The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-06-13
OREGON GOLD MINES
Era Of Scientific Development
Has Commenced.

ucNcIOpIncIt on ldIgc SCdIc. OHltl Il
comparatively recent date our progress
was discouragingly slow. Many factors
contributed to this condition. II was
long contended, even by mining engineers
Of repute, that the ore bodies of Eastern
Oregon lacked depth, and that, II they
attained II, they carried no profitable
values. Seven or eight years ago, when
period Of exploitation seemed about to
begin, the financial crash came and in.
vestors were scared away from the Pacific
coast. simultaneously, rich discoveries
followed IN Colorado, and engr0ssed the
attention Of mining men, and the eastern
Oregon gold belt was left TO itself. The
Investigations Of engineers and the deve.
opment work OF the past four years have
demonstrated beyond doubt that In east.
ern Oregon are the largest and richest
gold fields IN the world. II has been
proved that the ore bodies go down, and
that profitable mining can be done at a
1000 feet. Values increase. not decrease,
with depth. In the big properties, every
100 feet Of sinking adds 90 per cent to the
value Of the rock.
The great size Of the mineraliled coun.
try and the extent and richness Of its ore
bodies being demonstrated, abundant
capital has become available in Europe
and America, and development is pro.
ceeding on approved modern lines. The
tunnel has done It's work IN defining the
lodges and the shaft is being sent down
ward 10 reach the high values and block
out the ore. IN eastern Oregon, rs well
as In western oregon, quartz mining is
essentially a matter oi depth. The rich
values are deep, below the 400 toot.evrls |
and the line oi oNiJlLation. Mining on
this sale Is not tor the poor man. II
Is the task oi capital To open a property /
10 the degree that will establish It's value |
and rermanencv requires between $50, 900 |
and 10000. That money is obtainable |
Tor this expensive class OF work is evi. |
dente oi the faith oi capitalists in the !
worth Of our mines.
While much has been done IN the past |
Oregon has not yet arrived at the dignity
oi u mining state, except that In 4 single
sense that II has vast mineral resources.
II is development that makes mines, and
We are now developing. The work that
makes mines remains practically undone.
We ate scratching the surface preparatory
Ia the great task IN store, The quartz
properties IN Oregon that can be classed
as mines may I've counted on the fingers
OF ones hands. lhe Columbia, the North
Pole. the Golconda, the Red Boy and the
Bonanza, IN eastern Oregon, are OF the
lew that have attained any considerable
depth, and they are arranging to so deeper,
All the others are In the initial stage oi
develoment. Contasted with Colorado,
we do not cut much figure as mining
community. That state has siNtv'eight
properties which the Engineering aud Min.
Ing Journal lists as lividend.plying
mines, and the div idends they have paid
West OF the Rocky mountains, including
Alaska, there ATE less than a dozen
dividend PAYERS, This is partly due TO
the fact that many OF our principal en-.
,crprses are privately owned and are not
stocked, and consequently make no state.
ments OF their profits.
The satisfactory element in the present
is that our mineral resources east
and west ot the Cascades have been