The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-05-15

a. duolIy was opened on |
tne lower dixie for the purpose
OF extracting the desirable blockv |
building stone it afforded.
This lead belt is only one of
well defined courses of
lead-silver bearing formations in
custer county. 1t is the most
persistently mineralized, how
ever, OF any of them, and shows
variety of surface manifesto
tlons, that should prove a para
disc for prospectors familiar with
tne lead-sllver bearing contact
formations.
There are dozens of fine pros
poets that have been abandoned
since the slump in silver, and
some of them good mines, with
considerable development. Seven
miles south of Bayhorse, the
Centennial and Homestake mines
have been large producers or rich
ore. These are contact veins
between blue lime and steep
pitching dikes of porphyry. At
Clayton, II miles south of Bay
horse, the Ella mine carries a
well defined fissure vein, in lime
and quartzite, filed with carbon
ate of iron, and rich concentra-
tions of gray copper ore. This
mine had one pipe of steel galena
ore, about 10 by 20 feet, that was
followed down to water level, and
produced over $400, 900 worth of
silver-lead bullion.
Adjoining the Ella on the same
strike, the Rob Roy group has
considerable development, ex-
posing a large vein of 90 per
cent. lead ore, worth 20 ounces
in silver. This group has several
parallel veins of iron and shows
considerable sulphate barita or
heavy spar, that infallible bios
som of rich ore among the Aspen
mines, the probable Importance
of which does not seem to have
been half appreciated in this
district.
Three miles south of the Rob
Roy, on the east side of Squaw
creek, the Redbird mine is locat-
ed on a big zone of blocky blue
lime that carries a line of bold
groupings and blowouts of car.
Donate of iron, plainly traced
along the surface for six miles.
The Redbird is developed to
depth of 400 feet, and a latera
extent of not to exceed 1000 feet
by adit tunnels. The ore in this
mine consists of hard and soft
carbonate of lead and galena
well mixed with carbonate O.
iron and sufficient lime to make
it self-fuxing. 1t has already
produced 500, 900 worth of lead
Silver ore, that yielded an aver
age value of not less than 30 pc
cent. lead and 80 ounces of silve
per ton, a good deal of the or
. running much higher. Six min
ers turned out 80 tons of ore
; dav for 90 days last summer
while the Company's smelter a
Clayton was running.
On the opposite steep slope o
a svnclinal trough, that form
: the bed of Squaw creek, IN VIVA
: is probably the same lime nor,
zon. the Saturday and Molly L
: mines have shipped several hur
t dred thousand dollars worth o
2 ore. that averaged over % pc
} cent. lead and 50 ozs. in silver.
5 Continuing south, about te t.e,
= miles further, on the opposlt
Y side of Salmon river, at the hea
t Of Slate creek, the Silver Rul
r mine was a bedded deposit {
= hard gray carbonate of lead;
: has produced S35O,oOO worth C
: ore. ore Welding so per cent. lea
!, and and 80 to $50 ounces of silve1
{ t' together with S. to So in gol'
' T6e Importance of a system a,,'
t narrow vertical assures, nile
e with granular quartz, and a goo
S snrinRling of the same hlg
Grade lead silver ore, that termll
d ste on the underside of the be-
S Jed vein, seems to have pes
t overlooked. The mine is no
v idle, These assures are prooa
l. w W. the fountain source OF u
e 5sedded deposit, and their turtn a
e eTnIoration may develop a ST
g m more profitable resource Oh 0
d tban that already mined.
: : 'ii's" a sbort distance still furtn
:, 3 sontb ~ Of the Silver Rule the Ii
:. ;n@ston group of mines' consls
ing ;nsIf of seven claims, and own n
T ing Ing some ~ u Denver people, max
le oSe ~ Of the most handsome s%no' %
> ings of high grade d,s;s leadrSi.v 1sin IS
% lime, Ii slate or shale, and associt
~ ,. nd la1nU with dikes of granular pyrl'
n ero"s eu porphyry, which gives