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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1903)
Wednesday, December 9, 190J THE SUMPTER MINER EXPERIMENTAL MINING STATIONS All important bill baa just becu introduced in congress by Senator Gamble, of South Dakota, referring to the establishing of mining experi ment stations in all of the mining districts of tho United States. The bill is practically a facsimile of the one which James A. George, of Deadwood, S. D. introduced last .summer at the session of the Ameri can Mining Congress, which received faroraple comment at the time. The bill provides for tho estab lishing of experimental stations in eaoh of tho mining districts and territories of tho United States where the prospoctor, locator or, in fact, any ouo can havo minora! samples assayed at a nominal cost. The nuly restriction tho bill places on those making application for such assays is that thoy nro citizens of tho Unitod Status. Tho provision is made that tho stations bo uudor tho jurisdiction of tho Treasury depart ment and it is aped Hod that tho appointments aro to be mado by the ocrotary of tho troaaury. No particular doslguatiou is given to theso otllcos except- that they are referrod to as "experimental stat ions." Eaoh station is to be under the supervision of an expert geologist who is to receive a compensation of 43,000 a year . Provision also is made for the appointing of a chemist at eaoh station who t will assist the geologist in carrying out the work as provided by the bill. These officials will be required, at u nomi nal cost to be, detormlned by the xeoretary of the treasury, to furnish a full report and assay upon anyj-ock submitted. Each station also will be required to keep a complete record of tho work accomplished and when not eugagod in making analysis it is stipulated that it shall be tho duty of the geolo gist in chargo to make tours around the surroundig miueral sec tions and submit reports upon them. A clause is In the bill which com pels those In charge of the station to maintain strict seoreoy for a period of fifteen days as to the loca tion of any rock or other mineral aubstanco which has been delivered lor assay. This section is evidently iutended to prevent those performing the assay to take advantgo of tho in formation thus secured in case a particularly icb sample would be submitted. The secretary of the treasury is em powered to spend $5,000 for equip ping and maintaining each experi mental outfit. The object of the bill evidently is to help the prospector without means to have all his samples assayed at a nominal cost. While today most western camps have several assay offices and while the charges for assays for either gold, silver, copper, lead or zinc, ores range between $2 to fifty cents, still if many assays are to be secured the expense becomes immediately a burden. The result is that prospectors are reluctant to have many assays mado aud thuo fre quently, rock which might be valuable and which might be the mouus of leadlug to further discovories, is disoardod. One of tho recent striking illustra tions of tho point is that Touopab, Nevada, would have revealed Its -wealth at'least six months earlier than it did, if the orlglual locator could have bad his rock assayed at tho time. As it was in order to securo an assay be was obliged to assign an in terest in tho claims which ho had disavcred, haviug no other means at his disposal. The bill has been read twico aud referred to tho cmumitteo on Minos aud Mining. GEOLOGY OF PARTS OF IDAHO AND OREGON. Tho United States Goologtcal Survey, C. D. Walcott director, has just issued a pampblot on the Geology of Southwestern Idaho and Southeastern Oregon, prepared by Israel O. Russell. The field work was douo In the summer of '92, tho prlnolpal purpose of which was to dotormluo lu what localities urteslun water can bo obtained. In Oregon tho survey was confiued to Malheur aud Iluruoy couutlos. Tho authors' investigation convinces him that there Is an artesian basin of largo cxtout extending lu'n both counties, surrounding lakes Iluruoy and Mainour. Incidentally, it Is stated that thoso who havo bored for oil lu that region, both in Idaho aud Oregon, have ignored geological conditions in locating their wolls and in every instanoo thoy have selected spots where It is seemingly impossible to find oil. It is the opinion of Mr. Russell that' tho most favorablo lo cality for oil Is in Canyou county, Idaho, near Pickles butte. He Is skeptical, however of it ever being found, in that region, in com merclally paying quantities. The book contains a number of valuable maps and photographs, and all who aro interested in the geologi cal formations of the Inland Empire will be entertained by Its porusal. TAILINGS TABLE DESIGNED BY MR. WILfLEY ACCEPTED A dispatch from Wallace says: The Federal Mining and Smelting company is experlmoutiug with a tailings table, which, If It proves a success, will replace tho canvas plant at the Standard mill. Tho canvas plant at tho Standard is tho only one In the Coeur d'Alones and Is used to treat the slimes that the vanners and the other tablos do not savo. Not withstanding the fact faot that tbia plant is in use, the tailings from the Standard are said to carry higher values than any of the other proper ties of the district. The tailings table which the com pany is considering placing in the mill Is deigned by Mr. Wilfley, the Inventor of the Wilfley tables. He was in Wallaoe this week and super Intended the installation of one of the tables in the mill. It baa boon In operation for five or six days, and thus far it is working with remark able success. If it continues to run successfully others will be iustallod, aud if all prove satisfactory the mill will be thoroughly equlppod with tbe now invention. The tailings tablo is something uew in this part of tho country. They have been used in Mexico and a few other mluing sectlous aud have mot with woudorful success. They are much moro elfeotlve than a canvas plant, several of the tables treatiug more of the slimes than the entire canvas plant. FREE A Beautifully Illustrated Pamphlet of J 6 Pages Showing & OREGON'S Great Dividend Paying Mines Any person contemplating n mining investment should not bo without theinfdrmatlon contained In this valuable uumphlct. WRITE TODAY (Mention No. 60 and it will bo promptly mailed you.) WHEELER & CO. 32 BROADWAY, N. Y. IN THE RICH GREENHORNS ARE LOCATED THE PROPERTIES OF THE Smuggler Gold Mining Company Nearly 1,000 Feet of Development Work, Tunnels, Shafts, and Cross cuts have Proven af Continuous Ore Body for a Length of 3,00 Feet. The Ore Assays From $4 to $150 per ton, and in Place the Vein is 48 Feet Wide. WE WANT TO SELL 100,000 Shares of Treasury Stock at TWENTY-FIVE CENTS Per Sbarr, to Install a Sinking Plant. J For Full Information Regarding This Really Gill-Edged Proposition, Address ELI ROWLES, - Fiscal Agent 409 Haydco Building, Columbus, Ohio. Or SMUGGLER GOLD MINING COMPANY SUMPTER, OREGON. (47) Qlflft l&Sig$im OF SUMPTER Capital Stock Surplus, $500 $25,000 orricinal J.'B. STODDARD, rVaslOnt ED. W. MUELLER, - Vloa-PraalsUnt R. H. MILLER ... Caahler H. S. DURGANJ - - Assistant Cashier Safety Deposit Vaults Gold Dust Bought Does a General Banking and exchange Business mut MtriF ft SAM WEST" THE SCENIC LINE Through Halt Lalce'.City, Lemlvllle, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver, and tho Famous Rocky Mountain Scenery by Daylight to all oiiits Kant. 3 FIST TRAINS MILT BETWEEN OGDEN 1ND DENVER 3 MODERN EQUIPMENT, THROUGH PULLMAN AND TOUR ST SLEEPING CAPS AND SUPERB DINING CAR SERVICE Jp-OPOVERS ALLOWED For rates, foldersar)tber M. C. M'BRIDE, Gen. Agent, Information, address 124 Third Ht., PORTLAND, ORE.