lected, by donations, dances and suppers, something over f 200. We furnished the room comfortably, and have paid all ex penses up to April t, 1901, except a small part of the keeper's salary, which was not due, and on April 12 turned the rooms and work over to the Sumpter Social society, free of nil debts. Circumstances over which we have no control render it neces sary for us to retire from further participa tion In the work, and we take this means of rendering to the public an account of our stewardship. We heartily thank the people of Sumpter and vicinity for the help they have so generously bestowed upon us, in helping to crown our efforts with success. Signed "the retiring committee." Working For Her Husband's Pardon. Mrs. J. G. Luhrman has been In town for some days past, from her home at Salem, circulating a petition he:e for the pardon of her husband, who was sent to the penitentnry from Baker county about a year ago, for killing his partner. They conducted the lodging tent on Auburn street. There was no witness to the tragedy and the jury convicted, apparent ly, on general principles. Mrs. Luhrman Is a pleasing little lady and has secured many signatures to the petition, Including the members of the jurv. Union County Officers Defy the Law. Baker City papers say that Union county's sheriff has been in the Panhandle collecting county taxes. This law-defying proceeding Is backed by Union county officials, and the threat Is made by the county judge of Union that he and his fellow officers would not comply with the law. This same judge Is one of the com mission to determine the mutual Indebted ness of Union county, and has shown the bias of Ills mind l the eagerness with which he rushes into print declaring he will violate the law, and so forth and so on. There Is a fight on, for sure. Miss Rlchardsou,the milliner, announces that Iram the latter part of this week she will be constantly receiving new pattern hats every few days throughout tin siasou. The Capital hotel, under the manage nieut of Mrs. Tedrowe, serves special Sunday dinners. Families should take advantage of this. Best table board In town. Try It. Strnut, assayer, 361 Bennett Ave., Crip ple Creek, established In Colorado In 1876, gold (crucible assay), 50c; gold and silver, 75c; gold, sliver, copper, $1. 50; forty year practice. The Capital Hotel Is again under the management of Mrs. George B. Tedrowe, which fact guarantees the best of service to all patrons. The large and commodious club rooms of Dunphy St Gertridge are headquarters for mining and commercial men. Prompt attention to orders for cut flow ers and floral pieces. City Grren House Baker City, Oregon. At the Club saloon, Dunphy it Gert ridge serve a line of goods equal to any that money will buy. Only the best brands of liquor!1 and cigars at the Cluo saloon of Dunphy & Gertridge. Dunphy & Gertrldge's Club saloon Is the popular resort for mining and com mercial men. Mining deeds for sale at this office. Use Giant powder, fue and caps. Never falls Giant powder.