Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-02-07
READY TO UNWATER
THE GRANITE HILL
All Preparations Have Been
Made to Lower Flood In Mine
and Resume Operations.

camp, and was shown over the prop
srty and through the works of the
American Gold Fields company by
Superintendent Charles Morphy. As
the stated lin the Courier few
weeks since. the company is making
preparations to unwater the mine,
and again resume operations. A
crew has been constantly employed in
and around the mine. since it was
forced to close down because of the in
rush of water on the lower levels.
The mill, and hoist, concentrating
plant, aud power plant are all in ex'
cellent condition, and are ready for
operation on . days notice. Splendid
rock ballasted roads have been built
in the camp, connecting the mill with
the Red jacket mine, and also with
the 50 wmill and wood camps. A fine
skid road connected the company's
sawmill with the timber camp, and
the logs are skidded to the mill at
email cost; in fact, the entire cost of
cutting the logs, skidding to the
mill and saving into lumber is but
So per thousand fest.
About 400 cords of wood have been
cut and delivered at the mill, and an
equal samount will be piled in the
woodward within reach Of the boiler
room, within the next few weeks.
The rock pallasted road allows this
wood to be hauled at one-half the
former cost. The wood will be used
in supplying fuel for the furnaces
while the mine is being pumped out.
The entire works have been over
hauled. repaired aud put in shape to
operate with greater ease and less
cost. The main idea of superinten-
dent Morphy is to cut the operating
expenses down, and widen the margin
of profit. The value Of the Granite
Hill quartz Is known quantity, aud
it remains to mine and mill the ore
at as small cost as possible. He has
demonstrated that the ore can be re-
moved from the lower levels, crushed,
milled and concentrated at cost of
$1.S5 per ton. The rock road con-
Meeting the Granite Hill mill with
the Red Jacket allows the ore to be
hauled from the latter property at a
cost Of but % cents per ton for trans
portation and this can be done win
ter or summer.
The big hoist. with its immense
double drums and twin engine, has
been placed on a. new and deepset
concrete foundation, the head frame
has been better anchored and new
mortar blocks placed under the mill
stamps The bench at the collar of
the shaft has been widened by re.
moving a portion of the mountain
side, giving greater room for the ore
tracks, shops, and hoisting plant
The power house has been set farther
back. In truth the whole camp has
been cleaned up and improved, so
that it is one of the neatest aud best
kept mining towns in the state. The
buildings. residences. mess house.
rooming house and Offices are electric
Lighted, with mountain water piped
everywhere needed.
Foreman Thomas has remained on
the mine. He has mined in many OF
the best districts OF the world. and in
some of the biggest and richest
properties. but he considers the
Granite Hill. in the matter of its ore
composition, stableness and general
character equal to any he has seen OF
the same class. With the prepara'
tions that have been made, es-
pecially in the matter OF road work
and camp improvements, the mine eau
be unwatered in less time and al
much less cost than before. Every
thing is in readiness, so there will bt
no delay once the skips are started
they will be operated day and nigh
till the mine il drained.
Superintendent Morphy states thai
he can unwater the properly in Al
days time, aud that within foul
months from the time the sEips ar
started, he and his foreman will hsv'
the tuDnels and DIR fts retimbeIe1
the slopes cleaued. an everything il
shape to begin milling. The 20-staml
mill will crush 100 tons of ore daily
operating day and night, and there i
enough ore blocked out on the 400 foS
level alone to keep the mill pounding
steady for many months.
The owners of the Granite Hill
all Of whom are Eastern people. hav
not lost faith, even through the mis-