Amador ledger., 1904-02-19
AMADOR COUNTY'S
GOLD PRODUCERS
Starting Up of the Bunker Hill 90
Stamp Mill.-Notes from the Zeila,
Argonaut, Kennedy and Others.

Argonaut, Kennedy and Others.
BUNKER HILL.-This property has
now gotten in the procession of steady
producers. On Tuesday of this week
the new 20-stamp mill was put in opera
tion, and everything is running along
as nicely as could be expected for new
plant of machinery The Bunker Hill
is reputed to possess some very good
grade ore, aud it seems to be the opin-
ion in mining circles that the property
will make good dividend payer.
ZEILA.-While very little has been
said about this Jackson mining prop
erty for some time, 1t continues to en-
ploy the usual force of men in the mine
and mill. The Zeila is another mother
lode property which treats all its pro-
duct at home, there being, in addition
to the 40-stamp mill, a chlorination
plant for the treatment of the concen-
trates. At present the entire energy
of the mine force is devoted to the ex-
haustiOn of the ore bodies uncovered,
it being estimated that supply of ore
sufficient to keep the present force en-
ployed for the next Is months is now
blocked out, No new development is
being done in the mine now, and, we
are told. none is likely to be under
taken in the near future, but since the
property has warranted the expendi-
ture of large sums of money in the past,
it ism believed that its future is any
less bright than that of others along
the lode
ARGoNAUT.-D the six or seven
weeks since the breaking of rock was
resumed at this property, although as
yet comparatively few men, forty-five
in number, are employed, great pro-
gress is being made towards putting
the mine in shape for the renewal of
its past productiveness The Argonaut
is operated by shaft, the total depth OF
which is 2230 feet. 1t is equipped with
modern double reel hoist, run bv
water power, and is capable, under
present conditions, of hosting 3 tons of
rock 1000 feet at the rate of six or
seven hundred feet per minute. which
speed, of course, can be increased or
lessened as desired, by the employment
OF more or less water. There is also a
modern 40-stamp mill on the ground,
but as yet the latter is idle, and will
probably remain so until the new de-
velopment work in the mine will war
rant its steady operation. While at
present some attention is being given
to cleaning out drifts which were work
ed in the past, the greater portion of
the mines energy is being devoted to
new prospecting. After the completion
OF the repairs to he shaft, which were
begun some time about October last
year, station was cut at the 1890 level
and drifts started both north and
south. In the meantime the north
drift at the 1870 level has been pushed
ahead, and is now in about 220 feet:
also force of miners are at work clean
ing out the north and south drifts at
the 146O level. The mine is being un-
watered just as rapidly as the necessity
Tor use OF the lower workings appear.
The water is now below the 1900 level ,
where at the 1910 station is now being
cut. which is expected to be completed
and ready for drifting in about ten
days. The ore body, like all those
along the mother lode, varies in size,
spreading at tunes to the extent of 20
feet. When this property was oper-
ated before, it was considered one of
the best of Amador county's mining
propositions, and since its management
is still in the hands of j. B. Francis,
who is thoroughly familiar with every
inch of the ground, it is safe to predict
that the shortest time possible will
have elapsed before it will again take
its place with the best of them.
KENNEDY.-At no other place along
the mother lode has more money been
expended or more energetic or sys-
tematic mining been done than at this
great property. Since this mine came
into control OF the present company
thousands upon thousands of dollars
have been spent in perfecting the plant
and developing the mine. AS result
the Kennedy has reached that stage
where it can, without exaggeration, be
classed among the great mines of the
entire west. 1t is worked by three
shafts. the south, north and east, but
at present only the latter two are being
operated. At the east shaft depth of
over $500 feet has been reached, and
now ore is being taken from the 24OO
and 2550 Slopes. Hore has been in
stalled the largest hosting plant in