The record-union., 1899-09-20


A BIG DEAL.
Nevada City Transcript: Unusual
activity is pervading mining circles in
Grass Valley. Various sales have been
effected in the past three months, and
a deal which promises to be the most
important made in years is now on the
tapis 1t is generally known that the
ledges now being SO successfully
worked by the Empire w. Y. 0. D. ana
Pennsylvania Companies run under
and pitch toward the town, and Tor
some time past parties representing
the Empire mines and the Pennsyl-
vania have been at work endeavorlng
to buy the mineral rights or the IN
dividual property owners who hold the
continuation of these ledges. The En-
pire Company has managed to buy the
old Crown Point property and Rodda' s
but so far neither the Pennsylvania
nor the Empire have been able to touch
the much coveted land through which
the main ledges run.
The sum offered by a representative
of the Empire to the owner was so
ridiculously small that he did not con-
slider it at ALL The main owners of
this property are Messrs. Francis Ire
william. Henderson, Provine, Williams,
Barker, Champion and others, and they
are fully alive to the value Of their
property. These gentlemen have
formed a combine and are now settling
on a price for the whole tract, which
1t is understood will be offered to the
Empire Company first. If it can be
! arranged the ledges will be sold sepa-
rately; the Pennsylvania ledge to the
Pennsylvania Company, the w Y. ..
D. to the Grass Valley Exploration
Company and the Empire ledge to the
Empire Company Should a fair price
not be given by the three companies
the owners will either place their prop
critics Immediately on the London mar
ket. or form a company for the work
ing of it themselves with Alex. Hen
derson. the successful and well-known
Grass Valley mining man, as superin-
tendent They will proceed to sink
shaft on Mr.. Barker's property, in all
likelihood
In the course of conversation with
the owners, our representative gathered
that this move had been under way
for some time past, and while they
would like to sell. still they would ex-
pect fair price as they know the
value Of the property. They are de-
termined to get the thing settled one
way or another and if an English COM
pany or San Francisco people take hold
of the claim they will be given every
encouragement to develop a big mine.
There is certainly every prospect of
big deal being consummated at an
early date, and in case the claims are
not bought by any of the three above
mentioned companies, we may expect
to see a mine opened which will prove
q bonanza to Grass Valley. That these
companies are keenly alive to the dam
ger Of their ledges being tapped by
outside parties before they can get
hold of them, is evidenced by their eff
forts to buy from individual owners
on the quiet. Whichever way the deal
goes, it will mean much for Grass Val
ley and be the means of opening up
what is probably some of the richest
ground in that district.
A NEW DREDGER.
Nevada City Herald: The Portland
'Oregonian'' tells of a new dredger that
Is expected to revolutionize mining
-'he dredger weighs sixty tons and was
shipped from Portland to Grants Pass
for the Canadian Company, limited, of
some mining ground in the Illinois
Valley The "Oregonian" says the pom
derous machinery will be loaded on
freight wagons at Grants Pass and
hauled a distance of forty-f1ve miles
over Slate Creek hill to a point be-
tween the town of Kirby and Waldo
where a f1atboat 100x30 is being put
together for its reception. The dredger
Sc 70 ha In -f q,
month, and viii no doubt astonish the
natives and old sliuce-box miners Of
Southern Oregon when it begins to
handle 5000 cubic yards of gravel per
day.
The Chinese company which had
mined the bars in the Illinois River
for forty years had not dug out quite
an acre. and they did not even reach
bedrock in this small area They left
a pond, however, big enough to float
the new dredger, which will henceforth
dig its own way and reach down sixty
feet after the pay gravel. As the pow
erful centrifugal pump is supposed to
throw the water out of the pond when
necessary, the dredger can sink itself
as far down towards bedrock as is de-
sired. This method of handling large
amounts Of pay dirt will, it is as
serted, revolutionize placer mining in
Southern Oregon. and it is confidently
expected will pay we'll for the So, GOO
invested in the machinery.
UP TO DATE.
Mining and Scientific Press: Among
the most noticeable new mining ven
lures now attracting attention is that
of the Century Development Company
of New York, with a capital Of $4,000. =
000 organized to operate mines in Tu-
Olumne County, California The splen-
did magnitude upon which this enter
prise is TO be conducted compels admi-
ration. The company has secured a
tract of land lying between the north
and main forks of the Tuolumne River,
near and including the Buchanan mine.
They claim to have secured twenty
two claims and have designs on about
$50 others. A large volume OF water
in the main river will be employed to
run electric and other machinery. A
mill Of LOCO stamps, each weighing
] 5.250 pounds, arranged to drop 10
times per minute, viii give a capacity
OF 1900 to 1000 tons Of ore daily. The
boarding house is to be 500 feet square
and viii contain 1000 rooms. At first
q small mill of 400 stamps will be built.
the remaining 500 to be added later.
The total estimated expense for mill,
railroad, water power, electric machin-
cry and other surface improvements is
s., 100000 which is provided for by
an issue of 6 per cent. gold bonds. pay