The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-04
SOUTH DAKOTA
GOOD YEAR FOR
HILLS MINERS
INCREASE IN PRODUCING PROP
ERTIES AND NEW MILLS
Homestake Has Larger Production
Than in 1902, and Tops All the
Other Mines Combined-Capital
from Minnesota, Michigan and Wis
consin Going in for the Develop
ment of Various Propositions.
Special to The Journal.


ing industry In South Dakota. 1t has
been an eventful year in mine development
and in the enlistment of outside capital.
More money has come into the country
for mine expenditures than during any
previous twelve months.
Investments in Hills mining properties
have proven highly satisfactory. With
few exceptions there was no manipulation
of the stock markets where Black Hills
stocks were concerned, and the investing
public has every reason to believe it was
given "a run for it's money" The prom
inent mining companies have acted en-
tirely in good faith and the money they
have taken in has been put into the de-
veopment Of their ground.
There has been an increase OF Two IN
the number of producing mines. These
are the Penobscot, Golden Crest and Lex
ington Hill, Where there We're sixteen
producing mines year ago there are
eighteen at this time. This does not take
into consideration several properties from
which small shipments Of ore have been
made during the year. Last year the
Portland was enumerated among the
heavy producers of the country, having
operated a cyanide plant at Gayville the
greater part of the year. This year the
Portland product is reckoned in the out
put of companies having custom mills.
sHomestake Leads All Combined.
of the producing companies the Home
stake8is far and away in the lead. The
Homestake production for the year has
been greater than that Of all the other
Black Hills companies. The producing
companies, in order of their output, are
as follows: Honestake, Golden Reward
Horseshoe, Speartish, Penobscot, Glover
Leaf, Columbus. Imperial Wasp No. 2
Alder Creek, Lundberg & Dorr, Deadwood-
Standard, Dakota, Holy Terror, Colder
Crest, Lexington Hill, Golden West anc
Monarch The production of placer has
not been as great as in past years
The following new plants for the treat
ment of Black Hills ore have been com
pleted: Horseshoe, cyanide process, 5O(
tons daily capacity; Hidden Fortune
amalgamation and cyanide, 800 tons daily
Penobscot cyanide, 200 tons; Jupiter
cyanide annex, $50 tons; Golden Crest
cyanide, SO tons
Four new mills are in process of build
ing. These are the Branch Mint at Gale
ma designed for 12O stamps, with a capac
ity close to 500 tons a day after all thu
stamps are set; the Reliance on Anni
creek, in which Chill mills will be used
with capacity of about $50 tons a day
the new plant Of Lundberg, Dorr & vii
son at the Buxton and Bonanza, with
capac city Of 70 tons; the Ruby Gold Min
ing and Milling company's plant, Will
twelve Merrill stamlN5 and an initial ca
pacity of 40 tons. These mills will b.
completed and running early the COMING
year. With the plants, completed the pas
twelve months, these will increase tn
daily tonnage of the Black Hills by owe
| 1000 tons.
| Several of the plants completed durini
the year would have been finished tn
| first few weeks of the year but for 1abo
| troubles outside of the Black Hills. Blu
4 .,e.@o = no err,1
/ product of the Hills would have bee
much larger. than it is. Owing to labo
troubles at the smelter of the Gode
| Reward, the litigation at the Holy TerrU
and internal differences at the Horseshoe
several of the Black Hills producers of tn
first order have been materially affecte
and their yearly products cut down. Tn
Homestake alone of the mines of the frs
magnitude has maintained it's productio
and shows a gain over the previous yea
! Capital from Sister States.
A highly encouraging feature is the in
PRODUCTION of capital from the iron be
Of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesot.
! Only within the last year or a little mo.
have mining men from that region recOs
4 niZed the possibilities of tile Black Hill
as a mining field and begun to put capit
in here for the purchase and improvement
of property. The mining fraternity
the Hills reSdIuS IIllS as d ulOSl ldVOIdD
omen They consider that the iron mine
| OF Minnesota and other iron-producir
states Of that belt will do more for tn
, country than any -one else. They are a.
) customed to- loW-grade propositions ar
" see in the Black Hills ore deposits el
tirely to their liking.
It is asserted that much of the ire
ore handled in that belt does not run
) exceed 81 a ton in iron, butt has neve
: theless made enormous fortunes. Whl
men who have been working ore of til
J character for years encounter gold or
carrying from 81 to SO a ton they S
. in them avenues to the highest success.
; Is sauntry Interested?
The Penobscot Mining company at Ca
: den City has Been purchased within t
last two years and is now owned by ir,
men from Michigan. Minnesota iron al
lumber men have invested with the Ma
| ham syndicate and an exclusive compal
is to be formed on the property betwe
the Homestake mine and the Penobsc
4 at Garden City. A vast acreage has be
d obtained in this region and is held und
;. purchase and option, and it is assert
: that William Sauntry, who has made
fortune in iron and lumber, is to be t
= head Of the new company
9 These are only a few of the favorat
: conditions that enter into the mining S
/ uation Of the Hills to-day. When tn
have all been enumerated there is SIN
: room for wonder that Black Hills peol
are bulls on the mining market.