The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-05-25


OF romance and opportunity are over
that the rich mines have all been dis
covered; and that 1t is hopeless an
impossible In these deeadent time
for the individual to attempt to dis
cover and locate bonanza ore deposit
In any way comparable with thos
which rewarded the efforts of the old
time prospector. There is degree o
truth in this statement 1t is prob
able that rich mines are not so easll.
discovered as formerly. The groun'
has all been searched for obvious ant
striking outcrops. Not once only, bu
many times has every valley been en-
tered and every mountain scaled
every desert crossed and every pros
pect panned. But that the tale Is no
yet told, that abundant riches still liz
fallow waiting the pick and shovel Of
the keen-eyed searcher, the diligen'
and critical observer of surface phe'
nomena, Is a fact abundantly proven
by such discoveries as that of jim
Butler at Tonopah, of Chas Taylor
and Geo. Mcclellan at Godfield, and
still more recently by that of Work
man at National.
Jesse L. Workman Is prospector
who believes there are fish still re-
naming in the sea, and fortunes still
,F ,n
his "pardner" Lou Davis both of them
familiar with the prospector's life in
Nevada, in 1907, he was searching the
hills in the northern part of the state.
There was, and is still, general pre-
JUDGE against northern Nevada as a
region for prospectors. Nor Is the
prejudice without foundation. The
region In question lies along the south
ern edge of the great lava basin call
ed "Malapai' by the prospector where
there Is mantle Of barren lava over
lying and concealing the possibly pro-
ductive older and underlying forma-
tions Many are the veins and rich
deposits buried underneath this lava
Gaping and thus mostly truly and
effectualy conserved" for future
generations. But they might as well
be in the moon so far as they affect
the average prospector of today. 1t
Is only where the underlying rocks
were not covered by the lavas or
where they have been brought to light
by erosion that they can be scrutin-
lied and tested for veins, and 1t Is in
such spot that the National was
discovered.
In Humboldt county, only miles
south of the oregon boundary, on the
east side of the rich Quinn river VAL
ley, in full view of flocks and herds
and ranchers who have for years over
run this very ground, in June, 1907,
Workman and Davis found a hill
which attracted attention, because it
was lighter in color than the dark
mountains around it, and did not seem
to be composed of the same bedded
lava flows. Careful search over the
surface of this hill, although failing
to reveal outcroppng lodges, did show
a little quartz in the gopher mounds
and at one place a ribbon of light
colored, soft material which might in
dictate a vein. No ore nor any such
bold outcrop as was sought by the old
time rospector-merely yellow dis
yet these men pro-
ceeded to stake several claims. Later
In the summer short tunnel was run,
and few pits sunk which resulted in
the location of a vein of quartz some
4 feet in thickness, but containing lit
tie value. Here then we have two
men who, having complied with the
law and discovered a vein in place,
have made their locations with the
county recorder. Now how are they
going to proceed to benefit by their
Where can they find an
angel" or r. M. (easy mark) on whom
to unload and from whom to get
cash to finance another pros
pecting campaign?
The sound of angels wings is heard
and in June, 1908, enter the Stall
brothers, George and Frank But it is
not easy to separate them from their
cash. They are duck hunting, and in
looking for mine, and are
willing to spend some money on like
~ prospects, but do not care to buy
for cash. So they take lease on a
portion of this vein and commence to
sink shaft. This lease was dated
Iune 90 1908, and was for a period of
II months, and 1t provided for roy
Atty of 10 per cent of net samples or
mill returns on ore valued at $S5 per |
ION or less, Is per cent on ore worth
rom S85 to 500 per ton, and 25 per t
cent on all ore yielding more than
100 per ton.
Under the terms of the lease the |
Stalls sunk small vertical shaft, |
starting in the hanging wall and en-
the vein at the depth of
bout 40 feet. The shaft then turned
md followed the vein which strikes
lortherly and dips west at about so /
Iegrees. What they discovered, and /
he results of their discoveries, will
'e told later We win leave them
igging and hoping and dreaming
olden dreams and look again for
at Workman.