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Show Ii Yerington There can be no doubt that Yerington is a great copper camp. Tho above remark has been made countless times hy mining men and capitalists from all over the world, and the saying has been followed by the application ap-plication of almost limitless capital in order to whip tho great tonnages of copper ore into blocked form. From the beginning Yerington ' has been a Utah district. It was Utah mining talent that investigated this old and forgotten district, and it was Salt Lake money that first began tho rcopon-ing rcopon-ing of resources. Three years ago today to-day Torington was practically an unknown un-known proposition; today it ranks very close to Ely. 'It has not tho millions of tons of copper oro blocked out that Ely has, but it has a splendid amount of better grade oro than EI3-, and with the railroad nnd smelling facilities that now grace Ely, the camp will come clpso to tho output record of the "White Pino count' district. The history of Yerington need only bo told briefly. In the early days the' mines were searched throughout their upper levels for the high-grado copper ores whoso values would permit the transportation of tho rock by bull-teams to distant smelting points. Nevada then began to be depopulated, nnd Yerington, or Pizcn Switch, as they called it in the early da.ys, was forgotten by the world. First Mines Opened. Not very long ago tho owners of the Bluestonc mine began, getting down to depth, and following on tho trail of this proposition camo the Ludwig, both being be-ing located on opposite sides of the mountain range which holds the Yerington Yering-ton camp. Then tho Mason Valley bogan opening up new and banner copper cop-per resources, since which time there has been no difficulty experienced in interesting in-teresting some of -the strongest capital in the world in Yerington properties. Today Micro are several well developed de-veloped mines in tho camp. These arc tho Nevada-Douglas, Mason Valley, Bluestono and Western Nevada Copper, with the Yerington Copper among the propositions there closely approaching tho mine class. v The Nevada Douglas company, in tho purchase of the Ludwig last year, so-cured so-cured a developed mine from the beginning, be-ginning, although the original Nevada Douglas properties are among tho most thoroughly mineralized in the camp. But work to 'depth had been done iu the Ludwig. and deep developments count. The ore bodies of the Ludwig have been described so mauv times that a brief outline will be sufficient for the purposo intended 1)3" this article. Great Ludwig Oro Body. On the 550-foot level tho most work has been done. The oro body is known us tho chalcocitc shoot, and it has been opened up along its strike for GOO feet', tho average width being better than fifty feet. Tho entire body will average bettor than 6.3 per cent copper This ore body is one of the main attractions of the Yerington district, and at present it is only partial' developed, for both tho north and south faces aro in oro. showing that the shoot still continues for an unknown length. The same oro body has been developed de-veloped on the levels abovo tho 550, but what is more important is tho work being prosecuted on tho 650-foot level. Tho chalcocitc shoot has been found on the 650, aud this was no surprise to the officials, who felt certain cer-tain that so great an ore shoot could not help but extend to great depth. So the discovery was properly rated as one of vast importance to this company and to the camp in general. But a surprise was iu store for the management. In. sending a cross-cut into the ore on tho 650-foot lovel it extended to tho west some hundred feet, when it broke into an entirelv new ore body running parallel with the first. At firsts it was usual for the management to consider theso as separate bodies of ore, but subsequent development work has demonstrated that in time tho intervening interven-ing distance will change from ore-making rock into ore itself, and a body far wider and greator in ovcry particular on the 650 will be opened during 1909 than was brought'to light on the 550 iu 190S. Sclf-riuxing Rock. There is a beauty about this Ludwig ore. .ist as there is about all Yerington resources, and that is it is smelting rock, supplying its own fluxing qualities quali-ties so eagerly sought for by the smelters. The camp, therefore, will haVo an advantage over tho ordinary run of copper camps, in that smelting clmrges will be greatly reduced. The Ludwig tonus just a verv small corner of the totab Nevada Douglas possessions, and it has often been said, with reason, that this one company owns four mines, aii3' one of which would be suflicient to satisfy the ambitions of any copper company in existence. So great an extent of ground necessarily takes a great time to develop, but there is reason to expect that during 1909 the management will find time to place some development activity on the other sections of its acreage, with the certainty cer-tainty that each month of work will add an incalculable amount of attractiveness attrac-tiveness to the holdings of the company. No effort has been spared iu bringing to the Novnda Douglas property the best mining talent and mining equipment equip-ment procurable. General Manager W. C. Orem is ably backed in his plans by Supcrinteudent Arentz and Consulting Engineer Llew Humphries. Tho com-panv com-panv owns its own water svstcm. operating operat-ing "the mine machinery entirely with electricity, whilo a complete steam plant is held iu reserve, to be placed in instant action in case the electrical power should fail at any hour. The accommodations ac-commodations for tho men aro ideal. Mason Valley Mine. The mine at Yerington that early took the lead in development work, aud "which has not allowed tho panic or slump in copper to interfero with its efforts, is tho Mason Valley, origiually an exclusively Salt Lake combination. The Mason "Valley now has interostod in it somo of the best and strongest capitalistic talent in the country, and there is not a more popular organization organiza-tion among its stockholders anywhere. Recently the officials desired to refill the treasury to the extent of allowing work to proceed until the lower tunnel tun-nel had tapped the ores. The stock was selling in -Salt Lako and in tho east for $1.50 a share, yet to the stock- holdors was given the opportunity of subscribing for this allotment of treasury treas-ury etock at $1 per share. Out of 70,000 shares tho underwriters got less than 500 shares, which illustrates the regard tho stockholders have for tho company and officials, and the fair and square deal they have ever secured from theso officials. It will not be many days now before