The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-11-09
THE STAR CROSSCUT
NOW ALMOST A MILE
NO WATER TROUBLE
Another Year Will See it
Completed-Famous Litig-
alton is Recalled
YEAR AGO this month tn.

~ chief subject of discussion
throughout the Occur d'Alene
district was the sensational
injunction proceedings brought by the
late E. R. Day and Mrs. Smith, direct
or of the Hecla, in the district court
of this county and in Spokane to
prevent the stockholders of the Hecla
Mining company from ratifying the
agreement entered into by the Hecla
directors with the Bunker Hill &
sullivan company for the purchase
and operation of the Star mine. In
pursuance of that agreement a cross
cut had been started in August. 1921.
from the 1000 level of the Hecla mine
to the Star vein, this being the plan
adopted to provide an outlet for the
operation of the Star. Pending the
final determination of the litigation,
the district court of this county was
asked to issue a restraining order to
stop work in the crosscut. This was
denied by Judge Featherstone, as
were also the other allegations in the
complaint on the ground that a sim
liar case was pending in a Spokane
court. The case in Spokane came on
for trial in the latter part of NOvem-
Der a year ago. the court there also
refusing to stop work in the crosscut
pending the trial of the case on its
merits. After a weeks hearing the
case was continued until the middle
of January on account of illness of
Judge Huneke. The case was taken
up in January and after a trial lasting
about three weeks, and before the
defense had introduced any testimony
Judge Huneke ruled in favor of the
Hecla and Bunker Hill on all essen
tial points which cleared the way for
the stockholders to act upon the
agreement, which was promptly rati
fed.
The crosscut Today.
The Star crosscut is in some re-
spects the most remarkable mining
undertaking in the history of the dis
trict 1t will be almost two miles in
length. 1t passes under the divide be-
tween Canyon creek and the South
Fork, attaining a maximum depth of
1900 feet beneath the crest of the di-
vide. The actual crosscut started on
the 1000 level of the Hecla mine at
point sol feet from the shaft and the
distance from the shaft to the Star
vein is estimated at 1926 feet. OF this
distance 5O1S feet had been accom-
plished on November 1, leaving 1907
feet to go, a little less than three
quarters of a mile. It was estimated
when the work started that it would
require two years to complete the
crosscut Much delay has been ex-
fenced during the past year on
,unt of labor shortage and it is
e, anr now that it will require lit |
tie lore time than estimated. 1t is
exp, ed now that the Star vein will |
be reached within twelve months, |
making approximately two years and |
three months for the completion of |
the big enterprise. 1t viii probably |
require another year to raise on the
Star vein to connect with the spper (
workings to obtain ventilation and
place the mine in condition for pro
duction.
no Trouble With Water.
1t was contended by those who at
tempted to stop this great enterprise
that there was a strong probability
that a great flow of water would be
in driving the crosscut
which would endanger the Hecla mine
and render the operation of the Star
impractical as planned. Experience
has proved this prediction wholly I'M
Water courses were natur-
ally encountered. but by novel plan
devised by the Hecla management
these We're closed by forcing concrete
into the water assures under heavy
pressure, which reduced the flow Of
water fully so per cent and removed
all possible danger from that source
The flow of water from the crosscut
last month ranged from 1T to lSS
gallons per minute, which is much
less than it was six months ago, and
which is a small addition compared
with the pumping capacity of the