The Owyhee nugget., January 05, 1906, Image 3

About The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984

Image provided by: Idaho State Historical Society

                
Resumption qf Old or Aban
doned Mines.
(Chicago Mining World.)
Because a mine is reported to be
"old" or "abandoned" it does not
necessarily follow that it is played
out or worthless. Some western
mining dist'icts appear to pass
through two or three stages or
periods.
The first is that in which the
early prospector arrives on the
ground. He finds without much
difficulty, the surface showings and
"blow outs" of untouched veins.
These are often rich in the surface
oxidized zone. Bonanzas are com
paratively common, and large
pockets of rich ore are dug out at
the "grass roots," or even picked
up on the surface where they have
long lain, broken off from the par
ent ledge.
The prospector does not "mine;
he "gophers" and "gouges" out the
ore wherever he finds it, and as he
finds it, careless of who may come
after him and regardless of any fu
ture developments of the mine. He
kqep3 no ore reserves and does not
develop and explore ahead of what
may be in sight. The workings he
leaves are more like those of a
prairie dog town than of systematic
mining. He never intends to mine
seriously. After a while, at a com
paratively short depth, the rich ore
begins to diminish, or the size of
the shoot lessens; the ground be
comes harder and the ore more sul
phide; pinches or even faults may
set in, together with water and
other common mining difficulties.
The prospector accustomed to be
ing glutted with rich and easily
obtained ore, quits for pastures
new and in search of fresh bonan
zas. The mine is temporarily
abandoned and is currently report
ed to be "played out." No deep
mining or systematic work or
search of other ore bodies or ore
shoots is undertaken. After these
"bappy-go-lueky" bonanza • days,
when men lived high and whisky
flowed freely, comes a period of de
pression, or at least of slow min
ing, deadened it may be by the fall
of silver.
In the prospector bonanza days
there were no railroads or mills
within easy reach, hence only the
highest, grade ore could be shipped
or treated, ore at that time called
"low-grade" being thrown on the
dump or left standing in the mine.
A few years later, with the ad
vent of railroads, a different class
of men come in. They are business
men, investors and speculators.
The abandoned mines are looked
over, their dumps tested, and their
contents cyanided or milled,
old mines are pumped out and put
in shape, and with deeper and
more systematic mining new ore
shoots are found, and the so-called
"low-grade" bodies of ore are util
ized by being treated by the latest
improvements in milling and
value-saving appliances, and the
camp starts on a new and substan
tial era of prosperity.
It takes some courage to reopen
and rehabilitate an old abandoned
mine. Its appearance is most for
lorn and repelling. Buildings with
roofs fallen in and windows inno
cent of glass, and timbers rotten
and scattered, with odds and ends
of machinery lying about covered
with rust. Everything pillaged
that could be carried away of any
use or value. The first impression
is "can any good come out of such
a Nazareth." A few weeks of work,
however, may put an entirely new
face on things.
The preliminary examination of
such a property is not a pleasant
nor very safe task for the mining
engineer, lie has to climb reckety
and untrustworthy ladders with
The
rungs missing or treacherous by
decay; to elbow his way up "raises"
by help of uncertain and rotten
stalls, or even without these helps.
He wriggles on his stomach like a
reptile through holes barely large
enough to squeeze through with
chances of fragments of roof falling
on him.
The air is generally bad in old
abandoned workings owing to air
holes having become choked with
rubbish fallen in from the surface.
Leasers or prospectors who last
worked the mine usually leave it in
as blocked up and ruinous a con
dition as it was possible for them
to exist in and work and run their
irregular, narrow gipherings in
search of ore.
One of the first objects of the en
gineer is to secure a good current
of air both for his own
use in ex
amination, and for those who are
to come after him and to work in
and rehabilitate the mine. The
direction of the flame of his candle
may guide him as he squirms
through the labyrinth in locating
the part of the mine whence the air
once came. Here he begins dig
ging, throwing the earth behind him in
the narrow opening like a pocket go
pher. The increasing flicker of bis
caudle encourages him to proceed,
perhaps after repeated fa is of loose
or I
rock the appearance of fragments of I
...... . . , .
fresh pine brush, recently carried in
from the surface by a mouuUiu rat,
encourages him, and at last a glimmer
of,daylight appears, aud with it a cur
rent of fresh air. When tbe engineer
emerges from burrowiug in such a
property his appearance is "of the
earth earthly "
It is generally easier, aud sometimes
preferrable to open works iu virgin
ground, than to reopeu aud rehabili
tate those of an old abandoned mine,
though the latter course may paÿ in
the end.
Iu many cases the mine has to be
pumped out After this the wet walls
are apt ta slack aud slough off aud
close aud careful timbering is neces
sary, together with tbe replacement of
old, fallen or rotten timbers. Roofs of
tunnels, crosscuts aud stopes, have
falleu iu aud the debris must be taken
out aud the roofs and walls resupport
ed by timbers.
