The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-08
JEFFERSON COUNTY
An Option Has Been Secured on
the Hope Mine.
A GREAT GOLD PRODUCER
Mining News From the Basin District.
An Important Question Raised
In the Case OF the State
VS.. II. G. Smith.

t1pCG4di SoIESSpOHOeHCE OIL the SLanudTu
Basin, Feb. 6.-Charles III. Dickie OF
Baltimore arrived here last week and
through General Manager Hewett of
the Basin Gold and Copper Mining COM
pany, has secured an option on the ia
nous Hope mine at this place, the price
agreed upon being 5000 Mr.. Dickie
has As days In which to make the first
payment of 100000, providing that
everything proves satisfactory to him
at the end of that time. The other pay
ments will be made as follows after
that time: $250,000 at the end Of so
days and the balance, $4,000, in 80
days. The Hope mine is unquestionably
9 property OF great value, and is des-
tined to become one of the greatest
gold producers in the West-that is il
present Indications count for anything.
The present owners, the Basin Gold and
Copper Mining company, are pushing
the development work in the mine
ahead with great vigor. The 600-foot
level was reached in the shaft this
week, and now a 15-foot stump is being
sunk, after which cross-cut win be
driven to the lead. An immense body
OF ore was found to exist on the 500
foot level, and the company expects to
find a continuation of the same ore
body on the 600 AS soon as the property
is sufficiently developed it is proposed
to erect concentration of very large
capacity to treat the ore.
G. H. Giles has charge of q force Of
miners driving a 1000 foot tunnel on
the Copper Queen group of mines on
Upper Cataract creek for the Colorado
Smelling company. This tunnel is being
driven in on the lead. The lead is
very large one, over so feet wide. and
will be thoroughly prospected by means
Of numerous cross-cuts as the tunnel
Is driven ahead.
And now another promising prop
erty is about to be added to the list
OF actual producing mines of the Basin
district-the First Shot mine on Rocker
creek. All the necessary development
work having been done, the leasers are
beginning to take out ore for ship
ment to the shelters. The shaft is
down 200 feet, and a nice body of ore is
in sight. 1T is a high grade gold pro-
position.
. Tits rumored that next spring Messrs.
Higgins and Farrell will build
mill on the Silversmith mine, the Ga
lena gulch property they have been de-
;veloping during the past eighteen
months under lease and bond from Pat
rick Mullins. These gentlemen have
run several thousand feet of drifts on
this property, prospecting 1t in a
thorough manner.
Work is going ahead steadily in the
Katie mine shaft. which has now
reached a depth of 400 feet. The Basin
and Bay State Mining company are
opening UP this mine in a thorough
manner, while they are waiting for the
completion of their immense concentrat-
Ing and smelling plants which are to
handle it's product. These works are
rapidly nearing completion and it is
expected that the present year will see
them in full operation. In fact the
smelter is almost completed at this
writing. The framework for the 500
ton concentration is up and enclosed,
making the building almost ready for
the reception of the machinery. The
hoist building and additional boiler
rooms are yet to be built. When COM
ipleted this plant will be one of the
finest and most complete in the state,
and will have cost upwards Of $500, 900.
James Davidson was out from Butte
this week looking after the work on
his Boomerang gulch mine, the Balti-
more. During the winter season Mr..
Davidson Is combining his operations on
this property entirely to development
work, as the roads are SO bad that it
Is almost impossible to haul ore out
Of this gulch at this season of the year.
Last fall he shipped some splendid ore
from the Baltimore, and when spring
opens he will have the mine opened up
in shape to produce a large amount Of
mineral wealth during the coming year.