Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-11-12
CHICAGO TO GRANTS PASS
Head Office of Golden Drift Min
ing Co. Now Located Here.

MINING w., neIetOlOre LOCATED III
Chicago has been removed to Grants
Pass, where the principal holdings of
the company and the work of the con-
struction oil a power dam across Rogue
river is being pushed. Miss B.
Moore, head book keeper arrived from
Chicago last week. and will remain
for some time until tho Grants Pass
management familiarize themselves
with the details Of the work.
The construction of the Golden
Drift dam is more or less familiar to
the Grants Pass people but few of
them fully realize the Importance or
scope Of the work nor the benefit it
will be to the agricultural and other
industries in this section The COM
pany owns 1900 acres of placer min
ing ground which Is rich, and every
season has podruced gold in abund-
ance.
There has alway been one draw
back, viz: the lack of water for min
ing purposes-a mining season Of a
few weeks only while there is pay
ground enough to keep dozen giants
at work 12 months in the year for
years and years to come. This Draw
back the Golden Drift company pro-
poses to overcome in the construction
of the dam and equipping it with
powerful centrifugal pumps, capable
of lifting water from Rogue river in
sufficient quantities to work the mine
continuously on larger scale. The
srccess of the company has been an
assured fact for many months, not
withstanding the cries of croakers
who have never been outside of our
little valley. and have not investi-
gated the wonders of modern engineer
ing. This undertaking is n big one
but is perfectly possible as there are
at least three other similar plants
working successfully in other parts
of the union. There will be four is
inch, five step compound centrifugal
pumps each weighing AZ, 600 pounds
and each one of which will deliver
5000 gallons of water per minute.
This will give ample water for sup
plying six pipes equipped with 2ss
inch nozzles, giving II force OF 40C
feet pressure on the highest ground
which is about 400 feet above the
dam. IL is the intention of the com.
pany to ultimately run system OF
irrigation bitches which will cover
nearly 10000 acres of agricultural
land The power for the mine will
be generated by l6 46-inch turbines
working under 20-foot head, and
developing approximately 5000 horse
power. There will also be 16 46-inch
wheels developing the same amount Of
power which will be for sale. Large
generators will be installed and the
power will be transmitted over wires
to the points Of consumption. The
high voltage system will be used,
which will make it feasible to carry
the current to a distance of 100 miles.
This power can be profitably convey.
ed to the mines for operating drills,
hoists, etc, or for use wherever
power or electric lighting is necessary.
1t is impossible TO even estimate the
importance Of this power plant to the
varied industries now in operation oil
that may be installed in this valley
in years to come.
Work at the dam was begun in
the spring of 1902 and has been push
ed steadily ever since. There are now
about 30 men employed and at present
they are engaged In filling up the biz
l2 foot cribs with rocks and dirt
which is hauled on cars and dumped
directly into the pits by a system o
cables operated by gasoline engine
The cars are filed by steam shove
and large amount of earth 1
handled daily. The dam has a widtl
of 100 feet on the river be,
and 10 feet on top, while the who'll
length Of the dam is about 700 feet
Over 5000, 900 feet OF timber has beel
used in the construction Of the dam.
Suitable fish ladders have been con
structed which allow the salmon an
other fish TO continue their way u
the river. 1t is an interesting sight :
watch the big salmon make lea
over tho falls and it is no unusua
sight to see half a dozen monster fis
at once leaping five or eight feet 1
the air in an endeavor to clear tn
falls.
Tie dam AMI mine are but thre
miles from Grants Pass, the dam be
ing alongside OF tho s. p. Ry track
while the mine is directly on til
wagon road.
NJ. G. Ament, the manager, Of III
company has been resident Of Grant
Pass since the nTst work was con
menced aud his dealings with Ill
Grants Pass people have always bee
most satisfactory.
The Youth'. Con,nanIon In IQOA