The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1914-04-18

their lowest workings about twenty
feet above those of the Raymond and
Ely, which was really doing the
pumping for both properties. For this
reason they insisted that the Meadow
Valley should bear half the expense
of pumping. The latter company re.
fused, but they expected to be able
soon to handle their own water prob
lem, having ordered a large Cornish
pump, similar to the one in the Raw.
mond and Ely, which was costing
them 100000 and was even then on
its way The Raymond and Ely.
however, would listen to no other
terms, shutting down it's pumps and
flooding both mines. Just before this
twenty-one mine and mill whistles
had summoned men to work day by
day in Phoebe proper.
summarizing the actual results of
the comparatively brief period of
early-day activity in Phoebe. we find
some impressive totals. Within seven
years after discovery, the main fis-
sures of the Raymond and Ely and
the Meadow Valley had been stopped
In succession of rich shoots for
1000 feet of their length and to a
depth of 1920 feet with a gross out,
put of over $2O,00O,OO0, from which
the net profit was 100000. This
ore averaged over 800 per ton, mill
returns, of which about 20 per cent
In value was gold, and the balance
silver. The cost of mining and mill
ing was about $75 per ton. The tail
ings remaining after the treatment
OF this ore at the old mill sites in
Bullionville, Condor Canyon and Dry
Valley amounted, by close estimate,
to 171,540 tons, carrying average
values of Bounce silver, s per cent
lead and $500 gold.
Subsequent attempts at smelling
yielded about $l0,000000 more, but
the profit was very little, if any.
Transportation costs for the smelters
were prohibitiye. Coke fuel had to
be hauled 120 miles from Milford,
Utah, and in spite of the high values
OF the ore and the large tonnage
handled, these terrific charges out
balanced the credit side of the &C.
count. Phoebe finally had to become
reconciled to thf.t tedious process of
waiting for railroad and for i'm
provements in metallurgical methods
to open her treasure house anew In
the early nineties, the railroad was
thought to be assured. The Oregon
Short Line spent $1,000,OOO extending
Its grade from Milford to Phoebe.
which was almost completed when
the panic OF '93 put stop to further
operations.
Godbe Enters Camp.
In 1880 John Ely brought w. S.
Iodbe to Phoebe from Salt Lake to
the Bullionville (now the
Prince mine, about three miles
southeast of town, in which there was
4 big deposit of low. grade silver-lead
ore running high in iron and man.
and promising to be in great
iemand at the shelters ON account
If its value for fluXing purposes.
iodbe did not at that time buy the
nine, but he became very much in
crested in the enormous heaps of
ailings remaining from the old mills
It Bullionville. The following year,
1881, he purchased these Bullionville
ailings, and five years later the tail
ngs from the old Meadow Valley mill
n Dry Valley. He built a smelter,
md took out $1,000,O00 For $4,000,
only small fraction of
lis profits on handling these tailings,
le purchased the Raymond and Ely
group, and, shortly afterwards, the
Meadow Valley group for still less.