The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-31
JUDGE H|LES
TELLS RICHES
OF TONOPA All
Eminent Authority on Mining
Law Believes 1t to Be the
Big Camp of the
Future.
RETURNS FROM VISIT
TO HALIFAX TONOPAH
Calls 1t the Camps Greatest
Proposition; Has Extension
of the Belmont Ore
Body.

Judge Ogden Hiles, ono of Utah s.
noted jurists and an eminent authority
on mining law, returned Saturday after
noon to Salt Lake City from visit
to the Tonopah, New, mining district,
decidedly well pleased and impressed
with the achievements and future posi-
bilities Of that great silver-gold produc-
ing camp. Judge Hiles admitted that
he anticipated finding no such exten-
sive and high grade ore bodies as he
found upon investigation, and he is of
the opinion that the Halifax Tonopah
property win prove to be one Of the
greatest mines OF that section.
He waB joined at Tonopah by Thomas
Keans, vice president Of the Halifax
company, and thereby enjoyed every
facility for Investigating conditions in
this mine Both gentlemen returned to
this city yesterday. When seen last
night, Judge Hiles said:
This was my first visit to the
Tonopah district, and 1t appealed to
mo ns the most promising camp, in
the country In tho evident certainty
Of permanency. I did not expect
to find suoh great mines there as
really edst. The lodges are much
larger than expected to find them
and conditions impressed me as be-
ing much Like the Comstock camp.
The large gold values in the ores are
similar to those Of the Comstock,
although the gold values in the ores
Of tho latter district are larger.
large producer.
Has the Belmont Vein.
Ny visit to the camp was for the
purpose primarily of soeing the
Halifax property, and I found 1t
giving every promise Of being one
Of the greatest producers Of the
country. The company has opened
what appears beyond question to
be the extension of the Tonopah
Belmont ore bodies, and on the
10Oo-foot level body OF ore, much
of which Is very high grade, has
been crosscut for forty feet. The
indications are that the same ore
body will be cut on the 1400-foot
level, where some ore Is now being
found, but this has not been as
thoroughly developed es yet as on
the 1000.
The Halifnx shaft Is down to the
l70O-foot level, but no drifting has
been done at that depth as yet
There Gun be no question but that
this Is n very big mine, and In Its
acquisition and development Sena-
tor Kearns has shown proof Of his
sound Judgment and courage, and
the Halifax viii add very largely
to his fortune.
Bemont's Dividends.
The Belmont property, which ad-
ioints the Halifax on the west, has
Pine ore bodies from which it is
paying dividends at the rate of
s375,06o quarterly, and in my opin-
ION the Halifax will prove to DO
larger mine than the Belmont.
1 was certainly SURPRISED at find
Ing the district SO much larger than
I had anticipated.
Judge Ogden Hiles has been familiar
with mines, mining and the mining law
| FOR many years After the war, in
which he served AS soldier from Mary
land he studied law and practieed in
Virginia City, New. For q number of
years he was prosecuting attorney for
Storey county, in which Virginia City
and the great Comstock mines are 10,
Gated. For many years he has been
one of Salt Lake g most prominent cii.
zens. Hc was elected as Democrat
10 tho district bench, on which he
served for four years. rendering nota,
bile decisions In number Of important