The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-04-24
Hiackbird DIstr let,

DIR. Franklin, a wealthy min
ing man of Salt Lake City, who
is largely interested in this great
and promising copper district,
spent two days in Challis last
week, and while here paid this
Office a pleasant visit. Mr..
Franklin is mining man of note
and influence throughout the
mining world, having been sue
cessful in most of his undertak-
ings, and when he goes into a
scheme to develop mining prop.
erty goes at it in a business-like
manner, besides being a man of
extraordinary good judgment, he
is also conservative and far-see-
ing. Mr.. Franklin came up di.
rectly from the Blackbird camp
on Monday evening of last week
with the party of Idaho Midland
railroad men, he being anxious
to visit this portion of Idaho and
its mines, having heard and read
much of Custer county, and
naturally was desirous of paying
US a visit, and consequently took
advantage of this opportunity.
He went to Bayhorse on Tues.
day to look at the mines in that
region, returning on Wednesday,
the following day, and departed
for Salt Lake City the following
morning, Thursday. Mr.. Frank.
lin informed us that he only had
time to look at the Ramshorr
mine at Bayhorse, but speaks oi
it as wonderful property, and
of the district in general, as on
of a great future when railroad
transportation is obtained, and
he feels confident that will moi
be long. He expects to visit
this county later in the season
with a party of capitalists, and
then go into the Seafoam and
Sheep Mountain districts.
In speaking of the Blackbird
mines, Mr.. Franklin informed us
that it was one of the creates
mining districts known, or else
it was one of the greatest frauds
in existence, but that he had
great hopes for the future of this
camp. Already his company, OF
which he is the head, have ex
pended over $50,000 in develop
ment work, and are exploring
this region in a very systematic
manner, regardless of expense
This company has a great many
of the mines in Blackbird undel
bond, and by July of this year
expect to have these properties
tested fully to their own satisfac
ton. They are developing witt
others, the Brown Bear group O
claims which they have under
bond, owned by Hon. j. G. Fox
of Challis, and others. On tn
Brown Bear mine they have SUM-
a shaft 100 feet in depth, an'
have found a good body of or
all the way, which is almost con
elusive that the mines go down
and are not surface deposits: Mr.
Franklin says that they will slnl
| 100 feet more on this claim AM
then cross s-cut, and that II !
proves as good as it is now, n
will be satisfied with the Black
bird region as being one OF m Tn
greatest copper camps known
If this group proves as he eH
poets. and he has every reaso.
to believe that it will, his CON S69
pany will at once put in 2OI
ton concentrator. Only a sma5
force of men are now employed
because but few men can be use
in sinking the shaft, but II al
hopes are fully realized by tn
development when he shall hav
sunk to the required depth,
large force of men Will oe eul l
pioyed, and Mr.. Franklin pre-
diets that with sufficient develof
ment Blackbird will become
second Butte. ;n;,,
This is an extensive mlnln
: district and extends for a dlstanc
of three miles up and GOV aow
Blackbird creek, and Is alin0s
one continuous chain Of mlnln
locations, besides quite a nuIloe oo
of promising mines have pee sS3
} discovered on Deer creek OF u, VI
same character of ore ana VI D.a
doubtedly on the same m,neaS ,nea1
+ belt. The ore bodies are ISa6' ~,
, and carry a good per cent Oh MI Nj,
: ner and other minerals, u NJ, /
: FRANKLIN said that he wouiu 40,
) satisfied if the ore bodies " wea s'a
nermanent and only Went 'nie
) or pr- four per cent. in copper, pPt =, Ii ;
J VI e,,oalxino. the Blackoll