The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-01-13
TE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE TELLS THE TRUE STORY OF SEVEN DEVILS
The Following Article Trbunes New Years
Edition. it the First Time the Real Conditions
ing the Seven Devils have Ever been Given % the
World Through Any Paper Other than
The SIGNAL

Ever since placer miners, some
twenty years ago, sluiced of hill
side in the Seven Devils range OF
mountains, 100 miles north Of Wei
ser, Ida, as the road runs, and found
their bedrock to consist of nothing
more nor less than solid mass OF
rich copper ore (this is now the pea
cock mine), the Seven Devils copper
district has been more or less talked of
in the mining world. Although (out-
side of one shipment of ten or fifteen
tons some years ago, which yielded
48 per cent copper at the refinery the
camp cannot be said to have ever pro-
duced pound Of copper, yet, on ac-
count of the wonderful promises it
holds for the future, it has been as
much discussed, in some mining cir
cles, as more heavily producing dis
tricts Hundreds of mining men
have seen the country, and to this day
become enthusiastic at the mention Of
the name; scores of experts have made
favorable reports, but capital has not
appeared to place those mountains of
copper on the markets of the world.
Year after year has simply seen the
assessment" worked out on perhaps
100 claims, but, as far as known,
there has not been dollar yielded,
either to the country or individuals,
directly from the district.
There is no occasion at this time to
make any attempt at recounting the
different locations, values OF differ
ent ore bodies, or what have been the
results of the small amount OF devel-
opment work. Those have been gone
over and over in the past, and the re-
markable mineral value Of the district
!. fully established. The only object
Of tins article is to have the camp
represented in The New Years Trib-
une and give concise statement OF
the conditions by which the Seven
Devils have been surrounded, and
these conditions are perfectly in keep
ing with the name, for certainly no
unfortunate camp ever had more
satanic and diabolical network oi
cunning and misapplied energy
thrown around it (either accidentally
or intentionally to prevent its ligh
shining abroad.
The ostensible handicap OF the
camp has been its location. 1t hal
been impossible to work the mines
at profit without proper transporta
tion. The only way this can be Sc
cured is by 100 miles Of railroad
from some point on the Oregon Shor
Line, running up the Weser river ant
tributaries An s'irresistable fore
against an immovable body" condi
tion ION . sort of reverse plan) ha
been held up to the world. The mai
with money, when there were man.
avenues in which to get immediat
returns "could not afford to put
into development work in the Seve
Devils, where it might stay severa
years without return, waiting for
railroad;" on the other hand, ia rail
road could not build until develop
ment guaranteed a tonnage" An
there you we're. Can't develop with
out railroad, can't build the roa
without development. That is th
picture as seen by the world at large
and, (not being fully informed ths
intervening resources IN agriculture
stock, timber, etc. of the valleys an
foothills through which it would pas
on its way, would give it a substar
tial business without the mines) 1t ha
not marveled much thereat Th
idIeness of the camp for want of raj
road facilities has been understood
The prevention OF the road, throng
combined accidental agents and stud
led influence, has not been under
stood-unIess it he on the part OF thof
interests which beheld all undesirab
and dangerous competitor in the Se'
en- Devils, should it he enabled to gai
access to the markets.
Some attempts to get facilities Il