The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-02-18
.GThunder Mountain. .:

Challis, writes very able article
in the Mining and Scientific
Press on Thunder mountain. He
says in part :
1.-The extension of the Salmon
River Railroad through the cen
trail part of Idaho to the western
border of the State, promises to
mark a most important period in
the mining history of this com
monwealth, as it will open up an
easy means of access to one of
the largest, richest, and at pres
ent most inaccessible undevelop-
ed mining fields in the United
| States.
This region of rough noun
tains and canyons is well water
ed and timbered and is especially
adapted for metaliferous mining.
1t is a region occupied almost
exclusively by primary and igne-
Gus formations whose rich fertil-
Iity are already demonstrated in
a measure by the fact, that from
within the Salmon river drain
age to which it is principally
tributary there has been produc-
ed to date fully seventy-fve mil
lions of dollars worth of placer
gold.
In addition TO the gold which
| is found associated with almost
all the ores of this region, the
baser metals are exceptionally
well represented. This is espec-
tally true of copper, of which
enormous surface manifestations
occur, and unless all precedent
experiences fail, this new line is
destined to develop a mineral
empire and a source of profitable
traffic unexcelled by any other
railway of equal length in the
world.
THUNDER MOUNTAIN.
1.-The Government map of Ida
no does not show the location of
Thunder mountain, but by meas
uring off % miles on the map
northwest of the mouth of Loon
creek, which enters the middle
fork of Salmon river from the
east, above Camas creek, you
will have the initial point.
"The formation Of Thunder
mountain consists almost entire
ly of eruptives principally in
great beds, dykes and overfows
of rhyolite, porphyry with i'm
mense accumulations of fine brec-
ciated material and occasional
domes and vents of basaltic an
desite.
THE most attractive feature
of the new Eldorado at present
is the Dewey group of claims,
situated near the summit OF
Thunder mountain at an altitude
of 5000 feet.
"They have been visited by a
number of competent mining men
and are described as a bed OF
zone of soft friable rhyolite por
phyry of light grey color, fully
600 feet wide aud exposed on the
Dewey property for several
thousand feet in length. The
deposit has already been de
veloped by 700 feet of tunnel.
and crosscuts that have gained ;
, vertical depth at one point of 14l
;; feet. The entire length of al
these workings is in pay ore tina
is said to carry an average valu,
of 81 per ton in free gold alsC
one solicited fracture zone -four
|, feet wide worth one thousanC
dollars per ton.
1T is estimated that this ore
; can be mined and milled on
large scale for not to exceed s
/ per ton and that there is nov
\ practically in sight on the prop
! erty, ore to the gross value o
; 800, 100000.
THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE.
There is half a dozen ways o
] approaching Thunder mountain
|; all of which possess local geo
graphical advantages, but mos
of them are over highly elevated
mountain roads and trails wher
J the snow usually lies deep anC
; late in the spring, making trave
( not only slow and difficult, bu
! also dangerous at that time o
\ the year.
Y 1.-The nearest railway approac
+ to the new Eldorado is Mackay
: the present terminus of the Sal
: mon River Railway, from wher
( there is an excellent wagon roa
\ to Singiser, 100 miles distant, an
\ from Singiser it is only 90 mile
y over good trail to Thunde
r mountain.
( This route will be open t
! safe and convenient travel full
I -. .,-oNl-- >,.1,.N,, l, n