The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-28
TIVE MILLIONS NEXT YEAR.
Estimated Production Of the Baker
City Gold Fields.
FIVE LIvsLy MINING CAMPS
Eight Thousand Square Miles OF
Collaborating Territory = Placer
Deposits and Free-MilIing Quarts
output for 1so0-LAst of Piants,
with Capacity, and value Of Ore
Treated-Record Of the Piacers.

1t il only during the present year that
eold fields OF Eastern Oregon has made
q mining record demanding universal at
tentfon. although the district has been
mined for gold more than thirty-five
years. This study OF slow development
has it, lesson Of cheer and encourage
ment for many mineral sections Of the
Northwest that are tediously struggling
toward success.
The Baker City gold fields comprise
q territory OF 100 miles In length. north
east by southwest. and hfty miles In
width, making total Of about 5000 square
miles. Tho greater portion of Union.
all Of Baker and q large part Of Harvey.
Grant and Malheur counties are included
In this area There are five mining
camps in which active mining operations
are carried on. A large number Of now
camps were developed last season and
many new discoveries were made.
Gold predominates In the mines Of East
ern Oregon; in fact, there is not silver
mine In operation at the present time.
The ores are nearly all free milling. and
practically the only reduction process
known in the Baker City gold fields are
stamp mills and cyanide plants. Tine
ores are treated at or near the mines,
and in most OF the camps from 90 to s.
per cent. OF gold values are saved upon
the plates, and in many places the tall
ings and concentrates are treated by the
cyanide process. which makes close
saving of the remainder.
Placer and Quarts DISTRICTS.
The placer mines have been worked
since 1862, and valuable placer deposits
are found in the river beds and gulches
OF Burnt river. Powder river. John Day
river and all their tributaries. The
Pomeroy dredger, constructed during the
Of Burnt river. thirty miles from Baker
City, and has a capacity Of 1000 yards
per Cay. 1t has gravel enough In sight
to require active operation OF the plant
day and night for fifty years. This is
only one OF the many dredging properties
and valuble mining propositions in Baker
county.
Placer mining is carried on by the n.y.
draulic process at Mormon basin. Rye
valley and on all Of the tributaries of
Burnt river, Powder river, John Day
river, and the middle and north forks of
John Day river. and also on all the tribu-
taries OF Snake river in Baker and Union
counties. Many OF the most valuable
gravel deposits have never been worked.
owing to a lack of capital to provide
proper facilities.
In the country west Of Baker City are
the Nelson. Baisley- Elkhorn. Robbins
Elkhorn. Rock creek, Cracker creek.
Gable Cove. hex. Granite. Red Boy. Lit.
tie Giant Bonanza, susanville, Great
Northern, Quartburg and Strawberry
quartz mining districts. They contain
many of the best mines In the Northwest,
the chief producers being the Baisley-
Elkhorn, Robbins Elkhorn. Eureka and
Excelsior. North Pole, Columbia. Golcon-
do, Imperial. hex. Cougar, Magnolia,
Red Boy. May Queen. Little Giant. Van
Anda, Bonanza, Badger and Great North
crn. In addition to the above list Of
producing mines there are a large num-
Der Of well-developed mines upon which
machinery will be placed the coming sea-
son. Among the number are the Safety
Deposit. Black Queen. Tom Payne. Car
penter, Chloride, Mammoth, Bald Mount
ain, Bunker Hill, Free Coinage, Buffalo,
Keystone and White Elephant
some Of Oregon's Oldest Mines.
Commencing with the headwaters Of
Burnt river Is the Bonanza district, and
extending eastward to Snake river a dis
lance of eighty miles. the territory is one
vast placer mining field and includes the
old Auburn district, the oldest mining
district In Eastern Oregon. The princi-
pal mining properties in this district are
the Burnt River, Rye Valley. Mormon
Basin, Gold Ridge Gold Hill, Weatherby-
Bonanza, Weatherby Placer mine, Pome,
roy Dredger, Conner Creek, Pleasant VAL
ley, Manning Creek Starr & Starter and
the Gallagher group, besides many placer
mines that are worked with from two to
five men along the numerous tributaries
of Burnt river. The Conner creek mines
have been worked since 1878 and are
still largely productive.
North and east Of Baker City are locat-
ed some of the oldest mines in Eastern
Oregon. The Virtue and Sanger mines
have been worked since 1866, and are
still among the producing mines. Tho
principal producing districts are the Viz
tue, Sanger, Sparta and Cornucopia.
The following estimate Is made from
the figures furnished by the local buyers
of gold dust. and from estimates made
by placer mine operators who have oper-
ated in this district during the past thirty
years. the placers including the Weather.
by on Burnt river, hydraulic and dredger;
Manning creek. near Weatherby, ny.
draulic; Rye valley, ten miles from
Weatherby, hydraulic: hydraulic placer
mines on all the tributaries OF Burnt
river for forty miles above Weatherby,
and dredgers in the river bed Sloan &
Haskell's mines on the middle fork of the
John Day; Canyon City placers; and
placers on all tributaries of the John Day
river. The Nelson placers west of Baker
City; the Sparta, Pine creek and Eagle
creek placers. The Snake river placers
which extend for 100 miles along the Ore
gon border.
The output at all these mines is sold to
local buyers, bankers and brokers or
shipped to the assay office of San Fran.
cisco, Seattle or Boise.
Local brokers buy approximately. per annu 500 900