The news-herald., 1902-01-11
WORK DID 1T
Mountain Chief Coming
TO the Front.
The Sparks and Devine Brothers Now
Shipping BuIion-Returns More Than
Pay for Development Work Being Done
New Strike at the Old Sunset Mine.

duQ luc DOFlllC DfOGnGrS are uOl
saying much, in fact, many people
here are not aware that that they
have been doing much lately, but,
nevertheless, during the past few
months they have turned a pros
pect into producing mine and
have already shipped over $4,000
worth of bullion. Last June the
Sparks boys went out to the
Mountain Chief group of sixteen
claims near the old Sunset mine,
about thirty-eight miles southwest
from here, and, after looking over
the ground carefully, purchased a
half interest in the group, later on
buying the Sunset mine and s.
stamp mill, three miles distant, on
account of the water supply to be
had there. They started to work
under extreme difficulties, having
to pack all their water. In con-
nection with the Devine brothers
they started development work,
and the first of last October com
menced packing ore to their mill
at the Sunset mine. TWENTY-FIVE
burros are used in the work, and
since starting the mill over $4,000
worth of bullion has been taken
out, and this with an insufficient
water supply, rendering it impos-
sible to run full time. VIM. E.
Deity, brother-in-law of the
Sparks boys, brought in a bar
worth $500 Sunday, followed
Tuesday by Ralph Sparks with
$1,000 more, the result of the bat
terry clean up.
Twelve men are being worked on
the group, two shifts being worked
on two development shafts now be-
ing sunk on the War Horse and
North Star claims, though hereto
fore nearly all the work has been
surface work, the object having
been to take out enough ore to pay
for the development work, none
Of the owners being capitalists.
The groupings on these claims can
be traced over 1900 feet and the
ledge is from two to nve feet in
width, averaging about nine per
cent copper and $18 in gold. On
the War Horse claim a develop
ment shaft is being sunk on a rich
2O-inch vein, carrying II per cent
copper and about $36in gold, while
on the North Star claim there is a
ledge of rich ore from two and
one-half to three feet in width and
carrying values exceeding $50 in
gold. A 3-inch streak of copper
glance is now coming into the shaft
and the indications point towards
a copper mine being uncovered.
Ralph Sparks reports having en-
countered a rich body of gold ore
in one of the old slopes in the Sun
set mine just before coming to
town, and upon his return will in
1estigate the old workings fully,
believing that there yet remains a
mine there and that it is not work
ed out by any means. The ore
taken out last week ran over $12,
and with a mill and water at hand
it can be worked very proftably, if
there is any permanent body of it.
The two Sparks boys and the
three Devine brothers certainly de-
serve great credit for the work they
are doing, and it is to be regretted
that there are not more Of their
kind in this section. Hard work
and lots Of it is the only thing that
will ever devevelop this section and
make it the richest mining dis
trict in the west. What has been
done can be done again, and there
are many prospects in this vicinity
even more promising than the
Mountain Chief and much easier oi
access, which, if in proper hands
and witE a little work, would soon
7 I \