Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-05-13
The Buffalo Camp.

from Buffalo this week. The softeninp
| snow has driven ont some of the claim
owners who have been doing location
and assessment work and who were not
prepared to withstand the vicisitudes of
the breakup of winter. The snow up to
Monday Of this week stood at the highest
mark of the winter, and it has grown
more dense with a mountain Of ice on
the fresh accumulations compress it with
added weight. The average depth of the
hard snow is twelve feet in Buffalo camp.
The stories about the deterioration of
the Buffalo are all declared false with
one accord by those who return. This
retutation CONES not alone from claim
holders and those who are interested in
maintaining the reputation Of the district
but from men who have worked in the
shaft Of the Bofalo. One of the latter,
who would not permit the publication of
his maine because such. publication
would deprive him of chance TO hold a
good job for the next season, says the Big
Buffalo has grown better with every foot
Of development. lie says the syndicate
| only began their scheme of deception
| when they learned beyond doubt that the
mine was worth millions instead of thous.
| ands. These doubts were only promul.
gated after the mine had become so valu-
able that the purchasers did not desire
to sell even an interest in the property.
1t is the belief of this practical miner
that Clark and Sweeney would not take
- 900 900 for the Big Buffalo group. He
says there is more than $4,000 900 in
sight, with every prospect Of ten times
that snm Immediately available A care
ully mixed grab sample from the
bottom CT the shaft was assayed By
three assayers and the average was
$I23. So to the ton. This is good proof OF
fabulous wealth These figures are so
eminently satisfactory that the owners
have not tried TO find Anything bigger or
better than is revealed in the eight foot
| shalt, which cuts only one-fourth Of the
ledge. The remaining twenty-fo,u feet
Of the ledge have not been crosscnt for
the reason that the eight feet exposed by
the shaft reveals values far beyond the
purchase price of the mine. II the
owners were considering either a sale or
forfeiture of their bond they would ex-
plore more than this fraction of the great
| ledge. The ore cut by the shaft estab-
| fishes the Rig Buffalo in the first rank OF
great mines Of the world
About I5o people will remain in the
camp during the present month. The
| excess OF surface water will stop all de
velopinent, except perhaps on the Buffalo,
| the Jumbo, the San Francisco and the
Concord. Tine Buffalo company has sus-
pended work OH the mill. variety OF
excuses are offered for this action. One
is that the mill site was a snow location
made hy Sam Silyerpan, and it has been
found to conflict with mining claim
| taken last November. Another theory is
that the Clark and Sweeney people do
|
strate the value OF the ore Of the camp
| but that they intend to still bear the ca,nr
tor speculative purposes for another yea,
yet. Another excuse is found in the
| statement that the mill is not the kind
| required for Buffalo ore.
| There is great deal of Indignation
among the Buffalo claim owners and
others interested in the development, OF
the camp directed toward Clark and
Sweeney and the newspapers which the,
control, by deception or otherwise, OH
account of the dissemination of doubts
about the future of the camp. These
people claim that ever certain local pa
pers have given circulation to expressions
of doubt which have done great damage
10 the camp and to the business interests
of the country generally. 1t is hard to
make the Buffalo people believe tina, the
papers and the agitators who circulate
and promote these doubts are not ennis.
saries Of the speculstors and enemies Of
the camp and the county.
Wm. Dose came in on Thursday 5
| train from attendance of the Federal
| court at Moscow.
| Glasses at half price. To introduce
his work to the people of Lewiston Dr.
Watts will test eyes and 6t glasses Of
any style at half price for one week only
Room over II. and A. Cafe.