The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-24

small spring yields sufficient supply.
The Aercur mine was worked a num-
Der of years ago as a quicksilver pros
pect but while its ore contains that.
metal ii is not in paying quantities.
Later it was found that the ore ran
from SO to $40 per ton in gold with an
average of about SIS. Four years ago
Messrs. Peyton, Brown and John
Dern, and other Nebraska parties
bought il out hoping to be able to
extract the gold by the amalgamation
process. But the process was a failure
SO far as this ore was concerned and
after the erection of a mill and the
expenditure of considerable money it
appeared that the harvest would be
experience only. Messrs. Peyton and
Brown were the persons through whom
Mr.. Dern and the other Nebraska par
ties became interested in the properties
and it is to these men chiefly, through
their patient labor and unflagging
faith in the dark days of the company,
that Mr.. Dern chiefly ascribes the sue
cess ultimately attained.
But with a tenderfoot's luclr. some
one connected with the company, saw
notice in a mining journal of the fact
that ex-senator Tabor was about to
test the McArthur-Forrest cyanide
process in Denver on low grade gold
ores. A car was shipped to Denver
and treated with the result that IS per
cent of the metal was saved as against
Is per cent, which was the maximum
efficiency Of the amalgamation process
AS a next step the Mercur mill was
rebuilt to suit the new process, that is
new to this country, although known in
Europe and used many years in Africa
and else where. New difficulties were
encountered, the watts clogged up, the
process refused to work, but after sixty
days of patient experiment in the office
it was found that the ore had been
crushed too fine and that pieces up to
1.-THE size of small marble were best
adapted. Since, the success has been
uniform.
The Mercur company is capitalized
for 5000 600, the shares bring SIS each.
The owners express themselves as being
well satisfied that the Colorado syndi-
cate did not exercise their privilege of
buying at $75O,000 The mineral lies
between an everything stratum of slate
and foot wall Of limestone, and is of
an average thickness of approximately
six or eight feet. 1t is placed in nearly
horizontal position with an incline to
the east and south. The mine has
several miles of tunnels and Slopes and
discharges its wealth through six
mouths. The teams haul to the mill at
a cost of 80 cents per ton. The entire
cost of mining, hauling and milling does
not exceed 81 per ton. Other expenses
reduce the profits; yet from an average
daily yield of IS tons, a monthly divi-
dend of $12,500, is paid and a neat sum
is put aside to build the projected mill
and tramway.
John Dern is the president and the
new manager of the company, Mr.
Peyton having desired a rest from
wears Of labor. John TreWeek is the
H.,
Howard is in charge al the mill About
thirty-five men find employment at the
mine and half as many more at the
mill
A miner receives 50 per DAY. The
company will either enlarge its present
mill or move over to Mercur and build
a new one. Ii is also surveying now Tor
a tranway from mine to mill and the
levels and difficulties found will assist
largely in determining the policy to be
pursued.
A new company may be formed to
operate not only the tramway but an
extension to Fairfield siding.
John Dern made his money at Free
mont, Neb., as a lumber and stock man.
He is German of middle age, powerful
IN physique, with good health and good
nature beaming from every Inca
ment of his broad face He is an
earnest Democrat and today is a mem
Der and treasurer of the Nebraska
state committee. He has avoided Of
flee as q rule, but on one occasion re-
luctantly accepted a nomination as
state senator and was triumphantly
elected in district thought to be safe
ly Republican.
He will now make Salt Lake his home
and expects his family to join him here
within a few days. Mr.. Airs, one of
the directors, has bought the house