The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-11-08
FOUND IN VEIN zoo
FEETSOUTHOF SHAFT
BUNKER HILL COMPANY
To Finance Development
Looks Like Great Success
After Many Failures
BUNKER HILL COMPANY

- EIOI = nave DtEn Cu4ANDA III
several weeks that a remark
ably fine showing of ore had
been developed at the old Alice
mine, about half way between Wall
lace and Mullan but not until last
Tuesday could the report be confirmed
in a manner to permit publicity. When
seen Tuesday G. w Maurer of Port
land. who has a lease and bond on
the property, gave the details of the
strike to the Miner and also stated
that he had entered into an agreement
with the Bunker Hill & Sullivan COM
pany through which that big organ
ization would finance the development
of the property. In pursuance of that
agreement, Mr.. Maurer said that two
men would start to work the follow
ing day and within a week at least
eight men would be employed; in
fact, that just as many men as could
be worked to advantage would be
employed Orders have been placed
for preliminary equipment and sup
plies, and plans contemplate the pur-
chase of a compressor and everything
necessary for a complete development
plant. The electric power line of the
Washington Water Power company is
already on the ground.
Maurer Takes a Chance.
About six months ago, last May. to
be exact, Mr.. Maurer arrived in Wal
lace from Portland bearing a letter
from Walter Mckay, well known in
this district, to his friend and asso-
ciatc. James = Mccarthy. The let
ter was to the effect that Mr..
Maurer desired a lease and bond on
the old Alice mine, of which Mr.. Nc
Kay and Mr.. Mccarthy are large own
ers, provided his investigations proved
satisfactory. Now the history of the
Alice was not calculated to encourage
further investment of capital, as evil
denced by the fact that it's owners
who are amply able to finance it have
permitted it to remain idle for many
years. while in the meantime many
leasers have undertaken to make 1t
a paying proposition without success
Mr. Maurer was fully advised of this
record of failures, but having had con-
siderable mining experience in Mon
tana. Colorado and Nevada, he doubt
less had seen cases in which success
had been achieved in mining after re-
peated failures, where riches had been
recovered from the wreck of blasted
hopes. In that situation being of an
optimistic state of mind, it was easy
for him to visualize the Alice as
another one of these. Besides, here
was a chance to test the aptness of
the nickname, Lucky Jack" by which
he was known among his friends who
had seen him win in many doubtful
ventures. In any event after looking
over the Alice ground and a study of
the maps and data in connection with
previous operations, all of which were
available to him, Mr.. Maurer took
lease and bond on the Alice and. as
he expressed it pulled off my coat
and went to work"
The Strike.
In the course of his Investigations,
Mr.. Maurer conferred with John II.
Foss, of Mullan, original locator OF
the Alice, who among other things
showed him vein about 200 feet
south of the shaft, upon which Mr..
Foss had years ago driven tunnel to
the extent of about two sets of tim
bers and in which few inches of ore
had been exposed. The tunnel, how
ever, had caved and there was little
to be seen except evidences of a vein.
He was also shown GLORY hole
about 250 feet further up the hill on
the same vein, from which he was
told the late Fred Russell had made |
a shipment of high grade. Mr.. Maurer
decided that his best chance was to
clean out the Foss tunnel and drive |
on the vein. The face of the tunnel
proved to be Just as described by Mr. |
Foss, several inches of very good ore
in a vein of great promise. He |
tackled the job alone and prog
ress was necessarily slow. The |
first round showed the ore Wild
ening. and when 20 feet had been
accomplished Mr.. Maurer says there
was in the face feet of carbonate ore
that gave an average assay of 80 per
cent lead and 17.6 ounces in silver
AS the drift slowly advanced foot by /
foot he observed an increased amount
of sulphide ore, and this continued |
to increase until the tunnel had been
advanced 80 feet its present length