The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984, 1909-10-07

l0gS ana COSTLY dllOMcu W ~ "
wreck, and for nearly fifteen years only the
smaller properties, owned by lnyidiuals
were worked. Now titles have been straight
ened out and a new era of activity is begin
ming. based on legitimate business princi-
pies. On the eastern slope of the mountain
is great string of veins nearly a mile long,
in former times owned and operated by
number of separate companies These have
all been acquired by one company, which
instead Of attempting to work them from
the top down as was formerly done, has run
a tunnel $500 feet, cutting the system Of
veins at a depth of 2,100 feet and proposes
to work the entire series of mines through
this tunnel, establishing a new camp, with
reduction works east of the mountain.
West of this system of veins crossing the
yeins-a valuable vein of ore crossing the
Companys properties have within the past
ten years made fortunes for the sharehold-
ers Other companies have recently been or
ganized, acquired other properties which
promise to become rivals of the Trade Dol
lar in value of production.
Steele District
rs located five miles east of Flint on Boulder
and Mammoth Creeks Some very wide
veins Of low grade silver ores have been To-
Gated in this district. Ample water power
is available for reducing the ores of the dis
trict and it is claimed it can be so cheaply
concentrated that a profitable enterprise
could be established here.
This district is located eleven miles south
of Silver City. There is an extensive out
cropping of silver-hearing quartz veins in
the district and there has been cOnsidera-
BILE production of bullion from them. A
number of years ago the producing mines
became the properties of some B. & NJ. rail
way capitalists who have permitted them to
remain idle However, local men have de-
veoped claims outside Of the Flint com
pany's holdings, have put up concentrating
mill and are making a success out of their
enterprise There are other similar oppor-
tunities in the district
South Mountain.
rs situated twenty miles south of Silver
City. About thirty years ago a busy mining
camp of 500 people was on this mountain.
number of we'll defined veins of high grade
silver-lead ores we're opened on this noun
tain and a large smelter was built by
company and a considerable amount Of sill
ver-lead bullion produced But at that time
the nearest point on a railway was more than
200 miles distant, transportation facilities
were wanting and every expense OF carrying
such an enterprise was very heavy. After
the mines reached water levels where oxidi-
cation had not changed the ores, they were
found to carry a percentage of zine blende
which made the working of them unprofita-
BILE under existing conditions. Conditions
have since changed. Transportation has
been made easy. Zinc in the ores is now
paid for by smelter instead of being dis
count on their value The ores of the dis
trict have been proven to be readily and
cheaply concentrated for shipment, and this
is a most inviting field for investors and
prospectors.
In the lower mountains and foothills, SIX
to ten miles north of Silver Citv. and not
far west of the stage road leading to the
railroad at Murphy, a great deal of pros
pecting has been done within the past year,
resulting in important discoveries upon
which many locations have been made and
several companies have already been organ
lied for development. The ores in this 10
cality, with few exceptions found, are not
high grade, but the ore bodies are so exten
sive that the value and Importance of the
discoveries is now attracting wide attention.
Silver City, Dewey and DeLamar are
reached from the Oregon Short Line rail
way, at Nampa, over the Boise Nampa &
Owyhee Railway, 30 miles, to Murphy, and
thence by daily stage coaches to Silver City,
% miles, and Dewey and DeLamar respec-
lively, three and eight miles further. All
Of these places have telephone connections
with the railway and with Boise. The Pa
cifc Express Company has Offices at these
places The stage road from the railway
crosses over one mountain summit, but is
well equipped with good six-horse coaches
and the managers look carefully after thu
comfort of passengers. An ample number
Of extra teams and wagons is always OF
han to carry passengers when more thai
tho rnnnlar cnachns arc rnnl1irad I.aroa an