The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-21

LIFE OF THE G. & 4.
Yet Too Early to Fix Date for the
Death Of the Great Cop
per Mine.
Company Owns the Underlay Of the
Master Lode of the District,
the Kearsarge.
Special to The Journal.

Special TO The journal. ssgass.-
Houghton, Mich, Aug. 21.-The starting
of work on shaft upon the Kearsarge
lode by the Calumet & Hecla has renewed
interest in the probable lease of life OF this
king among mines-a mine with the larg-
est dividend record ever secured by any
mine Of any sort in any part OF the World
Opinions are divided as to how long the
Calumet conglornerate lode will last at
the present rate of production, the mini
mum figure given being but ten years,
while other guessers estimate probable
life of twenty to thirty years.
While the Calumet & Hecla will probably
never again pay dividends Of $10.O00,000
in a single year, as was done In 1889, the
earnings continue we'll into the millions
annually, and despite the heavy dividend
disbursements, the surplus Is growing
rapidly It is probably felt by the man
agement that it was a tactical error to
have divided. the former great surplus,
and it is not likely that the mistake Will
be repeated.
While it is not too early to discuss the
ultimate extinction Of its copper reserves,
1t is much too early to set date for the
funeral. The mine will become exhausted
some day, but that time Is q, long distance
in the future. At least Is per cent OF the
prolific ground opened has been allowed to-
lremain unstopped, serving as pillars sew
enty five feet wide on either side OF each
shaft. The pillars alone will furnish sew
eral years normal production, at small
cost, when the remainder of the mine Is
stopped out - ;1
Great Resources Left.
The company has a large mine opened
and equipped on the Osceola amygdaloid
lode, lying parallel with the conglomerate,
and but 73O feet to the eastward. This
mine has some twenty miles OF under
ground openings, and should be able to
produce from fifteen to twenty million
I pounds of refined copper yearly In add1-
ton to the Osceola lode, the company
owns the underlay Of the great Kearsarge
: anygdaloid, on which are developed the
2 Wolverine, Mohawk Kearsarge, South
ISearsarge and Centennial mines. This Is
Z one Of the master lodes Of the lake dis
y trict, and from it the little Wolverine
/, mine. is now making copper as cheaply as
q the Calumet Hecla itself. The posslT
: bilities Of the Kearsarge to the Calumet
s & Hecla, which owns two miles Of the UNI
= derlay ARE very great. -.
n The Adventure mine, in Ontonagon
. county, has taken a new tack, eleven drill
It ing machines and about seventy men hav-
e ing been laid off recently. This means
stopped Both the Adventure and Mass
mines have proved very disappointing tc
e their promoters, but it is yet too early
: to pronounce either Of them a failure.
1t Michigan Soon to Produce.
= The Michigan mine is soon to enter thu
u ranks of the producers. The Phoeni'
- mine, in Keweenaw county. is almos
ready to start. its one stamp mill Thi
y | stamp was brought from the Wolverine
- when that mine placed its new mill il
In commission, and it is the intention of tn
- Phoenix management to run the singh
stamp on day shifts only.
!. The electric haulage system installe'
underground in the Quincy mine two year
:. ago has fully met expectations, and ha
~ been greatly extended.
a is Reports from the Warren district Q
O., Arizona are flattering of late. and fore
shadow the opening Of several fine net
In copper mines by lake capital.
c. - -s