The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-12-21
TWOHY BROTHERS HAVE CONTRACT BUILD
PINE CREEK BRANCH EARLY IN SPRING
PROSPECTIVE IMAGE iNsuREs SATISFACTORY
aUslNEss-THREE REGULAR SHIPPERS NOW AND
TANTY THAT OTHER S WILL BE ADDED

J Twohy brothers, the big railroad
contractors of Portland. who are now
engaged in building the Beaver creek
branch for the O.-W. r. & N. COM
pany, have been awarded the contratN
for the construction of branch for
the same company up Pine creek, and
the work will begin In the spring Just
as early as conditions will permit and
rushed to completion as rapidly as
possible This information was OBJ
tanned this week from direct and
reliable source, and may be accepted
as finally removing all uncertainty
regarding the intention of the O.-W. r.
& N. with reference to Pine creek. Tho
completion of the survey and the pre-
paration of necessary data for award
ing the contract was too late to per-
nit construction to begin last fall,
ders We're already occupied In rushing
the Beaver creek branch to comple-
tion. This will probably be accom-
plished some time in January, when
the grading outfit will be transferred
to Pine creek. The Pine creek railroad
will extend from the O.-W r. q N
track at the mouth of Pine creek to
the Constitution, distance of 10
miles, with a branch probably to the
Highland Surprise Eventually an
other branch will be extended up the
west fork when tonnage In sight JUS
titles 1t. The construction plan when
carried out will provide shipping IA
cilities for all producing properties,
eliminating the long wagon haul, and
place Pine creek on an equal footing
with the most favored sections OF the
district in the matter of transporta-
ton advantages.
Makes Rapid Strides.
The development of the mines of
Pine creek during the past two years
has been one of the most remarkable
features of mining activity In this dis
trict, and in a brief period the actual
and prospective business reached
point that could not be ignored by
transportation companies. Like many
other meritorlous mining sections,
Pine creek passed through a long per-
iod of years during which the faith OF
the pioneer claim owners was about
all that kept it on the map. It's ex-
perience was similar to that of Nine
Mile which now occupies such an i'm
portant place in the mineral produce
ing area of the district, and now that
the merits of Pine creek have been
proved and recognized by large cap
ital and ample transportation facili-
ties assured, 1t Is predicted that the
next few years will find 1t rivaling tho
most productive sections of the dis
trict both in tonnage and in the num-
ber of producing mines
Entrance of Anaconda.
When the Anaconda Copper Mining
company took lease and bond on the
Douglas and began active develop
ment of the property, Pine creek re-
ceived such boost as it had never
had before. The low grade complex
ore Of the Douglas had for years baf-
fled all efforts toward successful
treatment, and when the Anaconda
company took over the property and
announced that the new electrolytlc
zinc process was perfectly adapted to
that character of ores, 1t marked the
dawn of new day for Pine creek.
There is much low grade ore on Pine
creek, some of 1t refractory in char
acter like the Douglas, all of which Ia
adapted to the electrolytic process of
treatment. The Anaconda company Is
not only shipping its own ore from
Pine creek, but Is in the market for
the zinc-lead product of all other
mines throughout the district. The
Douglas is being equipped with all ne
cessary machinery for its operation
and development, and the present
of about 20 tons per day
will be doubled in a short time. Thus
the Douglas is in position now to fur
nish tonnage for the railroad and the
bihOohl NAA SNCadAAy hiSiCdbC Will tA0
OF modern mining facili-
ties.
Constitution.
Work on the new Constitution mill
Is now well advanced. according to a
recent authorized statement from the
Much of the machinery is
on the ground and the balance Is un-
der contract to be delivered during
this month. Drifting from the shaft
has proved an ore shoot 625 feet In
length which corresponds to a similar
length of ore shoot in the tunnel 200
feet above. Eleven hundred tons OF
ore have been shipped since May with
an average of 12 per cent lead and 28
per cent zinc. The Anaconda company
has made proposition to take the
product of the Constitution. paying
for the lead and other mineral content
as we'll as for the zinc.
Highland Surprise.
The largest shipper at this time on
ar,