Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-05-04

So" sterotyped in brass, is at hand
for all occasions.
In April 1899 Mr.. John E. Dun
ton and Mr.. Chas. X. jackson To-
Gated a group Of seven claims on
little creek that forms one branch
Of the West fork Of Crooked river.
These claims are about four and
q half miles in q northwesterly di.
rection from Badger, and on di-
rect line, about three and half
miles nearly due north from the
shaft Of the Big Buffalo at Buffalo
Hump. These gentlemen are old
miners, and happen to know q few
things about quartz veins, forma-
tions and other necessary details
Of the ores that furnishes the world
with its loose change. They were
confident that the root Of all evil
was there, bright, yellow, beauti-
full and tempting. They forthwith
applied the pick, shovel and the
drill, powder and elbow grease.
After considerable feeling around''
they located q 14-foot vein of sui
phate and pyrites quartz, which
gave, at ten feet depth, $23 per
ton, and they felt that they had
got hold of a "chunk of the stuff. /"
About this time Walter G.
Brewer, the expert geologist, who
was then in the employ Of a Spok-
ane syndicate, visited the locality.
He at once recognized three
essential facts: First that the
formation was the best in all the
Buffalo Hump country; second,
that the mountains had not been
eroded nearly as much as usual in
that locality, while the veins pres
ent were in place in the very best
walls. He located two claims and
the syndicate took hold Of the
group of nine claims, and about
the first Of October active work
was commenced under the skillful
supervision of Mr.. Dunston. A
shaft was sunk rs feet on the big
vein, which steadily widened with
depth and became nearly perpen-
dicular. At a depth of 80 feet it
was II feet wide; at % feet it was
10 feet wide, and the assays varied
from $17 to $135, with an average
of about $25.
All this time Messrs. Dunton
and Brewer had entertained curl
GUS dreams about the float that
lay few hundred feet west of this
shaft on the adjoining claim, and
when Mr.. Dunton was stopped by
water he began to prospect at that
point. In few days he had q
crosscut that showed the presence
of a vein running at right angles
to the other, and it soon developed
that it was the mother lode Of the
mountain. A cross-cut of 20 feet
has not found the hanging wall,
and the vein is from 80 to so feet
wide and finely walled. 1t, too, is
q sulphate and pyrite vein, carry
ing free gold. A shaft has been
sunk 35 feet into q profound for
nation of quartz, and below the
15-foot level the entire body of the
vein carries the lode and q square
foot of it could not be found that
was blank. An assay at five feet
depth goes SIG; and at 35 feet
down the average is above t26.
The dump pile presents q sight
that is not often seAn. There is
not an ounce Of foul rock in it.
The ore breaks into large chunks
and does not splinter or fly in fine
pieces when blasted. The vein
lays on the mountain, 90 it may
be tapped at 2lO feet depth with =
working tunnel, and every feature
Of the mine is most favorable for
development. A good sized creek
is at hand; the old Badger road is
only three miles distant, and .
good wagon road may be built to
the property over an easy grade
for q small sum. The surveyed
line of the N. P. Clearwater ex-
tension passes within two miles of
the property.
Beside the two big veins there
are three small veins that cross
the group, all Of which are rich.
There are millions Of tons Of ore
present in this mountain which, NO
doubt, will make one of the great
est mines Of Idaho in the near fu-
ture. 1t is . pleasure to state that
the property is in good hands, with
Chas. r. Chamberlain, Of Spokane
at the head of the company, and
that the discoverers will reap q
rich reward for their faithful work.
->oS-
Railroad News From Official
Sources.
Chief engineer McHenry and
assistant engineer Bielor a TIE