Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-10-12
LETTER FROM owYHEE COUNTY.
WAGoNrowN DIsTR1cr, /. T.. y
October 6. 1877

SASC1uu uOSL OF your 1
readers TO be OF this class, something
from this camp may not come aniss.
Ihe mines, that is gold and silver
nearing quartz, was first discovered
here little more than two years ago:
great many locations made; nun.
Der of claims prospected, all of which
paid very we'll near the surface, crush
lngs ranging from $28 to $l3O per
ton. the bullion being about half silver
and half gold AS depth has been at
tanned the percentage of gold has
grown less, while that of silver has
increased; and though the assays of
pulps continued to be good, the yield
become so light that the ore did not
for long time pay. Now, however,
our mill men seem to have learned
the nature of the ore and the better
mode of saving the bullion, and new
era has dawned upon our camp. All
the most recent crushings have been
satisfactory, and the few miners still
operating here are inspired with fresh
courage, and the probabilities are that
the pick, the CAD, the hammer and
drill will from this time be welded by
hands inspired by warmer hopes and
more cheerful hearts than heretofore
There are number of mines in the
camp that will eventually prove good.
Among them is the Webfoot, owned
by Tom Walls and others, not being
, worked at present. The ledge is of
good size, can be cheaply mined; and
with good milling is good for about
forty dollars per ton. The cost of
hauling and milling by wet process is
about SIS per ton. We have no roast
ing furnaces in this camp, or county,
: | believe. The mine most worthy OF
! note of any other probably is that OF
Frank Lepley, commonly known as
: the Lepley mine, though | believe il
| has some other name recorded, un'
+ known to me. This ledge was discov
cred about a year ago by the owner
Mr.. Lepley, and has been worked in a
!. small way ever since, yielding ore
i that would average by pulp assay
about $3.50 per ton, bnt none of the
mills that have worked it have beer
! able to save more than about twenty
five per cent of it until recently the
mill at Wagontown has saved reas
q enable percentage of the metal con
s. tanned Mr.. Lepley is taking out
e. limited quantity of rock from near th'
d surface, and at the same time running
b a tunnel distance of two hundred
It and fifty feet to tap the ledge at dis
u lance of one hundred and fifty feet
D. The silver in these mines is in tn
N form of sulphurets, except in one o
y two instances. The Henrietta min
er and one other yielding ruby silver i
part. 1t is thought that by roasting
- the ores of this camp larger percer
r. tage of metal might be saved, but 1T
= doubtful if enough more to pay tn
= additional cost of roasting. The Wae
: ontown mill was built little les
II than year ago. 1t stands on 20
i dan creek, on the Winnemucca stag
:. road. one mile above Tom Walls ST
! ton, and is of easy access from tn
!. mines. 1t is run by steam, has te
r. stamps, five pans, two settlers and
concentrator The owners, Messr
Jones & Adams, arc laboring hard
,rt do the best they can for the miner
,e. and have the full confidence of all
nd honorable, upright dealers, who W
ce rive each one what belongs to hlI
re- More anon from
ev RoMULUs.