The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1893-07-21
''SONNYS /" LETTER
In the Gold Fields Of Baker
County, he Thinks
THAT HE HAS STRUCK IT RICH
Mysteries Of the Heavens---A New
Congregational Church.

EDITOR Press: This week still
finds the writer in the "Denver of
Oregon, "or round about in some
mountain gulch, or mountain top
with pick or shovel in hand, search
ing for hidden treasures. And
like any other crazy "prospector."
| think I've struck it rich! | am
now interested in three very prom
Using ledges, one of which was re-
Gently discovered, about one and
a half miles from the celebrated
Mable mine, the Baisley Bros,
| which IS turning out the best of
any mine SO far discovered in the
Northwest. Last Saturday prop
erly attired as a typical miner, or
prospector, / went from our pros
pect which we have named the
"Grey Eagle" to the Mable
mine, taking along with me sam
pies Of our ore to make comparisons,
arriving at the mines where some
20 men were at work, which num-
ber is being increased as fast
as room can be made under
the ground for more men, and met
these enterprising mine owners.
Owing to rush of business and
their well known policy of "keep-
ing sealed lips" concerning their
finds which have been numerous
and we'll paying in the past but
none of which was informed any
where equaled the Mable mines, I
did not learn as much as | had ex-
pected. The Baisley Bros, are
considered extremely "lucky," but
the fact of it is there is no such
thing as luck making a success
full mine owner. 1t takes hard
work, lots of it and considerable
chance. Gold is where you find
it and you find it where you dig
for it in this country, which 1 con-
slider not only as my opinion, but
of mining men whom | meet every
day in considerable number, from
other places, as the richest min
eral section in the world today.
This is gold district. But very
little metals are to be found, ex-
cepting iron. The closing down
of nearly every silver producing
mine in Idaho, Utah. Colorado,
New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona,
Wyoming and Montana is causing
rush of mines and, mining men
to this section with the result of
new discoveries being made daily.
Millions Of placer gold has been
taken out of the hills and noun
tains gulches Of Baker and adjoin-
ing counties in years past, but
quartz mining is comparatively
new business here. The district
in which have interests is in the
lone irregular mills east of Baker
City, which were new though un-
til year ago to contain gold, is
now considered in the lead. The
White Swan mine which every
week sends in $4,000 and
more of the glittering, the enable"
which is many times richer still,
is "proof Of the pudding"
What is needed here to bring
this section to the front as the
greatest gold producers in the
world today, is lack of capital of
the discovering of these lodges to
properly work them, if to work
them at all. The Baisley boys
deserve much credit, as we'll as the
riches which they are taking out
daily for the work they have done,
Thursday they started their stamp
mill and are running through"
their best quartz taken out Of the
new discovery which assayed over
$4,000 to the ton. Of course such
ore is not abundant, but as they
go down the vein widens. The
other ore taken out while not ap-
preaching this, is very rich.
| While at the mine after the depart
ure Of the boys for dinBer. | had
quite a chat with the foreman Of
the mine and while not permitted
to handle the ore on the different
dumps could see the quartz fairly
'1ouzy' with gold and notwith-
standing the strict orders, | could
not resist the temptation Of pick
ing up two small pieces, which had
tumbled off the pile. AS our
mine is located on the same ledge
Tor as we have every reason to be-
lieye it ISL | wanted to make COM
parisons. Suffice it to saythat
the ore from our mine is pronoun-
ced by all "experts" and alleged
experts to be from the Mabel mine,
and | have had some amusing dis
putes over it. What the prospect
will amount to is of course all
speculation until we 60 down sew
efal feet. If this prospect of ours
turns out to be second Comstock
| will join the gold bug throng anC
attempt to keep down the presen
popular uprising against the yel
low metal as the only "good'
money in the world. However, II
the meantime | viii be anxious Il
get hold Of as many silver dollar