The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-03-23

chagrin, the weather turned intensely
cold, some steam pipes froze, the pow
er was shut off and the V-flume be-
came choked with ice. The engineer
man named Watson. from Missoula
had gone TO sleep at his post and came
near wrecking the mill. MI. Finch
was appraised Of conditions at Wallace
and came 10 Murray the following day,
when the thermometer was about ~
below zero. suffering greatly by the
trip. Although one OF the most even
tempered and good natured, as well as
one OF the most intelligent mining oper-
ators the Occur d'Alenes has had, he
was greatly disturbed. He ordered the
property closed for good.
Finch Explains.
In a very pleasant interview with
the writer Mr. Finch said. after a di-
rect question: We'll, Mr.. Aulbach, l
have no objection to giving the public
short statement. 1 am not alone in
terested in this enterprise. l have
drawn into it some friends in Ohio
They, Mi. O'Neil and myself have put
up all the money so far to start up
the Idaho property. There is now COM
ing due the mortgage of the Excelsior
Iron Works of Chicago, amounting
with interest to over $4,000. My as
sOciates and myself and Mr.. O'Nen
would have to pay this; the local
members have no money to pay their
share. The run of the mill so far has
been satisfactory, it has paid expenses,
but nothing over. Mr.. Spaulding, the
foreman, has done wonderfully with
only II men at the mine to feed the 20
stamps and keep them dropping with
out interruption, and mainly with sur
face rock. l am somewhat surprised
al the low content of gold in the ANAL
BAN, but this perhaps was due to the
promiscuous character of the feed.
OF course, this would have been closely
looked into if operations had been con-
tinued. Now this is all l care to make
public" 1t could be observed, though,
that there was something beneath the
frank statement that was not pleasant
10 dwell upon. The reader will find it
no doubt IN the man sleeping at his /
post and jeopardizing the property and /
the necessity of coming to Murray to |
protect his associates in such incle- |
nent weather.
An Unexpected Discovery.
The mill and power having put into |
good working condition it was leased |
shortly afterward by f. W. Wentz
."Dixie'O and Wash Snyder, owners
If the Katie and Dora group, the nor
hern extension of the present combin-
Ition. They hauled their ore by wagon
o the mill, all down grade. a very
run was made for a con-
iderable period on a free milling ba-
is although the quartz contained rich
ulphides being in the main closely
landed ribbon. And right here agai
ONES one of those surprises that al
ften met in precious metal mining
The stable building of the Idaho com
ANY was located at the southwest en-
f the bar about 200 feet from tn
nil. The mill wagon road came III
rom the county wagon road about 5,
eet from the stable, and passed close
o the stable, where some groupings
t iron, supposed to be float for a lOnk
ime had been ground down by the
heels for several inches. An inspec-
ion of the iron one day by Mr.. Vent
the presence of galena, or
to be galena. Naturally it
'as prospected with a pick by Messrs.
Ventz and Snyder, and ledge found,
18th large pieces of galena. This ledge
'as followed for 100 feet or so, grow
lg wider with every foot of progress.
When the cut entered into the hill the
Iidth of the mineral increased steadily
nd furnished mill feed like a quarry. !
fter several months of steady pro-
uction there was a chamber exca-
ated about 12O feet in width. The
evelopment was, quite naturally, re-
orted to the Golden Chest people in
ew York City, at that period the syn
icate of seven Jews who had the year l
efore bought the Chest. They imme- !
lately took steps to add the Idaho to
leir holdings including the Katie and 7
ora. They accomplished their pur c
ose in short time, putting the entire
lnge under their control, but only one :
cir remains to administer the estate, 7
Their for himself or others. Strange
tie.
The strike that was made by Wentz q
nd Snyder laid the foundation for the a
ng tunnel, that has been continued a
II $500 feet and connected the Locally '
,lebrated "Klondike chamber in the q
olden Chest, of which more anon.
his long tunnel is of great benefit to n
lie entire property, but must be i'm
-oved, for stopping is possible its en- s
re length. The Paymaster lode alone
attributed 1900 feet, furnishing 100
et of virgin territory on the south A
Id and something like 500 feet on the
orth, and something like the same I'M \
lplored area to the extreme north end
the entire property. the latter sec
on, however, requiring the extension