Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-05
MINING IN The BLACK HILLS
Year Just Ended Hal Been Most Prosper us
in History Of that Section.
PLENTY OF WORK FOR ALL WHO WISH IT
Many Companies Planning to work
on n Larger Scale Than Ever
Before-GoId Found In
Coal Mine.

the success which has attended on the
mining enterprises already established, new
companies have been formed, new mills
started and new mines opened which Will
not only give employment TO more miners,
but will add to the yearly output Of gold,
As near as can be figured. the gold product
alone OF the Black Hills amounted to
3s,373 1892 This amount was secured from
1859 ,944 tons of ore, OF an average value
Of $455 a ton Nine new plants are in
course Of erection, and will be in operation
before the present month has passed, and
with these running the total output of the
mines will be increased 33 per cent, and
the output of bullion amount to something
over s., ,0O0, 900 month.
The new plants will run on higher grade
ore than has been treated as a general
thing in the plants now in operation, so
the estimate Of 81 100000 a month is not
an excessive one; In fact, II is a little
low, and Il would not be surprising did
the amount Of gold produced equal sl4,-
900 for the year. The figures above
given do not include the silver and copper
and lead produced for the year. which will
amount to at least $1,50O,O00.
The year has been a very prosperous one
IN every line Of industry in the Black Hills.
In the city Of Deadwood alone the new
puliuiubb tItNltu udNt Gust uNtl FoOV VVVt
while in the city of Lead the building op-
erations have required the expenditure OF
as much, II not a little more money. Sew
eral OF the smaller mining camps of the
northern Hills have been visited by build
ing booms, especially the new town of Matt
land, in the Garden City district, where
II located the new milling plant Of the
Penobscot Mining company. At this place
q complete town has grown up around the
works OF the company, and a postofice,
express office, public schools and the other
conveniences of a city established. Bust
ness has been good and the merchants en-
Joyed bigger trade than ever before, more
men have been employed, and the idle
men have been those who did not wish to
labor. and would not The new year opens
with the brightest of prospects, and not a
kick is coming to anyone engaged in min
ing or trade.
Strike of PhOnoIite.
A strike Of rich phonolite ore has been
made In the Elkhorn mine, situated on
Deadwood gulch, west of Central City. The
find was made in the tunnel which is being
driven into the hill by the company, and It
is said to be from four to six feet wide, a
vertical vein of ore The ore is said to be
very rich. some Of it assaying up into the
OI uOldTS. lue dOJOlnS
the Pennsylvania mine. from which has
been shipped much rich ore. This is
the fourth strike Of rich ore which has
been made in the same nelghborhood, the
Pennsylvania being the first ground upon
which phonolite in anything like quantity
had been found. Then came the Golden
Treasure and the Gladiator, all OF them at
the present time taking out rich ore. The
Big Four, across the gulch from these loca-
tions, also has the same ore in its work.
ings, and all Of them appear to be OF the
same average richness. II is said that a
plant will be erected on the Gladiator
ground in the spring for the treatment OF
the ores from this district, and appear
ances at the present time would indicate
that 1t would be a paying investment, for
there is certainy ore enough of this char
acter in the district to keep a good sized
plant running.
The Bessie group OF claims. in Grizzly
guch. owned by Pete and Mike Jennings,
Is showing up some gooc prospects, which
have been brought to light during the re-
cent assessment work on the ground. The
property adjoins that on which the Orc
Hondo is putting down a deep shaft and
has been opened up by a number OF shafts
and drifts. A good deposit OF cyaniding
ore has been uncovered, which gives an
average value of 81 ton. The ore is a
mineralized porphyry. and so lies that but
little difficulty or expense will attend the
working OF 1t. The owners are negotiating
for the erection Of cyanide plant. which
will probably be one OF sixty tons.
1t is said that an analysis made at the
Horseshoe smelter in Rapid City OF the
Newcastle, Wyo,, coal shows that the Goa
carries from 40 cents to 50 in gold. TIL,
HOrRaahOa FaaantIy n.
control OF the coal mines at Newcastle an
they are now being worked under the di
rection OF the company's officials.
Custer City PrOspers.
CUSTER CITY. s. D., Jan. 4.-(special.
The shaft on the Saginaw mine is nov
down 14s feet, and at that depth the veil
is strong and carries good values. The or
in the bottom OF the shaft carries a littl
more iron than II does closer to the sur
face. but It is a good concentrating prop
osition and will pay TO free mill. The saw
mill on the ground has been In operation
all of the fall and during the winter u
until last week. and the company now ha
on hand an abundance OF timber cut an
framed for use in the workings. the suppl
being suficient TO last through the win
ter. Everything about the property is /
excellent shape. and the mine by the tim
spring opens will be in a good conditio
20 furnish any amount of ore for milling
Returns have been received from a car
load OF ore recently shipped to Denver 10
treatment from the Le Roy mine, whlc
give returns OF $3.50 a ton. The lie Ro
mine Is being thoroughly developed, an
its owners hope to make the developmeT
pay for itself by shipments OF ore take
from the workings. The ore is really
free milling concentrating proposition, bu
is also a good smelling proposition. The
have a big body OF ore in the mine, som
OF which is very rich. but the average WI
do about as the figures given above.
The arst Of the year in this district sa
every claim on which a showing of ore hi
been made represented. so there was
opportunity given for the jumper to &
In his work. All OF the ground which Civ,
the least encouragement is being worke
and the people down here expect to 81
as much activity In mining In this sectio
as that which characterized the mimi
districts Of the northern Hills, and Il
more than likely that a number OF goC
properties will be put on a producing b'
sis next spring. Among these properti'
will undoubtedly be the North Star grou
upon which as much work has been doI
and upon which as much money has bee
expended as any group OF claims in Il
southern Hills. The company is now e.
narfmanfin0 with the ora in An andeavor