The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-13


C. S.. Wilkes returned yesterday
from Idaho. where he has been en-
gagged in placer mining along the
Snake river. Mr.. Wilkes fays that the
work in the construction of a large
irrigation ditch just above Blackfoot
by the Peoples Canal company is pro-
crossing rapidly and that when COM
pleted it will be drawn upon very
largely for water for sluicing on the
high bars, which are said to be very
rich in the yellow metal Mr.. Wilkes
also says that placer mining on the
river is being carried on with consider
able activity, burlaps being used in the
sluice boxes to catch the flour gold,
while the cradle is playing an imPor-
tant part in the recovery of the golden
treasures in the sand.
A gentleman who came in from Eu-
reka last night states that the Godiva
mine is showing up in a most satisfac-
tory manner. From the tunnel level
Wine has been sunk in this tunnel for
depth of 100 feet the bottom cut
ting into large cave from ten to
twelve feet wide, in the breast of which
there are fifteen feet of solid lead car
Donate ore running so per cent. lead
and from Is to 20 ounces in silver to the
ton. The Godiva company will sink
double compartment shaft from the
surface to the cave level, and doubt
less to an even greater depth. The
same gentleman also says that the Co
diva is showing up well, and that the
ore body in this property shows values
of i01a ounces in silver to the ton. and
a trace of gold.
For some time past several gentlemen
in this city have been figuring on large
beds of tailings at Juanita, Old Mex
leo, 240 miles north of the City of
Mexico. These tailings are deposited
in a natural basin, and represent an
accumulation extending over a period
of over 400 years, and are said to cover
an area of Severay miles in extent. The
crude stamp mills, with the simple
method of gravity concerltra ton is still
in use at that place. The quartz is
very rich and large amount or gold is
saved by this crude process, yet good
values escape in the tailings, which are
said to run $3.50 and so ounces in silver
to the ton. Still they are very base,
and no method had been devised for
the extraction of the gold and silver
values until the Salt Lakers mentioned
hit upon a process which is said to
embody the use of the electric fluid.
Since they began experimenting upon
these taflings, the deposit has changed
hands, and now 1T is doubtful if they
will be able to secure an interest in the
property,
Major w. R. Busenbark and Colonel
E. j. Carter CT the East Golden Gate
returned yesterday morning from
their San Francisco trip, where they
have been to attend to business rela-
tive to railroad building in Japan, in
which they are interested and their
negotiations have reached that stage
where it is believed that the work of
90, ctt,-, ,<,fir in,
September next. Major Busenbark, in
commenting on the lull in mining cir
cles, SO noticeable in this city for the
past week, says that in his opinion it
will be very quiet here until about
midsummer, when we will have one
of the greatest mining eXcitements
that Utah has ever known. When the
time comes, the conditions will be such
that the boom can be maintained, and
the different camps in the state will
experience a steady and substantial
growth. During the winter a great
deal of mining was done in this city
on paper and with wind, which made
things lively on the streets and in the
hotel Hobbies: out now the mine and
claim-holders are in the hills, just
as earneee and just as sangulne, but
they are doing their mining with the
pick and shovel, the drill and hammer;
matters in this city will be very
quiet.
The Alice mine, at Butte, Montana.
which is largely owned by the Walker
Bros, of this city, was the scene of a
catastrophe short time ago, according
TO the Mining World, which says: IAN
accident occurred at the Alice mine on
Wednesday that was somewhat mirac-
ulous inasmuch as no one was injured
in the slightest degree. The ground be-
meath the machine shop suddenly drop
ped. leaving a hole about twelve feet
deep and forty feet in diameter The
oldest workings of the Alice mine were
directly beneath this building, and
were worked about fifteen years ago.
AS this part of the ground was very
rich it was worked extensively and
near the surface. During the last few
wears thousands of tons of waste had
been dumped into these old workings
wherever they could be reached, just
fer the purpose Of preventing such an
accident as ocou FRED. Several similar
but smaller caves have happened dur
ing the past few years, as the old tim
bers had rotted out and gave way.
1t was ascertained that the cave eX-
tended from the surface to the 1OO-foot
level directly under the machine shop.
At the time of the accident there were
five men employed in the machine shop.
and they, with all the heavy machinery
were tumbled together in promiscu-
Gus mass. When the clouds of dust had
settled it was found that not one of the
men were injured in the slightest de-
gree. Superintendent Buzzo will have
the shop removed to another location
where it will in the future be in no
danger of a similar accident.