The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-10-17
ABOUT PRAIRIE CITY.
Quartz Mining Superceding
the Placer Industry.


west around which clusters more histor
and romance than almost any other IS III
John Day valley IN Grant county, Ore
gon. IN iS6l miners went into this val
ley IN search oi gold, and IN a few year
they dug out great riches. |, was ter
tile, welcoming country, and many settle,
there. Bu, the old DAYS oi the first eX
element passed aud the country settle,
down 10 inactivity. \ lew, however, be
lieved IN the ultimate discovery ot turthe
riches IN the country, aud when the place
diggins seemed washed out prospettin,
for quartz began. Year after year discov
cries were made, but they were not o
the kind to create great excitement at tina
time, and ~ the owners slowly drvrlorr,
them without assistance. Nv the last few
wears there has been great deal OF wot !
done IN the section. aud with IN,
commencement oi large operations II
other parts ot eastern Oregon s,ill greatel
attention Is being pad TO the dstrlt
around Pfaitr Guy.
Even vet, however, what development
has been done IN the district has been b,
residents, iul ~ mriu> are limited thriI
progress has been comparatively slow
With the rapid strides being made b,
Sumpirt aud iis nriphhoting camps, how
ever, the Pfli,ir CITY people have been
aroused 10 the tat that they require out
side capital, aud that i one reason why
they have sent to the exposition an inter
rstlng aud comprehensive exhibit ot the
ores oi the district. Y. n. Carrier, u Spo'
kane pioneer. who has spent considerable
time IN the Prairie CITY district. aud who
has large interests there. Is the representa-.
tive oi the district At the talr, and he gives
an interesting a,coput IT the conditions IN
the district. OF which he speaks with en.
thusiasm.
There are two distinct areas IN the re-.
gion, divided by the summit oi the Straw.
berry range. ln the northern one. which
Is nearest Prairie City, the well known
Oregon Wonder is = typical example OF
It's nature. II is one oi the most interest
Ing properties IN eastern Oregon. not be.
cause ot ts wealth ~ sight, but tor its
immense possibilities. The ledge Is a big
dixie oi potphyr,tk Quartkite the full width
oi ciaiM. The entive body Of rock car.
ries low values IN gold. though what they
are at any considerable depth is vet to he
discovered. II Is said that assays have
never been blank, and that they run from
81 TO sos 4" gold.
The property Is under bond 10 p. +.
Morey, OF Portland. aud a ,oo.toot tunnel
Is being ru0 to cut the ledge at consider.
able depth. u is said that II the ledge Is
found 10 average - per ton at 200 or 700
feet depth 1000 stamp mill viii he erected
hy the hondhoiders and the mine viii hc
operated similarly tn the great Alaska
IfeadWeli, wh,,h II resembles IN many
ways. The amount oi ote Is practically
unlimited. aud Il I, Is found to carry even
these low values Il Is believed that II San
I've operated On large scale With IN i'm.
menSe profit. The average ASSAY on the
surface Is about s., which is thought TO I've
a good Indication that the value OF the
rntire ledge will I've up to the standard re.
luired Tor operation.
On the other (south> side OF the range
The Cieavrt brothers are among the prin.
ripal operators. owning IN all ~ claims.
The lodges In this area are chiefly copper.
hearing. mud they also carry chrome iron.
The principal prorerty is the VIII Cleaver
. fo,,n which iS five claims wide Nv six