The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-17
AN EXPERTS OPINION.
What He Has to Say of the Three
Leading Districts of Utah.

Leading Districts of Utah.
Under the caption ''Tintic, Mercur
and Bingham" the Denver Republican
of Tuesday contains the following,
which while it places Utah mines sec
ond to those Of the Centennial state, is
nevertheless a fair send off for the
three leading camps of this state. The
article is:
John j. Vandermoer, local represen-
tative of the Engineering and Mining
Journal, returned on Saturday from a.
five weeks trip through the mining dis
tricts of Utah in the interests of his
paper.
Il visited the Mercur, the Tintic and
the Bingham Districts said Mr.. Van
dermoer, land was very agreeably sur
priSed at the extent and value Of the
Utah mining regions. l do not think
that the claim put forward for the
Mercur district-that it is equal to
Cripple Creeks we'll founded. 1t is
great mining camp and everybody is
busy, but the deposits of ore do not
run so high and 1 do not think they
are so easily treated as the Cripple
Creek ores. All the treatment there is
by cyanide, and while some of the ore
runs as high as $50 to the ton, the
average is moi more than from $12 to
SIS.
Five mills are in constant operation
at Mercur and there are immense
bodies of low grade ore waiting the
solution of the question of the proper
trea tment. No nine is of much ac-
count there without a mill on the
ground, and there is not a custom mill
in the place, while the private mills
have all they can do to handle their
own ores. There was some talk re-
Gently about the erection of a mill by
Captain De Lamar as soon as the pro-
per method of treatment could be de-
cided.
THE ore is very difficult to treat,
being heavily impregnated with ar
senic, and interested parties have been
working ON them for some time. 1t is
claimed that a method of treatment
has been discovered, and the town is
now waiting anXiously for the build
ing of mill Several of the mer-
chants of the town have laid tn heavy
stocks of merchandise in anticipation
of the construction of a mill and the
consequent increase in population and
in consequence the town seems a little
dull just now, but if a custom mill is
erected it will enliven things very
much. Several of the mines there are
making a handsome profit out of ore
running not more than Sc to the ton,
and there are such vast bodies of low
grade stuff in the district that with
the necessary milling facilities the camp
will very largely increase its output
In the Tintic district everything is
exceedingly lively. The Mammoth
mine is in this district and is keeping
up its reputation as producer. The
Centennial-Eureka is also in this dis
trict. This is one of the great mines
/ r,f +l,a +a+o IA
81, 000 and though it has not been
paying dividends recently it has an i'm
menSe reserve and when worked to
its full capacity will undoubtedly pay
very handsomely. 1t is capitalized at
! 81, 800, 900 in shares of $50 each. The
last quotation of the stock was $S5 per
share, and an option was recently
given on the stock at S100 per share.
| or $3.000,000 for the mine. l think the
| option was to expire about this time.
but 1 have not heard whether it has
been taken up or not.
In the Bingham district the mines
are all doing well, and more are being
opened up every day 1 noticed down
there that large number of men are
working over the old dumps. In the
early days Of Utah mining when
smelling charges were high, ore was
! thrown on the dump which would now
be considered very fair. These dumps
are being worked everywhere with
Cornish jigs, and 1 was told that the
men engaged in working them are
making big wages.
1.-THE mining interests of Utah are
certainly looking well and there is
every indication that the output will
be largely increased during the pres
ent year. Salt Lake City looks pros
porous and l noticed that there were
a large number of big buildings going
up. AS far as my observations went
Utah has brilliant prospect before
it, from mining standpoint