The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-03-02

kingdom, was in an amiable
mood when she uncovered to the
eye of man her treasures on
Custer Mountain. At the points
of discovery on the Custer and
Unknown, there were exposed to
view great quarries OF ore, from
which, through force of her
agencies, the hanging wall had
become loosened, sliding down
the steep mountain. Experts
were able to recommend fancy
figures in purchasing this prop
erty, merely by estimating the
value of ore thus in sight. In
1880, during the skillful manage
ment of Colonel William B. Hyde
and It. r. Butler, a substantial
20-stamp dry-crushing mill was
erected, with the usual roasting
and matchmaking appliances
the machinery therefor being
made by Fraser & Chalmers of
Chicago. This mill, with the
addition of ten stamps erected
under the management of Supt.
VIM. McCaskell, in 1882, has
pounded away continuously up
to this time, with several thous-
and tons of ore in sight yet to be
crushed. About $4,000 tons of
dry ore have been reduced from
the group mentioned, and about
900 tons more that were brought
from other mines in the district,
The result has been 1860 bars of
dore bullion, whose assay value
approximates So, 900, 900. The
ore, which carries from fifteen to
forty per cent of gold, has been
so free of rebellious metals as to
produce bullion averaging near
ly 900 fineness. With a milling
capacity of over 900 tons per
month, it is saved to 90 per cent
of it's value, and converted into
bullion at a cost less than $25
per ton. A Hallidie's wire rope
tramway-3,60 600 feet long, and
carrying 20 Observation-Disclosures
the ore from the mines to the
mill. j. B. Haggin and George
Graysoe, of SanFrancisco, the
/, principal owners, have benefited
, this district greatly by receiving
custom ores at reasonable rates.
) The records of this property-at
present under the management
of Chris. Morler, superintendent,
M. L.. Crafts, assayer, and G. l..
) Rood, cashier-furnish in detail
an exhibit of a remarkable min
J ing and milling operation.
Oc Custer Mountain, and to
; the east and south, are a great
many other clrims-among them
the Badger, Continental, Blue
| Wing. Lucky Boy and Whistler
; which have produced good pay
ore, and have in sight now large
quantities of a low-grade char
+ acter. The Continental has at
least $40, 900 in sight. The
' Badger has recently sold several
3 hundred tons of good ore to the
f Custer mine, and is now leased
J to it for a long period.
f On Mt. Estes, five miles north
s of Bonanza, IRE situated a numb
D er of good claims; those which
8 have attracted the most atten-
ton being the Montana and
, Whale mines. The former, cele-
brated for it's rich gold ore, is
we'll developed by shafts, tun.
i, nels, and cross-cuts, and has moi
only paid handsomely from the
date of it's discovery, but now
/. has fine prospects ahead. Ithas
!, shipped about 720 tons of ore,
including 585 tons to the Custer
mill, of the gross value of $261,
! 900. In addition, there are large
bodies of low-grade ore in place
and the T dumps r. we'll filed
= 1t is owned by James Hooper.
superintendent, j. w. Faulkner
; d. Cameron, Amos Franklin ant
ID. B.. Varney. The Whale mine
with IL containing almost en-
tirely silver, has not been devel