The Western news., 1903-10-21

OWl Creek. here the vein was Sedn1e,
with streaks of free-milling ore
touched with the CLINT of gold; ther
the vari-colored sulphurets in nassiv,
bold-relief formed picture that sim
ply dazzled the eye. Above us frown
ed the giant cliff or ledge that EN-
braces the lead. Below, reaching
nearly down to the bank of the creek
some 1000 feet, and choking up a
great gulch, are strewn masses of ore
that have been sloughed off from the
ledge and have slid down the great
mountain side during the ages agone.
Chunks of ore, some as big as the
Hennessey building, the largest in the
state, are scattered about with bound
less prodigality. To supply thous-
and stamps for a hundred years, nc
shafts need be sunk nor tunnels driv-
en-the ore may be simply quarried
and dropped through shutes into the
bins a mile below and ground into
pulp by the water power that dashes
over an 80 foot fall, close by, in reck-
less abandon. Afterwards The West
ern News man saw ore Clipped from
the lead, here and there, pounded up
in mortar and gold panned from it..
This no doubt sounds like fairy tale.
To be convinced all one need do is to
go and see for himself. The round
trip from Hamilton can be easily made
in five days.
The Discovery.
The original discovery Of the Morn.
ing Star ledge was made by Mr.. w.
D. Cross, of Denver, we'll known
mining expert, on Aug. 21, 1908. Mr..
Cross and the men in his employ i'm.
medlately located about dozen claims,
whereupon he rode over to Indian
Burton Gold Mines Co. he wired
report to his hackers III New York,
urging that at least three of them, in
Guiding Mr.. A. c. Rahe, a man Of
large experience in the mining world.
come at once and see his find. This
message, by telephone and telegra phi
cost Mr.. Cross SIS. It was arranged
for the party to rendezvous in Ham,
ilton. In due time Mr.. Rahe arrived
and was met here by Mr.. Cross and
conducted to Owl Creek. They pros.
pected Owl Creek and Mr.. Rahe
was more than pleased with what he
saw. The men were set to work and
total of 81 claims were located for the
New York syndicate. These claims
include $4,000 feet of placer along the
main fork of Owl Creek and tied to
these along the west ridge are the
quartz locations. They nailed down
the creek and the adjacent lodges, in
cidentally providing ideal mill sites
and dumping grounds, for distance
of six miles. They also appropriate
ed all the water in Owl Creek. Along
this stretch the stream falls fully
$500 feet, in one instance, just below
the Morning Star ledge, dropping
over fall 80 feet in height.
Mr., Rahe and Mr.. Cross then re-
turned to Hamilton, the former gen
tleman departing for New York on
October 8. Before leaving he placed
at the disposal of Mr.. Cross ample
funds to carry on the preliminary
work planned for this winter. Mr..
Cross then purchased several four
horse team loads of provisions and
other supplies and on Oct. 13 arrived
at Owl Creek, where he now has
force of 20 men at work.
A crew of men, including VIM. Cam
eron and A. Lezotte of West Fork, are
already busy building winter quarters.
Cabins are being constructed at
''Cross' Roost," the headquarters, 10
Gated in the beautiful little park where
Owl Creek canyon broadens into
little round valley just below the big
lodges; near the summit where the
original discovery of the Morning
mouth of Bear Fork.
Description of the Ledses.
The Morning Star group of claims
comprise Cross original discovery.
Later he found the Mammoth ledge
which is even larger than the Morn
ing Star. Both are true issure veins.
The trend is northwest and southeast,
The foot wall is granite and the hang
ing wall porphory. The Morning Star
on top is IS feet wide. The ore is ex-
posed on the side about 1900 feet from
the summit. The estimated width of
the vein by cross-cut at this point is
about 1000 feet. She dips easterly
and is exposed at water level at a dis
tance of 1000 feet from the top. The
ledge can be traced clear into the
schist. Mr.. Cross estimates the gold
values at from from $14 to $500 per ton.
A dump 1900 feet long, filling up
deem p,r1ch md reachinu ,ea r1v down