The Nome nugget., 1902-11-01
A QUAR- 2 Z
 SECI ION The Developments of tie
 Past Season
0M S0lCMGsl EIvEs
Some Promising Mines Which A. Now Being Opened up,-.0ut.
 iG0k For Next Year.

The solomon river quartz mines arc rapidly coming to the front. THf NUGGET has heretofore told of the
 wonderful possibilities of the Solomon river section as quartz producer.
 The Hurrah quartz mine, owned by
 Mrs. C. D. Lane and her son T. r. Lane, is an actual fact. The develop ment work already done assures this. A ten stamp quartz mill will be drop ping stamps on ore from this property early in July next. As told in recent issue of TIE NUGGET Mrs. Lane be licves that within two years the ten stamps will have been increased to one hUndro q. possibly more.
 (. D. Lane, the veteran miner and mine owner, has given his opinion as to the value of the Iurrah mine. It is one of the most promising that he has seen. In his opinion the quartz pOssi- bilitie, of Seward peninsula are simply immense. So far as he has observed
 
 should not be found in this section. notwithstanding the opinions of "ex- perts' who say that mo ledge, exist in Seward Ueninsula.' Yet Mr. Lane is d practical miner of more thon 70 year, experience, and most of the mon who have delivered expert op niouS" have lIit b,n,.in.'' their statements. The situation re- solves itself into CLc of theory against practice.
 Many samples of quartz have bee1I brought to Nome from the SclomotI river ledges. They were literally I "alive' with gold: assays nude havI been of the most encouraging kind.
 Practical miners and those withouV experience, testify to the same state of facts. Among the latter is NJ. J. BurnJ the well known old timer of Pord Safety. Mr. Burns can tell you all about a placer mine, but when it comes to quartz he frankly acknowl- 9dges that he is not competent to judge. Mr. Burns operated. No. ,, Big Hurrah, the past sea son. When the 'quartz excitemenv"I broke out he spent ten days in locatine| a ledge on that creek. He prospected it, sinking five holes on the ledge in order to locate it. He took samples oi the rock from the vein and had them assayed. They proved to be rich in gold. His claim is called the "HotI Air;;' adjoining it is the Blueblrd. owned by Ford, Mitchell and others upon which q good deal of work is now being done on the ledge and prcpara- Llons have been completed for extensive work this winter. Among the improve- ments are the building of shaft house, and the work will be prosecuted Ill winter. Prospecting and develop nent work will also be done upon d number of other quartz claims this winter in that locality.
 D. C. Lilies, who may be called the father of quartz prospecting in North western Alaska, says that a pound and l-half of ore taken from Meegan X claim at the head of Dan els creek, Topkok district, and which vas pounded out in d mortar produced 'l.SO. Meegan X Somerville nave beeni developing the mine for more than al 'ear past. Charley Meegan has reason| O know the mine. One day last winter le fell down a 45-foot shaft which hdl lad sunk: he escaped comraratively Some 45 or 50 sacks of ord were stolen this fall from their dumpI before they got onto the fact that theirI 're was attracting attention.
 Mr. Lilies. who is an old Coloradou Arizona and New Mexican uuarta| miner, has been in this section sincel he spring of 1899, has devoted his enl ire time to quartz prospecting. Thii s a quartz country, he says. "Thd ava beds in this section," he said the other day, ''are the oldest on the conti. lent: the formation is the most ancient The mineral veins will Le found to eN end to depth of 5000 or more feet; nile. The indications all go to show hat this theory is correct"
 Mr. Lilies is interested in group ol hines at TopkOk. More han two year, Iso he told HE NUGGET that thi, IS luartz country, and that d mineral bell from Topkok clear through [, !ape Prince of Wales. Now, aftef hree years of prospecting, he is molt of the fact than ever befora
 The Bluestone Mining Company. q which Harry Hill, of Chicago, Is p,esi lent, owns the Polar Star group q luartz mines at Bluff. The compan, las done some work on the ledge, an( ecently 200 sacks of ore wcie shipped outside for mill test. Of the result hero is little doubt.