The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-08
PACIFIC COAST NEWS.
History of the Two Most
Important Mines in
Nevada County.
THE PROVIDENCE YIELD.
Though Once Practically ,Aban-
doned It Has Produced
$5,ooo,ooo.
CLAIMS OF THE CHAMPION.
With an Aggregate Output of Four
Millions 1t Stands as
Leader.
CLAIMS OF THE CHAMPION.
Especial Correspondence of THE CALI

most important IN Nevada county at the
present time and among the most impor-
tant in the State. The total production
heretofore of these mines is supposed to be
about S5,000,000 for the Providence and
81 900, 600 for the Champion. Neither prop
erty has been even prospected yet. Both
are immense claims, the Providence being
more than $500 feet long and 1900 feet wide
and covering an area of $50 acres 1t is, in
fact, a consolidation of some twenty
claims.
The Champion ground is more than a
mile in length by 1000 feet in maximum
breadth. Both are very irregular in shape
The development work heretofore done on
the Providence has been confined entirely
to the north end of the claim, the longest
drift being 1400 feet and the bulk of the
work not exceeding 500 feet in length. On
the CHAMPION the extent of the prospect
ing is more general, but is largely super
fetal, so that both claims probably have
nearly the same amount of virgin ground
at depth.
The prosperity of Nevada City in the
past has depended largely on these two
mines. Its future prosperity is assured by
their splendid showing at present and the
immense possibilities lying dormant now
in each, but which will be certainly tested
in the future.
The earliest history of the Providence
mine is a matter of tradition, dating back
so far that nothing more definite is gener-
ally known than that ''piles of money
wese taken from its surface workings. The
first reliable knowledge begins with the
ownership OF Walraith Brothers and
Hunter who worked the mine to the GOO
level on the "back ledge" or west vein and
to the 100 level on the east vein. The
west vein is a contact, the walls being a
grano-diorite and slate. The east vein is
all in the grano-diorite. There are four
distinct vein groupings on the surface of
the claim, and the prosecuting has already
shown two or three more below, but the
work so far has been principally confined
TO the contact or west ledge and to the east
ledge. At the 600 and 100 levels of the
respective Lodges the veins "pinched"
somewhat, there had been some misman-
agement in not opening up ground ahead,
the sulphurets were not handled to the best
advantage-in short, for various reasons
not apparent now the mine was closed
down and remained closed for three years.
Ii 4oJ1 lEC DlcsSnI OWHcAS DOuSuI IL
controlling interest in the Providence
mine and started in to find out whether it
was q "mere SHE'LL which was the COM
mon report concerning it. Old drifts and
slopes were opened up and mbered,
the shaft started down, vigorous pros
pecting begun, and in sixty days the
pinched veins had begun TO open out into
profitable ore bodies and everything
pointed to permanent paying mine. 1t
is not too much TO say that the mine has
continually improved since, although not
in SO great Il degree as since the advent
Of William McKinlay as superintendent
some fifteen months ago. Under his able
and energetic management work in all
parts OF the mine has been prosecuted with
a vim and intelligence best illustrated by
Its present condition, which the writer
had an opportunity of viewing to-day
through the courtesy of the owners and
Mr.. Mckinlay. Four hours were spent in
going through all the workings with the
superintendent and the foreman, John
DGbb. If the Providence mine has not a
great future before it appearances are
wonderfully deceptive.
Without entering upon details it is suf-
hclent to say that the reserves of ore al
ready developed on the two principal
veins are extensive enough to insure sew
eral years continuous run of the company
forty-stamp mill, and that the lowest
workings have the richest and largest ore
bodies. AS to what lies beyoud in the
great area OF unprospected ground, or at
greater depth, is mere matter of conjec-
ture. But as Superintendent Mckinlay
says, the moral certainty of great deposits
OF good ore could only be increased by
demonstration.
There is one point that demands par
10 YOAo 10 ,11,, b. n =
most important event in the history of the
mine. That is the recent great strike at
the 17S0-foot level the deepest in the mine
and in the district. When the incline
shaft reached this level crosscut was run
west 525 feet to the contact ledge, which
was found to be nine feet wide, loaded
with sulphurets, with SPLENDID walls and
gouge, largest ct the bottom and widening
at the end OF the lateral drift SOUTH which
has been driven thirty-iive feet. On this
vein, from this level to the 1250-foot level,
is virgin ground. AT the 1250-foot level
the vein is only three and half feet wide,
butgood ore. Thus there is a known re-
serve here OF $50 feet OF ore in depth,
probably the best as q whole ever found in
the mine, strongest at the bottom and ex-
tending south indefinitely. This body of
ore runs from to 80 per cent sulphurets.
some OF 1T being IN solid masses that would
go 80 per cent. The eighty tons of ore per
uay cAlldOle1 iIoHl all parts OF the mime
average ~ per cent sulphurets and the
average value per ton of the ore is sup
posed to be about $40. Probably half of
that represents the net profit. Another
six months of development work ought to
justify another forty-stamp mill
Improvements in all parts of the mine
and works have been progressing continu-
ously since Mr.. McKinIays advent, and
will continue for some time vet. When
lie took charge only thirty-five stamps
were running, and it was hard work to
provide them with ore. 1t was predicted
the ore would not hold out three months.
He has added five stamps since. He is
thoroughly conyersant With every detail
OF mining through practical experience,
and produces results that prove him to be
the right man in the right place. A new
pipe line $500 feet long ami reservoir
capable OF holding 100000 gallons of
water will be completed this month"; This
will afford an abundant water supply and
give pressure at the mine of 420 feet.
The ground of the Providence Company
affords some good object lessons to theo-
rists. They would find here two veins in
slate, two in what is locally called granite
and one at the contact of the two forma-