Show al lalog oaf IN lei 14 is 14 lot bolls lolls lei is IN IN lot IN let lei lot lei iv lei lei lei IN lei IN IN lei lei lot IN 14 too 14 la is IN I 1 a is 1140 IN IN lp i 1 1 2 I 1 platinum in oregon mine sp the cial mining correspondence deview 1 i 2 i 11 lei 01 lot 1101 INC sumpter oregon july 2 dr ed W mueller general manager of the standard mine reports the discovery of platinum in commercial quantities in the ruby vein of this property he is not noc prepared however to state the definite platinum values encountered but is satisfied beyond any doubt that this rare metal exists in paying amounts in addition to the platinum found at this point in the standard it has been discovered in the from the smelter formerly operated for the reduction of standard ores the presence of platinum in this mine in paying quantities will greatly add to its value it has already been demonstrated to carry high grade gold copper and cobalt ores there are numerous recent instances of small amounts of platinum having been found in the placers of this district but it was never thought to exist in paying amounts until the recent discovery at the standard it is possible that the other rare metals with which platinum is invariably associated will also be brought to light A report from the highland operated by the neil J sorensen company states that the ore shoot recently encountered carrying high grade sulphides sulp hides is rapidly gaining strength the ore carries also some silver and is said to be an ideal concentrating cent rating ore owing to the fact that there is now a large amount on the dump ready for shipment the management is considering the advisability of beginning shipping to the sumpter smelter at once if this is done the highland will go on record as one of the most rapidly developed mines in eastern oregon since the present management aas lias had charge of it for only a short time 0 C wright president of the blue bird of this city and ed C allen alien of portland acting for eastern capital have taken over t alie e holdings of the black butte mining company which include thirty quartz and placer claims in the fox valley grant county it is understood to have been a cash transaction though the parties interested decline to state the amount involved the deeds have already passed and the new people will begin work at once the black butte is an old property which has been worked for the last twenty years it is said to have yielded during this time over in bullion the placers were worked this year but nothing has been done on the quartz claim for the last seven years there is a quartz mill on the property with a daily capacity oi of thirty five tons mr allen alien will have superintendence and a hoist with a foot depth capacity for beginning sinking operations will be installed at once in addition to this the new company will turn belsaw creek into the placer reservoirs which will insure abundance of water for all time A party of eastern officers and directors of the st anthony in the alamo district were here this week and bought the bryan group of claims adjoining this property for and a three fourths fourth interest for in the helen ore group in the red boy district the former contains eight claims and the latter five the party was composed of george A hills chicago president of the st anthony dr F A wheeler president of the national chemists union chicago treasurer robert E hills mem ber of the st anthony advisory board chicago frank H hills northeast pa geo H bowers hartford conn and H W maxwell houghton mich development has already been started on the helen ore and operations will be begun on the bryan group in a short time work is being push pushed edon on the st anthony there is 0 one n e tunnel of one thousand feet which was abandoned early dearly in the year temporarily and a tunnel started pin on a parallel vein this is now in feet and a crosscut will be run a distance of some feletto intersect ts the old tunnel the management of the sumpter smelter has been assured by the sumpter valley railroad company that a siding to the plant will be put in at bouce it will ably be finished within two weeks the grading has already been completed by the smelter people ores and concentrates are being received from the mammoth bald mountain morning and standard and with the completion of the siding thus adding rail facilities the receipts will be rapidly increased the smelter will blow in just as soon as there is enough ore on hand and assured to warrant a continuous run this will probably be at an early date the mining firms of this city are contributing coil to the fund now being raised to test the constitutionality of the eddy corporation po ration tax law passed at the last session of the legislature this law taxes all corporations po rations both foreign and local according to their capital stock J a portland attorney has been retained and it is stated that a test suit will be filed at once it is understood that the north pole and south pole companies have been divided or a settlement reached hon J H robbins of the south pole states that an amicable adjustment was concluded by himself and emil melzer representing the north pole but inasmuch as the transaction trafis action has not been ratified by the two companies mr robbins bobbins declines to give out details the property involved takes in three claims adjoining the end lines of both companies major J W bonta who is at the head of the electric road between baker city and the john day valley was here this week and stated that a branch of the road will be built to sumpter a distance of about fifteen miles the main line has already been financed and major bonta was assured by leading men of sumpter that ample funds will be raised for the branch road about an ounce of iridium was discovered in a placer near sumpter the miner stated that his attention was called to it by its ready separation from other material on account of its superior specific gravity this is the first specimen of the rare metal ever discovered in the district i 1 G GWYNNE |