Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-09-05
OUR MINERAL OPERATIONS.
Late Discoveries and Enter
Prises in Gold and Copper.
Probability Of Oil.

People OF Grants Pass as we'll as else
where, are getting, or possibly many Of
them already have, the oil craze. Two
companies have been boring south OF
here for several weeks past and third,
organized in Grants Pass, are about
ready to begin operations soon. FIX
perts who have examined this district
claim that it lie possessed OF better indi.
cations for oil than Arizona or Califor-
mia; but the truth OF this statement is
yet TO be proved. OIL men have desig-
mated a territory here which is known as
the North Grants Pass OIL District. 1t
embraces some 5000 acres, and the ex.
perts say that this land contains oil. 1t
is on this land that the Natural Gas,
Oil & Mining Company are going to be-
gin boring soon, for better or for worse,
for oil or hot water. The company will
not bore for oil alone, but for artesian
hot or cold water, mineral water, gas.
oil, OF mineral vein. Situated as Grants
Pass is in the midst OF a vast mineral
belt, 1t is most probable that this COM
pany will strike one OF the several things
for which they will bore.
The gold dredger which has been at
work for some time on the Waldo dredg-
ing grounds along the Illinois River, has
been obliged to cease operations for u
time to await the arrival OF new buckets
for the dip chain. The old buckets were
not adapted for the heavy work required
in the coarse gravel and boulders of the
Illinois and soon wore out. Work will
be resumed as soon as the new buckets
arrive, as the grounds are paying well.
Machines that are suited for the work OF
dredging California and other placer
grounds Of the coast, will not work in
the Southern Oregon soil.
The Lucky Cuss mine Of the Williams
creek district. has been lately bonded by
McCsnn & Strickland, OF Shrimpf Broth
ers. This mine is situated in the same
district as the Exchequer, Rising Star,
and Mountain, Lion. AS its name in
dicates it has been the subject OF various
rich strikes and discoveries, and has
been mainly worked for the gold in
sight. The new company propose to
conduct the mine ON thorough bust.
ness basis, and the Lucky Cuss, which
is possessed OF good ledges' will become
a steady producer,
Just at the present time the principal
topic OF discussion ia mining circles is
the copper seams and copper fields OF
Waldo. W. A. Wbipple, OF the Whipple
copper mines, arrived in the city last
night bringing with him a bag Of ore
from his property. Much Of
the ore is one.third pure copper while
all OF il contains from II to 3S per cent
Of this metal. Other samples Of ore are
on exhibition from the ne Wy discovered
field on Little Grsyhack. This rock,
too, is Of first quality, and the ledges
from which 1t is taken are astounding in
their immensity, Claims are being
rapidly staked and development will
proceed. Little Grayback. which has
hitherto been nsught but primeval
forest to which the scattered hunters
and campers infrequently visited in
search OF game, is destined to become
the richest copper field OF the Pacific
Coast.
The rich ore veins discovered in the
Ramsey mine OF Mount Reuben, and
the Mountain Lion, of Williams district,
still exhibit the yellow grams as the
miners remove the ore. For size and
general value these strikes eclipse all
others made in Southern Oregon this
year.
The Sterling hydraulic mine, have
finished their annual cleanup. Their
run this year extended over a period
Of ten months, and the output OF gold is
larger than usual. The Ster-
ling hydraulic is one Of the big Southern
Oregon placer propositions, equipped
with thorough water facslities, thus
them to operate long after the
other mines have closed down.