Great Pearl Mining Camp
Emmett Index, April 30, 1903
Mine Work Being Done on Various Claims with Satisfactory Results and a Bright Future for the Entire District is Positively Assured
Pearl, Boise County, Idaho is the postoffice town of the West View Mining District, more commonly known as the Pearl District. It is situated ten miles east of Emmett, twenty-five miles north of Nampa, and four miles north of the Boise and Payette power plant, situated on the Payette River. This power company has its poles et and wires run an is now ready to transmit power to Pearl and install electric lights, thus giving the mine owners the best of power at a much less cost than steam or gasoline. Teams from Pearl can reach five different sawmills in one day's drive.
This district is comparatively a new one, as while placer mining has been carried on for a number of years, not until the year 1895 were even the crude methods of quartz operations undertaken. Within the past two years concentrators have been introduced into th several of the mills of the district with the most satisfactory results. The camp now has a few steady producers and has shipped more ore and bullion than any mines of Southern Idaho. Hitherto all this ore has been hauled to Boise, but since the completion of the Idaho Northern railway to Emmett, this place has become the distribution point of the Pearl district. Already one carload of concentrates is shipped each third day from the Checkmate mine via Emmett and Nampa.
The arrival of the railroad is timely for the productions of the mines in this district will be many times larger this year than ever before.
The Checkmate mine, hitherto the largest produce of the district, is owned and operated by the Checkmate Mining and Milling Company, a corporation formed under the laws of Utah. The principal stockholders are Messrs. E. E. Calvin, J. H. Young, F. C. Schramm, Geo. V. Schramm, of Salt Lake City, the O'Mellveny estate, John D. Carnahan, F. L. Chapin, C. A. Henry of Ogden, Utah, and S. M. Carhart of Pearl. Mr. Carhart is president. F. C. Schramm secretary, C. A. Henry treasurer and J. W. Thompson Jr. superintendent.
There are several parallel, well defined veins on ths property but as yet only one, the Checkmate, has been developed to any extent. . . . While the Checkmate is not yet much more than a prospect, it has shown itself to be a wonderful producer and one which has a very bright future.
The Lincoln mine, with J. T. Hodson general manager and J. H. Stallings foremand and assistant manager, was sold something more than a year ago to Utah and New York people by W. P. Carter, of Nampa, and associates. While this mine hitherto has not been a great producer, the ore is now known to be there and will fast be removed . . .
The Leviathan, owned by St. Louis parties, has an inclined shaft 150 feet deep upon the ledge with drifts and raises. . . . This company has recently purchased the Red Warrior, an adjoing claim, and will install a new and complete hoisting plant . . .
The Aspen and Mormon City, J. C. Johnson, superintendent, are being rapidly developed . . .
The Middleman, owned by S. L. Tipton and others of Boise, lies between the Leviathan and Aspen and is developed by a 125 foot shaft . . .
The Friday, owned by Oregon and Washington parties, with N. Sorenson as manager, is developed by a cross-cut tunnel and drifts . . .
The Afterthought, owned by Detroit, Mich., parties with Wm. Emke as superintendent, will be another heavy producer the coming season . . .
The King, owned by McDougal and the estate of J. C. Bollock, has a long cross-cut tunnel and has recently opened a fine body of ore. . . .
Col. Dewey's group of five claims, with E. H. Dewey, of Nampa, as general manager, is well developed . . .
The Midnight and Primrose, owned by Richmond and Staats of Pearl, is developed by two 25 foot shafts showing good bodies of ore . . .
The Gold Dollar, owned by Walla Walla people, has also a big credit for its free gold production . . .
The Pearl, owned by L. R. Walter and Chas. Lockeman of Pearl, has two shafts 50 feet each . .
The El Paso group of patented claims, owned by the Rock Creek Gold Mining Co., with Granville Mitten manager and C. C. Stinson treasure, now have 1100 of drifting . . .
Henderson No. 2, owned by S. M. Carhart of Pearl, has a cross-cut tunnel 125 feet long . .
The Little Joe, owned by Hawley & Puckett of Boise, is an extension on the east of Henderson No. 2 . . .
The Birthday group, owned by Boston parties, are promising properties and will be developed more this summer . . .
Fewel and Partridge have a very fine showing on their fraction just east of the Checkmate, the Hecla.
H. W. Dorman, superintendent of the IXL group, has recently returned from a trip to the east and work will now be started on these claims . . .
. . . The town of Pearl can be reached by wagon from Boise or Caldwell in four hours time or from Nampa to Emmett by the Idaho Northern thence by stage in two hours time.
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