Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-28

, sinking for II, and. moreover. II yields thu
values wherever found.
SIMILAR TO SOUTH AFRICA.
Prof. Lane OF London, a g~eologist OF some
note. who has spent much time In the South
& African gold fields. examined the Camp Floyd
gold belt and pronounced Il very simillr 70
the region about johannesburg. TIL Camp
Floyd ore bodies we're larger, he rer ported. an
the ore richer, than in the Witwaiersrand
The Mercur mine is work d just as a coal
mine. by running drifts. prosecuting and
leaving pillars Of ore supporting the roof or
hanging wall.
Mr.. Peyton, one Of the former owners OF
the Mercur. gave me some interesting figures
concerning the cost Of production and the
possible profits. The average thickness of
the vein in the Mercur min is from twelve
to fifteen feet, and the average value of the
ore is S14. The average cost of mining and
milling per ton is $3.50, | aving a net profit
Of Sl0.50 per ton. The capacity OF the mill
Is 200 tons per day, and the profit per days
run has been over 1000.
The process Is what is known as the Nc
Arthur-Forrest. which has been modified
somewhat to suit tn, Mercur ore. The ore
Is crushed and dissolved by a weak solution
OF cyanide of potassium, the solution passes
INTO other tanks, wherein the gold, which is
so extremely fine as to be invisible to the
max d eye. is precipitated by coming into con-
tact with zinc shavings.
The whole district has been covered by
locations. several deep in some instances, the
totai HuHlDer III the immediate vicinity of the
mora important discoveries aggregating be-
tween 1000 and 5000. Four mills are now
III operation, treating over 300 tons daily, and
Two others being erected Will increase the
amount to over 500 tons.
The town of Mercur, destined to become tbe
johannesburg of America, a small hamlet
Two years ago. now has over 1000 inhabi-
tants, and a high-pressure boom. Lots 25
by l25 feet are bringing from 81, 500 to so, 500.
and still going higher. The town Is thronged
| Win Sfr1npcrg naniIaltst.
miners. gamblers and the heterogeneous
mass Of humanity usually found in a new
mining camp, and sleeping places are at a
premium. A newspaper and a bank are
among the latest frills. and a bip botel is m
built.
A new town named Sunshine has been
started a few miles from Mercur, and is al
ready putting on airs by announcing a news
paper.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
The absence of water in the district has
retarded and threatened to prevent its de-
Veiopment, but enterprising capitalists, at a
cost OF 100000, have constructed a pipe line
from Ophir creek, a distance of over five
miles, raising the water over an elevation Of
LOO feet. which gives an abundant supply
for the mills and towns. A branch railroad
seven miles In length. connecting the town
OF Mercur with the Union Pacific. has also
been built and equipped during the past year
at an outlay of $3.50, 900.
W captain DGldI1dT III over
81, 800, 900 in the district has add7d greatly
to the general interest and confd ence in the
gold field. Delamar is one Of the greatest
mining operators the west has known. and
everything he touches seems to turn to gold,
hence he Is known as the American Monte
Cristo.' He now owns a surface area of
nearly 300 acres, and some of TIE ground is
estimated by mining men to be worth 81, 06O.-
900 an acre. ~
A great majority of the claims are owned
by men without sufficient noonv 10 JeuoIoo
them, but they are gradually passing into
stronger hands. The leading mines that
have been brought intu condition for produc-
ton are the M rcur, Golden Gate, Sunshine,
Sacramento, Marion, Geyser and Rover, but
development work is being rushed with all
possible speed on numerous other claims.
The output of the district at thu present time
Is about $4,000 daily, but this will be in
creased many times over during the coming
year. and the product of Camp Floyd vein
Will add appreciably to the worlds supply of
precious metals.
New companies are b ing incorporated every
day, and the rapid rise in the shares Of the
great properties has created a tendency TO
imitation. Many fortunes have BEN made by
spectators, and this encourages the unthink-
ing mass to buy anything in the way of Camp
Floyd stocks. This condition Of affairs has
bsen taken advantage of by wildcat enter.
prises. and while the capabilities of thu dis
trict are almost beyond computation, no in
~vestments should be made without investiga-
ton. Properties upon which absolutely no
development work has be;n done are being
capitalized for millions. and the promoters
are Offering their stock to the public.
Here is an instance: A few days ago a
party OF Salt Lake spectators visited some
new discoveries Of the vein ten or twelve
miles west OF the original finds. They staked
on half a dozen claims in a snow storm, or
ganized themselves into a district, recorded
their own locations and came home. The
next day a company was incorporated, with
a capital Of 1000. 900. notwithstanding they
had not even perfected their locations.
1t is understood to be the Intention of
Captain Delamar to list his properties on the
London and Paris exchanges. where he placed
an Idaho property for over 81. 1000, 900. His
example will doubtless be followed by others,
with the result that widespread attention will
be directed to Camp Floyd.
AS stated above, biologists and miners
differ as to the origin and form Of the vein.
1t Is not conclusively settled whether one
vein underlies the whole district. Some claim
that there are at least three veins. but the
preponderance of opinion seems to favor the
single blanket vein theory. On one point.
however. all are agreed. that no such gold
deposit has ever before been discovered.
NEBRASKA MEN EXCITED.
Since the news of the fortunes won by the
Nebraska pioneers has gone abroad, other
Nebraskans are coming into the field, prom
inent among whom is ex-Congressman Dor
sey. The Mercur men are putting their
LiohCy pdSh III tuC 6IOulu, anu tSp6Ct TO
make many more millions before they quit
the field.
The district has had a most remarkable
history. The town Of Lewiston rose, -four
ished and passed into decay twenty-five years
ago on the very spot upon which Mercur has
built within the last eighteen months. 1t
was opened as a silver camp In 1871 by the
development of the Sparrow Hawk and Steele
mines. In the former a pocket of ore, fifty
fee. wide. was tapped. and II is claimed that
1924, 900 was taken out Of this pocket. The
two mines produced over 81. 900, 900. There
were 1000 people at Lewiston in 1871, and
the district was vsry lively, but the rich
pockets were worked out, Lewiston died and
was abandoned. the houses being torn down
and moved away. The mines were located
In a gulch, cut down through the formation |
by erosion, showing the two veins exposed, |
one above the other, and dipping into the |
hill at an angle Of 20 degrees. The lower
vein carri'd tine silver, and the upper at !
tracted little attention, containing only a
low grade. refractory gold ore. This is the |
vein that is now creating so much excitement. |
The minis and mills in the district now
give employment to about 500 men, and as
many more are doing assessment work on
claims. All told, there are probably 1000
people on the scene.
EhttNr RaLar nuf ne U.t |