The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-27
General COnnOr Thought Mining
Would Solve the Mormon
81; Question i'll Utah.
SENT HIS SOLDIERS
OUT INTO MOUNTAINS
Interesting History of Bingham
lis Given in Prominent
I. Mining Journal.

The first discovery of orc in Bing~
ham and the first mining location in
Utah, was that of the old Jordan claim,
located September II. 1868, which is
now owned by the United States Mi
ming company, says the Engineering and
Mining Journal, This discovery was
made by @. B. Ogilvic, Mormon apos-
tie, but the district owes much to Gen.
?. d. Connor. commanding the Third
California Volunteer infantry, which
was stationed at Fort Douglas in 1862
and for several years later.
Gen, Connor, having seen the effect of
the gold rush of 1S49 upon California,
and the transformation that ensued,
had an idea that the speedy solution
Of tho Mormon question lay in the dis
covery of mines In this region. Ac-
furloughs TO his soldiers, who, having
been recruited among the miners of Cal
lfornia, were experienced prospectors,
These miner"soldiers would go off on
long prospecting trips, and it was due
10 their work that the camps of Bing-
ham, Big and Little Cottonwood and
Stockton owe their discovery.
Nor was Gen. Connor wrong in his
theory, although it was much longer
in working out than he anticipated. I'm
fortunately the ore bodies discovered by
his soldiers were mostly OF the base
metals, requiring smelling (Which at
that time was process not understood
at alD, and good facilities for trans
portation (Which did not begin to be
offered until 1869. The old name given
TO the mining district formed by the
lead ore by Ogilvie, was West Noun
tain; this name is still retained,
First Mining For Lead.
hn
lead deposits, but later Gn 1861 the
placers were discovered and worked;
however, these never amounted to much.
In the early seventies the Winnamuck
smelter was erected to treat the lead
ores, and later small concentrating
plants were put in. During the sew
enties Bingham became an important
producer of lead ore and several smelt-
ers were installed,
Early in 1880, mining Of the oxidized
gold ores, which occur in the weathered
portions of the future copper producers,
was begun Stamps and simple anal
gamators were used; considerably later
cyaniding was tried; but these gold
mining operations were not long lived,
not being very profitable. 1t is inter
csting to remark that these gold miners,
whenever they discovered sulphide ore,
Immediately caved the workings to
cover it up, this ore being then con-
sldered a very unfavorable indica-
ton,
Copper Creates Interest.
In December, 1896. the Highland Boy
mine shipped 5000 tons of copper ore
and the public began TO appreciate what
the copper resources of Bingham might
ne. Since then the development of the
copper ores has been rapid Now it is
the scene of prodlgious undertakings,
including the mining in the near future
of 5000 tons daily of low-grade copper
ore from one property alone The large
copper producers of the Bingham camp
are the Highland Boy, Utah. Boston
Consolidated, United States, Yampa and
Bingham Consolidated. OF the more re-
cent developments, the Ohio Copper
company, which mines about 200 tons
mine, and the Bingham New Haven, are
very promising, as is also the copper de-
posit being developed by the UtahAp pex
company.
Lead mining, although subordinate in
Importance to copper mining, neverthe-
less Is by no means dead Considerable
lead ore is mined by the United States
Mining company from its Galena mine.
by the Bingham Consolidated from its
Lark vein, and also from the Lead Mine
vein, while the newly revived Phoenix
mlne has yielded much lead ore in the
last six months from the lower work
lngs off the long tunnel run to catch the
vein. Besides these the Red Wing
group, in Markham gulch, has developed
very good body OF lead ore and il is
planned to erect 200-ton concentrat-
ing plant to treat the lead ores from
this group. Moreover, the New England
Copper and Gold Mining company is
operating small concentrating plant
treating about 80 tons of lead ore a
day. This company also ships some
hrst-class lead ore, The concentrating
ore from the Phoenix IS treated at the
Wall custom mill, where about 40 tons
Of this ore arc concentrated in the
eight hours the mill is run
The Bismarck,
No an Vast SeoonS So,,tb :, L..l