Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-12-03
SILVER REEF.
What Il "Democrat" Man Saw In and
About the Camp.
The TOwn-Its Population and Bust
ness-Its Mines and Their
Workings.
The Past, Present and Probable Future
of the Great District.


celebrated mining town of Silver Reef.
Although his principal business was not
of journalistic character, during brief
sojourn in the land OF argentilerous sand
stone he was enabled to take few notes
which perhaps will not prove entirely
devoid OF interest to the general reader.
The present population Of
THE TOWN OF SILVER REEF
Is probably about 600. 1t is situated in a
basin composed OF three sandstone reefs,
in the shape OF a somewhat irregular tri-
angle, forming almost complete en-
closure, the only gap being about 100
yards in width ut the southern end OF the
east and west reefs. The silver-bearing
rock is found under the reefs, and, what
is extremely remarkable, the metal is
principally extracted from the same char
acter OF sandstone as that which com
poses the country roCk-an anomaly in
silver mining, probably without a
parallel in any portion of the
world. There are in the town three
frst-class mercantile establishments, con-
Quoted respectively by Woolley, Lund &
Judd, Peter Harrison, and j. N. Louder;
an excellent hotel conducted by Peter
Harrison, number of restaurants and
lodging houses, five or six saloons, and n
proportionate number OF other business
places, such as are usually conducted in
mining towns of that size and import
ance. There is an excellent public
school, and a flourishing lodge OF A. o.
U. W., which order has erected taste
full and commodious hall for a place of
meeting. The town is one hundred
miles from the Utah Central railroad, the
nearest point on that thoroughfare being
Milford, with which it is connected by a
stage line, owned by Messrs. Woolley
Lund & Judd. The principal mining
companies are the Christy and the Stor
mont, which employ between them at
their mines and mills, about $50 men.
THE CHRIsTY COMPANY
Is San Francisco incorporation which
is working its property for what there is
in it, without any attempt at stock deals,
as none OF its mines are listed on the
Board. The company owns twenty-sx
mines in the district, most of which are
patented. Operations at present, how
ever, are mostly confined to the Storm
King and California, from which sufficient
ore is being extracted to keep the mill
moving to its average capacity OF forty
tons per day. Through the courtesy OF
Mr.. r. Gillespie, the Superintendent, the
writer was enabled to make the follow
ing notes concerning the workings of the
two mines above mentioned. At the $50
foot level OF
THE STORM KING
Is break in the lode which was followed
down 100 feet on body of $40 ore which
would average four feet in width. AT
the $50, the break was also discovered.
but a cross-cut OF 80 feet developed the
same body OF ore. A level was run north
and south 100 feet each way in the same
| quality of ore. At the north end was q
break which threw the vein up. Raising
on the break short distance, a four
foot vein of $50 ore was encountered.
Two cross-cuts are now being run at the
800 and 400 for this ore body. The con.
nections will be made at both levels by
the middle OF the present month, when
there will be 100 feet OF ground in which
to stope and sink. Below the 400 is a
winze Of $50 feet in a four foot vein of
$40 ore. At the 500, drifts have been run
80 feet north and south, in the same
quality and quantity of ore. The ore
body now developed is 200 feet in length
at the 400 and the Wine being $50 feet
on the same vein and about the center,
with a four-foot ledge at the bottom,
| with the levels at the 500, will give 200
feet OF solid ore, four feet in width and
$50 feet in height for stopping, with no in
| dication OF the lode giving out at greater
| depth. About Is tons per day are being
extracted in sinking the Wine and
| drifting, with only two men in the slopes.
| When the connection is made at the 500
foot level, 40 tons per day can be easily
mined, and when the same opening is
made at the 600 there will be sufficient
ore blocked out to keep the mill in con-
tinuous operation Tor a year, at least.
The force at this mine is 20 men. At
THE CALIFORNIA,
Stopping and drifting are being done at
the 300. The incline is about the centre
| OF the claim. At the 400, south OF the in
| cline, drifting for ore. At the north
stopping in body OF ore eighteen feet in
width and which will assay about 1926 per
ton. There are at least 5000 tons in
sight, developed by three slopes and
drifts. AT the 500, stopping on three
foot vein OF conglomerate soap and sand
stone, which averages about $35 per ton.
This ore body is seventy feet long, and
runs from the 400. At the 600 the vein
is somewhat broken, but is interspersed
with chimneys OF fair quality of ore. At
this level there is stope in curious
kind OF soapstone, which contains a two
foot vein OF $50 ore. At the 700, drifts
have been run 200 feet from the station,
with siXty-foUt crosscut. In the cross
cut, about week previous to the writer's
visit, iour-foot vein of sand ore was
struck, which assays from 500 to $3.50.
per ton. This is considered the most
important strike ever made in the dis
trlct, as it is $50 feet deeper than any
other workings. The ore already devei-
oped and in process OF development in
this mine will furnish more than a years
supply for the mill, to say nothing of the
probabilities in the still lower workings.
The mill OF the company is under the
supervision of Fred JOY, an experienced
millman. 1t has only five stamps, but it
easily brushes forty tons in twenty-iour
hours OF the soft rock which carries the
metal. The five stamps furnish material
for eight largesized pans and four set
tiers. superintendent Gillespie informed
the writer that 500 ore could be mined
and milled at profit, including the nee
essary dead work in the mines. At those
figures the Christie Company have GER
tainly most desirable property. The
stock OF
THE sroRMoNT COMPANY
Is mostly held in New York, where the
company is incorporated. Col. w. l. Al
len is Superintendent. The principal
work is being prosecuted on u single
group of mines, consisting Of the Buck