The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-12

deal was cOnSummated yesterday
which, undoubtedly, means much for
the future of Bingham, and which will
lead to the operation and development
of some of the richest gold placer
ground existing in this western coun-
try.
For the last two years an effort has
been made to consolidate the interests
of the Watson placer company and the
West Mountain Placer company, own
ing large stretch of placer diggings
in main Bingham, and as stated above,
the desired object has been accom-
plished. the details of the transaction
gbeing arranged yesterday, and 1t is be-
lieVed that this consolidation Will re-
bound to the benefit and advantage OF
all the parties interested in the trans
action.
A number OF attempts have been
made in the past to operate and work
these placer grounds, but every effort
in this direction has hitherto proven
futile, owing to the immense amount
of water flowing on or just above bed
rock.
Two years or more ago the West
Mountain company sank shaft to ped
rock on its property in the canyon, and
had only time to prove the value OF the
gravel at this point when it was driven
from the field by an thrush of water
such as the most powerful pumps could
not subdue; but the gravel obtained
during the trial was extremely rich in
the yellow metal, the gold being coarse
and often occurring in large nuggets.
The failure of this attempt led to the
conclusion that nothing could be done
in this direction without the consolida-
ton and cooperation OF the placer
claim owners along the canyon and
this being accomplished, eifecf1Ye ana
successful work is now the order of
the day, the plan of the consohqated
! company being to divert the water by
means of workings, above, not far from
the head of the diggings.
This method has been thoroughly dis
cussed and The Herald is Informed that
it is the intention of the company TO
sink a shaft to or on the rim rock at
the narrow portion of the canyon at
point near the intersection of Dry can
Won. A drift will be run from the bot
tom of the shaft clear across the can
Won, from rim to rim, interseeting the
water course and diverting the flow to
the stump formed by the bottom OF the
shaft.
A pump with a capacity of lifting
/ 800 gallons Of water month will be
installed at the shaft and the water
will be conveyed down the canyon and
i discharged below the company's hold
| ings by means Of fumes, which can
! also be utilized in the washing of the
/ gravel.
By this means it is confidently be-
/ lieved that the big stretch of ground
below the pump can be easily and pro-
fitably worked, which will be done by
a series of shafts exposing the bed
] iol, drift
can be run at pleasure and the gold
ladened gravel recovered, and in such
quantity that the enterprise will be
highly remunerative to the CONSOLE
| dated company.
The Watson company headed by that
veteran miner, c. W. Watson, is prob
| ably the pioneer company in the field,
it's personnel including such we'll known
! mining and business men as Mr.. Wat
son and Messrs Chandler, Jones, Mul-
lett, Davis, Salisbury, Schenck and
others; while the West Mountain COM
pany, although of later origin, com
bines in it's makeup some of the most
successful mining operators in the west,
which statement can be easily verified
when it is stated that several or the
old Mercur gang are at the mead OF
the enterprise, among the number be
ing Hon. John Dern, q. II. Airs, VIII
S. Brown and John Heinrich, who have
associated with them a number of their
Nebraska friends.
The engine pump and boiler used on
the West Mountain when an effort was
made two years ago to work the prop
erty, will be moved at once to the site
selected for the new works, as outlined
above, and sinking and drifting will be
pushed with all possible speed, and as
soon as this preliminary work is com
pleted the regular work of sinking tc
bed rock below and the recovery of the
yellow metal will be carried on on q
large scale.
The consummation of this mining
deal means much for Bingham, and il
will doubtless result in a large increase
of the gold production of the camp.
It is a gigantic undertaking, but there
is no doubt as to the ultimate outcome
'of the enterprise, as the character an(
reputation of the men back of it is {
guarantee that it will be successful