tho world is taken into Yerington s confidence and told about tho railroad nnd smelting plans for Mic camp, and also tho. tonnage now available iu tho Mason Valley mine. It has been estimated esti-mated that in this property there aro 500,000 tons of copper oro which will averago bettor than 6 per cent, all jclf-iluxing jclf-iluxing rock at that. It is certain that the Mason Valley is a great proposition, proposi-tion, ono of the big copper mines of the country, and one that will make splendid history for Yerington when the era of production arrives. To General Manager Georgo E. Gunn and Consulting Consult-ing Engineer Llew Humphries no little credit is due for the splendid manner in which the, mine has responded to development de-velopment work during the past thrco year:-. Bluostono. The, Blueslone company has never seen fit to take the public into its confidence con-fidence relative to itc resources, but, from the expressions of many who havo been accordod the privilege of inspecting inspect-ing the property thoroughly, it can be stated, without any fear of conso-quences, conso-quences, that this is a big copper mine, and one that is destined to add great lustor to tho camp's history and great wealth to its owners. It has been reported re-ported for several months that the company com-pany will soon install a large and modern mod-ern smelting plant for tho treatment of its ores on the spot. During 1908, tho Yerington Copper company has been at work in a quiet way. The incline fahaft was ent to the -100-foot level, and a crosscut sont to the ore body. A characteristic body of Yerington oro was opened on that level, tho ore being a sulphide and of self-fluxing character. Tho incline was continued to the, 500-foot level, and tho same body should be tapped within the oarly part of 1909 at that deptlu The Yerington Copper property, as far as 'tho surface was concerned, presented ouo of the most attractive inducements in the whole camp for operations, and the extousivo bodios of sulphides opened bolow have moro than justified both the expenditure of development funds and the originallvt planned work of tho company's officials. This organization or-ganization will bo heard from iu 1909 with a vongoaucc. Western Nevada- Tho Western Copper Company on the upper levels, by means of tunnels, demonstrated tho presence of large bodies of sulphides, and tho management manage-ment then started, for depths. An incline in-cline was sent from the main tuuuel level, going 300 feet as a starter from tho tunnel. The - 300-foot lovel is 500 feet vertically beneath tho surface, so the levels established in this incline are called tho 300, -100 and 500. On .all three levels tho management is running crosscuts to encounter tho ores had above, aud from General Manager Maur rico M. Johnson to tho last visitor who has seen this work for himself, the opinion is unanimous that soon the Western Nevada will be classed as one of the greatest, mines in Yerington. The company is composed of strong Utah and Boston mining men and capitalists, capi-talists, and a splendid development fund has been at the disposal of tho management manage-ment from the very beginning of activity. ac-tivity. Tho property is equipped with every possible convenience for quick and efficient work, and. tho development develop-ment work already accomplished has been well directed. Yerington Malachite. Adjoining tho Mason Valley property prop-erty on the south is the Yerington Malachite group, one of the best located iu the camp, and a property on which are surfaco showings socond to none in the whole camp. The Malachite property prop-erty before tho panic was equipped thoroughly thor-oughly with machine-, and much preliminary pre-liminary development work done. But for a year the company has been doing very little. It is an often repeated fact that tho Mason Valley company is developing de-veloping the Malachite resources, for it is following its resources directly towards to-wards the .Malachite lines. And it is a fact that the closer to these lines tho Mason Valley workings get, the better and more extensive the ores get. So, while tho Malachite company has done nothing at depth during 1908, the Mason Vallej' has, and what has been done is to tho invaluable benefit to the interests inter-ests of the former organization. Tho now year promises to bo an active ono for the Malachite, for no better mining group exists in the district. Work of recent date on the Ironsides and Knob Hill properties has been demonstrating tho,valuo of theso two properties in no uncertain fashion. Both havo splendid surface showings, and, with depth, both aro giving up very fino ore. During 1909 these promise to bo among tho active and achieving propositions proposi-tions of the district. Tho above, all too-brief outline of Yorington, touches only imperfectly on those organizations which, by active en-dea'or. en-dea'or. havo added much to tho bril-lianc3' bril-lianc3' of ihe camp during 1908. The companies desorvo great Towards for their attention to business during the year, aud no reward could bo greator or more appreciated than tho oro bodies that they have been opcuiug at ever-increasing ever-increasing lovols. New Town Being Built. Mention should be mado hero of tho Mason Townsite company, a Salt L3ke organization, that is building a new city closo to the mines. This new town rests just below the Mason Valley mine, on tho east side of tho raugo, nnd ulong the banks of tho Walker river. Tho sito of this town is provided with ovcry attraction, giving fine drainage for tho sower S3'stem boing installed, and being amply provided with water facilities for all purposes. Tho companj' behind the enterprise is making the town an ideal community in which to live, A large nnd expensive hotel building is nearly completed, and of recent date tho county commissioners have voted to locate lo-cate Mie new county high school within the limits of the new town. So Mason City, as it will be known, starts out in life with everything in its favor. j Yorington has two crying uceds, a railroad and a smelter. Both will bo will under way iu 1909. No other conclusion con-clusion is logical in tho light of the resources re-sources of the district. The camp, in ovqry particular, gives natural facilities for work. It is surrounded sur-rounded by a splendid ngriculturo community, com-munity, and the mines are full of rich-self'flujing rich-self'flujing ores, ave provided with ample aud very cheap electrical power, and owned by interests known everywhere every-where for thoir earnestness in mining for oro, and not for stock purposes. Yerington is now conceded to bo one of the greatest copper camps of the west; and it has earned this titlo during dur-ing tho past three years. |