The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-26
SUMPTER AND ITS MINES
A Promising Mining Town in
Eastern Oregon.
PLACERS THAT NEVER FAIL
Quartz Claims the Hope of the Future.
Valuable Properties Being Devel-
opsd-Rapid Growth OF
/. Town

| General Charles S. Warren. who re-
Gently visited the mining region of
! Eastern Oregon. says the mining de-
velopment that has been made in the
| vicinity of Sumpter in the past few
years is of very large proportions.
"Sumpter.' said he, in an interview
the other day, lis in my judgment des-
tined to become the center of a new
Eldorado. The Blue mountains where
the John Day, Powder and Burnt riv-
ers head, have been a gold producing
country for nearly 40 years. All the
tributaries ran rich in placers, which
in the early days were worked by the
old Mexican arrastra process, down to
the sulphides, when base ore was en-
countered, and the country outside Of
the placers was abandoned as worked
out. Later practical miners developed
quartz
AS yet you hear but little of East
ern Oregon, but it will not be so long.
Those who worked quartz mines some
years ago accumulated experience, but
little money. and it was left for people
who had faith in the fire assay to de-
velOp the mines that are rapidly max
ing the country famous. A census ia
ken at Sumpter last February gave
the place III people, the camp now has
1900 1t is the end of the Sumpter
Valley railroad, which was built many
years ago by some sawmill men from
Salt Lake, who little dreamed of the
riches in minerals the surrounding
country possessed. The camp is the
center of country so miles square
that is all rich in gold, al least l be-
lieve it will so prove, though | only
know particularly concerning the i'm
mediate vicinity of Sumpter, but I am
informed excellent returns are being
had from all parts of the territory.
within the heart of Sumpter is a
great placer claim, which for more
than SO years has never failed to pro-
duce. and project is being fioated to
establish the greatest dredging plant
on the continent for working Powder
river and Cracker creek. Near Stump
ter is the Red Boy mine, with a mile
and a half of development. working
20-foot ledge, which goes SIS to the
ton in gold. 1t will be placed on the
London market In a short time on a
basis of $15,000,000 Then there is the
Bonanza, recently sold to the Standard
Oil company for s1,000,00O by Geiser
Brothers, who developed it into a div
idend payer: the E. & E., from which
John Longmaid got 100000 in divi-
dends; the North Pole. owned by Bar
ing Brothers. which is down 900 feet
and has 16 feet of pay; the Baisley &
ElhHbTH, ii ulNtutlu payer the
zette, which John Burke bought for
$4,000 and sold for 81 900 900; the Bun
ker Hill, bought by Captain c. H.
Thompson and Angus Mcqueen for a
song and sold to Rufus Pope & Co. for
500, 000 the Columbia, for which 81 $780,
900 was declined; the ObeX, sold re-
Gently to an English company for $780,
000 the Golconda. which actually took
out 100000 in so minutes, owned by
English & Son of Danville, ILL.,, and
the Cougar. for which S250000 was re-
fused. These are only a few Of the
more important mines tributary to
SumDter,
'Sumpter is not a Butte as yet, but
from the town nine stage lines radi-
ate, running daily stages to Canyon
City, Prairie, Austin, Susanville, Gran
lite. Clifton, Bourne, Bonanza, Lazy
jim, Red Boy. Gable Cove. Belleview
and other camps all of which are oblig-
ed to come to Sumpter to reach the out
side world. To reach Sumpter you
take the Oregon Short Line TO Baker
City and from there take the Sump-
ter Valley road. This being the only
practical outlet for so great a mining
region, Baker City is bound to be the
great commercial center and Sumpter
the big mining town of Eastern Ore
gon. You will hear from this country
vim the time to come"