OCR Text |
Show 16 THE ARGUS. A new era of prosperity has recently overtaken the south end of Tintic Mining district in the neighborhood of Silver City and Diamond, after many years of comparative idleness, and the determined develop- ment now present in progress means shipping the addition Se ne me Many most of many more mines Eureka are to our list. promising * properties ¥ on the east of now in course of development, such as the Tetro, Godiva, May Day, Uncle Sam, Yankee and Humbug, and the Godiva has already placed itself on record as a high-grade ore producer with the most flattering indications that the others will speedily follow. a a * Tintic mining district is just now enjoying the most prosperous period of its existence, and a conservative estimate of its propects and possibilities, based on the certain indications of the present, is that for the year 1896 it will take and will hereafter hold the position of the foremost camp in Utah. “Great is Tintic.” FRED NELSON. The Mines in 1863, under the supervision of Gen. P. E. Con- nor, and since that time no less than 200 properties have been opened up and placed on the shipping list. Gold, silver, copper and lead are all found in abundance, and the permanency of the camp may be judged from the fact that mineralization has been traced from the top of No-You-Don’t hill, the discovery point of the Old Telegraph mine, down to the 1500-foot level of the Brooklyn, a total distance of over 2500 feet. Further, there is ore going below. the 1500-foot level of the Brooklyn in large quantities. Taken as a whole, there has been no diminution of mineralization for this entire distance, nor has there been any indication of any change in the character or grade of the ore since the sulphide zone was reached. BS * * There can be no reasonable doubt that the present grade of ore will be found in undiminished quantity as far down as miners find it possible to work. Few people realize the enormous quantity of low-grade ore that is exposed in the bedded veins. The Old Jordan-Telegraph vein, as the largest lime zone is called, is a wider vein than the famous Anaconda of Butte. There are stopes in this vein still open that are twice as thick as any stope ever opened in Leadville, Colo. The fis- sures, too, show a strength of mineralization second only to the famous Ontario and Daly fissure. There are levels nearly a mile in length on one of the fissures in this camp, showing marketable ore for practically the entire distance. ok * *& In an exhaustive and conservative write-up of the district the Bing. ham Bulletin said in a recent issue: West Mountain district has in its history developed but few sensations calculated to attract the class who are looking for “something for nothing,’’ who constitute the majority in a boom. It has half a dozen mines, each of which have produced millions, but it was by careful management and able direction that the results were obtained. It has a hundred other properties that are either now in process of outputting fortunes or are in condition to do so whenever the owners begin operations for production. And there are the idle ones, among which are without a doubt some that will prove as good as the best. *k K ok West Mountain district presents a most surprising distribution of mineral veins—a condition which it is doubtful if equaled in any other district in the world. There is scarcely a gulch or hillside in the whole district that is not represented in the list of shipping properties; and not one to which is attached the reputation of producing minerals of a generally lower grade than paying. The Old Jordan, which has been operated almost continuously for thirty years, has produced a vast tonnage of second-grade or milling ore; yet it has its compensa- tions. From one ofthe _ richer’ bodies $900,000 was ex- tracted within a period of three months. Similarly may be cited the experience encountered in nearly every largely operated mine in the district, though there are some the entire product of which is high grade. A large number of properties showing gold veins are lying idle simply and only because of lack of capital to develop them. Many of them are owned by men who depend. on their labor for a livelihood, and would fare poorly on the profits of a ton or two of ore per day; but if their prospects’ were developed and provided with necessary machinery to economically ¢ ut twenty-five to fifty tons daily, the result would be a larger income for the capital invested than could be obtained in any branch of trade. In this connection it should be stated that numbers of the idle properties were shut down years ago, when transportation and smelter charges were 6) per cent higher than they are today. More economical methods of handling have been adopted, science has discovered cheaper methods of treatment, and a larger per cent. of the metals are saved. Silver and lead were quoted higher then, but the dirference is largely in favor of the reduced expenses, and it is a fact some grades of ore can be now mined at a profit that years ago gave no margin. * * * Bingham is widely known as the “Old Reliable” camp, and is justly entitled to the distinction, because of its steady output, and the fact that when a vein of mineral is opened up it can be depended upon to keep its promises. This is evidenced by the record of the Old Tele- graph, which is credited with a gross product of $10,000,000, and is now producing from 600 to 1000 tons of ore monthly. The old Jordan and Galena is famous as the oldest The Jordan has an immense vein, stated to average 150 in places all ore, but including bodies of iron valuable flux. So prolific is the vein that, notwithstanding the duction, it is a fact that the lower level is but sixty-five discovery years to point, without have hardly while present further sinking. been scratched operations That is can the top shown by be mine continued of the vein the in Utah. feet in width, principally for immense profeet below the for may several be said comparatively little depth obtained. The Galena, though adjoining the Old Jordan, is ona separate vein. The Galena is entitled to a full share of the fame of the Jordan, having contributed a large The joint gross production of the Old within a fraction of $18,000,000, per cent. Jordan Lark began been over producing $1,000,000, about January largely from 1, 1893, and development the gross work. An yield has approximate astimate of the gross output of these mines to date gives it at upwards »f $5,000,000. é ‘ ‘ of Bingham. West Mountain Mining district, embracing Bingham, the “Old Reliable,” pioneer camp of Utah, has long been famous for the large number and high-grade of its producing mines. The first mining in Utah was done in