Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-10-29

side he tripped on stone that was
particularly heavy and when un-
covered proved to be- gold quartz.
Breaking off fragment II glittered
bright and yellow. He knew 1t was
| full OF gold When he showed the
rock to the family they went wild
with Joy. Supper and all was for
gotten. The hand mortar was
brought out and the stone gave up
/ 100000. A remarkable example OF
phenomenal luck is shown, but It's
fact that Ray Briggs did actually
come across and kill deer on his
way home. Daylight found Briggs
and his boy on the way TO the place
whore the rock was found, and they
were soon on the ground, to find that
instead of a stray rock, there was
actually mammoth ledge OF gold
quartz In place on one of the noun
tains that make up the Slskiyous.
II Is here that the greatest gold mine
discovered In recent years Is located.
So was discovered the famous Briggs
mine, the glory hole with a world
wide fame that will lead hundreds
of men into the new field the coming
year The mountain side Is covered
with heavy pine timber, at your feet
flows Thompson creek and here to,
within few hundred yards distant,
is snowclad Tennant Peak and at It's
base the site OF Goldenvlew camp.
The Briggs family took ont $500
in gold in one day. and $34, 900 In a
week, and sold the property to local
capitalists for $140,000.00. II Ia to
the everlasting credit OF Ray Briggs
that he divided his find equally
among the five members OF the fami-
ly when the riches could have been
his alone. The local people, shortly
thereafter, sold to an eastern COR
poration, Subsequent developments,
amounting to 1900 feet ofStunnels
and drifts. proved the find to be a
big, permanent ledge of immense
value. Assays and tests show the
gold ore ranging from ordinary mill
dirt to hundreds and even thousands
OF dollars per ton In value. Reliable
men who have been at the mine have
pronounced the gold ore to be with
out end, and all this IN land OF fer
tile valleys, TIMBER water and game.
A veritable mining paradise.
George u. Sanders informs us
that the mine would now be n pro-
ducer and dividend payer II II had
not been for the mismanagement and
the greed that developed among
certain stockholders, which was end
cd last spring by change OF man
agement, who, In the interest OF
harmony, gave bond and lease on
the properties TO the Oregon Cali
fornia Consolidated Mines Co., n new
corporation.
The company started work at
Goldenvlew as soon as the snow was
off last May. since which time new
trails have been built, the camp re-
constructed. enlarged and made COM
modlous and sanitary. The mine
has been re-timbered where necess-
airy and put In flrst-class shape,
drifts on the ore are being extended
to give larger available supply OF
ore for n mill that will built next
spring. A saw mill IL now being
taken In for that purpose. Besides
this, two good bitches n mile and
quarter long. taking In tho water OF
four creeks, have been dug along the
mountain side. which will give an
ample water supply for hydraulic
placer plant now being Installed and
which Will be producing the coming
month.
Last summer numerous and thor
ough tests were made OF the soil and
gravel on the hillside and gulches
below the Briggs strike and the ledge
In which II was found. which crops
out for about 5000 feet along the
surface. Many pans OF dirt Yielded
from s0.25 to 800 per pan, and
there are whole acres OF this kind
OF ground. II is estimated II will re-
quire three years TO work the best
OF the hillside and the two miles Of
creeks Immediately below the ledge
for which tin mill Will be built. The
gentlemen onitheir recent trim OF in.
spection,9 actually picked up small
pieces OF gold on top OF the ground.
30 its value M Rshydrnuiic PROPOSE
tlon will be all that one could ever
wish for. This 'comes M q most
agreeable surprise, as tho stockhold-
ers. went IN. on the -auariz values. and
II has opened No as both quartz and
placer. During the past month the
company made a very valuable dis
covery OF other rare and precious
metals. the details ~ which viii be