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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 1903)
H f iMH VOL IV. SUMPTER, OREGON, FEBRUARY n, 190 j. NO. 2$. IS INSPECTING THE DISTRICT WM. B. ROOT, A COLORADO PIONEER, NOW LOOKING OVER SUMPTER GOLD FIELDS. With Over Two Score of Yean Varied Experience in the Centennial Slate, Mr. Root i Capable of Making Compari son He is Much Pleased With the Highland Gold Mines Property. On Monday last a Miner representa tive had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wm. B. Root, of Colorado, who has been examining the Sumpter district. Ab Mr. Root and The Miser reporter had been in the same camps in the Centen nial state between a quarter and a third of a century ago, they naturally had a pleasant time comparing the past with the present, and exchanging informa tion on the doings of the old timers who till had the earth under their feet. Mr. Root has resided in Colorado the most of the time since 1800. He was for some years the president of the Colorado Mining Stock Exchange of Denver, and has always been identified with the mining Interests of that state. Upon being asked for his conclusions concerning this district, ho replied: "I have not been here a sufficient length of time, nor have I had the opportunity to see many of the developed properties, to give as decided an opinion as I might otherwise, but I have met and talked with a number of gentlemen, some of whom I had known in Colorado, and who have spent some years in this min ing region and whose oxericnce should give weight to their opinions, and they all express great confidence in the future of this locality. "Another thing I notice which should convince one of the present good show ing and future outlook is the fact that many of those well posted are making permanent investments, and erecting substantial homes, thus allowing their faith by their works. "I am well pleased with the town of Sumpter am partial to mining camps anyway, having spent the greater part of my life in them. The snow fall may not suit everyone ; I prefer, however, good sleighing during the winter months to mud and slush. The general absence of wind in this locality is a pleasant feature. "Yes, in company witli Mr. Neil J. Sorensen, I visited the properties on Rock Creek owned by the Highland Gold Mines campany. I had previous ly read the report made upon these pro perties by Col. M. L. Lolimire, and have no hesitancy in saying that 1 found the statements made by him fully verified ; and his conclusions as to its future are conservatively drawn. "The great amount of timber suitable for fuel and mining purposes, together with an ample supply of water, are items of no small importance in practical min ing. There is certainly a remarkably strong, well defined ledge, highly mineralized, with largo ore bodies ex posed by aditB and tunnels along the strike of the vein across the three claims. "These properties can be operated very economically for many years, as all development work can be done by tunnels, thereby obviating the purchase and ubo of expensive plants of machi nery. My judgement is this property can bo made, with a reasonable expen diture of money, a profitable and per manent producer." Mr. Root, as stated above, went to Colorado in 1800, before quartz mining in that viiBt region was known. He has seen it grow from nothing to the im mense proportions it has assumed at the present time. There Ib scarcely a camp of any importance in the state but that he if acquainted witli from the time it was struck until it reached its highest pinnacle of production. To have a gentlemen with this varied experience, and one , possessing, the knowledge of nhds aBeHitamMitjoBS, that Mr. Root does', to be favorably 'fai- pressed with a comparatively new min ing country like this, is a great deal in its favor. PEDIGREED DOG POISONED. LARGE PAY ROLL FOR SUMPTER BRANCH OF LARGEST LUMBER PLANT IN UNITED STATES FOR THIS CITY. St. Paul aod Tacoma Lumber Company May Build Urge Mill Here They Own 165,000,000 Feet of Timber Around Sumpter They Ask Free Site and Right of Way. Valuable Registered Irish Setter Belonging to Sumpter Man b Dead. Frank . Hobson mourns the loss of a valuable dog which died yesterday morning from the effects of poison, ad ministered by parties unknown. This superb animal, a female, was a regis tered and pedigreed Irish Setter, known as "Patterson's Wave." She was sired by Beau Urummel, an American prize winner. Her mother was "Patterson's Polly," considered the best strain of Irish Setter ever brought to the 1'acilic coast. Wave had been trained as an upland bird dog, and wob a rare tyH of her class. She was raised and trained by her owner, who hud refused many handsome cash offers for her by parties who desired a thoroughbred hunting dog. To Recover for Broken Leg. Tracy Curtis, who was employed in the Columbia mine as a tninei last Au gust, has commenced a suit against the Columbia Gold Mining company for damages