The old surface buildings and im
provements, if of logs aud originally
well built, may iu part be restored, but
often it is best to make a bonfire of
them and put up entirely uew ones.
The road to the mine will likewise need
repairs.
viso embodying tbe foregoing right.
Danger connected with old workings
is sometimes from there being no maps
or records of the property. A miner
may, in digging, break suddenly into
old workings full of water or gas, and
flood the mine with one or the other.
Despite these difficulties aud disad
vantages the resumption and rehabili
tating of some of these old abandoned
mines bus been a great success.
Bill of Importance to Mining
Interests.
Senator W. A. Clark of Montana, has
introduced a bill iu congress of special
importance to the miuiug interests of
the west, in that it provides for right
of-waj for tunnels or shafts through
adjoiuiug lauds to reach veins or lodes
of owners of miueral lauds. The bill
was referred to the committee ou miues
and miuiug, of which Senator Clark is
a member, aud he feels reasonably
certain of having it reported favorably
aud passed by the senate at an early
date. The bill is as follows:
Section 1. That whenever in the
working and development of a mine or
mining claim, vein or veins having
their tops or apexes therein shall so
far depart from tue perpendicular as
to come within the side line of an ad
joining claim, aud when the owner of
said vein or veins under the existing
laws shall have the right to follow any
such vein or veins or dip thereof iuto
or under the surface of auy such ad
joiuiug claim, the owuers of such vein
or veins shall have the right to make
all such tuuuels, drifts, upraises or
other underground workings as may be
necessary for the successful and eco
nomical working of such vein or veins
through the sub-surface of auy such
adjoiuiug claim or claims.
Sec. 2. All patents hereafter issued
fur mineràl claims shall coutain a pro
Nugget will receive and forward sub
scriptions for any newspaper or per
iodical published anywhere in the
world at the regular subscription price,
thus saving subscribers the cost of
money orders and postage, and the
trouble of writing. We have arrange
ments with a news company with which
we keep a deposit, which enables us to
do this.
tf
CHURCH SERVICES.
Methodist— Preaching service at
Mrs. Mills'parlor on the first and third
Sundays of each month, and ou Satur
day evening also. The public invited.
Geo. P. Pemberton, Pastor.
Le^aJ Notices.
Notice of Application for U. S.
Patent.
Mineral Application No. 400.
Survey No. 2071.
U. S. Land Office, Boiac. Idaho,
November 15,1905.
NoMee i* hereby given that in pursuance of the
Act of Congress approved May 1«, 1872. D. C.
Frazier, whose poptoffice address is Spring Lake
Beach, New Jersey, by his attorney in fact .1. G.
Watts, of Boise, Idaho, has made npplicati
a patent for the Star Group of Lode Claims com
prising two contiguous claims known as the star
iniug Claim and the Burro Lode Minin
Claim. The application is for 826.0 linear fee
the Star Lode bearing gold and silver, the same
being 330-2 feet southerly and 496.4 feet north-rly
from discovery, and for 1463.74 line »r feet of the
Burn» Lode bearing g »id and silver, the same be
ing 32.78 feet Southerly and 14JU.96 feet northerly
from discovei
Said Star Group is situate m the Carson Min
ing District, < Kvyhee county. State of Idaho, and
is described by the official piat. and by the field
not s on tile in the Unite » States Land Office at
Boise, Idaho, as follows, to-wit:
S PAR LODE : Beginning at corner No. 1, a
a pine post 4.5 feet long 4 inches square,
I feet in toon** rock, scribed 1-7071, identical with
location corner, where * the northeast corner of
tion 0. township 5 south range 3 west, H. M..
I hears north 3l w 4' east 1180.40 feet; thence south
82° 18' west 374.05'feet to corner No 2: thence
south 6° 42' west 840.04 feet to corner No. 3:
thence north 82° 18' east, 480 76 feet to corner No.
4; thence north 0 5 29' west 826 00 feet to corner
No. 1, the place of beginning.
BURRO LODE: Beginning at corner No. 1, a
pine post 4 feet long 4 inches square, set 18
inches in tlie ground with mound of rock
scribed 1-2071. identical with corner of the loca
tion, whence the northeast corner of section 0,
township 5 south range 3 west. B. M, bears
north 60° 07'east 1094 01 feet: thence south 82°
18' west 265.41 feet to corner No. 2; thence south
6° 40' west 1479.73 feet to corner No 3; thence
north 82° 18' east, 470 feet to corner No. 4;
thence north 1° 13' 30" west 1442.64 feet to corner
No. 1, the place of beginning.
Variation at all corners 20° 15' east.
Total area of Star Lode. 8.046 acres.
Area in conflict with Dubuque Lode, iinsur
veyed, not claimed, 2.618 acres. Net area Star
Lode, 5 428 acres.
Total area Burro Lode. 12.100 acres. Area in
conflict with Star Lode, this survey, not claimed,
1.019 acres. Net area Burro Lode, 11.081 acres.
