Amador ledger., 1904-01-29

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boiler, pump, and small hoist, which
will enable them to sink to depth of
200 feet. This machinery is now being
installed, and it is expected not later
than this week to continue sinking.
The ledge is well defined between walls
of granite, ranging in width from 6
inches to 2 feet, and the development
work being done is not all dead by any
means, as the pay streak is sufficiently
good to make the expense very light
on the operators. This is proven by
the fact that run of 19 tons of this
ore through the Sturnaman mill at the
old Belden mine, gave cleanup of S32
to the ton. AS prospect, nothing is
more promising than the Deadwood,
and the Kimballs have the staying
qualities to fully determine its merits.
DEFENDER.-If there are any skep-
tics in this county or elsewhere relative
10 the merit of the mineralized lodges
in the Pioneer district, they certainly
are proof against argument made OF
absolute facts. The Defender mine,
employing about 10 men and constantly
producing good pay rock, seems to the
writer sufficient evidence that this part
of AmadOr county is yet to make its
mark as gold producer. The De-
fender also proves the fact that the
Pioneer district offers good induce
ments to the small operator-the man
who is unable to pay for large plants of
machinery. The greatest depth so far
obtained on this property is 320 feet,
| but at the 100 and 200 levels much
drifting has been done on either side of
the shaft, and between these two about
half the ground opened up has been
stopped. At the 300 level the ledge is
width of about 16 feet, and here about
| 140 feet of drifting has been completed,
but as yet but little OF this ground has
| been stopped. For the present the en-
| tire force of the. mine will be devoted
to taking out this large body of min
eral, and little later in the spring
manager Joyce, who is the principal
owner, intends starting down again.
The ore in the Defender consists of
both mill and smelter product. The
| former, of course, is a clear quartz
rock, while the latter is an iron pyrites
heavily stained with copper of the pea
cock variety, and is almost Identical in
appearance to the ore produced in the
Glacier and Revenue tunnel mines in
Ouray county, Colorado, one of the
largest properties in that part of the
state. The mill ore, Mr.. Joyce tells US,
runs as high as S35 to the ton, although
the average is S10 His smelling pro-
duct, of which he had about tons
sacked ready for shipment last Satur-
day, averages about $40 to the ton.
The mine is equipped with a hoisting
plant, Hendy rock breaker, and ten
stamp mill. The hoist, though small,
will sink to depth of 900 feet The
ore is sorted at the collar of the shaft;
that for the mill being trammed dis
tance of about 100 feet, when it is
dumped on grizzly, the fine stuff pass
ing to a 25-ton storage bin below, the
large dropping to a reserve bin above
the crusher, into which it is fed auto
matically. AS yet no plan for conten-
trating the tailings from the plates has
been adopted, but Mr.. Joyce has con-
cluded to save the tailiugs from now on
for future treatment While he does
not impress one as an optimistic dream
er, Mr.. Joyce does not hesitate to say
that the Defender is good paying in
vestment now, and he believes is the
making OF one of Amador county's
biggest and best producers.
ARGONAUT. = There are between
30 and 40 men now employed at this
mine. At the 1000 level the station
has been cut, and drifting toward the
ledge is now in progress. Every thing
is moving along nicely. While the
new levels are being opened, it is the
intention tie sink the shaft another 200
feet.
MISCELLANEOUS
Ross Morgan has been surveying the
past week the boundary line between
the leila mine and the Fleming prop
erty, recently purchased by Fred
Eudey.
While in Volcano recently, the Led
ger man was informed that not an idle
man was to be found in that camp.
And, too, the boast was made that
they were all working for themselves.
This speaks we'll for any community.
The old Mclaughlin placer claim,
Volcano, is being worked by the San
tirfo Bros. They have made some
good clean-ups in the past, and are
getting good gravel now.
AS soon as the weather conditions
improve, VIM Bellderain expects to
continue sinking on his Caslota claim.
located about 2 miles south of Defender.
He has a we'll defined ledge on the
property. and has gotten good returns
from ore treated in the past. So far,
though, the ore has been pocketty, but
he thinks very little more depth is nee
essary to make the ledge more regular,
and of sufficient size to pay. While at
his place we were shown some of the
most beautiful specimens of free gold
quartz one can find anywhere.