The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-01-14
MINING OPERATIONS
IN RICH OLD PIERCE
d. M. PORTER WILL SOON BE TAX
ING OUT MoNEY-DREDoE
ON QUARTZ CREEK.

James NJ. Porter, the well known
mining engineer, who Is In the city as
a witness in the Ontario-Stewa case
'''St Is being tried in the district court,
says there Is little doing In the Pierce
city district in the way of mining out
SIDE Of dredging operations. Mr.. Por-
ter himself Is almost ready to start
dredge on the ground formerly owned
by the American Placer Mining COM
pany on ORC Elmo creek, about seven
miles below Pierce City He has APP
Iproxlmately 100 acres which conserva-
lively estimated should pay % cents
per yard. The depth to bed rock var
les considerably, but It will average
about 70 feet The only difficulty In
the way Of working the ground sue
cessfuly heretofore has been the
large boulders, and Mr. Porter Is con-
! fldent that he has devised plan that
viii overcome this difficulty. There Is
positively no doubt about the gold be-
ing In the gravel in paying quantities
and If his plans prove successful his
enterprise is destined to prove one OF
the most profitable in the state.
Dredse Formerly at Delta.
The dredge to work this ground has
capacity Of 1000 cubic yards per day.
1t IL now on the ground and will be
ready for operation in March This
dredge IL the same that was in opera-
ton at Delta several ware ago. 1t
was moved to Pierce City by the COM
pany organized by M Fl Hare, for
merly of this city, and was used With
good results to work the ground just
above Pierce City and until the COM
pany Installed a machine Of larger ca
paeity. From there 1t was moved by
Mr.. Porter to his ground. This enter
prise has occupied Mr.. Porter'seatten-
ton for good many years and repre-
sents a large expenditure, but he feels
confident that the coming season will
witness the turn Of the tide and that
he will begin to receive ample returns
fer his labor and Investment.
Other Dredge Operations.
The dredge at Pierce City owned by
the company in which Mr.. Hare was
formerly interested, is working on
ground near the mouth Of Canal gulch
a short distance below town, and Is
said to be making good pay. This
|dredge handles from 1900 to 1000 yards
lper day.
w J. Harris. who was a resident OF
this city in the early days, and whe
has since amassed a fortune ant
makes his home In Spokane, has g
large tract of placer ground on Quartz
creek, about four miles below Pierce
city. He has placed sawmill on the
ground and has contracted for 100000
feet OF logs which he win convert into
lumber for the construction OF 9
dredge. He expects to have 1t in OPP
Grafton late in the season The grount
is favorable for dredging, has beer
thoroughly prospected and the OUTLOOK
Is regarded as highly promising.
Quartz and Placer Mining Quiet.
outside OF the dredging operations
there is not much doing in the Pierce
City district in the way Of mining
Placer mining is still going on in 6
small way and more or less develop.
ment work on quartz properties is II
evidence The old camp has a wonder
full record of gold production, and
there Is abundant reason to expeeI
that eventually there will be importan
quartz mines opened up. Numerous
rich small veins have been discovered
and worked with varying success. bu
the showing has not been sufficient tt
attract large operators TO the district
improved Transportation.
In one respect at least Pierce City
has made decided advancement in re-
cent years, and that is In the means
of transportation. AS an illustration
Mr. Porter tells of a man who was
called to Moscow. He left Pierce City
In the morning by automobile, caught
the morning train at Greer reached
Moscow by noon, transacted his bust
ness, caught the afternoon train fol
Greer, there took his auto and landed
back in Pierce City for supper,
The many Wallace friends of Judge
l. B. Cowen, formerly commissioner OF
this county will be pleased to know
that he is in his usual good health
Just as young as he used to be- and
stfl pins his faith to Rich Old
Pierce"