this camp The mines and prospects owned by the Dalton & Lark Mining and Milling company are more numerous than the holdings of any other company operating in West Mountain district. They comprise thirtyone locations, thirteen of which have produced more or less ore. Two of these, the Lead and Brooklyn mines, are famous in the history of Bingham, having been heavy producers for upwards of twenty years. The shaft of the Brooklyn is the deepest in the district, with a depth of 1500 feet, while its levels have been run something over 2500 feet. The Lead mine has a shaft 1000 feet deep, and extensive levels. The Dalton and Lark locations are practically one, being worked from a common shaft, or incline, and are at present outputting nearly 200 tons per day. This rate pays a large profit and has enabled the company to establish a regular monthly dividend, besides meeting extraordinary expenses for machinery and improvements. The two mines have several thousand feet of development down to and including the 800-foot level, and combined are showing ore bodies estimated by experts to contain 200,000 tons, valued at considerably over $2,000,000. The Dalton and of the and general Galena output. to date is The Niagara old producers uniformly product group includes of Bingham. about 25 per cent of the Spanish a number The lead, to date of valuable properties, ore is principally $3 gold and is estimated 12 sulphides, ounces at 175,000 includ- carrying silver. tons, The valued at $2,000,000. Other claims in the group are showing great ore bodies. Limited space prohibits a detailed review of the many properties in the district, but the facts given are sufficient proof that Utah has good reason to pride itself upon the possession of Bingham within its borders. The Mines of [lercur. Among the many great mining districts of Utah, none have attracted such widespread attention during the past few years as Mercur, or Camp Floyd, as the district was christened by its organizers. This recent fame is due to the fact that ground which had been worked for years for silver-bearing ore was found, through the medium of modern discoveries in metallurgical science, to yield such ‘vast quantities of glden wealth that the district has come to be widely known as “the Johannesburg of America.’”’ No mining region of the Rocky mountains has experienced but more sorts other locality. so many sporadic excitements. Not only is this true, of mining have been seriously attempted than in any The first claim recorded was a placer location, claiming “400 feet of gulch or canyon for mining purposes, with all facilities pertaining to placer diggings.’ From this record, gleaned from H. L. J. Warren’s carefully compiled treatise upon Mercur, issued by the Rio Grande Western passenger department, it is evident that gold was the metal the pioneer prospector counted on. Judging from sub- sequent events the diggings failed to return fair profits, and the placers must have been soon abandoned. This earliest attempt at gold mining is of interest simply as one of the phases showing the ups and downs of the district. a * ca In this same year, 1870, a notable find of silver-bearing ore was made in the Sparrow Hawk and Last Chance claims. This uncovering of treasure proved of such great promise that the mine was sold to an English syndicate for a round sum. A company was incorporated styled the Camp Floyd Silver Mining company, the Sparrow Hawk mill was erected, in 1871, and first and last $700,000 was expended, while not to exceed $175,000 was taken from the mine. Following closely after the Sparrow Hawk discovery, a renewed excitement was aroused by the Carrie Steele strike, which is still spoken of by the old-timers as a memorable happening. From this ground a few men took out “over $80,000 in about a dozen weeks. There were other finds of less or more moment, and all told they were of sufficient consequence to cause a, stampede to the camp, bringing prospectors and miners from far and near. Of a sudden, early in 1872, Lewiston sprung up almost in a night, the town being built on the site now occupied by Mercur. On all sides there was life, vim and excitement. Several four or six-hourse stages arrived and departed daily, and for a brief season its votaries claimed Lewiston to be the liveliest mining town in the Territory. Be- fore 185. .-s mines were pronounced worthless. Gradually the town was deserted and the’ buildings, which were of the balloon pattern, disappeared one by one. So closed the silver era of Camp Floyd mining djistrict. Somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars was xontributed to Utah’s silver production: By The next feature in the history ae of the th*e region. district is peculiarly inter- esting from the fact that it embraces the discovery of the Mercur mine, the recent fame of which has shone with such luster as to draw universal attention. Arie Pinedo, a German, located the Mercur lode claim in the spring of 1881, naming it the German word for mercury, in the belief that he had discovered a valuable vein carrying cinnabar, the common quicksilver ore. So well satisfied was he of this fact that he proceeded forthwith to obtain a patent for the ground. Though cinnabar was brought to light in considerable amount, the claim could not be made to pay, and, little dreaming of the vast stores of gold in the mineralized zone he had opened, Pinedo, in disgust, abandoned the district, soon afterwards leaving the country, to be hunted up in 1890, when a deed was wanted for the tract, the worth of which was just beginning to be demonatrated. * * In 1883 the first gold was found in the district, its presence being made evident by assay. However, as repeated tests by the panning process failed to show “color,” prospectors did not hesitate to pronounce the assayer an unmitigated romancer. Nevertheless, other assayers, now and again, told other prospectors the same thing, and so, by slow degrees, it began to be talked about that here was “ore carrying gold the pan could not find.” With the exception of occasional visits from nomadic prospectors, nothing occurred to disturb the peaceful slumber of the camp from 1885 to 1889. In March of the lat- ter year Joseph Smith, at present a heavy shareholder in the Marion Gold Mining company, trudged over the range, determined to test the Sparrow Hawk ground of the old Camp Floyd Silver Mining company, He sampled the ore faces in now the property of the Marion company. for silver, having no and also the dump, workings the abandoned In a few thought of gold values, and decided they would pay to work. months, after an expenditure of considerable money end toil, it was found that the experiment mineral. was a failure, owing to the easeness of the |