The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-09-12
MINING NEWS.
| What is Being Done in Our Mines in q
Qaiet Way.

the mines OF this district outside OF the
large mining companies. The small mine
owners, the lessees and tributers are &C
comprising a great deal in the work Of
Of this county. We are glad to see that
there is a disposition on the part of the
large mine owners and managers Of this
district to assist and encourage those who
wish to take hold and prosecute work on
small mining claims, and those places in
large mines that have been abandoned by
the management on account of the ore
being so scarce, o. OF such a low grade that
it will not pay for the company to extract.
In many cases, miners are given q reason
able percentage to work those places, and
very often, as a result of their hard work,
(be it remembered that miners will do bet
when working on days pay ore bodies of
considerable dimensions
HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED
important developments have been made.
and many a mine is working to-day and
adding t. the mineral output of the coun-
try and to the wealth of it's owners which
would, but for the lessee, be lying idle and
accounted of no value. There are a large
number of these men at work in the mines
of Butte City and surrounding country and
it is of almost daily occurrence that we
hear of some small mill owner or lessee
striking it rich in his claim or in the ground
allotted to him. A man has no business to
engage in the leasing business in any OF our
mines unless he has the faith that over
turns mountains. 1t generally happens
that before the lessee can get to his ledge q
large amount of dead work has to be done.
Before he can.
COMMENCE TO EXTRACT ORE,
he has to erect necessary hosting machinery,
purchase and put in place pumps Tor the
handling Of water. and very often many
long weeks are spent in the carrying in OF
long hard cross-cuts, all of which require
much faith and perseverance and lots OF
-four and beef. Therefore we say, that we
are glad to see the disposition there is on
the part OF our mining men and others, to
assist and encourage these men. We have
yet to hear of a case in this camp where a
party of men have opened up Il good mine
under the above conditions, that it has
been taken away from them by the owners,
until they have been given a chance to make
Il stake out OF the property SO developed.
This is as it should be, and will tend to
encourage our miners to 60 out and pen
up mining ground that may be looked upon
by the OwnerstO be comparatively worth
less.
THE OPHlR NINE.
Messrs. Largey, Upton, Newkirk and
Noyes are the owners of the Ophir mine,
which is located at the lower end OF Colo
RADIO street. In the early days of this camp
the Ophir was a heavy ore-producer, but
of late years, owing to an influx of water
into the mine, which caused the workings
to cave in, no work has been done on the
property. At the time operations were
Snonnn1od IN tho nr0norfv tho rnino had Of.
tanned a depth of 80 feet. At this point
the ledge was very rich and showed every
indication of growidg better. The owners
OF the mine I've concluded to resume work
in the mine, and five weeks ago a force OF
men were put to work sinking a new shaft
a little south of the ledge. This shaft is
nov down As feet and will strike the ledge
in Is feet more. The shaft will cut through
the ledge, and the 1OO-foot level will be
reached before any other work is lone on
the vein. When the 1OO-footlevelis reached
a cross-cut will run to the ledge and the ex-
traction of ore will be begun. 1t is the in
tention of the owners to then sink an adj
ditional 100 feet. when a very valuable
mine will doubtless be developed. The
shaft is going down at the rate of two feet
a day and but little water is encountered.
A small pump has been put in place which
is capable of handling the water at a depth
of at least 200 feet. We hope.the Ophir
will be one of tour greatest bullion producers.
THE BURLINGTON
mine at Burlington is being developed as
rapidly as muscle a push matters. The
main shaft is down IS feet below the so
foot level. and the ledge shows up in fine
shape. Messrs. Job brothers, Reynolds,
Edwards and Maddern, lave shown very
commendable enterprise in the manner in
which they are working this mine. These
boys have erected a nice engine on the
ground, that is capable OF sinking the shaft
400 feet. two 25-horse power boilers have
been purchased and put in place while two
good pumps are side by side in the shaft
keeping the water out. The other portions
OF the mine look well, and the boys think
they are bound to be rewarded for their
enterprise and pluck.
THE LATE ACQUISITION. =
This mine is being worked by Messrs.
Sam Smell & Co., on lease, who have o n Il
vast amount of work in the way OF drifting,
raising and sinking in the mine. The prin-
cipal work at present being done is on the
first level, where stopping and drifting is
carried on with vigor. The ledge in the
Late Acquisition is small, but good, some
of the assays going as high as 5000, per
ton. The boys at work there deserve to
be successful.