Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-02-02

I tical test of duration had been made
with the new plant and careful esti-
mates made of the material moved
Nothing has occurred to change that
situation, but within three months at
the outside the question should be
answered to the satisfaction of the
world. 1t is quite certain, however
that the project enjoys as great natur-
al advantages as any of the kind upon
the American continent and there is
therefore every reason to believe that
values ranging far below those found
in important similar projects in Cali
fornia could be made to pay hand
somely at Leonia.
Expect Heavy Yardage.
President and General Manager ].
M. Schnatterly, who has brought the
project to completion after nearly Is
years of struggles that constitute one
of the most interesting mining ro-
mances of the Northwest, while conf
dent that values will run high over the
entire property is placing his greatest
faith in ability of the plant to handle
gravel in immense daily amounts. He
talks of 100000 yards day in a non
chalant manner that is most convinc-
ing, but my knowledge of that phase
OF the subject is so meagre that |
should not care to hazard an opinion
Certain it is, that during the short
time the giants were in operation this
summer a most impressive hole was
worn in the great gravel bank which
was the first point of attack. In
places, the banks are now sheer cliffs
perhaps 250 feet high, into which
ground by the acre is sluiced in
masses as the giants exert their ter
rlf1c pressure. 1t was impossible to
venture into the pit, owing to immi-
nent danger from sloughing on all
sides, but view from a distance sug-
g SITS that the hole is in now nearly a
thousand feet in it's longest dimension
ana possibly half that distance across.
l had hoped that I could be able to
inspect the work at close quarters.
but within several hundred feet of the
mouth | heard enough racket to con-
vince me that it would be wiser to
guess at its dimensions from a safe
distance.
Ready for Spring Run.
When sluicing operations are again
started this spring, another large slice
OF the landscape is to be taken off to
the south. This will open up the pit
so that danger of inspection will be
removed and will also allow the giants
to get better sweep at the work.
TWO Big Berthas, with S-inch nozzles,
have already been placed in position
at the foot of the gravel bank, about
500 feet apart, distance that will
permit the two opposing streams to
overlap. Two other nozzles will be
played upon the upper parts of the
pit, so that the by-water will be doing
full duty from the moment il falls
over into the opening.
Bedrock Cementing Delayed.
The management hoped that before
next spring it would have been able
to cement the creek bed below the
hydraulic race, clear to the bedrock
flume, but the very cold weather
which visited this section late in No
vember compelled an abandonment of
the plan after about 400 feet of work
had been completed above the bedrock
flume. This work can only be done
at low water and so it will be neces-
sary to postpone completion until late
next fall
The method used is interesting and
simple. Pipe is laid down the canyon
to 1000 feet below the point where
the hydraulic race enters the creek
and the creek flow is controlled in
wooden flume. The creek bed is
cleared of gravel with the giant and
is then rip-rapped with groundwork
of large boulders between which are
placed smaller boulders. The cement
is then worked in, making a solid,
more or less smooth bedrock, over
which boulders and gravel of all sizes
are carried by the force of the stream
at higher water levels through the
great flume and on to the everlasting
self-cleaning dump below, which has
a fall Of something over 600 feet in the
IA miles traversed to the Kootenai
river. Particular attention is paid in
this cementing work to crevices where
coarse gold is likely to lodge. When