Amador ledger., 1904-01-22
MINING NEWS HERE
AND ELSEWHERE
The Bunker Hill is one of Amador
County's Model Mining Plants
All Activity at the Fremont Mine

used in the mineral fields of Amador
county would bring desired results
pay interest on the investment. The
above named property is another veri.
| ficatiOn of this contention. After four
years of diligent and careful prospect.
ing, the Bunker Hill is now ready to
join the list of mother lode producers.
The property is worked by shaft, now
down to depth of 1900 feet. A large
body of ore was encountered at the SOC
level, which gradually pinches down to
the 1900, but from thence to the 14OO il
opens up again to the largest body in
the mine. AS yet very little ore has
been taken out of the mine, except that
which was necessarily handled in sink
ing, cutting stations, and running
drifts for stopping, but there is now suf-
ticient blocked out to keep twenty
stamps going a long time. AS soon as
the condition of the mine would war;
rant such step, it was decided to erect
mill on the property, and early last
fall Manager Downs had the ground
broken for this purpose. Owing to the
delay in the shipment of supplies, how
ever, the work has been somewhat de-
layed, but from all appearances at the
mill now, we predict that it will be
pounding ore at an early day in Feb
ruary. The mill is located about SOC
feet north of the collar of the shaft,
and will both amalgamate ard concen-
trate the product. In it's structure
great care has been taken to make ii
durable and convenient. hence the
building is as strong and as we'll con-
structed as good material and work
manship could make it. In its progress
Manager Downs has personally super
intended every detail, and is highly
gratified over results. In planting his
batteries of 20 stamps, after carefully
studying those of other mills, Mr..
Downs concluded to adopt the "A''
frames, which practically detaches the
batteries from the storage bin. The
battery frames are made of heavy sugar
pine, strongly braced, and planted on
foundations of concrete. The concen-
traitors, to be eight in number, are of
the Frue vanner, all iron frame, varie-
ty, purchased of the Allis-C Chalmers
Company. Chicago. The ore bin in the
mill has capacity of 400 tons, from
which the ore is fed to the mortars by
tive-foOt chutes onto feeders that are
suspended four or five feet above the
hoor OF the passage way back of the
stamps. 1t is the intention to place
tables underneath these feeders to catch
waste rock. and convey it to the NOR
tars also. The stamps and concen-
TRAITORS will be operated by electricity,
30 horse power Westinghouse motor
supplying the power. At the collar of
the shaft a rock breaker, made by
knight & Co., Sutter Creek, has been
installed. This will be also driven by
an electric motor of 20 horse power.
Before going to the breaker the rock
is dumped onto 12-foot grizzly, which
allows the fine to pass Immediately into
bin below, while that recurring
crushing goes into bin above the
breaker. The bin for storing crushed
ore has capacity of about 200 tons,
and is supplied with chutes from
which 3-ton car can be loaded in one
minute. Taking it throughout, the
Bunker Hill is one of the county's
model mining plants, and the owners
are to be congratulated upon their good
fortune in having the services of so
practical man as G. r. Downs at its
head.
FREMONT.-At the present time the
busy scene presented includes every
thing about the plant. At both the
Nos. 2 and 8 shafts the skips are con-
stantly hoisting ore, and at No. 2 a
l5OO-foot drift and a cross-cut has Just
been completed at the 1900 level. This
has opened up good body of stopping
ground which will furnish its quota to
the 40-stamp mill for some time. At
the mill two methods of concentration
are used, the pulp being equally di-
vided between Woodbury. and Frue-
vanners. Among the new improve
ments made at this property is 81
inch cross-cut saw recently installed in
the timber shed. 1t is operated by a
10 horse power electric motor at a run
speed of 10000 feet per minute. Also
the company has just completed one of
the most modern changing houses now
on the mother lode. 1t will accom-
modate 100 men, is equipped with a
large and ample furnace, has hot and
cold shower baths, and individual Sec
tions for the miners. For some time
Manager Goodall, whose headq uarters
are in San Francisco, has given his
personal attention to the operation OF
this big property, and since his thor
ough and practical knowledge enables
him to know good mine when he sees
| one, it means much when he seems
gratified with conditions at the FIRE.
| mont.
MISCELLANEOUS.
While in Plymouth recently the Led
ger representative was agreeably sur
prised to find so strong feeling of con-
fidence in the outlook for mining ven-
lures in that locality. Besides quartz
revival in the lode propositions OF
that vicinity, we had the pleasure of