The Ketchikan miner., 1907-11-16
MINING MOVES
No Cause For fear-DepressiOn Only Temporary. Current
 Mining News

Ql bO iNehi NtseS~ for apprehension as to the ultimate outcome so far as the Ketchikan min- ing district is concerned. The pres ent conditions as to prices and production must, necessarily be oi paratively short duration. The world must have copper, and plenty of it, and the very fact that produc- tion has been curtailed to the extent of not less than fifty per cent argues a more or less speedy exhaustion of the surplus and consequently increased demand tending to an increase of prices more favorable to the producer and not unfair to the consumer. An advance to the abnormal prices which had obtained few months ago is not expected, nor is it to be desired if the welfare of both producer and consumer be taken into the consideration. A b. normal prices, whether inordinately high or low. must necessarily be fol- lowed by reaction, and by all rights such reaction is now coming to the producer. and we confidently look for an advance to prices which will afford fair margin of profit, at least to the owners and operators of mines possess ed of fair conditions for economical production. These certainly are the conditions as to natural advantages at least, most distinctively characteristic of the mines of the Ketchikan region. which with adequate smelting facili ties, can certainly be expected to pro- duce the red metal at lower cost than those of almost any other district in this or any other country. That some of them are now in suspension is not due to any lack of wealth in the mines themselves, but to various causes. such as for instance, absence of smelting facilities of their own, and lack of transportation to smelters at a distance, together with labor compli- cations, either real or feared which induced suspensions which would not otherwise have been deemed wise or necessary. As it was. some of the mines were but just entering on a stage of what would be, under ordinary cir cumstances, an era of large and profit able production, at the time of suspen- sion. This is particularly true ofthe Mt. Andrew. Mamie and Rush and Brown mines, where renewal of operations may be expected to take place in the near future, while at others, notably the Jumbo and Nib lack, mining is still actively in pro- gress, which would probably not be the case in the absence of profitable results. Altogether, there are no good district will not soon again strike the pace which for a time promised to carry it far to the front among the newer copper producing centers of the world. With her great mineral depos- its and unexcelled natural advantages for their economical exploitation oi their ores it cannot be otherwise. The present depression is only temporary, and cannot endure long enough to more than briefly stay her certain progress.
 At the Goodro mine, Karta bay, the cross cut tunnel cut through g feet of ore in which drifting is now in progress, with indications that the ore boudy is of large extent. and high grade in value. The drift is in about 50 feet, from which two or three cross cuts show an ore body of uniform size and quality between the enclosing walls. The ore carries full as good, if not higher, values than was found in the surface workings 90 feet above, and to test the extent and value of which the tunnel, drifts and cross cuts were originally designed.
 Concerning mining operations and plans at the Perseverance and Sheep Creek mines, whih are on the opposite side of Gastineaux Channel, and con- tiguous to Juneau, the Dispatch says The power plant at Sheep Creek is being overhauled by H. Powell Crow ther to place it in order for the opera tion of two power drills on double shaft at the Silver Queen tunnel. This tunnel has been driven $50 feet to tap the Silver Queen ledge and a cross cut will be run to open the Glacier property vein. Under the Perseverance contract the work of development is to be carried on all winter. In connection with the opera tions at Sheep Creek a contract will be let on the Sound this month for the framing of the timbers for two hund- red stamp mill to be erected on the Sheep Creek beach. Col. Sutherland will let the contract for the stamps in the east this month. These stamps will be twelve hundred and iity pound weight and set on Hendry double dis charge mortars. The mill will be in operation by early next summer. Work is to progress all winter on the Nugget creek power station. The necessary machinery is to be purchas- ed on the Coast where it has been in 4-.x fl T