The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-09-16
DAYSMAYBUYSUNSET
FROM v. A. CLARK
Report That Butte
Magnate Says He
is Through
DEVELOP WEST SUNSET
Two Practical Plans for Deep
Tunnels From Beaver
Creek

IN IT'S ISSUE of September 2 the
Miner mentioned certain facts
which were taken to mean that
the Days were preparing to begin
development of the Portland group,
now known as the West Sunset,
through the Sunset shaft This con-
clusion has now been verified. Within
the past week men have been sent up
to the Sunset and are now engaged
in unwatering the Sunset mine down
to the 500 level, which will permit ac-
cess to the West Sunset ground. The
purpose of this undertaking is pri-
marily, it is understood to permit
exploration of the West Sunset at a
depth far below the lowest tunnel
and this viii enable the Days, who
control the West Sunset to determine
in great measure the extent of the
ore body before proceeding with a
deep tunnel from Beaver creek. The
Sunset and West Sunset have a COM
mon end line, and the Sunset shaft is
only about $50 or 300 feet east from
the West Sunset ground In the
development of the Sunset ground
levels have been run from the shaft
west practically to the end line, a
situation that presents ideal condi-
lions for proving the West Sunset.
Two Plans for Development
The fact that the Days have start
ed to work at the Sunset shaft indi-
Gates that this is merely a prelimin-
airy step to driving a deep tunnel
from the Beaver creek side which will
be the permanent outlet for the mine.
Where this tunnel will be is purely
a matter of conjecture. In a former
issue the Miner expressed the opin-
ion that it would be an extension of
the Ray jefferson tunnel, which has
already been extended into the Anna
ION Manhattan. another Day prop
erty, and from which it would be ne
cessary to run little if any over a
mile to the West Sunset vein. This
would permit delivery of the ore di-
rect to the Ray-Jefferson mill. There
is another plan that appears to be
equally practical, but which lacks the
advantage of having a mill and rail-
road at the portal of the tunnel but
which would be run within Day con-
trolled ground. This plan would util-
ize what is popularity called the old
Hill tunnel, the portal of which is a
short distance above the Idora mill
on Beaver creek and which extends
some 5000 feet toward the West Sun
set ground An easement covering a
long period Of years permitting the
use Of this tunnel is held by the Sun
shine Mining company, in which the
Days are largely interested if they do
not control. 1t is estimated that the
extension of this tunnel would reach
the West Sunset vein in a little more
than a mile One of these plans will
doubtless be adopted when the Days
are ready to begin work on this i'm
portant enterprise.
May Buy Sunset.
1t is possible that the Days may
have a double purpose in unwatering
the Sunset mine. Senator w. A.
Clark. of Butte. has owned the Sun
set for upwards of 80 years. Il was
one of the first claims patented in
this section of the Occur d'Alene dis
trict and having secured title the
senator was content to let the prop
erty remain idle for many years. That
he intended eventually to open up the
property and mill the ore at some
point in the vicinity of Wallace was
indicated by the fact that soon after
he acquired it he located a water
right on the South Fork between this
city and Mullan and for years kept a
man steadily working on it to protect
his right. Finally he started work on
the property sinking a shaft, which
was extended vertically 500 feet, from
which the vein was explored both
east and west at intervals of 200 feet.
Senator Clark made several inspec-
tions of the mine as the years passed,
and the last time he was mere he
stated that the ore was low grade,
mostly zinc, and contained much iron
which made its treatment difficult.
that visit a Wine was sunk
200 feet on the 500 level quite a dis
lance east of the shaft, and It is stat
ed that drifting from the bottom OF
the Wine disclosed the best ore that
had been found in the mine and that
it was chiefly lead-silver. Soon after
the beginning of the world war work
at the Sunset mine suspended and
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