Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-10

and has often been referred to in the
columns of the Engineering and Mining
Journals as one of the promising pros
poets in the gold fields of Alabama.
Rumor says that the Echols mine in
Cleburne county which has been pros
pected to a depth pf upwards of a hun
cred feet, Is being made the subject of
negotiations between a syndicate of Ten
nessee capitalists and Mr.. Eehols, the
present owner.
The December cleanup at the Idaho
mine, in Clay county, Melted very fair
profit over the expenses for that month
In this ore body there are at least 10000
tons of ore in sight above water leVel, ana
judging from the character of the ore
now being milled ii seems safe to esti-
mate that all ore above water level in
this body is comparatively free milling
Mr.. Franklin, the superintendent speaks
in very high terms of the work of the
Huntington mill, which he put in last
summer. The large quantity of clay and
taleoid material which accompanies the
ore and itself carries value, was found to
interfere very materially with good ANAL
gamation and crushing capacity in
stamp mill. But these materials do not
affect the working of the Huntington
mill in, any particular. AS expert work in
magamation is not found necessary in
running the Huntington mill as in the
stamp mill Mr.. Franklin has taken en-
tirely green men, and by regulating the
them finds the results from the working
OF the mill very satisfactory. About 70
per cent. of the value saved is found in
the mill when the cleanup is made. For
this character of ore this mill certainly
possesses many advantages over the
stamp mill, but where the ore is hard and
experienced amalgamators are employed
l am of the opinion that the stamp mill
is really the one and only device Tor
trea ting free milling ore.
h. 81 81 fta,r- ffaf.t11 a
also in Clay county, Mr. Ivey, formerly or
Talladega, is making strenuous efforts TO
demonstrate the value of the property
He is. however, working at great DIS
advantage, because of the lack OF ex-
perence possessed by himself and en-
ployes of systematic and scientific min
ing and treatment of ore. Although he
has been working almost continuously for
six monts, it is impossible today to estl-
mate the value or possibilities OF MS
property Undoubtedly there is large
area which carries gold. This is dissent
mated throughout the mica -gnsiss form
alton, which, on recent visit, ] found
is in places interleaved with very narrow
seams of sugary quartz. and although
made no test, yet l am of the opinion
that it is from these narrow seams that
the value originated, and that it has by
disintsgration and decomposition after
becoming freed from the quartz seams
become disseminated through the country
a strong probability that this property
will prove to be very valuable, but be-
fore that happens it will have to be pros
pected in more systematic manner and
the ore treated by men experienced in
amalgamation.
A discovery Of gold bearing quartz was
made last fall by a Mr.. Hussey, on the
Brown property also in Clay county. in
the vicinity of the last two mentioned.
This was prospected to limited extent
and it's continuous characteristic near the
surface demonstrated to be maintained
for some considerable distance Whether
this body of quartz is the source from
which the placer gold found in the
branch which flows along the base of
the hill in which this ore is located, or
not, is difficult to say. Sufficient work
has not been done on the prospect yet
to determine its value.
Another discovery of gold bearing ore
is reported on the Tom Barton property,
near the old Coppermines postoffice, in
Clay county.
On the Denman property. in Cleburne
county, near the Tallapoosa river. / am
informed that an ore body of considerable
thickness has been opened .lately. Such
demonstrates the correctness of my own
theory formed some years since that the
southwestern continuation of the Echols
ore body would be found about this To-
cality, If found al all.
WILLIAM M. BREWER.