The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-01-04
ACQUISITION.

properly, but, as in all other mines of the
district which are owned by men without
capital, it was found impossible to continue
its profitable development on account of wat
er. In order therefore, that work might be
expedited, an arrangement was entered into
between the owners Of the property and Mr..
w. A. Clark, who owns the adjoining claim,
the Steward, on the east whereby the two
were consolidated under the control the Utah
& Montana Mining Company. w. A. & ].
K. Clark own a one-half interest and Pack
ard, Menary & Co. the remainder. Two
new shafts were started, making three in all
which have been sunk to a depth of ABOUT
100 feet each. 1t was hoped that by sinking
on two Of the shafts simultaneously it would
be possible to keep the water in subsection by
the cid of whims, but the rush of that obnox-
ious element was greater than had been cal
culated and continues sinking was impossible.
AT the time the miners were forced to quit
work in the bottom, the winter season was
too far advanced to Justify the hope that ma
chinery could be imported, except at an enor-
nous outlay and steps were taken to work the
vein from a point nearer the surface. Seven
ty-two feet from the top therefore, in the east
shaft, a drift was started on the vein in a
westerly direction. This was extended to a
connection with the middle shaft Is feet dis
tant, opening up a fine body of ore, very SIM
liar to that produced from the lower levels of
the Alice, but considerably richer. Stopping
u of pnpa hauun and for a norioI nf fbraa
months, all amount of ore averaging six tons
daily and assaying from SIS to 5000 was ex-
tracted and shipped to the Colorado smelter
for reduction.
AT the same time that operations were re-
sumed in the main workings, a new shaft,
through which it was proposed to work the
ledge at a greater depth, was started at a
point about 60 feet south of the whim shaft
and was SUM to a depth of so feet, when, for
some reason, sinking was suspended. Thu
delaEris but temporary, however, and the
sas' I~ (which. will diu eventually eve ndnsily.s contain mt in. three 1nee
as so,l as all the required hosting machinery
arrives. A pump capable of throwing 5000
galio,S per hour has already been imported
an be placed in position when the water
Ky reached. This shaft is intended to
tap y ledge at a depth of $50 feet and from
the rich and improving aspect of the ore body
in the old workings, high hopes are enter
tanned of the appearance of the ledge at that
depth. The Acquisition-Steward ground,
patented, extends across the main road about
,.,S-..- l+-,-, D,,t+, a,J To+o.:1J. 81
is a property, in the development of which,
the miners of the district have always taken
great interest. In the early history of Butte
as a silver camp, the Acquisition played no
unimportant part and was one of these mines
which, by the richness and extent of its out
put, was instrumental in drawing the atten-
tior.of outside mining operators to the match
less Sources of the Summit Valley district
The surface groupings of this property were
so rich that the owners of the mine real
ing had been done. These groupings were
sacked and shipped to Salt Lake for a market,
a distance of over 400 miles and it is there
fore not a matter of surprise that in the brief
period during which the Acquisition has been
worked it has made such a princely showing.
Whenever Il mine shows good ore on top, it is
safe to say hat its production from below
will be satisfactory and no doubt whatever,
is entertained as to the future of his magnifi-
cent property. But We are content to let
future events speak for themselves.
STEVENS.
The Stevens has always been regarded as
the best poor mans mine in the district. 1t
1t is one of the Oldest patented claims in the
camp, is owned by John Stinson, one of the
early pioneers of the territory and is located
a short distance southwest of Butte. For
to Mr.. Samuel Stuart, who, with a small
force of men, has explored the vein by three
shafts sunk to the water level. These shafts
are about 800 feet apart and have an average
depth of so feet-the water level. From the
bottom of the east shaft, the east drift has
been extended 70 feet and the west drift so
feet, the average width of the vein being
five feet. Some very fine ore has been pro-
duced from thiss shaft. The phrase "pay ore
from the grass roots is often construed as an
exaggeration, but used in connection with
the Stevens mine it is a cold fact. The slopes
of the west drift have been carried so near
the surface that the top soil caved in on the
workmen. Besides in the east and west drifts
considerable work has been lone on a spur
running northwest from the shaft, which has
been followed for a distance Of 50 feet. This
spur is two feet wide and assays from $75 to
$125 per ton. 1t has not yet been stopped, so
that without any further sinking or drifting,
a fine body of ore is available for extraction
between the drift and the surface.
In the middle shaft, next east, the incline