MASON VALLEY if II EXCELLENT SHAPE Recent Developments of Nature . Beyond Expectations of ' Mine Management. Recent reports from the property of the Mason Valley company nt Ycrington have been of a most gratifying nature, and Inquiry at the local offices Tuesday Tues-day elicited from Lew Humpbrcys. the company's engineer, a confirmation of these reports. The ore tonnage and values at the mine arc exceeding the most sanguine expectations, the developments devel-opments in the course or the preparation being made for stoning being especially gratifying. Tho ore being hlockod out averages better than 0 per cent copper, values which tho management is surprised sur-prised at. The new winze being sent down in the lower levels of tho mine Is going along a strong body of ore which gives assay returns of from 21 to -t per cent In the rod metal. Mining men who have visited vis-ited the mine recently are enthusiastic In tholr praise of the condition of the property, the showing there at the same time enhancing the value of all the mineralized min-eralized territory on this rango of hills. Mr. Humphreys, who has steadily maintained that conditions would prove up Just as they have of late. Is especially especial-ly gratified over the recent developments, as are the manv stockholders and others with whom Mason Valley Is a favorite mlnlnir Issue. Prepare to Stope. A considerable portion of the working forco at the mine is now employed In getting the property In readiness for an era of production, operations being so directed as to make possible the sloping of tho ores to the best advantage. Though no definite information has been given as yet on tho progress of the proposed smelter plans. It is generally gen-erally understood that such a plnnt will be erected soon, and recent tests have demonstrated that tho Mnson Valley ores are of a character which permits of direct smelting, so that the company will not be obliged to go to the expense of erecting an expensive concentrator for primary treatment. Air connections at the mine havo been made which will Insure no future trouble so far as ventilation venti-lation Is concerned, and everything considered con-sidered Mason Valley Is In good shape for tho heavy production soon to be started. Promising Country, A recent visitor from Yerlnglon. a mining man of considerable experience, spoke verv highly of tho Mason Valley property, and stated that In his opinion tho Ycrington country Is destined lo come into prominence In the near future. fu-ture. The camp, ho believes, will bo a pcrmanont one, and one of much wealth, basing his opinions on the fact that bcsldps the great possibilities of the section in a mining way. It is an agricultural agri-cultural region of promise, tho combination combina-tion being one which makes for rapid and substantial growth. Should the mining min-ing industrv slacken up, as It does periodically, "there will bo the agricultural featuros to cany the district through, and from this fact a permanent growth Is looked for. Manager Georgo Gunn of the Mason Valley company has been In tho east for somo time, making arrangements. It is understood, for financing the smelter proposition. San Francisco Mining Stocta. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1. The official offi-cial closing quotations for mining stocks today were as follows: Alta $ .24 Justice 24 Alpha Con .... .11 Ken Con 1 Andes .25 Lady V Con.. .15 Belcher 1.151 Mexican . ... 1.70 Best & Belcher .S5 Occld Con 32 Bullion 21 Ophlr 2.021 Caledonia . .. .10 Overman fio dial Con ai Fotosl ........ .70 Con C & Va... 1.821 Savage -17 Con Imperial.. .07 Scorpion 10 Crown Point . 1.10 Sag Belcher .. .10 Kxchequer . .. .25 Sierra Nev ... .73 Gould &. Currle .37 Union Con ... .5fi Hale & Norcroa .63 Utah Con 12 JulJa 1G N Y M Co 05 new York mining stocks. Alice . ..$1.75 Lcndv Con ... .05 Bruns Con ... .05 Little Chief .. ,0i Ooinst T St... .28 Mexican l.tia Comst T B. . . .IS Ontario 2.50 Con C Va... 1.G5 Ophlr 2.00 Horn Silver .. .75 Standard . .50 Iron Silver ... 1.C5 Yellow Jacket. 1.25 BOSTON MINING STOCKS. Allouez $17.50 Miami Cop .. 21.621 Amal Cop ... 81.50 Mohawk .. .. 60.00 Am 55 L & S. 31.75 Nev Con .... 23.25 Ariz Coml ... 41.50 Nlplsslng M.. 10.00 Atlantic .. .. 0.50 North Butte.. 39.121 B C C & C-. 10.25 North Lake.. 16.00 B & CC&S M 20.00 Old Dom 16.50 Butte Coaln.. 25.75 Osceola... .152.00 Cal & Ariz... 72.50 Parrot (sc) 19.75 Cal & Ilccla.. 635.00 Qulncy SI. 00 Centennial ... 2S.50 Shannon .. .. 15.00 Cop It C Co.. 7S.75 Superior .. .. 56.75 East B C M.. 10.37J Sup & Bob M 11.50 Franklin , .. 20.25 Sup & P Cop. 11.37! Glroux Con ...10.25 Tamarack ... 71.50 Granby Con .. 94.00 USC&O... 37.75 Greene Can.. 9.621 USSRtM. 47.00 Isle R (cop).. 23.121 do pfd 50.25 Kerr Lako .. S.S7J Utah Con .... 30. 50 Lake Copper. 73.75 Winona ..... 10.00 La Sallo Cop. 15.75 Wolverine ...110.00 I Havo Moved. Am now in my new location, 75 Kast Second South. J. II. Knickerbocker, jeweler and optician.