Total area claimed, Survey No. 2071, 16.509 acres.
The Star Group is located in the east V% of sec
tion 6. township 5 south range 3 west, B. M.
There are no known adjoining claims except
those mentioned in the ioregoiiig description,
wit : the Dvibuque, unsurveyed, and the Home
Lode, survey No. 1577.
for
Lode M
•I s
Hurry J. Syms, Register.
First publication November 17. 1905.
Niutli publication January 12,1906.
IS
J. W. ROIETT
WATCHMAKER
AND JEWELER.
Carries a complete
-——stock of
High Gra.de Watches
Jewelry <0. Silverware
Location 1st door east
of drug store V*
SILVER. CITY, IDA.
Uhe
Silver City Daary
W. W. BARTOW,
Proprietor
7 -
aM
V
ll
i;
QP'-Pure Cream and Milk delivered every
morning to Silver City and other camps.
J
and SCIENTIFIC
MINING
PRESS
FORTY-THIRD V EAR.
48 Pages : Weekly l Illustrated.
INDISPENSABLE
TO MINING MEN.
$3 PER YEAR, POSTPAID.
BEND FOB 8AMPLE COPY.
MINING"*Scientific PRESS
330 MARKET ST.. SAN FRANCISCO, CAI
PROFESSIONAL CARDS
THOS. FÄRBER, M. I>.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Calls answered any hour of the day or night.
De Lamar, Idaho
R ALPH FARQUHAB
LAWYER
Succeeeor to R. Cunningham
City,
Idaho
Sim
W. R. HAMILTON, M. l>.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Silver City,
Idaho
DR. F. S. HEER
—DENTIST—
SILVER CITY,
IDAHO
JOHN F.
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
NUGENT
SILVER CITY
IDAHO
JOHN LAMB
NOTARY PUBLIC
SILVER CITY. IDAHO.
War Eagle Hotel
RE-OPENED
o'. D. BRUMBAUGH, Proprietor
Breakfast6 toll a. m.
Lunch 12 to 2 p.m.
Dinner 5 to 7 p. m.
Spec tvlfy Ms.de aj
Fine Sunday t inners
Rooms Comfortable
Well Furnished and
Clean.
Tables supplied with
the best. Terms by
day, week or month,
reasonable.
C
ALL WHITE HELP
The Capitol Hotel..
mm
BOISE CITY , IDAHO
FIRST-CLASS THROUGHOUT
HEADQUARTERS FOR. OWYHEEITES
Nç Ng Ng
mAJVK. *BL.A. CK. IJVGER+
Manager
THE BEST EQ IPPED HOSTELRY IN OWYHEE COUNTY
IShe
DEWEY HOTEL
DEWEY, IDAHO
HEATED THROUGHOUT BY STEAM. LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY.
MARK COLBORN
Proprietor
*1
G-eorge O. Sampson
LIVERYMAN
-RROPRIETOR of
MURPHY, SILVER CITY, DEWEY and DELAMAR
STAGE LINES
IST The best facilities for transportation between the railway ter
minus to aud from Silver City, DeLamar, or other points in Owyhee.
Keep good mountain rigs, with good stock and Careful Drivers.
Stables at Silver City and Murphy
George O. Sampson
Proprietor
w
J
SOCIETY CARDS
J
|{ NIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, SILVER CITY
** Lodge No. 25, K. of P. Regular meetings
every Tuesday evening at 7:30, in Masonic Hall.
Ail brethern in good standing are cordially in
vited to attend. August Crete, c. C.
John Grete, K. of R. and 8.
f^YRUS CHAPTER NO 2, R. A. M.—Meets
*** every fourth Wednesday of each months. So
journing companions cordially invited to attend.
R. H. Britt, Ex. H, P.
R, H. Leonard, Jr., Secretary.
SILVER CITY LODGE NO. 13, A. F. & A. M.
Meets the Second Wednesday of each mouth.
Sojourning brethern cordially invited to attend.
Frederic Irwin, W. M.
J. S. St. Clair, Secretary.
NIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, DELAMAR LODGE.
No. 29. Meetings Tuesday evenings at
7:00 p. m. in Castle Hall.
Mike Walls, C. C.
II. 8. Simmons, K. of R. and S.
I J LL A REBEKAHLOliGE.NO. 31, meets
v the second and fourth Wednesday in
each month at Odd Fellow'« Hall. Visiting
members in good standing cordially invi
ted.
Mrs. T. D. Farrar, N. G.
Dorothy Helm. Secretary.
ftWYHBE LODGE NO. 2, I. O. O. F., Silver
City, Idaho. Meets every Friday night.
Sojourning Brethern always welcome.
C. u. Breedlove, N. G.
R. H. Leonard, Jr., Secretary.
F lorida mountain lodge no. 42 k. of
P., meets ^very Wednesday at their Castle
Hall, in Dewey, Idaho. Visiting brothers are
cordially invited.
William Ingi.is, K. of R. and S.
W. H. Bust. O. C.