The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-08-31
CUSTER CORRESPONDENCE.

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CUSTER, IDAHO, Aug. Is, 1889.
ED. KEYSTONE Custer is quiet
st present and has been so since
the closing down of the General
Custer mill last spring, but from
present rumors and indications it
will be but few days at furtherest
when everything will be in full
blast again. AS a consequence
everybody here is gleeful over the
outlook.
The new wet-crushing mill to be
erected on the Fourth of July mine
is fairly under way, and this will
add materially to the resources Of
the camp. Mr.. Pete Johnson, the
original owner of the mine, has
rustled hard to meet this end, and
we congratulate him upon his sue
cess. About twenty-five men are
already employed in making roads
and excavations for mill and outer
buildings, and Mr.. Womack, of
Challis, has his saw-mill here and
has commenced saving the timbers
for the same. The saw-mill is in
town but the quartz mill, which is
to be a ten-stamp mill, is to be TO-
Gated on Custer mountain, in the
near vicinity of all the leading
mines. Mr.. Gates, the millwright
who is to erect the same, arrived
for that purpose from St. Louis
last Friday.
About fifteen men are at present
employed at sinking and drifting
on the Dickins mine, and should
the mill start it is presumed the
force will be materially increased.
Charlie Raine and partners have
recently found a bonanza on their
ground adjoining the famous Gus
ter ledge, and undoubtedly have a
continuation of that wonderful vein.
Your correspondent paid the boys
visit last week and saw in their
prospect 3O-foot ledge of milling
quartz that is literally besmeared
with both native gold and silver, and
carries black sulphurets and chlor-
ide in profusion. | think Charlie
Raine is the happiest man ever
saw, and we'll he might be when he
can see a fortune in sight.
We also visited the Badger mine
on the same hill, and was shown
through the main workings Of the
same by the gentlemanly foreman,
Mr.. John ,O'Neil, a former Wood
River boy. This property is work
ing a developing force only and
shows an abundance of ore in all
its workings. This mine is the east
extension of the celebrated Lucky
Boy mine and has already gained
q worldwide reputation as a pro-
ducer. A new mill for this property
is a thing Of the near future and
we are all prepared for it.
Dave Dorsey has bonanza in
the vicinity of the Badger that shows
for itself, and will speak for itself
before long. Taken altogether, more
projecting, with better results, has
been done this season on Custer
mountain than ever before, and the
outlook for the camp is being
frightened daily. The new road
from Clayton here is bound to help
us, and we are glad it is nearly
done. When Pilmer and his crew
arrive here Custer and Bonanza
will join together in holiday and
give the outside world such well
come as only the residents of a
characteristic mining camp know
how how to give.
The Short Bros. have the contract
for furnishing the logs to the saw
mill and have six men and two
teams at work.
Estes Mountain is working sew
eral men, and it's mines are all
1ourishing.
Superintendent Craft, of the Bad
ger, put some ten or twelve men at
work this week on the Mountain
King mine, lSheep Mountain. He
has secured working bond on the
property and will work it all winter.
Capt. Varney has turned Yankee
Fork creek just below the mill and
will sluice the creek bed for the
amalgam that must have necessari-
ly escaped from the mill the past
ten years. His gravel prospects
well and we judge the Captain has
struck good pay streak.
Angus Cameron is leasing one of
the Morrison & Pearsons' proper