The herald., 1897-07-31
A MINING TANGLE
San Francisco Lights That Were to
Shine But Didn't


Some time ago judgment was entered
in the suit of the Golden Cross Mining
and Milling company against James
Spiers and others, by stipulation Of coun-
sci, by which the valuable group of mines
at Hedges, in San Diego county, valued
at about $2,0O0,0OO, was handed over to
the defendants on certain conditions
At that time Ben Goodrich, Esq, and
the San Diego law firm of Gibson & I'll
tus represented the plaintiff, but since
the judgment was entered these attor-
neys have been dropped, and Delmas &
Shortridge Of San Francisco retained
instead. These new attorneys served no.
tice that on July 80 they would make a
motion to vacate the judgment. on the
ground that the plaintiffs counsel had
received no authority to make the stipu-
lation that was entered into and upon
which the judgment was based
In accordance with the terms of this
notice Attorney Frank p Flint, repre-
senting the San Francisco firm, yester-
day appeared in department four-Judge
Shaw sitting for Judge Van Dyke-and
explained that as neither counsel had
been able to get to Los Angeles yester-
day, the motion would be withdrawn for
the present.
The property at issue in the case is
very large, and consists of group of
mines at Hedges which includes the
Golden Cross, Golden Crown, Golden
Queen, General Miles, Blackhawk and
Others The misfortune that has over
taken the company appears to have been
owing to the fact that improvements
in the plant were made before actually
needed and before the output of bullion
warranted them.
The Golden Cross Mining and Milling
company started it's first mill of 20
stamps in March, 1893, an additional 20
stamps being started in March of the
following year. The total output of gold
bullion from the 40 stamps from the time
they were completed and started up to
the middle of November, 1895, the time
when the new 00-stamp mill was started
up, was $35O,0OO. The total cost of min
ing and milling the ore which yielded
this bullion averaged s1.6O to s1.65 per
ton, and during the period each stamp
averaged three tons per day. The 100
stamp mill, owing to defects, did not run
steadily until December 1, 1895, and even
then 70 stamps was the average number
dropping up to the 9Th of January, 1897
when the trustees took charge.
The causes necessitating trusteeship
are alleged to have been: Building the
10O-stamp mill; new pump station and
plant and the purchase of new pipe
line; nine miles length of 6-inch pipe,
before the mining development and the
money on hand justified the expendi-
ture. Since then operations have been
carried on, it is claimed, in a very lax
and discreditable manner. The Cross
mine, with proper and fair work, will
average, it is claimed, IS per ton; the
Crown mine, Sc and upward, and the
Fuller IS to $40 and upward. Yet the
Cross has been made to show as low as
$3.50; the Crown, $1.65, and the Queen
assays would have have also shown
decline had it not been superintended
by more experienced and honest men.
The total investment for the old 40
stamps and appurtenant machinery to
operate same was $4,000. The original
price of the mine was SAG 900. The new 100
stamp mill, with pumping plant, pipe
lines, reservoir, hoists, trans, ETC., cost
$780, 900, making total investment, out
side the development of the mines and
the operation of the property, 1926, 900.
The total investment, including the mon
eys so expended in the development and
operation of the property, amounted to
almost $550000 This large plant and
property, estimated to be worth about
81, 900, 000 was advertised to be sold at
public sale in June, 1896, but the trustees
were enjoined from taking such a step
and a receiver was appointed. Since then
the case has been in court, and it was
thought that it was disposed of when
the stipulation was made. 1t appears
now that it was not.