The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-26
SALE OF THE BIG BUFFALO.
LARGEST PRICE EVER PAID FOR A
PROSPECT HOLE.
How the Deal Was COnsummnted--
History of the Mine and the Own
ers-Estimated Thst There In
S4OO,OOO Worth Of Ore In sight.

The recent sale OF the Big Buffalo mine
AT Buffalo Hump to Charles Sweeney, OF
Spokane, embraces the Bert Rigley, Young
and Robbins interests. representing one
half OF tho mine. the price paid
for II being Sl2500O cash. Swee-
ney had previously secured the other in
terests, for which he paid about $4,000
The deal on tho property has been pend
ing many months, and the terms were
reached at Lewiston last week, when the
interested parties left for Grangerville to
secure the necessary records and sigma
lures.
Van b. DeLAshmutt. of Spokane, nego-
tiated the deal for Sweeney. and the pay
ment made was through the Lewiston
National bank.
The price exceeds perhaps that paid for
any prospect In the mining history OF the
Northwest, and this seems to be but con-
sistent with the interesting history of the
property. The mine was located August
10. 1898. by two poor prospectors. Young
and Robbins. -foAig's story of the dis
covery was that they had run out Of
grub and he went out hunting deer. Re-
turning at nightfall and when near camp.
he picked up a piece of quartz from a
forty-foot ledge and carried IL to camp.
In the morning the quartz was roasted
and a rich assay resulted. They FASTENED
to civilization and made the discovery pub
lie at Florence Then followed the great
Buffalo Hump boom, and people focked
into the district from all over the coun-
try.
Tho mine Is located 1900 feet above sea
level, and winter practically excluded OPP
erations although Charles Sweeney took
bond on the property for s625.0oo and
paid $4,000 down. He then spent $50. 900
In developing the property during the win
ter. sinking a sixty-foot SHAFT. No other
"A. t,a. t.aax ...t..
Before the first payment was due Jake
Rite and Perry Mallory instituted grub
stake suit for n one-half interest, and tho
mine has since been tied up In litigation.
Rice. who was a merchant. contended In
hts suit that he grubstaked Young, Rob-
bins and Mallory to visit and locate the
mine. which had been previously dLscov-
cred by Mallory. and that the latter. after
leaving Young and Robbins In the noun
tains, gave them a map to guide them to
the bonanza. Rico and Mallory we're
awarded onc-half OF the mine by the dis
tritt court. and the case was then taken
to the supreme court. where "A decision Is
now pending. This decision H. now i'm
material. Sweeney has purchased tho
interests OF all parties. Several rich min
Ing syndicates have at various times ne
gotiated for the mine The De La Mar
Company offered to spend $4,000 in teveI-
oping and then pay $4,000 for the prop
crty, This and similar offers were re-
fused.
After the discovery Of the mine Robbins
began drinking heavily. and died as a re-
sult OF dissipation. Dell Butterworth. who
acquired an interest In the property from
Young and Robbina died at Grangevilla
last saturday, the date the agreement was
reached. Young shot and wounded Rice
Hast fan as the result Of litigation. and
was found guilty OF assault with intent to
do great bodily harm. He Ia now under
sentence, and hts case IA before the su-
prone ,ourt on appeal
Tho mine has been thoroughly expert
"a, and u Is conservatively estimated there
+ $4,000 worth Of ore IN sight. with lin
ited development. Sweeney - a rlcn
Occur dAlene mine owner ana viii on
crate the hig Buffalo for his own com
rany. -Orexonian