Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-06-07


The Smoky Bullion is joined on the
northwest by the Ophir, and on the
southeast by the Providence. Most
OF the work done ON the Ophir is by a
large open cut or excavation in the
side of the mountain below the ledge,
twenty feet in width, running up to
and exposing the vein for about
twenty-five feet from the surface or
apex of the ledge to the bottom of
the cut. At this point two tunnels or
cross-cuts, one to the right and the
other to the left, have been driven
through the vein, thus prosecuting
the vein in two places,) and in each of
these tunnels the ledge is four to five
feet thick Of solid ore.
On the Providence less work has
been done than on either of the others.
but the ore IS little higher grade.
There are several cuts on this mine
showing the vein to be fully four to
six feet wide, yet most of the work
has been in tunnel, run in from the
side OF the mountain to tap or cut the
ledge which must be run fifty or sixty
feet further before it reaches the vein.
but from the groupings and indica-
tons on the surface at this point, it
looks as though the lode might be ten
feet wide.
l mention these two mines and the
work done on them to show the con.
tlnuation of the vein or lode to the
northwest and southeast to be the
same as that in the Smoky Bullion;
all lie along steep hillside facing the
southeast, where tunneling can be
done TO great advantage on any one
OF these claims, as the ledge dips
down hill. This will save the great
expense of hosting and pumping ma.
chinery which so many mines require
and cannot do without. The mouths
OF the tunnels would be near CANYON
or gulch where reduction works would
necessarily be erected. This canyon
runs parallel with the mines, is about
a quarter of mile distant, and is eight
hundred to thousand feet below the
apex OF the ledge.
There is plenty of water in the can.
yon for all purposes, the year round,
except power. On the opposite side
of the canyon is dense forest of tim
Der sufficient to supply the mines for
years to come.
Grass covers the hills in summer. so
that teaming and transportation of all
kinds can be done very cheaply.
Wood, water and grass are of great
value to mining enterprise, and they
are all at hand in abundance.
The Smoky Bullion is among the
best properties l have seen in the
country. 1t is a ledge visible over a
mile in length can be properly opened
and reduction works erected sufficient
to reduce twenty tons Of ore per day
by an expenditure of twenty-five or
thirty thousand dollars, in addition to
the first cost of the property, and with
that amount Of money expended and
we'll handled, the property will return
a net profit of ten thousand dollars a
month.
! advise putting up concentration
works at once, as the mine is opened
and developed sufficient to show be-
yond doubt what kind of works
will be best.
1 have had assays made, as will
hereafter appear, from all parts of the
led ge and all kinds of ore taken from
the smoky bullion, and the adjoining
mines. The result of my tests show
larger than l am willing to state as the
average, although in taking my sam
Piles from time to time that was nv
object.
l do not pretend, neither do l be-
lieve, my assays give the true average
of the whole mass of ore between
walls. That would be almost too
good. But from the way selected
the ore and the results given l feel
safe in saying the ore will average
fifty ounces in silver and forty per
cent. lead.
Here follows list of assays of
Smoky Bullion ore, ranging from so