Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-02
AN OPINION
Of sUMPTER
Best Poor Mans Country in the
Whole West.
DECLARES W. F. C0BbAN
Believes it Will Share the Rush to the
Alaska Diggings-Twenty-
One Mills.
DECLARES W. F. COBBAN

camps of Montana, l believe that Sump-
ter. Oregon, is the best poor mans coun-
try in the whole west today" said w. F.
Cobban to an Inter Mountain reporter
| this morning. Mr.. Cobban returned yes
terday from the new mining camp which
IN attracting almost as much attention
in the mining world rs Cape Nome. In
fact Mr.. Cobban believes that Sumpter
will share equally in the big rush to the
Alaslxam diggings.
II visited Su1npter last October" con-
tinueI Mr.. Cobban a NJ I was greatly
surprised at the change since then. The
town has a population of $500. with sew
eral fine buildings that would be a credit
to a town ten times its size. Although
several saw and planning mills have been
working night and day to supply the de-
mand for lumber for new buildings the
demand is 25 per cent greater than the
supply. Lumber is selling for 1850 per
thousand. It is difficult to get
datlons in the rapidly growing town and
the prospective visitor should telegraph
there ahead If he wishes to secure a place
to sleep.
"At the present time 81 mills with 2S0
stamps are busily pounding out the yell
low metal. I believe the output of gold
from the Sumpter district for 1900 will
aggregate 50, 900, 900. It is an Immense
mineral belt. being fully 60 by 100 miles
in extent. The ground is heavily timber
ed and affords excellent opportunities for
the prospector. New camps are being or
ganized in all directions and rich strikes
are OF daily occurrence. A rather anus
ing thing occurred during my visit there.
A few penniless prospectors, some time
previous had staked out some ground,
several miles from Sumpter. They sold
enough stock in their supposed wildcat
to get a grub stake and started in to dig.
A few feet below the surface they struck
q rich body of gold ore. The news of the
strike reached Sumpter and after being
confirmed 10000 shares changed hands in
one day at Is cents per share.
"One of the best features of the new
camp is that you cannot buy a single
share OF stock in amy of the old COM
pan.es. The people there have the great
with pride to the fact that there has not
been a solitary failure in any mining ven-
ture there during the past year. Every
property that has been worked has made
money for its owners. THE formation is
slate and porphyry, nearly all being con-
tact veins. The ores of the camp seem to
be running into copper On the surface
lead was the predominant mineral.
"There is considerable sno on the
ground yet and I would NJ advise min
ers or prospectors to go in there for
thirty lays yet. Then they can get into
the hills. However during the past win
ter about 1000 locations were made on
top of the snow in the district. Every
train in there now is crowded and to ac-
commodate the rush the Sumpter Valley
road has put on a line of splendid pas
senger cars. Many Portland capitalists
are OF the ground and a merry var is on
now for a franchise for a street railway.
Both the townsite company and the
Portland people are after 1t and charges
Of boodIing and bribery are freely made.
II met many Butte people there. Fred
Ritchie opened a theater there a few
weeks ago. The troupe reached there be-
fore the roof was on the play house, hut
that didn't feaze Fred. He housed the
company in tents and opened the house
on schedule time. Unfortunately It
rained heavily that night and the au-
dience was drenched. Tom Hoffat has
charge of the Bunker Hill and Mammoth
mines. r. B. Wallace and VIM. Huseiton
are doing well. Angus Mcqueen has a
bond on the E. & E.. mine and Will proba-
bly, make a fortune. Dan Yaager. Frank
Thomas. R. A. Day and Julius Mordaunt
are also there and expect to make
money"