Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19

capable Of much mining Development
| nor have the 0Ompaneh constructed
many feeders Into the mining sections.
| Idaho Is n very large state and q
| great portion of II has been almost
uneSplored, Much Of that unexplored
| region shows indications Of being rich
| In tho precious metals, but those seo-
| tions have boon w far removed from
railway points that there was little on
| no encouragement Tor prospectors to go
into them for the purpose OF developing
tho leads, Under all these conditions
mining development In Idaho has been
backward Tho attention OF miners
has been drawn 70 other sections where
better facilities werO afforded and
which were more diligently brought TO
the attention OF the public Though
the gold-bearlng area OF this state Ii
greater probably than that OF any
other OF the Union. oiner states have
been developed while Idaho has re-
manned practically virgin field TO be
explored by later generation OF opera
tors.
A BRIGHT OUTLOOK.
The state, however. is now drawing
TO itself II much larger measure OF at
tention than ever before and there IL
much reason to believe that some OF
the most interesting mining develop
ments Of future years VIII be
recorded here. The work that has
been done during the past two or three
years has sufliced to demonstrate
the fact that gold Is very
widely distributed In paying quantities
throughout these mountains, ana 1t IL
the confident belief OF those best quail
fed to Judge of such matters that the
future Will witness n pronounced re-
vival OF gold mining In Idaho. ana
that the state win take very high
place for It's production OF that metal
THUNDER MOUNTAIN.
Undoubtedly, the chief features IN
attracting increased attention to Idaho
has been the wide publicity given TO
the Thunder Mountain section, That
is one of the most interesting mining
localities that the state has and there
are many reasons supporting the belief
of those who hold that 1t will fully bear
out all the early predictions respecting
its wealth. At any rate, the discover
les that were made In that section were
OF such q character that they aroused
Lublic interest. The interest thus
aroused has benefited all sections Of
the state and the opening OF num-
Der Of new districts is directly trace
able to this Thunder Mountain move
ment. Not only have other new dis
tricts been found. but capital has come
forward prepared to take hold OF prop
critics that were worked In the early
days, and that We're abandoned be-
cause Of the baseness Of the ore en-
countered when deep mining was UNI
dertaken.
Thunder Mountain is In a most mac
oessible location. Broadly speaking, II
is that section OF country east Of the
middle fork OF the Salmon river that IL
drained by Big Creek More specific
ally. II Is a portion Of the region drain
ed by Monumental creek, tributary
of Big creek. II was on Mule creek,
which flows into Monumental, near the
head of the latter stream, that the
original Thunder Mountain discovery
was made That discovery was on
what IL known as the Dewey property.
Ii IL n somewhat singular fact that,
though II IL lode mining claim, the
discoveries worked It for a number of
years as a placer not realizing the
character Of the deposit they had met
with. Annually. those men marketed
gold taken from the surface Of the
ground during the short season In the
spring, while the melting snow gave
them supply of water with which to
work.
In 1900, the property attracted the
attention of persons who realized that
II was lode mine OF very Interesting
possibilities. They secured a bond on
1t and set about It's development, While
that development was In progress the
original owners under the terms of the
agreement of sale, continued the placer
mining operations on the surface and,
In the spring Of 1901, they uncovered
n remarkable body Of very rich quartz.
1t was this discovery that attracted the
boom which was at its height In the
winter of 1901 and 1902.
During the succeeding year there was
very little development OF mines in the
district. Prospectors We're looking
everywhere for such pockets Of gold
as had been found on the surface OF
the Dewey. Moreover. II was the gem
eral belief that the entire mass OF many
large porphyry dykes was gold-bear-
ing ore. These dykes were found In
every direction and the country was
covered with mining claims for miles.
During the year OF 1902, however, sew
eral companies that had secured prop
erty IN the district set about its eX-
ploration These kept men at work
during the past winter and, in num-
Der OF instances. very important re-
suits have followed The Dewey mine
has been shown to carry n large vein of
ore that will bear treatment While
statements as to its value vary wide
ly, there seems TO be no doubt that
the mine will prove highly profitable.
Similar developments have occurred
on the Sunnyside property, and at sew.
eral other points ores of the same gen
eral character have been disclosed Al
together, the developments have been
so encouraging that all the companies
interested there are arranging TO prose-
cute work without interruption, and
...,,,o ono ,,rut,otno for largo milling