The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-02
SOUTH DAKOTA
BLACK HILLS MINES
Portland Is Rich From Grass Roots Dowy
What Grantz Is Doing.

Portland Is Rich From Grass Roots Down
What Grantz Is Doing.
DEADWOOD, S. D-The Gladiator Con-
solidated Mining and Milling company has
awarded a contract to James Blaine Of
Spearfish to saw and deliver 20O,0 900 feet
Of lumber, building and mining timbers
on the companys property situated along
Deadwood gulch. Most of this will be
used In the erection Of shaft houses, ore
sampling houses, boarding houses and
other improvements. The company is
contemplating the erection of a reduction
plant. but not until it has been demon
strated by what process it's ore may be
most satisfactorily handled.
The Portland mine of the Ruby Gulch
Mining company Is peculiar figure
among the mines of Bear Butte district
Work has been under way for the last
year on ledge of refractory ore carrying
good, uniform values, and considerable
supply. deemed sufficient to justify the
erection Of mill, has been revealed But
it Is In the surface material, everything the
vein matter proper, that the greatest
popularity is to be observed. Everything
from the grass roots down-broken rock,
loose earth and soil-contains free gold,
and by pan tests shows high values. It is
common for a painful Of material to-; yield
string Of free gold colors extending half
way round the pan, and with sluice and
good head of water it would pay hand
somely to work as placer. "
The ore from the main ledge also. pans
generously, notwithstanding the general
siliceous character of the rock. A quaint
ity scraped up anywhere on the vein,
without so much as pulverizing, will yield
! good colors The company has been
| erecting buildings on the property. and
ore is to be taken out and hauled to the
Burlington railroad near Galena for ship
| CUSTER, s: D.-Seventy samples Of orc
recently taken from the main ledge on the
! Roosevelt crop. of the Grantz Gold Min.
| ing company, near Custer, gave average
returns Of $65 a ton, almost all free mill.
ing. The permanent shaft that is being
put down has attained depth of about
seventy five feet, and it is expected thai
the vein will be caught at the dip before
the 100-foot mark is reached. The out
crop of the main ledge shows remarkably
rich ore at several points. Some Of the
| decomposed quartz, not over three or foul
panfuls, was recently washed and yielded
over half an ounce Of nuggets and coarse
dust. The gulches below the vein crop
| pings have always been rich in placer. 49,
The Grantzl company Is also owner O
the St. Elmo group, on which shaft ha
been put down 100 feet, designed to catcl
the vein from which the old st. Elm'
company took out SO much rich ore II
years past. At the 150-foot level cross
cut will be driven towards the ledge, AM
in the meantime the shaft will be con
tinued to greater depth, it being the in
tention Of the company to develop tn
vein systematiclly to the depth of 500 feet
Otto GrantZ, after whom the compan,
is named, has acquired half interest IL
the Glover group Of claims, three and
half miles westerly from the Roosevelt
group, and is now negotiating for tn
other half. This is a valuable property
and samples recently taken from variou
openings gave assay returns from So
to $100 a ton.
Two carloads of ore are being taken GU
! Of the Chilkoot mine by W. W. Challis
for shipment to the custom plant Of F. Il
! Long at Mystic, for a trial run. If it
found practicable regular shipments wi
be made.