Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-10
MINING IN The BLACK HILLS
Highland Chief and Other Properties Under
One Management,
ORE MlLLED by A NEW PROCESS
Avoids Dimculty of shines After
Crushing and PuIverIEing-Elk-
horn Buys Right of Way
over lining Claims.

The properties OF the Highland ChleI anu
those Of the ophir syndicate, situated in
Spruce gulch, have been consolidated, and
are now being worked by the Black Hills
and Denver Gold Mining company. The
holdings Of the new company embrace some
Of the best paying properties in the dis
trict, and cover several hundred acres.
On most Of the claims owned by the COM
pany ore has been found on the upper con-
tact, and from many Of them ore has been
milled, which gave returns ranging from
Sc to $40 per ton, although in particular
instances these values have been greatly
exceeded. The company is now milling ore
in the Highland Chief mill in Spruce gulch,
by an improvement on the wet-crushlng
cyanide process, invented by Captain Ran
dali of this city. and is meeting with
very good results. II is said that the pro-
cess has solved the difficulty OF handling
ores from which a high percentage Of shines
occur, after crushing and pulverizing. At
any rate the mill is a success under its
present management and is saving a high
percentage OF all the values contained
In the ore. 1t is also said that the new
organization purposes to begin development
work on a large scale in the district, and
will open up the ore bodies which are known
10 exist in the lower contact there.
The contract for the erection Of the
cyanide plant for the Jupiter Mining com
psny, which is to be erected on Blacktail
gulch, three miles above this city, has
been awarded, and work will begin on 1t
this coming week. The plant is to have
a daily capacity Of $50 tons, which amount
can be increased at any time. The order
for the machinery has already been placed
with Colorado people and will be ready
by the time the mill buildings is prepared
TO receive 1t. The plant will be wet-crush-
ing. and strictly up to date. The com
pany has a great deal Of ore blocked out
in It's mines ready to mill, but will con-
tlnue development work and open up it's
ground so that there will never be any
danger of the ore supply running short.
The ore is rich for a cyaniding proposition,
carrying gold values which range from SIS
to $25 a ton.
EIkhOrn Buys RIght-Of-Way.
The Elkhorn Railroad company has re-
Gently been buying the right-of-way over
mining ground In Blacktail gulch, and this
is taken as an indication that it will ex-
tend it's system up that gulch and possibly
out to Garden City. The present develop
ment Of the mining interests in that dis
trict would warrant such a move on the
part Of the railroad company and would
also be a great boon to people owning min
ing ground in the course of the proposed
extension.
The Lancaster Mining company has be-
gun work on the Alfarata lode in Black
tail, and will sink a shaft to the quartzite,
which at this point on the gulch can be
reached in a depth Of about 100 feet. Sew
eral years ago there was a shaft on quartz
ite on this mine and il is said that a
Rn0d h0uv NJ qiIicanua ora urao found
carrying high values, but then the cyanide
process had not been perfected to such an
extent as 1t is at the present day, so but
little attention was. paid to the ore de-
posit. The shaft was abandoned and in the
years that have passed since then the
timbering in II has rotted away. and the
workings filled up to such an extent that
II Is cheaper to sink a new shaft than to
clean out the old workings, and this will
be done. The Alfarata is one of the first
claims to be patented in the Black Hills
and one Of the first from which paying
ore was milled, the ore being taken from
the surface workings and treated by crush
ing in a stamp mill and amalgamation.
The Imperial company is getting out ore
right along. from It's ground. and other
companies and individuals at work make
Blacktail one Of the busiest districts at
inc pISbtHl llme IN the bldCk Hills, ana II
II does not have a railroad before another
year 1t will not be because there is not
business enough to warrant the construc-
tion Of a line through it.
Orders a New MIL.
HILL CITY, s. D., Nov. 9.-(speciaI.)-
The Lakota Mining company, which has
been organized for the purpose of working
the Grizzly Bear mine, Ave miles east Of
this camp, has ordered a new ten-stamp
mill to take the place OF the old one, which
has become out OF date, it's machinery
worn out and antiquated, and expects to
have the new plant ready to run by spring.
Hhe workings OF the mine have been cleared
out, the caved in material, the aecumula-
tion of years OF idleness, removed and tho
vein exposed for a sufficient distance to as
sure ore enough to keep a ten stamp plant
running almost a lifetime. The Grizzly
Bear was at one time a prolific producer,
Notwithstanding the fact that It was worked
In rather a primitive manner, and with no
regard whatever for economy. Robert
Florrman, who died a few years ago in
Alaska, was its owner during the days oil
its productiveness. and to him It was Q
source Of revenue for seven or eight years,
but as he did not toward the last give II
his attention the mine was allowed to run
down, and when Il ceased TO be profitable
10 him he ceased work upon II.
EImendOrf 10 Start Again.
The Elmendorf Mining company will
shortly resume work on its ground or
Spring creek. Francis H. Clarke, one oil
the directors, arrived here, from Minneap-
oils last week and proceeded to settle al
the accounts owed by the company. distrib-
uting several thousands of dollars. The
company is said to have ample funds in Its
treasury now and will resume operations or
an extensive scale when II starts up. The
property Is in a good location and has sew.
eral good ore bodies exposed on It, and Il
is believed with good management it car
be made to pay.
CUSTER CITY. S. D., Nov. ESPECIAL,
"A carload Of ore was shipped from tbs
Leroy mine last week to Denver for treat
ment. The ore is SAID to be very rich an,
Il Is expected that the returns from tn,
shipment will amount to several thousand
dollars. The shipment consists Of ore which
has been sorted and sacked from the regu
lar vein matter that has been encounteret
IN the course OF work on the mine. Thu
working shaft. which was started on tn,
property some time ago, has now reache.
q depth OF eighty feet and the ore which 1
aLga n