The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-06
Th Npsys of a Modest Silver
6berty Excited by a
Chance Find.
Eager 10 Investigate When Weather
Prints to See If They Own
Bonanza.

A wonderfully rich prospect OF pure
copper has been discovered in one OF the
branches of silver mine In Nevada.
owned partly by DR.. w. ii. Mclaughlin
of this City. The ind was pure accident
and might never have been noticed but
for the fact that the bit of rock samples
containing the copper happened to be in
yestigated by DR.. Mclaughlin along with
other samples that had been sent him by
his three partners, who alone are working
the mine. They had sent rock from diff
ferent parts of the main shaft and from its
branches. One bit supposed to contain
bismuth was particularly marked Tor his
notice.
He examined it carefully. He cracked
it open with a hammer and saw to his
surprise that it fell all apart. A more
careful scrutiny of the fragments showed
bits of metallic copper and he continued
his examinations. Analyses showed that
the sample contained traces of most all
the metals except gold. There was silver,
copper. lead, bismuth and number of
others.
He found that there was 80 per cent
metallic copper in the sample. Naturally
he was surprised, for metallic copper has
seldom if ever, it seems, been found in
Nevada. But 80 per cent would, if there
is more where this came from, mean a
mine richer than a gold mine, verta BILE
bonanza, for Ia per cent copper pays, and
copper mines where the copper is easily
reduced are extremely profitable.
DR.. Mclaughlin was not inclined yes
4ardau frat to diSc11ss tho find He
knows too little of the extent of the ledge
even if there be one, and he and his asso-
ciates want TO keep the location secret
until they can ascertain if they really
have bonanza. Then they purpose to
take up the surrounding claims, for there
is much land still unclaimed about there.
Their silver mine, according to DR.. Nc
Laughlin's not very definite description,
is situated about lab miles northwest of
Reno. At present it is difficult to reach
unless things are frozen over. 1t is far
from the railroad.
Il am going up there tomorrow" said
DR.. Mclaughlin yesterday, ''if I get a
telegram from my partners saying travel
ing is possible. We want to take no
chances of having some one get in and do
some locating ahead of US; but it is safe,
for nobody but my three partners know
where it is. If there be nothing in it, all
right; if there is a good ledge it will be
worth more than gold mine, because
there is such a demand for copper, and it
is so easy t. work.
1.-The sample is like the metallic copper
of the great Anaconda mine at Butte. It
was found just in little pot hole in an
incline branching off from a $50 foot side
drift from the main shaft, which is 200
feet deep. We have had the mine a couple
of years, but have only just begun to take
ore out. 1t is silver, ana not particularly
rich.
81 was the most surprised man in the
world when l found pure copper in the
sample, and SO were my partners when I
sent word to them.
IF there is a ledge there like the sample
it will be the richest copper mine in the
world. If there is nothing to it, that's all.
We will know inside of few weeks"