Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-06-17
Mining Items.

| MI. n. III. Spencer OF new fOrk camo
in on the morning of the 14th. Mr.. s.
is the president of the Vigilante Mining
and Milling company, whose holdings
are located about seven miles west OF
Custer, of which Mr.. F. w. Bush is
superintendent. He comes here at this
time for the purpose of inspecting the
progress made in developing the pro-
perty, and expects to remain several
days. He was met at the depot by
superintendent Bush and drove directly
to the mine.
A new strike has been made in the
Drummer mine. 1t is on another vein
which has been opened by shaft which
has been sunk to depth Of 40 feet.
The vein on the surface was 10 inches
in width, and is good four feet wide at
the bottcn. This fo.e is very rich In
sylvanite. and in addition shows some
free gold. The vein runs east and west
and cuts the formation, showing a soft
gouge on each wall. Superintendent
Leon Bertschy has put on force Of
4 men, and will continue sinking.
We learn that several gentlemen who
represent the stockholders in the
duchess mine, of which Mr.. Sidey is
superintendent, are daily expected from
the east. If we have been correctly in
formed in regard to that property,
recent development goes to show that
the Duchess mine, SO far as prospects
60 with depth, stands now at the head
of the bright galaxy of mines which
surround our town, and are destined in
the near future to pour their wealth of
the yellow metal into the lap of our
beautiful queen"
Mr.. J. F. Sidey, who holds the bond
on the May NINE, returned from the
east on Saturday of last week and went
Immediately to the mine. When asked
if he had accomplished the object Of
his trip successfully and satisfactorily
his answer was, Eyes, entirely So" Mr.
Sidey has increased the force on the
May mine, and is now working six men
at the new find. We understand it is
the intention to prosecute the work Of
development with all the force available,
so that we will soon be able to report
whether the ore which is of such phe
nomeal richness near the surface main
tains its reputation as depth is attained.
1t is hoped and expected that it will,
and that we may be able to state, that
we have another Holy Terror in the
southern Hills.
THE OLD Alta lodi
James Cochran, owner Of the old Alta
Lodi, at Myersyile, is running his mill
steadily this spring, and is cleaning up
on an average of SG0 day, by working
four men besides himself His mill is
Huntington, and it is supplied with
water by piping it from spring, some
distance back of the plant. Mr.. Coch-
ran expects to put up new and larger
mill on Castle creek this year, in order
to get more water but in the meantime
he will continue to grind out ore in his
little mill. He took his present proper
ty after the company from which it
takes its name had abandoned it, and
started in with an arastra that had but
one burr. This was in time supplanted
by the Huntington, and Mr.. Cochran
has steadily made money. He is taking
out ore in an open cut, and has ledge
80 feet wide Fifteen feet ofthis is rich
er than the rest, and will average about
SIS to the ton, and it is on this streak
that the mill is running at present. Mr..
Cochran owns 5000 feet along the ledge,
and has enough ore in sight to keep his
present mill running for an almost in
definite period. Despite this he keeps
one man prospecting, and has regular
system for his operations. Mr.. Cochran
lives at the mill, which is about three
or four miles from Rockford, and has
one of the pleasantest places in the
southern Hills. He is genial Scotch
man, and be is as nearly independent as
a man can well become. He is not COM
PEELED to depend upon the condition Of
the outer world in any degree, and his
wealth is more secure than it could be in
any bank in the country. His ore Is al
together free milling, with but light
concentrate, not worth saving, and he
simply takes out his gold in moderate
quantities, so that there is no chance in
the world to break him. He has wife
that mates him well. and their home is
almost an ideal of happiness. They
keep spare room for their friends, and
are very popular all over the southern
Hills for their hospitality Pioneer
Times.