The Minneapolis journal., 1906-10-11
PLACER MINING
SHOWS A REVIVAL
FORTUNES TO BE FOUND IN TILE
o. = =. =, ~. r BLACK SANDS. ST. ~, ;.
Renewed Interest Taken in All the:
Southern Hills, Where Movement Is
Under Way to Determine the Plat:
mum Values as Well as Those Of Gold.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal. .
Custer, S. D.. Oct. 11.-Great interest is tag
en- at present In ';back sands" and the re-
suit Is the relocation of many placer claims
which had been abandoned for years, and als,,
the location of new ones In promising districts
The best return 50 far received was 81 500 a
and concentrated on Willy table and tested
only for its gold content. Tests are now being
made to determine the quantity OF platinum
which !s known to exist in these sands. It is
Iouno In a gray sand which Is heavier than
the black, and 1t is believed that there is as
much platinum as there Is gold in these sands.
The district containing the sands is not yet
Wen defined, but 1t is a large one. In Fall
has been done in years. The sands of different
localities differ In values, as do the placers,
tho the difference in the values of sands does
not differ so much with location do the
placers. .s,E -
Thus far the matter has not progressed far
enough for many deals to have taken place.
c. c. Crary OF this city has Just sold one
third interest in ground which he owns in
City. The price WAS $780, He has given
an option on the remainder Of the ground. Other
claims have changed hands, but the exact prices
which they have brought have not been made
public. --: ,- 80. "a.
While the Black Hills placers have been
worked ever since the early days, and have
brought much money to their owners, yet the
black sands have hardly been touched, and il
IAcJ ueFeAop dS II seems likely. they Will, they
win open a new industry In the southern Hills
and Will not only bring In q large amount Of
capital, but will also Yield profits in an un-
usually great measure. People are an1iously
awaiting the platinum tests. ; ~
DBADWO0D, s.. D.-The greatest gold mine
IN the world, with a record of dividends for
twenty-eight years. has the satisfaction of see-
ing ITS stock quoted at par on the New York
STOCK exchange a g. The Homestake mine was dis
covered IN 1915 by Nose Manuel, an old time
prospector Of the west and sold in 1877 to
George Hearst for $75,OOO. Senator Hearst
realized the nature Of the proposition, for he
estimated, and that very fairly, that he would
find 1t necessary to put half million into the
ground in order to make mine. But he did
the world
Mining men come from all parts Of the world,
from Africa, from japan, from Europe to study
the methods of handling the ore, and some
Homestake ledge. 1t has the name Of being
the largest body Of gold-bearing rock in the
world. This famous ledge, and by the way
there are several veins In this system Of mar
velous size, is about coo feet in width. The ore
is low grade averaging about sa.7 ton. but
1t Is worked with such economy and on such
an immense scale that the Homestake has paid
15,316,15o in dividends to its stockholders. II
the dividends paid by companies absorbed by
the Homestake were included the sum would
total $25, ,0OO, 900.
Under almost the entire city Of Lead the
miners are working; some on the 1o0-foot level
for there is no place in the mine where the
ore supply is exhausted, and some 1000 feet
below daylight About 100 miles Of workings.
lighted by electric lights and made busy by
hundreds OF men, by the sound Of the air drill,
the" noise OF the compressed air, motors, and
even the occasional braying of mules, for;
number OF them work below, constitute a city
underground, and one richer than any for which
even Midas might have dreamed - ! H'''t'
GALENA, 8. D.-The electric machinery which
mas been ordered for the Golden Crest mill il
expected to arrive any day, when work win be
resumed at the mill. Work on the building has
peen at a ,standstill while waiting until the
noise and pumps arrive. The equipment con-
slsss OF compressor and hoist capable of lift
ing the ore 500 feet, a double drum equipment
q trlplex pump and motor capable Of operating
unGes Ts 100 feet Of water and the Leyner drills
Inc power will be furnished by the Consou-
dated Power Light company Of Pluma, and,
a.; a. tne poles are already strung. the installa-
tlon only awaits the arrival Of the machinery.
In 'ne meantime work is going on in the mine,
ana tne hrst and second levels are being we'll
developed. The high-grade ore body encountered
early last summer is being developed, 50 that
be available. = -: :. "