Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1904)
-- VOLV. GIGANTIC DREDGING PROPOSITION IS A GO California Syndicate Bonds Two Thousand Acres in and Around Sumpter. Frank llobson today makcH public fur tho flrat time bodio of tbo details of tbo big dredging Hobomo which ho baa worked up duriug recout wookH, about wblch tboro has boeu con siderable nimutborlzod talk of lute. Id tbo first placo, be 1b aotiug for California people who have made a 8UCC08H of itoveral dredging enter prises, who do not oare to have tbeir uamea mentioned at thin time. Some of them, however, will arrive here before the first of August, when their ideutlty will he revealed aud whau it will be seen that this is one of (he moat susbtautinl mining enterprises ever launched iu Oregon, backed by men whose names aro synonymous with succoss. Aotiug for these eontlomon aud getting the options iu the name of one of them, as trustee, Mr. llobson has secured bonds on ground extend ing five miles up and down Powder river, from aud including the famous Dowuie placers north of town, to and inolndiug the Hawloy tract to tho south, formerly known ns tho old Duckworth place; more than 2,000 acres in all. This ground will bo laid out in five acre lots and a prospect hole sunk on every lot; through the false, or "webfoot' to the true bodiook. To do this work steam drills will be used. Two have already beuu bought for tho purpose, of twelvo borne power each. One of these is now loaded on tho cars at Huutigutnu aud will arrive here in a few dnys. It wn used for this purpose on ground near Weatherhy, this county, on which a dredge was installed. The oth'.T one has been ordered from the factory iu the east aud is now en routo. They aro known hh "chum" drills. Thiu gravel is stirred to a pulp, inside of a pipe that sinks with tie drill. This pulp is pumped out with water, aud run through sluice boxes, saving the gold and furuishiug a basis on which to estimate values in the ground. Mr. llobson says that experience has taught that the gold thus secured averages ninety-five per cent of what the dredger will save. SUMPTER, OREGON, JULY 27, 1904 Tho drilln aro capable of golug down several hundred feet, but dredgers cuu work profitably to a depth of only Hlxty foot. Four men will be employed on each drill, making about thirty feet in eight hours. The prospecting will uot bo finished before fall. Mr. llobson says that from testa ho has made he is confldeut that most, if uot all. of this ground will yield sufficient gold to make tho enter prise a profitable one, aud that some of it will go fa above tho minimum limit. He seems to have no doubt but what tho deal will be consum mated aud soveral dredgers be at work within tho city limits of Sump ter at no distant day. When Professor Solwynn, the world famed miuing expert, was here seveial yoais ago, examining prop, erties for an English syndicate rep repented by V. L. Vinson, he advsied that placer minors iu this district go below false bedrock, and predicted that vast amounts of gold would there be found; as was tho case iu Australia, whoro placers were worked 000 feet below tho surface. His theory will now be tested. HE4DQUARTERS FOR THE TIME AT LAW f ON O. C. Wright, manager of the Wheeler properties, and W. M. Van Vleet who is managing the Uold Hug during his brother's nb'onoo, accom panied by Mrs. Wright, left for Law ton this afternoon, where they will establish temporary head quarters, This will place them near the Hluo Hird, Uuckhorn aud Uold Hug, aud in a better portion to look after operations. The Hluo Hird mill is uow uuder construction, aud de velopment work is being pushed on tho Uuokhorn. Mr. Wright is man agor of these aud his temporary resi dence at l.awton will enable him to look after them to a better advantage. Active development is also proceed- ign at the Gold Bug, and Mr. Van Vleet will be in position to keep Id touoh with it. COMPRESSOR PLANT TO BE INSTALLED Bert Husk, superintendent of the Platts group In the Rook Creek dla triot, is iu town today. (Jood de velopment hoadway is being male, he says. The crosscut ia now In ovor 150 feet, aud it is expeotod that the main ledge will be encountered shortly. Tho ledge is dipping away, however, aud it may take longer to reach it than -is now thought. Mr. Husk is having a road built for bringing iu tho six drill com pressor plant, which will arrive in a few days. Everything will bn in readiness to install tho plaut as soon as it arrives. MILL AT GEM TO START AT ONCE The mill at the (Jem, which prop erty was recently taken over by the (Joiner-Hendryx company, Is to be started at once. Al (ieiser, of tho company, left hero yesterday with Frakn Amies, formerly a mlllman at the North Pole, who is to take charge of tho (iotu plaut. Henry Dodson, formerly of the Tabor Fraction, will look after the development work of the mine ami it is the intention of tho company to push work as steadily as possible. VALLEY QUEEN IS SINKING ON VEIN According to Charles Warren, Jr., vice proisdout of the Valley Queen, who came in from the proper! ly last night, the shaft Is uow down fifty feet on the Pentateuch claim and has cut into the ledge. It shows a foot aud a half of vein matter on tho haugitii.' wall side, and the width has uot yet been determined. The plan. Hays Air. Warren, is now to incline on Ihe vein, which dip at about sixty degrees. The main orosHuut is aimed for this shaft, and has some l,"i0 feet to run yet before it is encountered. Hurt His Hand. It f is learned today that tleoige Oswell, who bus u coutiact on the Amazon, Bombed his hand very badly yesterday while drilling. He missed the drill and the hammer came dovsn on his left baud. NO. 47 SOLD HIS MOUNT RAS1US CLAIMS. W. C. Kelman is back frwr. Mount RastuB, where he and his awe-Mate a few days ago consummated a ileal, turning over three claims to Holse people. The three claim weir sold' for IfiOO each, and the triinsftftlou. was spot cash. Mr. Kolman, it will be remem bered, went Into KastuN luvt fall; with soveral associates from Hon rue. They located a number of claims, and have boon working on them practically over since. The recent transfer coustitues only a small part of their holdings. They have ad jacent property on which they have been doing development, work. Mr. Kelman says tho Hastus district Ih showing up well and will r'Joubtlesu prove to have some goodjuilnes. TO RESUME WORK ON THE OREGON KING T. S. Kennerly, manager of the Uold Coin, in tho (ireenhmns, was here today making arrangements to begin work on fie Oregon King, ini the Craoker Creek district, of which he ia also manager. This property is owned by Phil adelphia people aud they propose to inaugurate extensive development operations immediately. Mr. Ken nerly went out (here this afternoon to find what shape things are in. Ho rather oypoota that, about, everything except tho ledges have been stolon. The properly adjoins the oloondu. on tho northwest, aud contains one of the (iolcouda ledges, or. which' good values have been found on (Jnlooude ground. The group con tains three claims, aud so far has been developed by about .'I (ID find, of tunnels. Mr. Kennedy will omploy a force of men at once anrJ resume work. COMPRESSOR PLANT WILL ARRIVE SOON1 J. M. Doyle, superintendent of tho (Sold (Join in the Cracker ('nek (lis tilct, was here today. Mr. Doyle Ijih ordered a two drill compresHor plaut ami experts it to arrive iu about two weeks. It will) bo installed immediately upon its arrvivril. Hand work is lining con tinued in tho meantime, Dr. (las mire, one of the Wheeling. Went. Virginia, capitalists who is inter ested in the property will lie here iu. about a week. I