The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-01-25
THE BIG MISSOURI AND
WA|HHYOREDIDHAF | GO DOWN
EXPLAINING WHY SOME ENeIN-
EERS PASS UP PROPER
TIES OF GREAT MERIT.

TIES OF GREAT MERIT.
The Premier mine in the Salmon
river district of British Columbia, is
exciting comment over the generous
dividends it has put into the pockets
lOf its delighted stockholders. Never
theless, it must not be overlooked
that several companies took a fling at
the Premier when it was a prospect
and retired with severely burned fin
gers and hands before the fortunate
present owners discovered the rich
ore shoots that have since supplied
the dividends, says the Engineering
and Mining Journal-P Press.
The success of the Premier has been
a standing challenge to the prospect
Ors and mining men OF the Salmon
river district. The surrounding coun-
try, in spite of it's thick cover of hem
lock and moss. has been combed from
river and glacier to skyline. Many
have had a bunch that another center
of intensive naturalization might be
found in the near neighborhood of the
Premier Others have interested
themselves farther away OF the
many prospects, the Big Missouri is
considered by knowing prospectors to
have the makings of a mine. Anent
the Big Missouri the following story
was told to us, and though it may
l1aoIy obso1pfa aoorrooxv in cor,a Ia
tails. it is worth relating:
Turned Down by Experts.
An excellent ore showing was dis
covered upon the Big Missouri claim,
which lies north of the Premier an
air line distance of about four miles
and not far from the Salmon river
glacier A hole was sunk upon the
showing and at a moderate depth the
ore gave out. At the place in the
prospect opening the orebody was ap-
parently cut off by a slip which en-
tered one side of the shaft. Despite
this fact the claim was bonded sew
erla times to different parties. Engin
GERS and biologists made examina
tons and reports. Mining men went
shrewdly over the ground. Diamond
drilling was resorted to in an endeav-
or to pick up the continuation of the
ore or to find more ore. Failure at
tended all these efforts and the opin-
ion was current in the region that the
Big Missouri had good ore showings
but (and this was usually told in a
down" This view was not only pass
ed around by the casual wayfarer, but
astute engineers voiced the same
opinion. The option was hawked
around and we are told was finally
taken up by r. B. trites and r. w.
Wood, two of the three men who had
the courage to back r. K. Neill when
he took hold of the Premier. Recent
Iy Trites and Wood sent Harry Howl
son up to the Big Missouri to find the
ore. Howison determined to start
work in the prospect hole. Nearby |
was a small pond which seeped into
The shaft ditch was started near !
the working for the purpose of drain
ing off the water In digging the |
ditch. the orebody was picked up. 1t (
had always been there, and had been !
overlooked for the want of a pick
driven into the ground. Rich shipping
1re. we are told, was found. Accord
ng to our informant, the diamond
irilling, on the assumption that the
deposit dipped in a particular direc-
ion which was the opposite to the
act has been done in the foot wall of
he vein. noe hole picked up the ore
IN the hanging wall side, but the
showing was not deemed to be of suf-
icient Importance to sink shaft at
he time. It is a good story and we
,ope that the subsequent develop
nent will prove an ore body of con-
fderable size in the Big Missouri.
The Moral.
We have related this story mainly
,ecause it parallels to certain extent
he story of the Premier but more to
ncourage the mining man to make
everal inspections of his ground from
s many angles as possible before Civ
ny up his option on a claim which
appeals to his mining
ense. In both of these cases success
ollowed repeated failure. A success
ion of attempts was apparently ne
essary. In our opinion. persistent ex-
from an unprecedented
oint of view would have won success b
l the first instance. We also believe h
nat it is necessary in any district to c
ave a pyramid of failures in order to s
nd a mine. p