The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-23
ESMER}ALDA COUNTY CONTAINS NUMEROUS GOOD MINES

work has been carried forward on this
claim. shaft has been sunk on the
vein to depth of 400 feet and a large
amount of ore exposed by the aid OF
crosscuts, drifts, Slopes, ETC. In the low
er workings the pay chute averages
about four feet in width.
At the present time a fve-stamp mill
GOO pound stamps) is kept steadily in
operation on ore from the Bounce vein,
while the bullion output of the mine at
the present time is limited only by the
present crushing capacity of the mill.
The results of the ore now being
crushed in the five-stamp mill taken from
the Bounce vein must certainly be
encouraging as it is equally as good
milling rock as that milled from the sur
face or upper workings, and from which
so many dividends were paid.
The Duke of wellington claim is one
of the most conspicuous properties Of the
group, for it is within the confines of
this claim that most of this great series
of parallel veins seem to join on their
course west. BY the converging of all
these veins on the Duke property has
been formed a mountain of good aver
age milling values.
Associated with the quartz is black
spar. This is purely quarrying propo-
sition and with a mill having large
crushing capacity and an ample water
supply Nthe ores can be mined and milled
at cost not to exceed 81 a ton.
This portion of the property is a mine
within itself and worthy of immediate
equipment and operation. From the above
claim 1S6 tons of selected ore yielded
s3729 4S, while the entire deposit which
outcrops very prominently for from 400
to 500 feet in width will average from 81
to s. per ton.
The question of water for power and
mill purposes is always an important
question, and has been carefully looked
into. Within the limits of the COM
pany's holdings are several available sup
plies of water which require only de-
velopment to prove an abundant supply.
In the Union and Rebel gulches are
several springs, while the harrington
and Pepper springs will furnish an adj
ditional supply. Connected with the
development OF water on the above
properties is feature which, once un-
derstood, simplifies largely the question
of water. Paralleling the Orphan Boy
vein, which is the most northerly claim
Of the group, is a clay vein of great
width which holds back the waters
-emanating from the immense wa
tershed lying above and beyond the prop
critics, which supply can be piped to the
mill by gravity.
Upon. the properties o. the company
there is an ample supply of wood for
both steam and domestic purposes,
which can be delivered at the mill at a
cost not exceeding Sc per cord. Coal
can also be delivered on The property
at cost of approximately $40 per
ton.
Thus the all-important items con-
nected with the economical mining and
milling of ores, namely water and fuel,
are at hand.
In these properties it is impossible
to estimate the available ore reserves
except from the nature of the ore de-
posits and past method Of explorations
and the average value of the ore ex-
tracted.
It is always hazardous to estimate
the quantity and values contained in a
body of ore, but the estimates made on
the Douglass properties which place the
figures at $12,000,00O are certainly con-
servative, as the estimate was made on
500 feet depth of the main veins only,
and. to be still conservative. the veins
were estimated at an average of two
feet in width and the ore at SO per
ton. Most of the ore formerly milled
returned an average of $40 per ton,
while the tailings show an average OF
IS per ton.