The Wallace Miner

Plans For Big North Side Tunnel

Would Develop Five Properties Comprising 61 Mineral Claims and All Properties with Proved Shoots of Commercial Ore

Managers of Interested Properties Negotiating with a View to Arriving at Solution of Apportioning Cost Which Will Approximate $100,000. Water Power and Railroad Hasten the Project

With the absolute assurance of those actively engaged in, and directly responsible for, the operation of the Idaho Northern railroad, that it will be completed to Murray by December 15, and in operation to the terminal point at the town of Paragon by January 1, 1909, and the unqualified statement of Senator Ed. Donlan that the falls at Thompson, capable of generating 29,000 horse power at low water, will be developed and power furnished to the mines around Murray as soon as possible, the dream of some of the largest north side operators to develop their properties at great depth by a tunnel over a mile and a quarter long is beginning to look more like a reality and already managers of some of the properties are conferring with the object of getting their plans, which are theoretically sound, down to a practical working basis.

The enormity of this enterprise is not easily grasped. A tunnel 7 x 9 feet in the clear, 7000 feet long, and costing approximately $100,000, is a project not to be lightly undertaken, but when the possible results are carefully considered one almost begins to wonder why the interested companies should find any cause for delay and it seems reasonable to presume that there will be no difficulty in the owners coming to a speedy agreement on the proportionate cost to be assumed by each or in making terms which will enable all to be merged into one gigantic corporation owning some 60 mineral claims, upon which a vast outlay has been expended in development and of which each group is known beyond peradventure to possess valuable mineral deposits.

The projectors of this enterprise are not telling their plans to the public, they seem to wish to avoid notoriety, but The Miner gets its information from one who is conversant with the plans and it is published only because of its vital importance to the entire district.

The Idaho Northern railroad runs through the claims of the Jewel group at Paragon, and it is here the tunnel would start, permitting of the erection of a mill or mills to handle ore and be passed directly to the railroad, while the first class ore could run out on a trestle, over the road and be dropped into the cars. The Jewel group comprises 19 claims. Picked assays gave values of $200, $300, and $325 in gold, while average assays gave from $14.00 to $56.00. These were all taken at grass roots. The gold ledge runs north and south, as the tunnel would go: There is also a well defined ledge of galena.

As said before the tunnel would have its portal in the Jewel group. It would probably start as a drift on the gold ledge, crosscutting the lead ore shoots, which always run east and west.

The Chicago-London lies next to the Jewel and would be reached when the tunnel was in 1000 feet, giving a depth of 500 feet and developing 14 claims. Next comes the Black Horse which would be reached in 3500 feet giving depth of 1250 feet on its four claims. Fifteen hundred feet further in, or at a total length of 5000 feet the Paragon ground would be reached with its 12 claims, at a depth varying from 1600 to 1800 feet. Last comes the Bear Top, which would require the full 7000 feet of tunnel to get under its lead and giving depth of 2800 feet on its 12 claims.

Of course these figures of distance and depth are all approximate, as no surveys have been made for the tunnel, but they are carefully computed and come very close to being accurate.

All of these properties have proved ore shoots. The Jewel contains both gold and galena. The Chicago-London ledge has been traced on the surface for 2000 feet. A body of zinc seven feet wide has been proved for 500 feet, assaying 20 per cent. A second ore shoot has been found on the same ledge. The Black Horse has made valuable discoveries of high grade galena and is ready to ship when cars are available on the new railroad. The Paragon has been extensively developed and shipping ore has been found at several points. The Bear Top has $360,000 of solid steel galena and $200,000 of milling ore in sight. Concentrates running 65 per cent lead have been shipped. Regular shipments of 300 to 400 tons monthly, running $85 a ton, will commence when the new railroad is ready for business.

This table shows the claims to be developed, the tunnel required, and depth which can be had:

| Property | No. claims | Tunneling | Depth |
| Jewel Group | 19 | Entrance | - |
| Chicago-London| 14 | 1000 | 500 |
| Black Horse | 4 | 3500 | 1250 |
| Paragon | 12 | 5000 | 1800 |
| Bear Top | 12 | 7000 | 2800 |

Total claims 61 to be developed.

It must be borne in mind that apart from the leads already proved a number of veins which do not show on the surface would in all probability be crosscut. There is little doubt but these would pay the cost of driving the tunnel, many times over.

Conditions are ideal for the work. There is an abundance of timber for all purposes, water in plenty, with high electric power guaranteed at low cost, all the mechanical equipment necessary already on the ground, and last but not least, the cost to be distributed among half a dozen companies, any one of which has sufficient mineral deposits already proved to justify doing the work alone from a purely economical working standpoint.

This will be a magnificent undertaking. It will hasten development of an extraordinarily rich mineral belt and will reflect credit on the entire Coeur d'Alene district.