Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-01-12

:. D80A 1<aa
Churchill County, New, Jan. 1, 1881.
EDITOR SENTINEL: During the year
1880 several reports appeared from time
to time concerning the future OF this dis
| trict, some of which we're declared as over
rating the value or general prospects Of
the mines OF the district. Now a year has
passed, and time being the best test Of the
truth or fallacy Of all reports. the several
mines made mention Of in I x L District
in any former report, are open to-day for
the public to judge whether they have
been overrated in the past. The owners
Of mines here are more sanguine of the
merit and future prospects Of the camp at
present thar they have been at any time
since the opening of the district. This is
saying as much for the future Of the camp
as can be said in truth Of the most pros
porous mining camps in Nevada. Every
foot advanced in the mines during the past
year has developed larger lodges and a
higher grade Of ores than was found on
the surface, which shows an improvement
without the slightest fear of any diminu-
ton in the several ore bodies of the camp.
1t may be said that this district has not
as yet proved itself to be an ore-producing
one. There are generally two reasons as
signed for new mining camps not produc-
ing the precious metals as quickly as the
public expect after it is once announced
that they have an existence. One is:
Some new camps have not ore to produce;
the other reason being that the ores are Of
too low a grade to become productive. But
neither of the above reasons can be as
signed to the mines Of / x L District, for
it has an abundance Of paying ore. The
mine owners Of this place are men Of linn
tied capital and are not able to build mills
to reduce the ores, hence the delay Of the
district coming to the front as a bullion
producing camp. 1t may be said that cap
ital will advance mills on mines OF merit.
So it will, after this manner: First-Let
the ~prospector find the mine and develop
it until it will warrant the running Of q
mill; then. If the p~rospector will give his
mine to the capitalist some kind Of q mill
will be the result. and the poor prospector
is ready to pack his blankets TO find an
other mine just for the sake Of opening
up the mining sections Of this country.
Patriotic, indeed
To further illustrate the above state
ment, about the Goth Of September, 1880,
Mr.. G. Kiser, of Saltwater, offered to
build a twenty stamp mill for the Bayfield,
Company for one-half interest in their
mine; there being at that time upwards
of half a million dollars worth Of ore in
sight in and about the mine. The COM
pany declined the offer Of Mr.. Kiser, on
the ground that the proposed mill could
be constructed for about $50 900, and the
balance OF a quarter OF a million of dollars
would be altogether too great a percentage
to allow on so small an investment. This
is the case with many Of the leading mines
Of this camp. Capitalists want it all.
The bayfield, shaft has now attained a
depth Of 212 feet; the north drift is run
GO feet aud the south drift rs feet. Both
drifts are in ore that will give an average
ASSAY Of S28 per ton, while in many parts
OF the drifts, and in the main shaft, some
of the ore will assay in the hundreds.
The East Star mine is OF a much richer
character of ore than the Bayfield,, the
average assays being over 500 per ton.
The main ledge of this mine is $50 feet
wide. All that this property lacks at pres
ent is a force OF miners to develop it aud a
mill to reduce the ore. which would make
it a first-class bullion-producing property.
Before closing this letter l will say that
the mining districts of this State are suf-
fering a great drawback at present at the
hands Of incompetent judges that are SO
frequently sent to examine them. Most Of
these would-be experts read 3 report of a
camp, form a picture OF it in their mind. and
let their conception of it be right or wrong,
they expect to see all their fancy painted
presented to them on arriving in the dis
trict. The slightest obstacle thrown in
their way blurs the whole scene, and an
adverse report is generally the result.
These kid glove gentlemen are a deal like
the theoretical engineer-laden with theory
and light in practice. Many of this class
are even afraid to look down a shaft. to
say nothing of descending it, and are,
therefore. a detriment both to the camp
they visit and to the parties that employ
them for snch business. What VIZ want Ia
practical mining men to visit us that will
see things as they are, and not % they
seem, and in such case I X L will stand be-
fore the public as formerly represented.
P~RosPEcToR.