The semi-weekly miner., 1883-08-01
MINING MATTERS.
Custom Mills the Great Desidera-
ton for Summit Valley
Miners.
Satisfa ctory Shipments of Ore,
Bullion, Matte and God
Dust.
WHAT the Principal Mines Have
Done During the Week.
Notes of Interest.
MINING MATTERS.
Notes Of Interest.

A Saturdays ride among the mines
of Summit Valley, stopping here
and there to talk with some honest
miner who, single-handed and alone,
is making a faithful effort to develope
his prospect, elicits one great para
mount and general complaint, i.
e., the lack of custom milling facil-
ties in this district. Many
who have had their ores worked
at various mills complain of the
treatment of the ores. unreasonable
deduction for ABSORPTION, or exorbi-
tant charges for reduction. The fact
seems patent that the great obstacle
to the development of our mines is
the large amount of capital required
to successfully engage in mining
operations here. The representa-
tives of capital come here by the hun
dreds, and after looking over the
camp are frightened away either by
the fancy prices set upon undevel-
oped properties, or by the large num-
Der of mines scattered over the dis
trict which are closed down and
idle, because the owners have
reached point where they
could 60 no further without
capital to erect reduction works,
and are patiently waiting for
chance purchaser or for capital to
come in and engage in the business
of custom milling or sampling and
buying ore. There seems to be no
question but the establishment of lib
e-ally managed custom mills of large
capacity and first class facilities.
would result in the immediate start
ing up of all the class of mines re-
ferred to. It would also make mar
ket for mining property, as eastern
capitalists, who desire to engage in
the business of mining, but not that
of milling, would invest in our
mines if they knew they could have
their ores reduced at reasonable:rates.
A demand would also hf created
tor properties to leahe = Min
ers would soon learn that
more money could be made by
working a leased mine than by work
ing for wages aud in much more
independent way. With the start
ing up of now idle properties, influx
of capital, and miners working leased
properties, the result of establishing
custom mills. sampling works and
ore purchasers would be that almost
every claim in the district would be
worked, new prospects developed,
the number of miners employed
would be doubled and an era of pros
perity would dawn upon Butte such
as we have never seen before, and
beyond the expectations Of the most
sanguine believers in the great future
of this district. In view of these
facts it seems little less than short
sightedness that our local capitalists
do not take the matter in hand and
invest their capital in an enterprise
which would greatly enhance the
value of every species of property.
MINERAL SHIPMENTS.
The shipments of bullion during
the past week, although light conf
pared with those of previous weeks,
was quite satisfactory, considering
that it was an 'off week, "
coming between the clean-ups at
some of the largest mills.
Silver bars valued at s47,024 were
shipped through the office of the Pa
cific Express company, ten of which
are credited to the Moulton, valued
at $12 $50, ten to the Alice, $l5,O04,
and ten to the Lexington, $l9, ,O4.
Gold dust was also shipped by Don
nell, Clark l. Larabie valued at $21,'
400. In copper-silver ore and matte
the shipments were fully up to the
average, over 800 tons of matte and