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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1903)
,aMMBMBaMMMBMMMaMaMBMBMWIIMPMMMIMBMMMaMBMWMMMMaaMMWMMMfcMiMBJMi COVERS THOROUGHLY THE GOLD FIELDS of the INLAND EMPIRE EASTERN INVESTORS IN OREGON MINES Pay for AND READ IT DAVID WILSON MAKES CHEERFUL PREDICTION Says Hard Times Elsewhere Will Drive Men And Money Into This Gold Camp. DhvIc Wilson cnmo hi thin fore noon from Spokane, to look after his largo malty iutrests hero. IIu nays that theio Ih iio question tint what tho money market Ih tightening up nil over tho country In anticipation of tho presidential election, hh it alwayH iIouh. Hut ho offers thiu cheerful rlew of tho Hltuatlon, locally; uainoly, that whnnovor times uro hard and nioiioy Ih soarco throiiKhout tho oast, both moil and inouoy rush into tho gold camps; because no lluanolal crisis, tho result of uo olootion can uffeot that industry, iio ways ho has watched tho mcrotnent for twonty years and baa never soon it fail yet, and for thia reason ho prediatH next year will bo tho best in eastern Oregon's hlntory. Mr. Wilson left this afternoon to stop a few days in Portland ou busi ness and from thoro ho will go to Sau Francisco, Los Angeles and into Mexico. Mr. Wilson will also make an extended trip east before return Ing. THE CONSCIENCE OF A GOLD MINER Pipe Dream About Robbing a Pocket of 300 Pounds of Ore That Went $40,000. Why a spool men mine Ih not iiIwiivh the inoht prolltahlo to Its owner Ih told in thin ntory of doubtful honesty. "A miner's conscience" may 'in Home loganls illlfer from tho Con hiiienco of it king, lie muv take part in IraiiHactloiiH and engage in enter prises that would not secure the ap proval of severe morallHtH. Tho following recital Involve u question of conscience, which a prom, ineiit and wlilelv on porltuu'd miner itilatoH in reganl to himself. Ho nilil: "It mh many years ago. A series of reverses In fortune had compelled me to accept pick and slunel for dally pay, which whs Irk some after having, at tluee diirorcut periods of my life, through foruuato investments, secured hiiiiih of money each of which, had it been judiciously handliHl, would have been a moderate fortune to a man of inexpensive habits. "I was working iu a mine iu the western part of tho United States, thoro Is uo need to mention tho lo cality. Tho mine was rich In 'pockets,1 somo of thorn yielding enormous returns. With the fore man of tho nrino I exchanged but few words, and sometimes thoy were not spoken in tho most gonial tone. 1 simply took my place among tho other workers iu tho shift and re ceived my lulsruetious for the day's work. "Olio day 1 was timbering and doing tho work sluglo-hauded. "Iu putting In a set I accidentally chip ped otf a small piece of ore, which fell on tho floor of the drift and jiiitt at tho spot where tho light of my caudle was sblulug. At a galuco 1 saw that the ure was rich iu gold. I picked it up, and from Its weight aud tbv gold visible, I know it was part o'f an exceedingly rich pocket. I replaced the metal iu the place from which it had fallen. "Down near the tloor of tho drift 1 cut a small mark in one of the tim bers opposite tho spot from which tho rich metal had fallen, aud then went ou with my work as usual. "That night I bad a struggle with my cousclotico,, knowing too well that to bullion in tho pocket did not be long to me. Agalust this I made the pluu that my Instructions as a miner ueio simply to do my day's work aud that 1 was never asked to inform my superl r us to anything connected with the working of tho mine. In addition to this, tho miners who had preceded me Iu working the drift had missed tho pocket. "Thin ljsettled tho question, so far as reporting the matter was con cerned. Tho drift was timbered past the pocket aud I could not make known its locality without luoriui iuatiug myself. "Mouths went by, I still worked for my day's pay, but the pockets were decreasing in number and fall ing off iu richness. Hence it was de cied to abandon the mine as no longer profitable. When 1 heard this news for the first time, I confess that I gave an Involuntary start, In a short time the engine, boilers, hoisting gear, with the buildings, which were iu the best oondlton, were disposed of and the place soon put on a look of desolation,' which Is always associated with a deserted mining property. The pipes of the' pump had been drawn, but as I knew the mine had been free from water for several months, the ab eence of the pumps did rot causo me any apprehension, tut tne pump ladder was left intaot. "My plana were quickly made. I took an ax to cut away the timbers. a small pick to empty the pocket, and a couple of stout sacks. About nine o'clock I left my cabin and made a long detour, so as to reach the scene of the mine without meet ing any of the workmen. I bad rol led the ax and plok in the sacks and carefully stowed my stock of candles in my coat pocket. "I reached the scene of the mine without interruption and was soon on my way down to the lowest level and, guldod by the light of my candle, was quickly at the spot where the pooket was hidden behind the tim bers. When I found the mark I soon cut away the timbers, and then began more carefully to empty the pocket with my pick. It took several hours, but the time passed unheoded, for I was dazed at the richuess of tho ore which fell at my feet. When the laBt bright speck diappoared from the wall I wentdowi on my haunches on the floor and soon bad both tncks tilled with the treasure. I shouldered the two sacks, but to save weight in climbing tho ladder I left my ax aud plok in the drift. It was a hard struggle to climb 100 foot up a pump ladder with :)00 pouuds of ore ou my back. "I left the camp without uamiug my destination to a soul, and then took the rapid routeto a distant city, where there was a large smelter and refining plant. I had ofteu sold bul lion to the company when I w as managing mines, hence uo questions were asked, and within a week from the time I had deposited my metal I called at the office and received a check for 140,000. Since then I have often been puzzled as to the justice of my course In emptlng that rich pooket, but I cannot say that I have at any time seriously regretted the work. Such la the conscience of a miner." Mexican Herald. ROCK CREEK POWER AND IRRIGATION COMPANY. Papers will be Hied with the oounty Clerk at Baker City next Tuesday, incorportaiong a stock company to be kuown as the Rock Creek Power and Irrigating company. The object of this company la to furnish water for the irrigation of a number of farms in this section and supplying poxer for manufacturing purposes. The company has just finished the ooustruotion of a large reservoir with a capaolty to retain a sufficient supply of water for all purposes. This enterprise will be the means of encouraging new industries in thia seotion and the company, being com posed of the leading citizens of Haines and Rook creek, demonstrates to what extent the people are in terested Iu any proposition which tends to beueflt the surrouudlng country. The promoters of this meritorious scheme are A. J. Hartlng, John, Fisher, ,1. F. Henuor, Davis Wilcox, J. C. Cbrlstensen and others. Unities Record. Confectionery. Fresh Caueles aud Fruit, Choice Lino of Cigars and Tobaccos, at STURU ILL'S. Railway Equipment Including New. and Second Hand Locomotives, Gars, Logging Trucks, Relaying Rails and Fastenings. at Sawmill Machinery, Stationary En gines and Boilers. at & MINING MACHINERY OF ALL KINDS A. J. McCabe. TACOMA. WASHINGTON r-J65HT!ateKa im&m?