The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1873-05-17
THE SOUTH AURORA

The Peerless Chamber, with its immense de-
post of rich ore, seems to be increasing both in
quality and quantity as the work progresses.
Owned by the Eberhardt & Aurora Company, sit
uated in the workings of the South Aurora mine,
it is certainly proving to be the largest and rich
est body ever before found on Treasure Hill.
Capt. Frank Drake, manager Of the company,
kindly accompanied us on our visit, and exhib-
tied to US his plans for future developments,
which are on a large and comprehensive scale.
He is now engaged in extracting ore from the
Peerless Chamber, to run the Stanford mill of
80 stamps, and is also busily pushing through a
drift from the Ridsdale shaft to connect with
the ore in the chamber referred to. The daily
amount of ore shipped to the mill will exceed
30 tons, and all from one shaft. The workings
in the Peerless Chamber have now reached u
depth of 40 feet, with a width not yet ascer-
tanned. The theories SO often spoken of by us,
as to the easterly pitch of this ore body, is re-
ceiying every day new and hrmer practical de
monstrations. In the old workings of the com
pany, such as the Ridsdale, Earl, Ladies, and De
Pas chambers, ore in quantities still remains.
For a scientific miner, one given to theoretical
development and nicely of cleaning up, etc, the
working of this immense mine would not be
pleasant to look upon, for the simple reason that
the milling capacity has been 30 much superior
to the prospecting, that no time WIS afforded to
push forward the latter, and ore had to be got
out wherever possible. regardless of looks or the
future of the property. The consequence is, nat
urally, that the general appearance exhibits
large chambers gouged out, with high grade ore
still ~clinging to the sides, top and bottom, and
the extent of the remaining quantity cannot be
estimated and never will be known except by a
system Of prospecting and development. Capt.
Drake assures US that he will soon have a force
Of men sufficient to keep the mill in all the ore
it can possibly crush, and also to thoroughly
and fully prospect for the hidden wealth now
a gratifying circumstance that the course of the
ore body now being worked tends directly toward
the Hidden Treasure and other locations ON the
north, and the time is not far distant when the
sound of the hammer underground will be heard
on the line dividing the locations. The people
outside will begin to believe there is some good
in " limestone formations" after all. Before
leaving the Hill we visited the asserting house,
where we found a gang Of men busily engaged
asserting the ores preparatory to its shipment.
Much Of the mineral here will assay high into
the hundreds, but the manager takes all alike,
bundles it into wagons, and assures us 1t works
from $50 to $40 per ton at the mill. This would
be considered a pretty good average even on the
comstock lode. Another mill, to be erected on
the site of the destroyed International, of forty
stamps capacity, is in contemplation, and, If the
wishes OF the present manager are consulted,
will shortly be commenced. Energy and faith
seem to be- the leading characteristics of the
ruling power of this company. May success at
tend them, as on their prosperity depends much
Of the future of White Pine District.