The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-25
STANLEY BASIN.

ceSSlon OF valleys 90 or 20 miles
long and from to 10 miles wide,
and it extends well on toward
Thunder mountain and has an
altitude of 6, 300 feet. 1t is bor-
dered on the south and west by
the wonderful Sawtooth range.
Thousands of head of cattle are
driven into the valleys and fat
ten on the grasses during the
summer and are taken out to
markets in the fall.
1t, is, however, with reference
to the mineral conditions that
this article is written. Though
comparatively new TO the outside
world and only attracting atten-
ton now on account of it's prox-
unity to Thunder mountain, plac-
er mining has been going on
here since 1867. Except in a
very few instances not enough
work has yet been done on lode
claims to determine their merits.
1t is a mineral country though.
The mountain masses of lava
found below here seem to termin-
ate in this region and shoot out
dikes of felsite quartz porphyry
through the regional granite. In
places contact veins of quartz
are found with punches of fiuor-
ite stain and fiuor spar. In 9TH
ers a rhyolite porphyry crops
out on the surface carrying free
gold running as high as fourteen
ounces to the ton; whether it
will hold out with depth can only
be determined by sinking.
The most important enterprise
here is the dredging proposition.
1t was formerly known as the
Marshall and Franklin diggings
and consists of 100 acres of
dredging ground which will
average so cents per yard; por-
tions of it run several dollars.
Three years ago it was purchas-
ed by Kansas City parties, who
erected a dredging plant at a cost
of $40, 900. Lack of experience
and bad management. besides
breaking down of machinery, has
caused it to be worked with in
different success, and yet two
acres of ground produced $11, :
900. This year it has not been
worked at all. Mat. Womacks,
one of the owners, has sold it to
a company of experienced dredge
men, who are overhauling the
machinery preparatory to an ac-
tive campaign next year. Geo.
t. Burroughs is superintendent
of the proposition at Stanley for
the new company. Womacks is
an old-time prospector, and some
years ago left the town of Chal-
lis on a prospecting trip to Saw
tooth. Within six days he had
located the Pilgrim mine and
when he had sunk a 5-foot hole
on it sold it for $4,000.
| The Challis & Sturkey placers,
which are situated on Kelly gulch
and which have been worked by
them since 1873. A. P. Challis,
Ione of the pioneers of Custer
county, who mined in California
and on Fraser river in the early
days came to Custer county in
1867, is one of the founders OF
the town of Challis, the county
seat. His partner, Henry Sturk-
ey, is also an old-timer. Both
have worked hard and blazed
many trails and deserve monu
ments when they die.
The Smith property, situated
in Joe's gulch, has an outcrop-
ping of porphyry upon which
considerable development work
has been done-suficient to show
that the ore runs from $40 tc
5000 per ton. 1t has been passed
by because it was thought the
values would not hold out il
porphyry. Henry Sturkey thinks
different though, and has pur
chased an interest in it, and BY
next summer it will be known
what there is in it.
, The Doc. Adair property whicl
makes a very promising showing
) in gold. has been taken hold o
/ by Senator Thurston and some
: Washington associates who will
develop it Systematically.
The Valley Greek mine, situat
ed IL miles west of here, is the
5 one, however, upon which mucl
. of the future of this district de
: pends. 1t was located by Ton
Woodruff about 1888, and pur
chased by Judge Price, and hi
. associates three years later, wh'
3 did development work omit. Las
: spring Wayne Darlington, o.
Antelope, formerly general man
: ager of the White Knob Coppe
-