The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-29
PLACER MINERS MECCA.
IN THE -FOUR MILE DISTRICT IN
WYOMING.
j. G. Rankin Talks About the Coun-
try-A Dry Process Machine Being
Used With Success-Dave MofYatt,
of Denver, is Interested.

Rawlins, Wyo., Aug. a7.-The Four
Mile mining district on the southern
border of this county and extending
for many miles south into Colorado, is
just now receiving much attention and
is the Mecca of the placer miner and
prospector. A few days ago ex-Sheriff
j. G. Rankin returned from a ten-days'
visit to the mines. He is very enthusi-
astic over the prospect of that region
as placer mining camp. That there is
gold there, and plenty of it, from the
grass roots to bed rock, there is no pos
sible doubt. While the country resem-
bles a vast sandy, rolling, sagebrush
plain, the sand is pulverized quartz,
carrying in quantities from 10 cents to
$40 per cubic yard. He made a number
of locations, of which he claims he
wouldn't give a man a cent to insure
him So per cubic yard, judging from the
prospects he panned out. The gold is
not all fine, f1aky stuff either, much Of
it being course and angular. The gold
is not confined to a small district, but
covers an extent of country twenty by
thirty miles in extent, that has already
OCCll lilOlS VI lSoS pIOSpSClSu. wi. u. d.
Adams, who is manager for an Omaha
syndicate, has recently taken in dry
process machine, which it is claimed
will handle 1000 cubic yards of gravel
every ten hours. The machine is said to
be success in every particular. The
manufacturers guarantee that it will
save 50 per cent. of the gold passing
through the machine. 1t requires some
water, which has been already secured
and it's operations will be watched with
the greatest interest by all, for if it
does the work claimed for it, a large
number of similar machines will be or
dered at once and placed in position to
begin operations with the opening of
spring.
ACTIVITY IN CAMP.
During the past fortnight there
has been great activity in the camp,
caused by the arrival of prominent
men from Denver, Aspen, San Fran
cisco, and Portland, Ore. A large
amount of placer ground on Four Mile,
Jack Rabbit, Timberlake, Dry Gulch.
Big Hole, etc., has been located, ali of
which is claimed to be very rich. 1t is
currently reported that Mr.. d. II. Moi
fat, Of Denver, we'll known banker
and mining operator, has purchased a
large block of claims. a Mr.. Gillespie,
of Aspen, a wealthy mine operator,
with a party of miners also visited the
camp, and has ordered a survey of
which will be about twenty-five miles
in length and tap the head waters of
Skaters Fork. This ditch will cover
many thousand acres of good placer
ground on Four Mile and Timberlake,
where he owns a large number of
claims. The Gold Valley company, an
Aspen organization of which Mr.. Shear
is president, will construct a ditch
from Snake river, tapping the stream
near Dixon, covering all the land here
tofore held by them as we'll as a large
amount recently purchased, all of
which will be vigorously worked. An
other company have just completed the
survey for a ditch from a point near
Dixon to the Big Hole and Dry Gulch
district, which will furnish water for
many thousand acres of five rich placer
ground. The placer ground on Four
Mile, which has been partially devel-
oped this year by William Booth, E.
II. SmiZer, l.. Calvert, John Easum,
G. Hayes and others, promises to be
very rich. The claims owned by John
Hardenhurg and associates of Aspen.
Colo, are pronounced the richest so far
developed. Mr.. Hardenburg is an old
time prospector and placer miner who
has served him we'll in the choice of his
locations. Colonel r. H. Wilson and his
brother, George, two well known old
time residents of Undertake, have
probably as rich ground as any yet
worked. They are washing out big
money every day and saving all their
gold. They are using machine, an in
genious continuance invented and made
by themselves. The Rock Springs COM
pany, of which Frank Hinman is man.
ager, own large tract of rich ground
On Four Mile which they worked the
present season, taking out a large
amount of gold. The company are ,nak-
ing preparations to greatly increase
their capacity.
CHUNKS AS LARGE AS TURNIPS.
A Rock Springs paper, in speaking of
their last clean up, says: Great
chunks of gold, as large as average
sized turnips, are the attraction in
Wipperman's show window this week.
The aggregate weight of the Jumps IS
something over ninety ounces, and
their intrinsic value nearly $1,000. They
are the result of one weeks clean up
from the hydraulic placer works on
Four Mile creek, about seventy miles
south of Rawlins. This year is practi-
cally the first development of these
diggings. and the results have already
demonstra ted that it is by far the most
successful venture yet operated in the
state. The returns have indeed already
more than paid for the mining uduip-
ment. The gold is of an exceedingly
fine quality, running up to 90 in fine
ness. Last year the company put in a
seventeen-mile ditch on Four Mile
creek, and have full hydraulic equip
ment. They are now about to put in
another ditch to bring water from
Skaters Fork. This will supply water
for full seasons run. The placers are
particularly easy to work, on account
of the favorable lay of the ground 1t
has a good fall, and is free from bould-
ers and trees. The ground is about
twelve feet in thickness from the sur
face to bed rock and the gold seems to
be evenly distributed throughout
Those who have seen the diggings pro-
nounce them the most promising find
of recent years.
A Mr.. Boise is working over taiIings
at Nelson's camp, on Four Mile, and is
averaging about s14 per day, which he
modestly calls making wages. A num-
Der of Rawlins parties nave recently
made a large number of locations. A
Cheyenne party left today to secure
some choice locations before the grand
rush, which is already beginning. There
is a daily stage line from Rawlins to
Dixon, within a few miles of the camp.
the stages making Dixon in the same
day. -