The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-18
History of Grand culch.

The Grand Gulch is one Of the oldest
and best-known of the southern mines,
and has a most interesting history. It's
original discovery dates back to 1871,
when Shiwits Indian of the tribe liv-
ing along the Colorado river, came into
st. George with rich samples of copper.
5. l.. Adams, who was one Of the first
white men to locate in the region, aSSO-
clated with him MeSSrS Bentley, CrOS-
by and Pierce, all well known residents
Of st. George, and induced the Indian
TO pilot them to the location, about
eighty miles south of the settlement.
They located the mine and worked it
in a crude way, attempting at one time
10 smelt with an Old-fashiOned Mexi-
can mud furnace. Various experiments
in smelling were made, including one
on the Santa Clara river, which in
volved a long wagon haul. Eventual
ly, the present owners got possession Of
the mine and by modern methods of op-
GRAFTON have made 1t d profitable VEN
ture even with the wagon haul Until
the San Pedro road was put through,
the freight to the railroad made haul
ing costly, but the new road reZuced
the cost, offering a shorter wagon route
and better grades; and this brought the
property to the attention of. mining
men looking for copper properties.
Smelter returns presented to the in
ISi1O1lS PURCHASERS SHOW the SQlDD1eIlJ
of over 100000 pounds of ore since
1899. with returns Of SIP. 313T9 based
on an average price of 121a. cents per
pound for copper. The certificates on
| these shipments show that the ore ran
from $3.50 per cent copper, the lowest
assay, to a maximum of 54.20 per cent
copper; the silver in the ore varied
from 90 ounces to SO ounces.
Much Ore in Sight
The report of the examiners who
went through the property estimates
the value of the ore blocked out at
$3.50, 900, with a firSt-CIaSs dump aver
aging So per cent copper, and second
class dump averaging Is per cent, the
total value Of the dumps figuring at
close to $500, 900. The workings at the
lowest point are 435 feet deep, reached
by dOuble-COmpartme shaft. The
best vein exposed is on the 3O0-foOt
level, and is six feet Of ore, saTnpling
from 80 to SO per cent copper, some sill
yer and some iron. Samples Of various
other workings showed values from y
to 17.70 per cent. a new station cut at
the 400-fOot level is in ore, but 10 at
tempt has been made to explore it. The
development on the old Adams claim
has been accomplished through a tun-
mel, 5000 feet in length, with drifts.
The property. so the report says, has
been developed IN q WOTkmau1lke way,
is well timbered, has suitable buildings
and all the surface workings are in
good second-class ore. Altogether, the
men who hold the option think the
property is a phenomenon in the extent
of high-claSS ore shown by compare
lively recent development, and believe
it can be brought to the front as one OF
the great mines of the country.
How Mine Will Be Worked.
It has been pointed out to them that
the ores from the mine can De sent
down to the Colorado river, eight miles,
by an aerial tram with no great diff
Guilty, and that electric power can be
developed at the river with which to
operate the mine. If the deal is con-
Summated, as there is every reason 10
believe will be the case, they expect to
proceed at once With the plan outlined,
treat the ores at the river and install
an electric plant, saving the haul on
ores and the expensive luxury of a
steam plant at the mine.
The exploitation of the Grand GulCh
property is expected to attract atten-
ton anew to what local men have long
cons: dered one of the richest copper
fields in the country. Heretofore the
distance to railroad delivery has been
so great that the successful operation
Of mines has been difficult With the