Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-11-04
The Mines Co., Ltd, Take Over
Good Property
THE cRAcKERJACK INCLUDED
Will Push Work to the Limit
In that Camp Next Year.

"rhe famous old Crackerjack mine
at Buffalo Hump will be big and
steady producer for the first time in
its history within 60 days, by which
time its new 20-stamp mill will be ex-
tracating the bullion from about 60
tons of ore day." says Nj. j. Sweeny,
one of the officers of the company.
Meanwhile the Hump country gen
orally and the little town of Calender
in particular are livelier than they
have been for years and it is believed
that the boom this time has come to
stay"
The sudden change in the fortune
of the Buffalo Hump camp is credited
to the operations of Mr.. Sweeny, An
drew Prader and their associates.
These men have been working quietly
and persistently for years to acquire
some Of the choice properties of that
district and to equip them in a way
that would make their operation pro
fitable, and this they believe they
have now succeeded in doing in the
case Of the Crackerjack.
Besides the group Of claims known
as the Crackerjack mine, with its
hydro-electric power plant, they have
secured control, under 5O-year lease,
of 2S2 acres of patented ground ad-
joining it. As equipment they are
constructing 300O-foot aerial tram
way from the mine to the new MILL
in which is being installed, besides the
20 stamp, full complement Of con
centrating machinery.
While this work has been in prog
ress the mine has been put in first
class shape for large and steady pro-
duction. 1t is now developed to
depth of 325 feet. the underground
workings aggregating 1000 feet. The
ledge exposed by these workings aver
ages 20 feet in width, varying from
four to 60 feet, and the average value
of the ore. according to the owners,
has been demonstrated to be practical
ly SO ton in gold About 50 per
cent Of the gold value is saved by
amalgamation and the rest is found in
the concentrates, tests Of which are
now being made to determine whether
it is cheaper to treat them on the
ground with cyanide or to continue
to ship them to a smelter.
The various holdings, including the
Crackerjack mine, have been trans
ferred to a newly-incorporated com
pany, the Mines Company, limited
with Mr.. Sweeny and Mr.. Prader as
two Of its officers, The new company,
it is announced, intends to push the
development Of the Buffalo Hump
and with this object in view is enlarg-
ing its power plant so as to be able to
provide cheap and continuous service
for any operators who follow its ex-
ample by resuming production from
any of the mines already equipped
with mills.
Several of the Crackerjack neigh
bors have good records for production,
at least two of them, the Big Buffalo
and Jumbo, having yielded bullion to
the value of S250,OO0 each, while the
Crackerjack itself has $4,000 to its
credit.
The new mill being erected by the
Mines Company, limited, is the most
important improvement now under
way at the Hump. Its location and
water supply are such that it can be
operated all the year around instead
of only for three or four months, as
was the case under the Crackerjack' s
former management