Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-09-01
". S. N0RMAN'S OPINION
Biggest Operator In the Hump Calls 1t
the Greatest Camp on Earth.

Kane, arF1Neu III oTdHScNlllc rum
Buffalo Hump. Mr.. Norman has
been identified with mining mat
tiers for many years in every camp
of any distinction in the west, con-
sequently the gentleman's opinion
is considered of value among min
ing men. The firm which Mr..
Norman represents has probably
larger interests in Buffalo Hump
camp than any other firm or cor
poration which is interested there.
To a PRESS reporter Mr.. Cam
eron said: "The district has the
earmarks of great mining camp.
The showings on the several prop
critics are unusually large and pay
ore is found in many places. 1t is
now solely question of depth and
development. On our properties
active development work is going
on. On the Monte Christie, where
we have a nice chute of ore, which
is from six to ten feet wide, we get
returns in gold of $50 per ton. We
have been operating this property
by shaft which we sunk to a
depth of 55 feet, but water crowd
ed us out, so we placed our force at
work on a cross-cut tunnel which
we are driving to cut the vein at a
depth of rs feet. This will stimuli
taneously drain the shaft and give
us a depth of 600 feet by tunnel.
A monumental advantage of this
property is that we gain almost
foot for foot in tunnel work. On
the Fortune, one of the properties
of the Buffalo Hump Development
Co., we have erected winter quar-
tiers. We have ten men at work
on two levels. In the upper level,
which we have driven 80 feet, we
are all in ore and we intend to
drive this tunnel some distance
yet.
GIN view of the fact that we have
no walls yet, cross-cuts will be run
to ascertain the width of the vein,
the surface showing being from
nine to twelve feet wide We have
received returns in assays from
SIS to $1S in gold per ton, and the
dump will assay all the way
through $15. might mention
that both the Monte Christie and
the Fortune are free milling and
concentrating properties and can
be handled from common centre.
The showing on the Monte Christie,
St. Paul, through the Gem City,
San Francisco, Hobson's Choice
and Last Chance through to the
st. Louis on what is now known as
the Mineral Hill is as fine series
of outcrops as is to be found in
any camp in the world, and there
are great possibilities on this long
line of reef of finding some impor-
tant and wonderful ore chutes.
On the north end I have already
mentioned the Monte Christie,
where the pay chute is large and
uniform, and ! should mention
the st. Louis, which lies 900 feet
south.
"This property is in all respects
the handsomcst prospect it has ever
been my good fortune to see, and
any man can go upon it and with
the aid of an assayer satisfy HIM
self as to its value. There is lots
of ore in the camp which would
bear shipment if ordinary trans
portation facilities were available.
This brings me to the question of
transportation. There are now
four trails into the Hump, all of
which are execrably bad. Each
route has its sponsors and their re-
spective merits are discussed with
as much acrimony as the rival plat
forms of political parties. There
has been money enough spent on
these four routes to build first
class trail. When l say first
class trail, ! mean graded trail
with no grade greater than 10 per
cent. and with a track at least four
feet wide-just such a road as the
British Columbia government
builds for the development of the
mines in that country. A trail
such as this would enable a man to
travel from Adams camp to Buffa-
10 Hump in FIVE hours, and mule
could pack over it fully 400 pounds
II can safely say that a road can
be built like this for $4,000, and a
swath should be cut wide enough
upon the route so that for the nine
months of winter which actically
prevail in the Hump, the trail
would make an admirable snow
road with first-class grade.
Should values continue with depth,
as l am satisfied they will, there
will be large tonnage shipped
from the camp. This large ton
mage must be handled cheaply, and
it would be nothing short of a mis-
fortune and block the construction
of q good grade road to have road
now built into the Hump of such a
character as the one which now is
q disgrace to the county of Idaho
from Mt. Idaho to Adams camp.
"Such trail as this, by later
expenditure of money could be
n