The Ketchikan miner., 1907-11-09
MINING MOVES
What Was, is Now, and Destined to Become"A Brilliant Future
 Awaits Work of Development

 charge of the property. Prior to his departure, Mr. Howe stated to The Miner that suspension of operations at the Omar was due not so much to the low price of copper or want of faith in the durability of the ore bodies, but to the mistakes of former manage ment which failed to provide for even a moderately economical handling of product from the mlne to the waterside for shipment. He thinks the ore bod ies not only large but that they carry sufficient values to pay good profits, even at the present price of copper, had the facilities for handling the product, originally undertaken to be provided been wisely planned and car ried out. Finding that as at present constituted these supposed facilities cannot be utilized at less cost than one dollar per ton in merely handling the ore from the mine to the water side, after it has been mined, and that they will have to be replaced by others better adapted to the purpose before the mine can be operated ad- vantageously and profitably it was deemed the part of wisdom to suspend operations until such time as a new plan can be devised and put into prac- tical operation for the movement of ore from the mine to place of ship ment. This work could not be done during the winter hence the suspen- sion of mining operations, notwith- standing the encouraging outlook of the mine itself. It should be said in this connection that neither Mr. Howe, nor Mr. Turner his immediate prede- cessor, is in the least degree responsi- ble for the bad management referred to and which cost the contiding own CTS many thousands of dollars.
 (From Fridays Daily)
 Prof. W. o. Crosby, the eminent mining engineer and expert, who has been here for couple of weeks mak- ing a careful examination of the mines and mining prospects of this district, goes away much pleased over it's outlook for the future. The pro- lessor had been here before, and frankly says that, not . only does his most recent visit confirm his first impressions regarding the great ex- tent, value and durability of the min eral deposits of the Ketchikan district, but that they are, in his opinion, more certainly promising than any he has thus far seen in Alaska. He came here from the Prince William sound district, and frankly says that, with a single exception he saw nothing there that would compare at all favorably with the copper-gold deposits of Prince of Wales, particularly with the Mt. Andrew, which he considers as having, though scarcely yet year old in the age of it's practical develop ment, already attained the dimensions of a really great mine. The opinion of such man as Prof. Crosby is worth having. and will be so regarded by practical mining men and operators everywhere.
 The Miner is advised that opera tions will be continued all winter at the quarries of the American Marble company, which are located at Calder northwest side of Prince of Wales island. The company is now employ ing a force of about 30 men, as many as can at present be comfortably pro- vided for, but the president, Mr. c. c. Johnson, is now here making ar engagements for material for the erection of additional buildings, in- cluding dry houses and baths, with a view to very considerable enlarge ment of operations carly in the spring, while at the same time concluding ar engagements for the care of employes at the hospital here, in case of neces- sity. The product of the quarries is shipped to the mills at Tacoma and San Francisco, where it is sawed into merchantable shape and finds a ready market. It is of a very fine quality, without mixture of flint or other dele terious substances, the only objection able feature, that of lack of solidity, rapidly disappearing as the work pro- gresses. This marble has been used in number of the finest structures recently erected in Seattle and San Francisco, where it is now being giv- en the preference by architects and master builders over any offered them.
 The Princeton Mining and Milling company continues operations at the Valparaiso mine, where force of 20 men is employed drifting to the vest ward on the 200 level, and in hoisting ore to the surface, where it is being piled up to await the erection and completion of the milling plant the company expects to install early next spring. The lode or vein at the Val. paraiso holds a strong ano uniform width as far as drifted upon, and it's value has been consider ably augmented by the discovery of g | Il