The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-29

doned silver region long before the ex-
istence Of gold was discovered there.
In fact, the silver mines of Mercur were
in the zenith their glot3 when history
relates that Johnson'S army had for
some time been stationed at Camp
Floyd, in Cedar Valley, or soon after,
but for reasons all st uneXplainable
at the present time, tie silver mines al
though not exhausted, We're deserted,
and for years the once busy camp slept
the sleep from which there appeared
to be no waking.
The resurrection born for the dis
trict was blown. however, when it was
found thai the blowout of cinnabar ore
across the gulch from the old Sparrow
Hawk mines, now the Disqualification,
carried low values in gold, with the
mineral in sufficient quantities to lead
to the belief that ii could be handled
with profit by milling.
THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY
connected with the starting of the Mer-
cur enterprise, for thus the mine was
named on account of the large percent
age of cinnabar or quicksilver con-
tanned in the ore, would prove most in
terestinS reading, and it would recite
the usual disappointment, discourage
ments and failures which are nearly
always the accompaniment of big min
ing undertakings, for, although the
Mercur was small prospect at its in
cepton, it has grown and prospered
untll II IS now looked upon as one of
the largest and most substantial and
successful mining propositions in the
west.
1t is hardly more than seven years
ago that Joe Smith and one or two of
his associates became Impressed with
the Importance Of the Mercur ore de-
VIII HlN NIT f1aa n -
then made. although mammoth in their
proportions would pale into insignifi-
canoe when compared With the noun
tains Of ore disclosed in the mine at
the present time.
Believing that the mine would open
out into a paying proposition the Mer-
cur Mining company was formed Ne
braska men. including John Dern, T.
II. Airs, Gil S. Peyton, Hal w. Brown
and John Heinrich, being among the
fncorporators of the organization.
The first work done by the company
was the
ERECTION OF A MILL
at Manning, several miles from the
mine, amalgamation being the process
employed. 1t was soon found however.
that the process was a failure, owing to
the fact that there was but little free
or native sold in the ore the bulk of
a 'rebellious" state.
1t was then, when failure was staring
the company in the face, and when
much time and money had been lost.
and the enterprise had lost standing
with mining men. if, indeed, it had ever
had any, that Gil s. Peyton and Hal
". Brown, two of the Nebraska ten
derfeet' members of the company. ar
rived on the ground, and they labored
hard and intelligently to bring
ORDER OUT OF CHAOS,
success out of failure, but they could
no more get gold out Of the ore than
they could get blood out of a turnip,
and the stock of the company went
begging AT less than so cents a share
With the pertinacity of bulldogs,
however, Peyton and Brown held on,
although hope was looking through the
big end of the telescope.
Blood tells. however, and so does
early training and education, and Mr..
Peyton'S experience in chemistry led to
an investigation Of the cyanide process
OF reduction, which was just being in
PRODUCED into this country and which
was meeting with the condemnation
and opposition which generally is the
attendant of the bringing to public no
t1ce af any new process of ore reduc-
ton.
An investigation of the merits of the
process led TO the changing of the mill
At Manning and a solution of cyanide
captured the gold contents of the ore
which could not be recovered by the
amalgalnation process, and it was not
long before the company was out of
debt, and soon after the
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS
began, which have been declared and
paid monthly almost without any inter-
ruption ever since, and today the COM
Dany can point with pride to the fact
that it has distributed 1856, 600 in vel
vet money TO date, while besides a
goodly cash surplus, it has on hand the
$237. 500 recently received from Captain
]. r. De Lamar as purchase price for
less than seven acres Of ground en-
braced in the Mercur group, and which
viii doubtless be used in the way OF
increased dividends from now on.
At the same time the company has
increased the capacity of its plant from
q Few tons daily to 300 tons every "A
hours. besides which it stood, to q
large extent, sponsor for ]. G.. Jacobs
Salt Lake & Mercur railway, the con-
Meeting link between Fairfield, on the
o. 5. J., and Mercur. and it may truly
be said that this little road has since
done much towards plpmoting the
GROWTH AND PROGRESS
of the city of Mercur, which, from a
struggling camp Of four or five tumble
c wn houses four or five years ago.
can now boast Of several thousand pop-
ulation, a city government. churches.
nrst-class hotels, theatres, large bust
ness houses, telephone and telegraphic
service fine water system, and many
advantages which are included in the
makeup Of metropolitan and bust
ness center.
AS matter of fact, AIercur has made |
wonderful strides to the front since the
Mercur mine came to the front as q. |
success, and since Captain ]. r. De
Lamar Recognized the Importance and |
future Of the camp.
Next to the Mercur mine, the Golden |
Gate. owned by De Lamar, is the big
gest thing in the district. Backing his
Judgment
WITH HIS POCKET-BooK.
the captain has expended thousands
upon thousands in the purchase and |
development of Mercur prospects. So
far, he has not taken out a pound Of |
ore. but il is commonly reported that
he has ore blocked ont in the workings
Of the Golden Gate to the value of fen
or thirteen millions, while his 5O9-ton |
mill. now in course of erection, is one
Of the largest and best plants of this