The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-08-01
Weiser People Missed it When They
Gave Up the Caswell Claims.
DEWEY TO REAP THE HARVEST
Particulars Of the Developments at Thunder
Mountain

The Weiser people at the head
of the Thunder Mountain Mining
Co. evidently missed it when they
surrendered their bond on the claims
of the Caswell Bros. at Thunder
Mountain and allowed the prize to
come into the possession of Col.
Dewey, the millionaire miner. That
gentleman is so we'll satisfied of
their wonderful richness that he is
building a railroad from Nampa to
Thunder Mountain. The Blackfoot
News prints some interesting matter
concerning the mines that will be
painful reading to the former stock
holders:
r. w. Purdam, of Nampa, and e. j:
Conroy, of Pittsburg, returned Friday
from Thunder Mountain. Col. Dewey's
superintendent-Tho G. Reed, who
went out with them, is now at Thunder
and Conroy as far as Bear valley, and
returned. Mr.. Reed was in there all
last winter, experimenting the work.
Locke, the packer, who passed through
this place several days ago with pack
train loaded with IL, 900 pounds of sup
plies for Dewey, has contracted to pack
ten-stamp mill into Thunder Mountain.
1t is expected that the mill will be in
Nampa by the time he returns. and il 1t
is he will load as soon as he gets there
and start with the machinery.
Mr.. Conrov brought out 100 samples
for assay. Each represents 100 pounds
of ore, carefully sampled. Each 1OO
pounds was crushed mixed and quartered.
The samples were taken from the tunnel,
cross-cuts groupings, and slides. Samples
were taken every five feet in the tunnel
and cross-cuts Dewey holds bonds on
eight claims owned by the Caswell Bros
Samples were not taken from all the
claims, and this was really not necessary
A sample of one is virtually sample OF
all. Assays will be made of samples
taken from three or four of the claims.
Dewey sent out eight miners with
Locke's pack train. This will make
force of eleven men. Three miners
have been at work this spring and sum-
mer. Four were employed during the
winter. Tue tunnel, with cross cuts run
each way, measures about 300 feet.
Standing out from Thunder Mountain is
what is called 1.-The Cone" the summit
of which is about 900 feet lower than the
summit of Thunder Mountain proper
The latter towers 1,200 feet above
Monumental and Mule creeks that flow
along its base. Dewey's tunnel is POO
feet from the summit of the cone. Al
least 200, 600 tons of ore are in sight or
this cone The Caswell brothers the
past spring found chunk of ore on tor
of the cone that is filled with seams anc
little nuggets of gold. 1t contains a
least 5000. Some who have seen th
specimen estimate its value at three o
four hundred dollars Mr.. Purdan
says he is sure it contains $500. IN
past spring Caswell's, while placer min
ing, found number of specimens IL
their sluices that turned out from so Il
$50 each Parties out there informed
Mr. Purdam that the Caswels this yea
cleaned up 500, 900. The placers are ol
two sides of the cone, the porphyry O
which sloughs off each year to the deptl
OF about five feet, and for distance o
200 feet up the sides of the cone. AL o
the cone, which is mostly white porr
hyry. prospects in free gold. A ha
(between the Gone and Thunder Noun
tain) dimensions one by Two miles, ais
prospects. Brown e. Richardson ar
placer mining on this fiat. Swamps o
the fiat furnish their water supply fc
washing Bert Zieher is working placer
on Mule creek, at the foot OF the con-
The Caswell boys are now running tut
mel on the east side of Thunder Moul
tain, two and half miles from tt
Dewey tunnel. They are building b
log house at the tunnel They will col
tinue work in this tunnel until the seaso
opens for placer mining next sprin
Thunder Mountain proper is brown al
yellow porphyry-all gold bearing. \
granite shows on the mountain. Inc
is a little of what appears to be san
stone. On the north side of the cone
vein OF blue clay, twenty feet wide, ca
res gold. On the south side OF the col
a belt of black porphyry runs high
free gold and also carries some irt
sulphuretes. A mile and a half nor
of the cone, and 900 feet higher, is
mountain of lava three or four mil
long. Mr.. Purdam says the porphy
continues to break loose from the rugg
sides of Thunder Mountain, up near
summit, and moves toward Mule al
Monumental creeks.
Mr.. Purdum is greatly elated over t
scenic wonders, and wealth in gold,
the Thunder Mountain section. He sa
this trip awakened more interest a
gave him more pleasure than any he h
ever before made. He says the clail
on which Dewey holds bonds, and
other claims of the Caswel brothers,