Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-04-21

rOm + rludy unAAy'
B. r. Rigley returned from But
falo Hump last night, bringing
samples of ore from the bottom OF
the Big Buffalo mine. These were
given to Frank Reed for assay and
the analysis Of the ore was COM
pleted today shortly before noon.
The assay certificate gives re-
turns upon the rock of $163.79
gold TO the ton, or in other words
q value of 7 $500 ounces in gold
and l $40 ounce in silver for the
samples handed the assayer.
Said Mayor Wax in displaying
the certificate today, 1--WE have
made a test of the Big Buffalo
mine from samples brought in by
Mr.. Rigley. AS one Of the parties
Interested in the mine l ordered
these samples to be taken.
e"One pay streak has widened
from six to nine feet. Samples OF
ore were taken from clear across
the vein, What is called grab
samples were taken from the
bucket as it came to the surface.
These samples were then all mixed
together, and the whole parcel OF
rock handed Frank Reed for assay:
"Mr. Reed has just completed
the assay and as you see, the rock
runs over $163 to the ton.
"sThis is higher than it has ever
been. The original assay Of sur
face ore from the Big Buffalo claim
that created SO much comment and
sold the mine for over half a mil
lion dollars gave returns OF between
500 and $40.
As the original owners nearly all
reside in Grangeville we have nat
urally had opportunities OF ascer-
tanning their views on the situa-
ton as regards the Big Buffalo.
None or them have in the slightest
degree lost confidence in the prop
erty and express themselves as be-
ing Indifferent whether Messrs.
Clark & Sweeney take up the bond
or not, particularly as the repre-
sentatives of other capitalists are
on hand and ready to take the
property ON terms even more fav-
Orable to the owners than the pres
emit option.
Said one of the owners to the
Press reporter this morning.
PERSONALLY l have been in the
mining business long enough and
have participated in mining deals
enough to know that it is as full
of jobbery and schemes as any 9th
err business. As a general rule
you may expect that the bigger thu
deal the more scheming will b.
put into practice to carry it through
The Big Buffalo deal is no excep
ton. 1t calls for an immense sun
of money to put it through, and i
is reasonable to expect that schem
ing and jobbery will be resorted tt
in the hope Of soaring the owners
into making better terms and let
ting the property go for less thar
it's real value.
1--WE expect these things to oc
cur, but think l can say for tn
owners that they don't scare wortl
a cent. Mr.. Sweeney's statement
about the shaft being in low grad
ore cuts no ice with us. You cal
get any kind of values you wan
by taking samples off Of the pa,
shoot, ON the Big Buffalo or an,
other claim. Mr.. Sweeney has al
axe to grind in the matter. 1t i
to his interest to depreciate tn
value Of the property, and minin,
men will understand his motive
and reasons. l am not findin
fault with him, l have know
Charley Sweeney long time and
do him no injustice in saying tina
he is "onto his job" when it come
to mining deal.
"As one of the owners the onl
kick I have coming is that Sweer
ey did not call us all togethe
s when he came out from the Bi
Buffalo and tell us that the ore
the bottom of the shaft was To-
grade, and invite us to send som,
body we had confidence in to e,
: anime the mine for the owners an
then if it confirmed his rebort "
should have been in condition /
make better terms or longer tin
/. on the bond.
"But nothing Of this kind W,
: done. Not a man of the owne
/. knew directly from Mr.. Sweens
!, or from any other member of IL
syndicate that the values of Il
ore were not what they had bee
e We had the news at second har
l from newspaper reporters who hu
ried to the telephone and scatter.
:. the tale OF woe broadcast over Il
country that the Big Buffalo 10,
!, had pinched out"