Show SOUTHERN OREGON NEWS SPECIAL correspondence grants gran s pass ore jan 20 2 the cleanup of the lucky boy mine of the cascade mountain Aloun tain district on the upper san tiam river was the biggest for december than for any previous month amounting to over the forty stamp mill is oper abed continually on a fine body of ore the greenback of grave creek also had a t good cleanup clean up last month the bullion removed summing up over the fa forty arty stamp mill is operated on ore removed from the deeper levels the main shaft is now down over 1300 feet on this level the ledge edge is wider and stronger than nearer the surface the values are more largely base but continues to run about 40 per cent free the granite hill mill has shut down its twenty stamp mill for thirty days to allow the change to be made from steam to electric power superintendent wickersham has all machinery on the ground and as the poles and wires have been strung to the camp the change will soon be perfected when the change is made every part of the plant from the mill to the lower level pump will be operated by electric power about horsepower horse power will be used by the mine energy being supplied over the main power wire from the condor company on rogue river the greenback mine is also operated by power from the condor enterprise A premature explosion of a shot killed three men in the opp mine near jacksonville this past week this is the first serious accident that has ever occurred in this old property during its thirty years operation the opp is now owned and operated by the new york and western mines company of amsterdam N Y foster gunnell of grants pass being local managers the company is deeply developing the mine and getting it in shape for extensive business A forty stamp mill will be placed early this season A new power enterprise is being placed on oil rogue river between those of the condor water and power company and the golden drift mining company it is that of the gold hill canal company and its site is near ear gold hill the company is comprised of t indianapolis capitalists all of whom are reputed to be wealthy and fully able to back the enterprise with necessary capital the company is blasting a canal out of the solid took rock on oil the river bank and into this the water ter of the river will be turned by a con cret edam A fall of twenty three feet will be attained developing 2000 horsepower horse power ost lost of which will be distributed by wire to lur surrounding rounding mines A force of men is alady ready at work stringing poles and wires to the fhe millionaire and bill nye mines and these two properties will be the first to use power from the new enterprise A remarkable strike was made this past week on sardine creek while excavating for a blacksmith shop the employed emp loyes of john mckay at the mckay hydraulic placer mine uncovered a gold vein that subsequently gave returns of 1000 a ton though the vein is only five or six inches wide it is thickly studded with free gold and the rich stuff needed only to be pounded out in hand mortar mr mckay has already shipped about from the treasure and the end is not yet the strike is the richest ever made in that district sardine creek has been surface mined for many years but has never been thoroughly prospected and the discovery of this vein has led to the conclusion that the district contains ledges of value prospectors are now turning their attention that wa way y and other strikes will probably follow the rich vein has every appearance of being permanent and it will be thoroughly developed every placer mine in southern oregon begun work for the season during the first two weeks of january the rains were late in coming but have been pouring steadily for the past six weeks giving an abundance of water for hydraulic operation to make up for the lost time nearly all surface mine 3 are operated night and day with extra crews in the diggings during the houra of daylight besides the rain much snow has also fell piling from three to ten feet on the higher ranges this insures an abundance of water till a late date and many of the mines will keep their giants thundering til may or june despite the tardiness of the season the output of placer gold will be nearly as large this year as usual DENNIS H STOVALL |