The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1910-07-01
COMMUNICATED.

corresponding editor at the Detroit
0roville Exploration company's mine
during the working of the diamond
drill. accompanied by James f. Forde
head of the Washington Commercial
company, and also George j. Parker
N photograph the drill at work feel
that should give more information in
regard to the mine. The drill work
vas done by .. G.. Knight & Co., OF
Rossland, b. c., and was the second
contract let to that firm. Two years
400 was in correspondence with three
drill outfits, asking for bids on 600 feet
of drilling. | received bids from two
companies. Instead of writing, Mr.
Knight came to the ground in person,
and four hours after examining the
property submitted bid. | informed
nv company that this was the man, as
his motto was to see and do. Within
a week | closed a contract with Mr..
Knight for six l00-foot holes, called
for by my company. This was before
there was any call for mineral survey
OF our property. 1t was the first dia-
mond drill ever introduced in Okanogan
county: also, the first time on the
American continent that any one had
drilled wildcat grounds.
Before they had called for mineral
survey, the question arose whether
drill work could apply on assessment
work for patentiug mineral grounds
Then unbeknown to my company |
took up correspondence with Senator
Jones as to the feasibility of applying
such work to patent. Up to this time
+. | had conducted all business in my
own name, as we were a group of
friends, but after the first year we Or
ganized the Detroit-Oroville Explora-
tion company, with home office at De-
troit, Mich, and | was appointed west
ern agent. The mineral surveyor came
on, and to prove the depth of the six
1OO-toot holes, | obtained 4inch gas
pipe to measure the sloping holes,
while the perpendicular ones were
measured by plumb and line. The
drill rods are 10 feet long, and if they
are working deep, 20-foot pulls are
made; still deeper, 30-foot pulls. The
driller is at the machine with his rule
and every time rod is pulled he knows
to fraction of an inch where his dia-
monds will find bottom again. Thus,
when the bit is so near the bottom he
runs it down by hand until it is down
to the same measurement as when he
pulled the rods. If a small ece of
core slips out of the core barrel the
driller knows it as soon as the barrel
and bit are in his hand, and if some
has been lost the blank, or chopping
bit has to go down and grind this frac-
ti0n of core to pulp and force it out
with water. If only a few feet are
made the cost to the management is
greater than where greater footage is
gained, as the company furnishes
power, wood and water. The more
frequently the rods are pulled the
more power furnished. Judging from
my experience with OIL. Knight &
Co., if they represent the hole to be of
. certain depth it. is so. All drillers
naturally are careful in designating
depth given, as they do not know who
may follow in sinking, and any mis-
representation would be discovered.
As an illustration, hole No. l. now 600
feet deep, was recorded at the first
drilling at 10 feet. When the rods
we're let down at the second drilling
the hole was found to be 1111a feet
deep. In my last contract | stated the
existing depth of each hole to be sunk
on, and the drillers found tia they
did not vary an inch from former
measurements and report. Personally,
l would take the word of Knight &
Co. as to depth made, but acting as
agent for the company [ carefully su-
perintended the measurements.
Drillers do not always profit on con-
tracts. In one instance $1,000 bit
was half destroyed. When those little
jokers get loose in the bottom and
chew each other the devil is to pay
and no pitch hot. The drillers also
broke two brilliants, and lost and dam
aged what are called chips to the value
Of $500, yet there was no kick over the
hard luck and work went on as though
nothing had occurred. The game is a
gamble. Nothing is earned only when
the bit is running from 300 to 400 rev.
olutions. When the drill hits hard
rock it runs easy and attends to busi-
ness. Ground full of seams chokes the
throat of the bit and causes trouble. 1t
is necessary for the operator to closely
watch and listen to the cutting OF the
drill. The l000-foot contract was com
pleted on June l3 at a. m. We ran
night and day for two months Every
thing was pleasant, the bills were
promptly settled and we parted with
best wishes. Truly cheerfulness makes
faithfulness. My men have been ready
to answer all calls. The drillers have
saved as much core as in my judgment
could be saved, and nearly every inch
OF ground penetrated is presented. |
am satisfied with results. Very few
samples of ours have gone to the head
office, but what has been received they
say looks good to them. The reason
Why more have not been forwarded is
because l have been rushed to COM
plete the program mapped out by the
company The cores are all boxed,
blocked and marked, so | can pick out
samples from any depth from any OF
me holes. During all the drilling the
Dlts have never been in barren ground.
Vxides have been present to a depth OF
~ feet. When surface oxides go to
mat depth one need not worry about
merit. AS miner and agent L am
satisfied as to the future of this vicin-
ity,
Detroit-O -Oroville Exploration com
Rsny Is composed of Detroit capitalists
Inere are only six persons in the com
pany, five of them in Detroit, the Cop
per city, the last and least the writer,
~no Is western agent. They say L am
me only miner among them, yet, since
showing the others, | have decided
snose live business men are all miners,
AL