The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-04-18
Plan to Open Sunset
Mine at Great
Depth
TWO PLANS PROPOSED
Enterprise That Will Make
Big Addition to Mineral
Production
BOUT THIRTY years

~ Wnen the lead mining INDUSTRY
n in the Occur d'Alene district
was in its infancy and zinc
mining was unknown, Senator w. "A.
Clark, of Butte, with characteristic
foresight, purchased the Sunset group
of claims overlapping Sunset peak.
The vein upon which these claims
were located cropped out boldly across
the crest of the grand old mountain
and the glittering Of galena mingling
with the masses Of iron was sufficient
evidence of the wealth of mineral in
the depths below. Other important
discoveries were made on the slopes
of Sunset and along the divide be-
tween Nine Mile and Beaver creek,
and for weary years they were devel-
oped with a patient persistence and
optimism that finds it's highest exem-
plification in the American prospector.
Lack of transportation and the re.
mote uncertainty of when it would be
provided was the great barrier that
stood in the way of extensive opera
tions AS years passed most of the
original locators either disposed of
their holdings for what they could get
or crossed the final range with their
dreams of wealth unfulfilled. In spite
of it's inaccessibility recent years have
witnessed much development in the
Sunset section, and the building of the
Beaver creek branch of the O.-W. r.
& N. has given an impetus that prom
ises to make it in few years one OF
the most productive parts of the Occur
dAlene district. There has never been
any question of the ore being there;
the only problem to be solved being
transportation.
Clark Could Wait.
If Senator Clark could have known
that it would be 80 years before he
would have railroad transportation
available for the Sunset mine, or
even half that long, he would prob
ably not have invested when he did.
His original plans evidently contem-
plated handling the ores of Sunset by
way of Nine Mile, as indicated by his
holding water right on the South
Fork for many years, but In any
event he was prepared to wait num-
Der of years for favorable conditions
for the development and operation of
the mine. A few years ago he began
developing the Sunset and has now
explored the vein at intervals of 200
feet for a total depth of 1000 feet. A
large body Of low grade lead and zinc
ore has been developed on every level,
and on the 1000 level there is more
and better ore than has been discov-
cred above. The shaft through which
the vein has been explored is at an
elevation that renders it impractical
as a working outlet to the mine, and
it is now learned from a reliable
source that Senator Clark is planning
a crosscut that will open the property
on productive basis.
Drive Joint Tunnel.
1t was learned indirectly few
weeks ago that Senator Clark was ne
gotiating with the Sunshine Mining
company with the view to driving
Joint tunnel which would afford an
outlet to both the Sunshine and Sun
set. The Sunshine company started
a crosscut last summer at a point just
above the level Of Beaver creek,
near the Idora mill. and it is the ex-
tension of this that Senator Clark
proposed to join in driving, passing
through the Sunshine ground to the
Sunset, a distance of over mile. Thls
would tap the Sunset ore body at an
approximate depth of 1900 feet below
the bottom of the shaft and making
accessible vast tonnage.
Another Plan Considered.
Nothing of a definite nature has
been done toward carrying out this
plan, the matter having merely been
proposed and it Is understood that
both parties are agreeable If 1t is fin
ally found to be desirable. In the
meantime it is learned that another
plan to reach the Sunset mine by a
deep tunnel from Beaver creek Is be-
ing considered. This is in connection
with the Ray-Jefferson. About the
time the long tunnel that is now be-
ing run to cut the Ray Jefferson ore
bodies was started, another crosscut
was started from the Carlisle level to
reach the President vein, owned by
the Jefferson and being the west
ern extension Of the Amazon Man
haitian. The course Of this crosscut Is