, 1908-01-17

NUMBER OF INNING people are Watching developments very mar
In this vicinity, also, the Esterbrook Company has recently
completed a reorganization of its affairs. and is in shape to com
mence active work on its property, which has a 335foot shaft
on a assure vein, showing copper and lead, and a number OF
side velns' which have been cut by the lower workings, and
promise well on development. A mill is to be built on this prop
erty in the next year. Near by is the Snowbird property,
held by a number OF the Esterbrook people, who have completed
plans for an active development campaign on a large copper
bearing ledge lying in a diorite-granitesch formation of
a different character than the other copper lodges of this locality,
and which is considered as a very promising property for copper
and gold.
The Laramie, Hahns Peak and Pacific railroad has COM
pleted its roadbed to Centennial, to which point trains run reg
.ularly, and the road has developed an unexpected volume of
business. Construction work is under way to extend the road
south into the North Park country, in Colorado, for coal and
other fields there, and to serve the mines of the Medicine Bow
Range, south of Centennial. AT the latter point, and the Snowy
Range above, there has been a great deal of activity in new and
old properties, and a number of mines are expected to enter the
shipping class before spring.
East OF Laramie the Strong mine has developed copper ores
to the point of a mill, but the destruction of the surface works
by fire, last July, delayed the building of the mill, and cost val
liable time. Plans for the reduction plant have been drawn and
a syndicate of the old mine stockholders is being formed to
finance its erection, as soon as the weather permits, in the spring
of 1908. This will be a concentrating Mill, with special reference
paid to the saving of the fines, based on the best milling practice
of modern copper mills, and, as the first practical mill in the
southern Laramie Hills, this plant will mean a great deal to the
owners of prospective producers OF copper in this locality.
In the central part Of the state there has been more actual
is due to the building of the Wyoming and Northwestern railroad
from Casper to Lander, one hundred and fifty miles, thus bring
ing the Rattlesnake Range, Sweetwater Valley, Copper Noun
tain and the Owl Creek new camps all within easy reach of the
railroad, and bringing the South Pass District within ~thirty-fve
miles of rail transportation, instead of one hundred miles, as
heretofore.
South of this railroad the Ratlesnake Range has attracted
a great deal of attention, and some promising copper finds are
reported. West of this section the small granite hills along the
Sweetwater River, near Longs Greek, have been the scene of
general prospecting, and a number of gold and copper-bearing
attention OF a number of the best capitalists in Wyoming, and
work begun on several showings, which should be heard from
before long. The conditions are certainly promising.
Copper Mountain is the name locally applied to that portion
of the Owl Creek Range of the Wind River Mountains which
lies east o. the Big Horn River, and has been the scene of active
prospecting Tor both gold and copper Tor the past year or two
The territory embraced is about twenty miles long by about six
or eight wide, and the formations shown are Schist, diorite, two
distinct granite flows, and the whole skirted by the sedimentaries
which overle the uplift on the north and east sides of the
On the west end the canon OF the Big Horn River cuts
through the range, and the properties of the Boysen Company
for the mines of this locality, light the Central Wyoming towns,
and supply power for the other enterprises of this section. A dam
being constructed, and the plant is being installed as rapidly
as possible.
Much prospecting has been done here, and some deep tun-
done from the canon side, but SO far no results have been
to the public. Near by are several promising properties.
and considerable gold ore has'been reported from this end Of the
The Hale property, near Birdseye, is a gold property, is
developed by tunnels, and a considerable ore reserve shown up.
this showing a stamp mill has been erected and operated for
a part of the season, until stopped by shortage of water. Plans
for a cyanide plant to treat the tailings are now being considered
for construction next spring.
On the east end of the mountain the Williams uman mine
bids fair to make Central Wyoming famous for both gold and
copper, and in point of production and occurrence OF the ores;
The oe is found in a crushed and issured diorite, much altered
and almost unacceptable in spots, and at the surface shows
about fifty or sixty feet wide.
The ledge may be traced for a length of about 1850 feet,
and the ore shown up in a series of cuts, shallow shafts, etc, at
many points, showing the usual o!Nidized copper minerals in
many beautiful forms. With this is a gold streak Of several
in width, which shows free gold ore of the specimen variety,
and ore OF a lower grade as well.
A tunnel has been run, cutting the ledge at a depth of 200
and here the ore was shown to be over eghty-hve feet wide,
feet of which showed over thirty per cent Of copper.
This copper is native copper, occurring in thin sheets, and mug
gets throughout the ore. The sheet copper varies in thickness
from that of a sheet OF paper to an eighth of an inch, and in size
a dinner plate size. AT this depth no sulphide ore has yet been
encountered, but the company has installed machinery for sink
ing to a depth of five hundred feet, and will test the property
thoroughly before installing treatment works of any kind.
This property is also unique in that = is owned by five
men, was bought and paid for in cash, and no stock
ever been sold by them, and they are amply able to carry
out their own development plans without outside aid, even if
the mine is not called upon for a production record. Little has
been said about this property, and only test shipments have been
made, but it is a wonderful ore showing, and when handled on
a commercial scale and made to produce on a commensurate
scale, will be a wonder.
West of Copper Mountain is situated the Willow Creek Dis
trict, in the Owl Creek Mountains, where the formation condl
tons are similar to the former district, and a number of prop
critics have equally good surface showings. This is the part OF
the state so long retained in the Indian Reservation, and is prac
tically unknown land, as the formal opening took place in Octo-
Der, 1906, too late in the season for active work, and time has
not been sufficient to admit of deep work or extensive proving
of the promising surface showings noted at many points in the
n~ewsdistrict. New roads have been constructed from the nearest
railroad points, Shoshoni on the Wyoming and Northwestern and
on the Burlington Route, each about %thirtyhve
miles distant