The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-03-03

Columbia College, in a technical
paper. read before the American
Institute of Mining Engineers,
who compares them to tree /
with prominent but irregular
pipe shaped branches in a belt |
of porphyry lying between lime
stone and granite.
So far only the irregular bran
ches of this mineral tree have
been mined and they represent a |
rather knotty species of growth,
but in the aggregate have pro-
duced ore of such volume and
value as to indicate that when
the trunk of the deposit is dis
closed with further digging it
should contain an ore resource of
bonanza proportions.
The wages paid by the Empire
Copper Co. were, miners, $3.50
and S4.oO; laborers, $500; engin-
GERS, S4.25; blacksmiths, S4.00 to
$3.50; carpenters, $4.OO to $500.
The full operation of this prop
erty affords lively business for
the handsome little town of Mac
kay, and the closing down of the
mine, of course, had a serious
effect on business conditions
there; but Mackay is also the
present terminus of the Salmon
River railway, an O.S.L. branch,
and enjoys an extensive transfer
trade for the majority of the 9TH
er mining operations of Custer
county.
There are numerous handsome
prospects in the vicinity of Mac
kay carrying gold, silver, lead
copper values, several of which
made small shipments of ore dur
ing the year, and in the upper
Lost river tributaries there are {
number of other rich lead, silver
! and copper prospects. Severa
( of these smaller properties are
now under process of develop
5 ment by small crews of men, anC
f in the aggregate afford quite al
5 important trade to the business
e houses at this point in connec
e ton with the quite extensive
i tributary agricultural and stool
e interests.
t Lost Packer Mine. Next i
a Importance in the matter of bul
), lion production among the Gus
} ter county mines during 1897 wa
. the operation of the Lost Packe
r Mining Co. at Loon Creek. A
!e though hampered by a shol
% hauling season and the serior
If difficulty of getting in coke an
e supplies, this company was el
t, abled to run its 100-ton hot bias
il pyritic smelter "a days and mac
le a gross output of high graC
10 copper matte in that limite
t. time of 430 tons, containing a
le average value of 81 per cent col
is per, 10 ounces gold and 40 oun
in es silver per ton. This mil
ly underwent steady developme
IN during the year and 1862 feet
th drifts, raises and crosscuts we
tie run. 1t has a splendid reser
90 of high grade mineral in sigf
in with several thousand tons
ore ricked up on the smelt
er floor and broken loose in t
er. mine, and with more favorab
he hauling season and decent met
III, prices, should make mu
IS, larger output during 1908 th
n it did last year. The smeltil
of plant, under the management
I'D Mr.. p. Sheahan, proved a mai
ID ed success and made a very hi
of grade matte, and Stag losses tt
30 were insufficient, the avera
a Stag assays running 2 of l /
,he cent copper, 3 of an ounce
inc silver, and a trace of gold, or
ro- net saving of 80 per cent of
m values in the ore treated at
,rk smelling cost of about So per t
per In addition to its main mini
nts operation, the management
will the Lost Packer Mining Co.