to the amount of f 1044. He sets up in his complaint that while working in a drift a cavein occurred which broke one of his legs. Negli gence of the mine management is charged in not properly timbering the drift. All the latest novelties in hats at Nelll Mercantile company's. Within tho next two weeks, in nil probability, a proposition will be sub mitted to tho people of Sumpter which means tho establishment of an immense and permanent pay roll immediately in this city. Tho cause of this additional prosperity will be tho erection of a large saw mill, planer, cash, door, window and box factory, mining timber dressing works, etc. The concern which proposes to in augurate this Industrial enterprise is pany, who1 rnMfalacYnrVt'aV'itfcelrttllM near Tacoma, Washington, 121,000,000 feet of lumber each year, being the largest output in tho United States. There are five millionaires in this com pany, and they nro considered tho most enterprising people on the Pacific roast. This company have timber Innds sur rounding tho city of Sumpter which will supply 105,000,000 feet of lumber. The title to tills land Is invested in what Is legally known as tho Hewitt land company. Henry Hewitt Jr., who is worth no less than (0,000,000, is the president of this company, which is really a branch of tho St. Paul and Tncotnn concern. It is proposed to install n plant at Sumpter, which will Imvo a capacity of 00,000 feet per day. TIiIh will involve an expenditure of $100,000, nnd give employment to from 1100 to 350 men the yenr round, thus considerably augment ing tho steady payrolls already here. Mr. Seymour 11. Hell, of Sumpter, who is ton well known as a business man, and one possessed of the requisite nerve and push, to require any intro duction, is the gentleman who tins the handling of this important enterprise at this end of the line. Ho has wed ovary endeavor to have the plant lo cated at Sumpter instead of Baker City. Mr. Hell will visit Tacoma next week when many of tho final arrangements will be consummated. It is to be pre sumed that the details of such a lurge transaction cannot be completed in a few days, hut is desired to accomplish all that is ossible so work can lie com menced early in tho spring. There are two mutters of importance in the inauguration of this permanent industry that the people of Sumpter must consider. First; this company, to locate here instead of at Baker City, desire that a suitable site be presented to them. Second ; as they propose to use steam trams for logging purposes, they must first have a right of way through tho city and tho privilege of crossing lands held by other persons. It is now up to the business men and others of this city whether they will take their places in the procession, and Join tho grand ninrch of progress now sweeping over the Pacific northwest, and do all in their power to sccuro this prize when it is within their grasp. Sumpter's u nterprising citizens volun tarily purchased nnd presented to the Oregon Smelting and Hefining company the flue site below the city on which their colossal buildings have boon erected, and doubtless they will be Just as eager to do tho handsome with the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber company, so as to Induce them to locate here and establish their pay roll. COMMITTEE RETURNS. Those Who Went to Salem Claim to Have Been Successful. The committee representing tho min ing interests, which went to Salem last week have completed their labors and returned tortlwJrhomef. D. L.KHiarV ET. J. Godfrey and N. O. Rlchardrcoisv4 posed tho Sumpter dellgation, while C. A Johns, of linker City, represented tho mining interests of his section. These gentlemen arrived at the HUto Capital a few hours too late to be of any use in making suggestionsor having any changes made In the bill to tax incor porations, as it had passed the House and whs rushed through the Senate in railroad fashion. It is claimed that this measure was crowded through by tliu Granger element. A joint committee of both houses met and considered nil minim: laws that hud been Introduced. The Hohbins hill is the only onu that the committee agreed on, therefore it is aUiut tho only mining measure now before the legislature. It is tliu opinion of the committee that Mr. Kohbin'riact will lie so amend ed unci modified that it will Imi unequit able and just law by the time it litis passed both Houses and is entered upon the Sta'iite liooks. In fuel they feel that their in lesion to tho seal of govern ment bus not been in vain, Four Feet of Ore In Golconda. Another big strike is reported in tho Golconda Mine. This time on the 300 foot level ; the body is said to be four feet wide and usttuys $360 per ton. The ore is heavy sulphides and is being sucked us fust as it is broken so as to bo shipped direct to the smelter. Two car loads of concentrates forwarded a few days since averaged (83 ier ton. Ixtave your measure for a suit of clothes at Neill Mercantile company's. m ' 1 1 , J I fl