The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-22
EsPEY's IDAHO BONANZA.
Has a TweIVeFoot Ledge Carrying
High Values in Silver and Gold.

mas a IWSlNe-To OI IcO9e Varying
High Values in Silver and Gold.
eff I make too extravagant a state
ment when I say he has the richest
mine In the United States, will only
qualify this statement 20 the extent
of saying that E. E. Espey has the
best mining proposition in the United
States"
This statement. says the Lewiston
Odaho) Tribune, was made by c. w.
Smith, a mining man of Station DIS
trict in the Elk region, who was in
the city on a return trip to the mines
after a visit in the northern country.
''Mr. Espey simply has a bonanza"
said Mr.. Smith. land the property
has only avoided wide publicity
through the fact that he has been con-
tented 20 work along modestly and
take out the gold. His mine is located
on the South Fork near the mouth Of
Crooked river.
Ledge Laden With SIVanite.
HE has a tweIve-foot lead and in
the center is q three-foot streak of sill
vaaite ore that runs $500 ton. In Oc-
tober last he shipped out twenty tons
OF this ore to a smelter and the net re-
turns were $500. He packed the ore
on horses Ave miles and then freighted
The cost of mining and delivering the
ore to the smelter must easily have
been $50 a ton. He is now taking out
more of this class Of ore for shipment.
-Four feet on one side of the silvan-
lite ore runs $97 a ton and FIVE feet on
The other side runs SS4 q ton He has
a two-stamp mill that he is working
on the ore and when it is in operation
it returns him S35 an hour. There may
F1a hTTF n
what mining district on the Pacific
coast can show one"
Mr.. Smith states that Mr.. Espey has
not yet taken UP any systematic plan
Of opening up his property, but is fol-
lowing the ore body from the surface.
The property is located about seven
miles from the Anaconda group where
thirty-one men are employed, the
property being worked by the Graham
Ross company under the superintend-
ency Of Engineer w. H. Hi. This
group was opened up three years ago
Nv Mr. Smith, and a five-stamp mill
has been installed on the property.
TT e mill is handling about ten tons
daily, and the showing made is such
as to assure the installation OF a big
ger plant. A shaft has been sunk 200
feet and will be continued to the 300
foot level. while there is Slope
seventy feet long and sixty feet deep
from which the ore Is being milled
The ore is 90 per cent free with fine
values.
Greatest Camp In World.
ct candidly believe" said Mr.. Smith,
that the sweep of mineral country
embracing the Hump, South Fork,
Crooked River and Elk region is des-
tined to become the greatest mining
camp in all the world. I know that
just now the mining industry is given
second place to other commercial &C
tivities In this section Of Idaho, but no
force in the world can stay the devel-
Opment Of the mining resources of the
great interior country.
There are immense bodies of ore
running from 81 TO Sc and IS a ton that
make a bigger and richer mining prop
osition than the famous Black Hills.
The Hogan mine is an Illustration Of
the things that are to come, while the
ore is also found there. The great
drawback is the absence of transporta-
ton facilities. Think Of the penalty
the mines pay when charge of IL
cents per pound is added for machine
~ and freight of all kinds, yet mines
are being opened up on a paying basis
despite these conditions.
st do not understand why transpor-
tatiOn companies do not investigate
that region and its possibilities and
extend their lines there. The country
will stand inspection and produce a
tonnage. But regardless Of
the neglect of the railroads in that
regard, the country is going to unfold
many bOnanzas the coming few years
and Idaho county will take first rank
over all countries in gold production"