Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-09-15
THE OPINION OF AN EXPERT
Buffalo Hump LedSes are Simply WOn-
derful In Richness and Extent.


A man whose name among min
ing men is significant of knowledge
and thoroughly conservative opin-
ions on mining matters, is Judge
w. S. Ballou. The Judge has been
the confidential associate of Col.
W. S. Brackett, of the Northern
Idaho Exploring Expedition, and
returned with him from Buffalo
Hump. The courteous gentleman,
in a brief chat with Press re-
porter, gave some interesting in
formation relative to Buffalo
Hump. AS Judge Ballou's min
ing knowledge has been gained by
long experience in the mines of
Colorado and Mexico, he knows
whereof he speaks. He said: "In
our trip to Buffalo l was surprised
and astounded at the size in length
and breadth of the wonderful sur
face showings. Now, for example,
take Mineral hill: there the same
ledge continues through many
claims and is clearly tracable
on the surface of all of them. l
made it a point to take samples
from all the properties which / ex-
amined, and here are few. AS
you will readily notice they have
practically the same or similar COM
position, either richer or poorer,
but the same web. Here is some
rock from the st. Louis and this is
very rich, as is this from the Monte
Cristo. This same vein continues
through the former named proper
ty to the latter, and is very highly
mineralized. The Hobson's Choice
is another location on this lead,
and you can see for yourself what
rich product it has, from this spec
linen. l was very much pleased
with the looks of the San Francis
co, from which l got some very
rich samples. There has been
some development work done on
the Coos Bay, which has showing
of three feet of magnificent miner
allied quartz. When we were
there the owners of this last prop
erty were busy prospecting the sur
face and tracing the ledge, which
has been exposed in five or six diff
ferent places and which continues
through the entire length of the
property. All was activity at the
Monte Cristo workings where they
have driven a tunnel which is des-
tined to connect with the vertical
shaft which has been sunk on the
ledge and which will tap it at
depth approximately of $50 feet.
measured the ledge across the
face and it showed eight feet, but
tits of a necessity wider, from the
fact that they have only one wall.
incidentally l would say that this
property was spoken of most high
ly by w. J. Stanford, the English
expert, who has had vast expert
ence in mining matters. The st.
Paul bids fair to be one of the fin
est properties in the camp. 1t
would be folly for me to attempt to
tell of all the fine properties which
we examined in the camp, but this
! will say, that the Crackerjack
fully justifies it's name and the
Jumbo is most valuable. There is
no question in my mind but that
Buffalo Hump will eventually be
wonderfully large producer. In
short, this ledge of mineral is read
lily tracable through all the claims
extending from the Monte Cristo
TO the St Louis, which has, in my
opinion, the best showing of any
propertuy under the present devel-
opment. But there are many other
properties on the other belts of
minerals running through the dis
trict that will probably show equal
ly as well when developed"