The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1914-04-03
MAKING AGO0D SHOWING
Development and Mill Runs
at the Owasco Mine
Very Encouraging

Mining is Stedully Ill progress upon
a number of claims in this vicinity, the
operators appear to be in earnest in
their efforts to make a producer, and
the ore being extracted and the values
carried by that ore are indicative of a
successful issue at several of the pro-
perties under dvelopment. j. L. Har-
per, among several of the heaviest cp-
orators, is meeting with much en-
couragement at the Owasco. On the
claims constituting this group, known
in ancient days as the Okanogan Free
Gold, there has been extensive .,nder-
ground exploitation, with the result
that several strong leads have been
uncovered. The mine is equipped with
stamp mill, which was operated for
some time last summer by the Owasco
people. While assay values that prom
ised substantial returns were present
in the ore milled, much difficulty was
experienced saving the gold on the
plates and in the concentrates. Much
of the value passed away in the shines,
and the percentage of loss was so
great that the mill was shut down,
and plans formulated for installing
cyanide tanks as a solution to the diff
ficulty. The proposed change of sys-
tenn caused a suspension of operations
at the mine, and owing to misunder-
standing among the stockholders this
suspension promised to last indefi-
nitely. 1t was during this tangle that
Mr.. Harper stepped into the breach
and made proposition in the way of
bonding that was accepted. The deal
was closed a few weeks ago and a
force of men at once put to work. A
car of ore and a quantity of con-
centrates have been shipped to the
smelter, the returns from which have
not been made public, but they must
have been satisfactory as there has
been no cessation of operations at the
mine. The most favorable report
from the Owasco, however, is that
mill runs have been made by the pres
ent operator, and from IS to 80 per
cent of the values have been saved.
If that record can be maintained the
mill should prove profitable.
So far the ledges on the Owasco
have not been prospected to any great
depth, and it is only with depth that
the true value of any property can be
determined. In years past much rich
free-milling ore has been taken from
and near the surface, and the problem
as to whether it goes down is yet to be
solved. The ledges that have been cut
in the process of running tunnels are
strong ones, and those who have work.
ed the claims in the past have always
insisted that the quartz carries good
average values, some of it running
very high in gold, the puzzle that
has heretofore confronted and con-
founded owners being the saving Of
the metal. The mine has never been
worked Systematically and thoroughly
Aoi any iCH6Iu VI Illuc. rTOu appear
ances those in charge in early days
were solely bent upon getting out the
richest quartz, with no calculation of
continuous working or to future op-
erations and production. The aim ap-
peared to be to quickly dig out what
would pay, and get all the returns
possible, proceeding that would indi-
cate a lack of working capital, or an
utter Indifference as to permanency
OF production. Mr. Harper brings to
the game a ripe experience and what
is better a determination to succeed,
If the mineral is there to make sue
cess possible. If he is able to conduct
operations for year he will make a
mine, or demonstrate for good and all
that the mineral necessary to insure
the making of mine is not in the
ground at that particular point.