The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1894-11-17

every day an hour or more poOh-pOoh
ing the laborious and pains-talking Ia
Dor of the state, ridiculing the work Of
the experts as fol-de-rol, and jceringly
suggesting that a couple of old miners
could tell more about the CLAIM than al;
the experts in the case. The work was
prosecuted to a finish under the pre-
scription from Dr. kimbalI, which were
adopted by the land commission.
In accordance with these instructions
from Mr.. kimball regarding boring the
necessary contract was made, and from
the bottom of one of the shafts the earth
was penetrated to a considerable dis
lance.
Including the ninety-seven feet sunk
originally at the time of the firstinvesti-
CATION, 525 feet Of shafting and boring
were driven in less than twenty five
days. The maximum depth is lS5 feet
which reaches far beneath the gulch in
which the gold was said to have been
found in paying quantities, Although
the utmost precaution was taken by the
state officials and their employees to pre-
vent "saiting," one of the sealed bottles
upon being opened by the professor for
analysis after having remained in his
room at the Union Club ten DAYS, had
been "doctored." The nInety-seven
cubic wards Of gravel taken from the
original shaft running depth of ninety
seven and one half feet, yield total in
gold of less than cents, and ont of all
the samples and tests made throughout
the 525 feet of shafIing, the highest
yield found anywhere was 39-l00 of
state has ever been able to obtain
through the ablest chemists and analys-
lists, and the assistance of the most eX-
perienced placer miners. Within the
meaning OF the law, the ground should
pay better for placer mining than for
other purposes. The legal position of
the state. as maintained by the attorney
general, is to determine whether the
land is worth more for mining purposes
than for any purpose to which the state
might put it. Having as a maximum
yield 39-l0O Of a cent per cubic yard, it
is no difficult matter to beside whether
this section is placer grounds or not.
The Northern Pacific hydraulic cuts on
the Puget Sound shore, with a pump
station 400 feet distant and sluice 800
feet in length, costs Is cents per cubic
ward. On the so-called Mcbride claim,
without bed rock to begin with, phys
zeal iInpOssibility in placer mining, a
sluice mile and half in length, at a
grade of $50 feet to the mile, and a
pumping station two miles distance
would be required, SO that if it costs -
cents a yard 10 move the same character
Of gravel from the bluffs on the Puget
Sound shore it would cost many times
such amount to sluice the gravel out of
McBride's claim.
McBride's assistants followed the en-
ployes of the state IN prospecting the
claim, and produced materially the
same results. The summation of these
arrived at by Ben Stretch, is as follows:
Dividing the claim into two zones"
and averaging the lower twenty feet at
42.04 cents per cubic yard and the up
per 100 feet at 5.34 cents per cubic yard,
then adding both together and divide
va .''.-h. - CO.,,
would be $50 per yard for the entire
claim. This would be all very well for
Mr.. Stretch but for the cruelty of sci
ence. The intinlteslmal specks of gold
found in the Mcbride claim and
throughout the glacial drift of Puget
SCUM are tlakv, soft and very yellow.
No similar gold is 10 he found in the
market. The market gold, all of it, con
talns PARTICLES of quick silver, which
from time to time as the gold NAV be
handled, separates from it or passes out
from the interstices. The market cold
from the retort is much darker in color
besides having the quicksilver for a
companion. Because of these facts the
scientific gentlemen representing the
state have never failed to detect the
presence of the salt" as it alwav bears
these characteristics. Moreover, the
old practical miners employed by the
state in watching the Mcbride claim
during their banning operations obsery
ed the presence Of quicksilver in the
pan Continually. No denial of this dis
c'vrr.e@ "a> Attempted. The expiana-
ton was, III effect, That mercury was
indigenous 10 the soil.
Previous to the present investigation
the most ahsured pretences were ad-
vanced as to the value of the gold i'm
beded in this gravel. The estimates of
many of the perjured witnesses ran
from - cents to 81 per cubic yard, and
10 cents per cubic yard was common
evidence.
In the hearing today, German call
ed to the stand by Mr.. Holcomb, testi-
fled that he had sluiced s., 600 worth Of
gold out of this guIch. When asked
where he had disposed of it, he said he
had sold 81, 800 worth to a certain man
IN Tacoma. The next moment he de-
MED this, however, and asserted that
i'N Aish'i HcA'l VIC CiI I'll Z CledH up IN Brit
lsh Columbia, where, of course, the al
legged sale could not be disproved by
the state. When asked again if he had
sold this -, 900 worth of gold in a brick,
he replied that he had, and that he re-
ceived gold dust in return for it. The
truth Is that he was an ignorant Ger.
man, who is a squatter on the land.
Even the sang'roid of Mr.. Holcomb.
which has enabled him to pass through
this farcicai affair for two years without
change of countenance, gave way be-
fore the ridiculous testimony of this
man.
The state administration has determ-
med to carry this fight, if necessary.
into the executive mansion at Washing
ton City.