Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-10-30
Gordelia Mine Enters Into Bunce Deal.

L
The second important mining proper
ty to be taken over by the Black Hills
Development and Financial company,
promoted by Robt. Bunce, is that Of the
Gordelia Mining company of the Roch-
ford district. The deal for the acquiring
of this property was closed yesterday and
this with the Montezuma Mining COM
pany ground previously secured gives
the corporation a present acreage of ap-
proximately 1900 acres, with prospects
of large additions within the next few
days.
The Gordelia property, which consists
of 600 acres in all, POO of which are pat
ented, has been considerably developed
under the direction of L. NJ Kearney,
the we'll known Rockford mining man
and promoter. 1t is divided into two
tracts of claims, one of 400 acres lying
on Silver creek and the other of 200
patented acres, lying on Little Rapid
Creek, adjoining the famous Cochran
ground.
The latter ground which is known 70
contain an extension of the ore system
of the Cochran property has been prin.
cipally developed by the driving of a
tunnel which has been advanced a dis,
tance Of AIS feet, cutting the formation
and opening up ore veins of milling val
ue. The principal vein is one which at
the tunnel level, shows width of thirty
feet and contains good part of its gold
value in the free state. About ten years
ago, large am cunt of this ore was haul
ed to the old Montezuma mill at Roch.
ford and gave results which were deem.
ed entirely satisfactory. 1t is a property
which requires that the ore be handled
on large scale and inability to secure
the necessary large capital for coustruc-
ton work of this kind has held back
the development of the mine. 1t is re-
ported that at the time of that mill run
they recovered about 81 per ton on the
plates.
The four hundred acre tract on Silver
creek has also received a large amount
of development but for the most part il
has been confined to surface workings
in which splendid showing of ore has
been made. The principal vein, which
has been worked in an open cut, shows
a width of $50 feet between walls and
has been traced by prospect shafts the
entire length of the property gives every
indication Of being strong and perman.
ent. At one point shaft has been sunk
on the ledge distance Of 230 feet and al
that depth the ore shows practically the
same character and value as it does clos.
er to the surface.
On this property there is ten stamr
mill, which is of historic origin and may
be considered back number now in
the light of modern improvements in
milling plants. 1t was the Original
II omestake mill of 20 stamps which was
moved from Lead to the old Minnesota
ground in the Custer Peak district In
the early days. When operations were
suspended at the Minnesota, the mill re.
mained idle for years but was finally &C
quired by l.. M. Kearney, who moved
ten of the stamps to Silver creek proper
ty and made a number of mill tests
The last tests were made three years age
and at that time it was satisfactorily dem
onstrated that the ore was of sufficien
value to pay handsome profit iftreatec
in mill of large capacity. A move wa
then made to secure capital for the erec
tion of such plant, but tie financia
panic coming on before the qndertakin,
had been carried out, it was found nee
essary to suspend operations. Pioneer
Times.