Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-04-27
BIG BUFFALO GROUP SOLD
The Greatest Mining Proposition on
Earth Sold to ChaS. Sweeney,


On Tuesday, April "a, at 11.3O
A. M. in the office Of Mr.. Swoeney's
attorney, II. II. Bartlett, in this
city, the final papers were signed
transferring the Big Buffalo, Oro-
Fino and Merrimac claims in the
Robbins mining district to Charles
Sweeney for a cash consideration
of 1925, 900, and the money for
same was paid that day through
the Bank of Camas Prairie.
This completes one of the largest
mining deals ever consummated on
practically an undeveloped proper
ty. Taking the costs of purchasing
the law suit, and the payment
made when it was under bond last
year, together with the money ex-
pended on the development of this
property the sum Of $3.50 900 would
hardly cover it. This final deal
was consummated by Van b.
DeLashmutt, the well known
mining broker OF Spokane, and was
only accomplished after three
months of hard service. The
accession of the Big Buffalo group
gives Mr.. Sweeny the ownership
of vast tract of mineral territory
in Idaho county's great camp,
consisting of quartz aud placer
claims extending from about two
miles above Fish Lake on Lake
creek to the south end of the
Orc Fino claim, distance of
nearly four miles. In addition, he
owns water rights and timber
claims, and the development Of
these varied interests to a point
where they will become productive
will mean the expenditure of a
vast sum of money. Probably
S25O,OOO more will have to be
expended before the present ore in
sight in the Big Buffalo workings
can be made to give a profit to its
owner.
The history of the Big Buffalo
has been varied, and to recite. the
details since it's discovery would
fill volumes, but a brief recital here
might not be out of place.
The property was located on
August 8, 1898, by Charles f.
Robbins, now deceased and B. X.
Young, alias Bert Rigley.
They were prospecting in the
Buffalo Hump region and made a
discovery Of an immense outcrop-
ping of quartz that had good
values and staked off three claims,
the Big Buffalo, Merrimac and
Oro Fino. Soon after their dis
covery, the parties went to Flor
ence to Tecord their claims, and
gave out the news that set the
western mining world ablaze with
the discovery Of valuable gold
quartz leads of immense size, right
where prospectors and trappers
had been passing for years on a
well beaten trail. Within a
months time from the recording
Of these claims there were nearly
100 locations made in the camp,
and the various mining camps
contiguous to Buffalo Hump were
deserted.
After getting to Florence,
Robbins, one of the locators, since
deceased, divided his interest into
equal parts, with A. F. McKenna,
Dell Butterworth and Mike Green.
all old-time partners in prospect
ing. Then commenced a series ol
negotiations for the property, that
has only just ended by the pur-
chase of last Tuesday. First of
all, J. J. Healy, of Salt Lake, one
of Capt. De La Mars experts,
heard of the strike and went into
the camp. He remained there
long enough to satisfy himself that
the Big Buffalo lead had the
making of great gold mine, and
came out to Grangeville and called
Mr.. II. A. Cohen, who is general
manager for Capt. De La Mars
interests in America, to the scene
Mr.. Cohen made an unsuccessful
attempt to reach the property late
in the fall but was taken sick or
the way and had to abandon the
trip; however he opened negotia
tions with Rigley, Robbins
McKenna and the other owners
which occupied some weeks time
and many thousands Of dollars
were spent, but no deal wal
contaminated. Then Samuel /
Silverman, a mining promote
known all over the northwest
appeared on the scene, and OF
December 30, 1898, tied up tn,
Big Buffalo group on bond TO
100000. Mr.. Silverman by tn
terms Of his bond had to pa,
$25, 900 in thirty days and beside
had to make thorough examina
tion of the property; this in itsel
was no easy task, for the grea
vein was covered under ten feet q
snow, and the camp was IL mile
from any wagon or sled road Q
broken trail. This however wa
nothing to daunt Mr.. Silvermar
and he sent his mining enginee
into the camp, who opened up
good sled trail from the Badge
mine, established supply camps