The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-05-23
Transportation Diff
ficulties Said to
Be Cause
MUCH ORE IN SIGHT
Douglas Company May Ship
--.Other Companies Want
the Property

"HE ANACONDA Copper Mining
company has surrendered tn,
lease under which it has beer
operating the Douglas mine, or
Pine creek, for the past two years ol
more. Notice to this effect was re.
ceived last week by Herman ]. Rossi
vice president of the Douglas Mining
company, from John Gillie, Of Butte
manager of Anaconda mines. In his
letter Mr.. Gillie stated that instruc.
tions had been sent to c. H. Bishop
superintendent of the Douglas for the
Anaconda company, to stop all work
on the property and to get the tools
and supplies together and ship them
to Butte. All machinery, cars and
rails placed on the property are re-
tanned by the Douglas company. Mr.
Bishop proceeded at once to carry out
his instructions, and last Sunday
everything had been prepared for
shipment and much of it had been de-
livered at the railroad station. On
that day Mr.. Rossi. H. c. Adami dir
ectors of the Douglas, and A. ]. Dunn
a stockholder, went down to the
Douglas and arranged with Mr.. Bishop
for the purchase of powder and other
supplies on hand, also machine drills
steel and other equipment necessary to
accommodate a small force. Pending
definite arrangements for handling the
property, Archie McCullum has beer
placed in charge of the Douglas mine
taking possession Monday. Mr. BishoI
will return at once to Butte.
Transportation Difficulties.
The action of the Anaconda com.
pany in giving up the lease came a:
a surprise not only to the Dougla!
company, but to Mr.. Bishop as well
In the absence of any specific reason
ii Is presumed that the Anacond;
company came to the conclusion tina
the difficulties of operation with nei
ther decent wagon rod nor a rail
road were too great to justify furthe
effort, and particularly when it is con
sidered that the lease would expire il
December. While expending a larg'
amount on development the Anaconda
company has been practically tied VI
since about the first of December 81
far as ore shipments are concerned
The wagon road at that time was prac
tically impossible, and at the end o
the month the flood made a bad con
dition worse, washing out bridges AM
destroying two miles of newly con
structed railroad. The company con
tinued working the mine, however
until all bins and chutes We're full o
ore, when the entire force was lai,
off except a few men on development
across the creek. Two months ag
efforts were renewed to ship ore, whel
the car shortage added new diff
Guilty. During the month Of April onl.
three carloads were shipped, although
carload a day If cars could hav,
been obtained and the wagon road hat
received reasonable attention from th
county commissioners. Evidently tn
Anaconda company, in the presence o
all the difficulties that beset it, wa
anxious to continue operations as lonl
as there was prospect that the O.-W
r. G. N. company would build the Pin
creek branch. Reports during tn
past two weeks, however, indicate,
that this important enterprise ha,
been abandoned by the railroad com
pany, and it is believed that this 1
responsible for the decision of tn
company to quit the Douglas.
Mine in Fine Condition.
An inspection of the Douglas show
conclusively that the Anaconda com
pany decided to relinquish the min
very suddenly. A large force wa
employed up to the middle of tn
winter At one time 100 men wer
on the payroll. The three tunnel
were extended and a new level wa
opened from the shaft 100 feet belo'
No tunnel and extended 700 feet |
ore. Raises connecting 1t with No.
were made and connections were mad
between the three tunnels, stope
were opened on all levels, numerou
chutes put in, work apparently bein
directed to placing the mine in shar
for large production. And that is ii
condition the mine is in today as le
by the Anaconda. A Nordberg CON
pressor Of large capacity was installe
by the company which becomes II
property Of the Douglas; also lars
number Of ore cars, stulls and laggin