The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-03-18
the nlMIne SITUATION.
Silver "Not In It "--.Our Gold
Prospects.


It does look as though silver and
silver-lead mining is mot in it" for
this season in this region, and in
fact in this state and the country
at large. It seems to be suspension
of operations in every direction, or
cut-wages to justify what is being
attempted. Our local heaviest con-
Germ, the P. & l. Co., are making a
heroic effort to combat the contin-
ually depressing circumstances of
silver depreciation, &C., and trying,
under the skilful management OF
General Manager Hardess, to pull
through on the gold values in their
abundance of silver-lead ores, which
gold values are much more than
have been popularity surmised or
understood, especially in the low
grade ores of their great producer,
the North Star mine. It is a matter
of general community congratula-
ton that success appears to crown
Mr.. Hardess' efforts.
This seems to be the only effort
at gold production tributary to
Ketehum, with the exception OF
Major WA. Hyndman's operations,
in connection with his lessee asso-
ciate, R. B. Browne, at Atlanta.
TWAS surmised that Major Hynd-
man had received rather complete
knockout blow in the disaster last
August to his operations at the Sill
yer King mine at Sawtooth, when
his entire hosting, pumping and
air-driving plant was destroyed by
fire, just after nearly two years of
most thorough and successful mine
development, and improvement OF
milling and mining facilities. He
quietly went East on telegraphic
assurances of cooperation by his
co-owners to rebuild, in which no
evidence of good faith is SO far ap-
parent.
His embarrassments on the heels
of disaster are partially understood
in this community, but it is not
generally known that tremendous
relief came to him very shortly after
his great misfortune-and while the
fire debris was still smoking-in
the shape of gold in bullion, ETC.,
from his Last Chance mine at At
lanta. Mr.. Browne brought it with
pack animals and guards, and COM
prised concentrates, rich specimen
ores and bullion, one brick alone
assaying over $1,000 in value. 1t
all passed through Ketchum with
out any toot or hurrah, the ores
and concentrates being marketed
here, the bullion going direct to the
San Francisco mint.
Upwards of $4,000 was the re-
suit of last years work on the Last
Chance mine with but four men at
most-much of the time but three
facts we can substantiate.
The pack trains by repeated trips
from Ketchum to Atlanta stocked
the Last Chance with supplies and
mining material of all kinds for the
winter, for which our local mer-
chant, Walter Clark, can mainly
vouch. A largely augmented force
is now at work under Mr.. 4. B.
Brownies personal and careful su-
pervision. Direct reports are to
the effect that the mine is doing
exceedingly we'll and the results OF
operations will show up Immensely
in the spring.
The Last Chance is the only pro-
ducing mine now being operated in
the Atlanta and Rocky Bar regions.
1t is distinctly a gold mining prop
osition, carrying very little silver,
and is probably now the most val:
liable going gold venture in Central
Idaho, if not in the whole state,
and our enterprising townsman,
Major Hyndman, is to be congrat-
ulated over his most promising
gold prospects, Notwithstanding the
Knockout disaster to his Silver
King efforts for the time being.