The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-01-31

S. M. Smith, manager of the
Greyhound Mining and Milling
company, has prepared map of
the Seafoam district showing the
Greyhound, Sheep Mountain,
Float creek, Seafoam and Look
out Mountain camps and the loo
alton of the principal claims. 1t
also shows the roads leading to
Ketchum and Boise. A road has
been constructed by the Grey
hound company from the state
road to Wagontown, which is Is
miles from the Greyhound camp.
This map shows the wide dis
tribution of silver-lead ores in
that region. A great number of
the claims were located over 20
years ago. They are so good
that the assessment has been
kept up on them from year to
year, while transportation facil-
tiles has made it impracticable
to work the mines, but the own
ers have held on awaiting the
time when there would be road
of some kind over which the pro-
duct of the properties could be
transported. The district would
produce a vast tonnage if rail
way were built through that sec
tion, while many of the mines
could be worked if the district
had wagon road.
Mr.. Smiths company has de-
termined to overcome the diff
culties of the situation by mat
ting the ores of its property. 1t
has been demonstrated a very
high grade lead bullion or iron
matte can be produced. The
lead bullion which can be turned
out will carry 700 to 5000 ounces
in silver, while an iron matte
could be produced having a val
ue of $3.50 a ton. Such product
can be packed out, if necessary.
The furnace which the com
pany is putting in is adapted to
either lead or iron smelling. 1t
is 40-ton plant, the furnace be
ing 36-inch water jacket. 1t
was built especially strong to
stand the trip on pack animals
and to avoid break downs after
it is started.
The plant is all on the ground,
and the work of constructing the
buildings has been practically
completed. The machinery is
to be put in place next, and it is
expected the plant will be run
ming by July 1. Charcoal will
constitute the principal fuel sup
ply, but some coke will have to
be used. This must be packed
in.
The Rufus, the company's
principal claim, has been devel-
oped extensively. An adit tun-
mel has been run in 500 feet, gain
ing a depth of 253 feet in the
face. Estimates show the value
of the ore opened by this tunnel
to be 81 100000.
The average ore of the Rufus
carries 4 per cent lead and 140
ounces silver. There is another
lead on the property which car
Iries % per cent lead. The latter
will have to be drawn from to
secure sufficient lead for fux.
| The mines in the Greyhound
section of the district generally
carry dry ores, but those at
| Sheep Mountain and other points
in the eastern portion of the dis
trict contain large percentages
of lead. In both the silver val
ues run high. Mr.. Smith has
had occasion. to sample the piles
of ore on the dumps of various
properties, desiring to satisfy
himself about the values in other
properties than of which he is
manager, and he has secured
surprising results. A sample
from the Hardscrabble returned
1859 per cent lead and 280 ounces
silver, the Billy Castro 64 per
cent lead and 100 ounces silver,
and the Mountain King SO per
cent lead and 76 ounces silver.
These properties are in the
eastern part of the district. The
Greyhound, as stated, carries
dry ore, only A per cent lead. 1t
has some bodies that run very
| high in silver, and it is believed,
by working this ore in with
that of lower grade, the bullion
can be kept up to high figure.
Boise Statesman.
/ xxra A FrJTr