The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-12-14
UNPRECEDENTED MINING ACTWTY|N THE
SECTION BETWEEN OSBURN AND BIG CREEK
ORE SHIPMENTS PROPERTIES LONG INACTIVE
LIME FOR SHELTER EvoLuToN-RlcH SILVER
ORE PoLARls, NELLIE OTHER MINES


district extending from Osburn to Big
creek has made wonderful progress in
the development of its mineral re-
sources during the past year, and no
section gives greater promise of rich
returns. Some of the properties which
are now entering upon a profit earning
career are among the early locations
of the district and in fact one of them
the Evolution, was the first location
made before gold was discovered on
the North Side. Why these properties
have not been successfully worked
years ago would require long story
to explain, for each has presented an
individual problem that proved too
difficult for early operators to solve,
although the effort has been made with
more or less persistency for a period
of 30 years. But with all the efforts
and expenditure of large sums of
money, the only property in that sec
tion that showed a permanent profit
until recent years was the Yankee
Boy, on Big creek, which years ago
earned fortune for its owners, Den
mis- and True Blake, and who have
turned the property over to leasers
who are still making handsome profits
after paying liberal royalty to the
owners But improved mining and
metalIurgical methods, together with
higher prices of metals are making
their influence felt in the Osburn dis
trict, and there is every assurance that
next year will witness it the scene of
great mining a ivity a large payroll
and a productive section of great and
growing Importance.
Evolution.
Perhaps the most interesting devel-
opment in the vicinity of Osburn is the
Evolution, now called the Coeur
d'Alene Crescent. Located as gold
mine when this district was wild and
uninhabited wilderness by the intrepid
prospector whose discovery of gold
on the creek that bears his name laid
the foundation for the marvellous dis
trict of today the Evolution has been
tently, but without successful re-
suits. And now the lime which was
only regarded as a. favorable element
in the search for metals has proved to
be its most valuable asset. 1t will be
used by the Bunker Hill & Sullivan
smelter in the reduction of the ores of
the district, and the metal values re-
moved with it will yield a profit to the
owners. The mining of this lime will
give employment to a considerable
number of men, and the preliminary
work will begin soon after the first of
the year, according to information re-
ceived from interested parties.
The PoIaris.
This is another property, situated
below Osburn, that has awakened from
it's long slumber and is now shipping
high grade silver ore, the history of
which dates back to the early days.
The late Senator w. B. Hepburn dis
covered and staked the Polaris group
of claims, and up to the time of his
death was confident that it would
prove to be a great mine. He shipped
more or less ore years ago, but the
low price of silver and high freight
and treatment charges were a bar to
profitable operation. 1t is now in the
hands of a strong company, and the
first shipment of a carload of ore gave
returns that insure large profits. An
other carload of ore of even better
grade than the first, which netted
$780, is now ready for shipment, and
the company expects to ship three or
four cars month. In the meantime
extensive plans Of development will
be carried out. Prominent among the
large stockholders in the Polaris COM
pany are Colonel w. E. Mann and
Horace M. Davenport, of Spokane,
and P. j. Gearon of this city.
The Nellie.
Although the Nellie, situated near
Osburn has for brief periods proved
profitable to the owners, they have
never been able to place it upon per-
manently profitable basis 1t has been
bonded on several occasions, accom-
panied by cash payments, but poor
management, low metal prices, COLI
feet or some other reason, real or
imaginary, but never the absence OF
ore, caused the bond to be surrender
ed. The company that now has the
property under lease and bond gives
evidence Of making a success of the
enterprise. Development is being car
ried on intelligently, and at the same
time ore is being taken out which will
go long way toward meeting oper-
ating expenses. Arrangements have
been made for treating the ore at the
Silverado mill, only short distance
from the mine, and carload of con-
centrates was shipped last week. The
Nellie is owned by three pioneers Of
the district, j. A. Alger, Captain A. p
Horton and o. r. Young. The ore is
high grade silver
The SiIverado.
The first mill for the treatment OF
ores from Osburn mines was complet-
ed this fall by the Silyerado Mining