Bonanza Mountain and Its Treasures of Golden Wealth PART 2
Part 2
These properties are so closely connected with each other in their discovery, location and present management that their stories are best told as a whole. They were discovered by Russel F Sutherland shortly after Ed Cross and "Shorty" Harris found the Original Bullfrog about three miles to the west of Bonanza Mountain. Sutherland was grub staked by Judge L O Ray, H J McKenzie and N A D'Arey. He located the Denver, Venture, Tramp No. 1, Tramp No. 2, Hobo Fraction, Tramp Extension, Peerless, Peerless No. 2, Victor and Denver Annex, every discovery monument being erected on croppings of good ore and every claim carrying several ledges. Sutherland was handicapped in doing his location work, having to carry his tools three miles away to the Original Bullfrog, to have them sharpened. He was finally joined by his partners and they proceeded to open the many ledges. On March 1 last, the rich ore was found on the Denver, and by March 15 the owners parted with this claim and the Venture for a consideration of $100,000 to T Oddie, representing himself and eastern friends. In April the Eclipse was turned over to another syndicate headed by Mr. Oddie for another $100,000. This group embraced the Tiger, Sidewinder, Hobo and Tramp No. 2 claims. These $100,000 bunches began to look good to Ray, Sutherland, McKenzie and D'Arey, so they decided to take another one and part with the Tramp No. 1 and Tramp Extension. Again Mr. Oddie was the purchaser. The Peerless and Peerless No. 2 are still in the possession of the locators and $100,000 does not look good to them now for them. They are keeping them as a nest egg.
The Bullfrog-Eclipse Mining company is a million-dollar company, and has T L Oddie for president, Chas. R Miller for vice president, and John S Cook, secretary-treasurer. J T Overbury is manager. The company issued 600,000 shares, with 400,000 in the treasury. Of the issued stock Mr. Oddie and associates have the control and they are energetically developing the mine.
There are four shafts on the property on separate parallel veins, known as the large veins while six smaller veins intersect the group. On top of Bonanza mountain overlooking the town of Rhyolite is the Hobo mine, one of the big discoveries of the camp, and one that has helped to make Bullfrog famous. On the surface the ledge was four feet wide and gave $5 values. In sinking, a small black talc streak came in at 16 feet and gradually widened until at times in going 155 feet it has occupied from two to four feet of the shaft. At 16 feet 3 inches averaged $3,000 and at 25 feet the same assayed $1,000. All the way down the shaft there are from 20 inches to 3 feet of ore that yields $300 per ton, while the entire ledge, 60 feet wide, will average $44. The ore taken out of the Hobo shaft is sinking 155 feet will pay for all expenses of sinking and tunnelling thus far done by the Eclipse company. Two hundred feet west of the Hobo is the Lester shaft, in a 14 foot vein of milling ore and 187 feet farther west is the Tramp shaft, sunk to develop the big Tramp ledge. The shaft is down 150 feet, and in rich ore all the distance. Twenty-five tons of $150 rock have been taken out in sinking. A cross-cut at 115 feet to the east cuts the Lester vein. The showing at this Tramp shaft is one that will convince the most skeptical of the possibilities of Bullfrog. There is ore of good values everywhere, and like the Hobo ledge it can be traced on the surface for nearly two miles. Within the boundaries of the Eclipse group the company has 1,900 feet on the strike of the Tramp Hobo and Lester ledges and 3,000 feet on the Tiger vein. What is known as the Tiger tunnel is being run from the base of the west side of Bonanza mountain that will open all these ledges at depth, giving 280 feet of backs on the Tramp and 415 feet on the Hobo. J H Lester is superintendent of the Eclipse.
The Denver is capitalized for $1,000,000 also, and T L Oddie is president; J E Carstair, vice president, and H A Cookson, secretary and A I D'Arey, superintendent. It lies north of the Eclipse and has several of the same veins. There are three tunnels being run on the property all in ore. Five feet of ore in the winze from tunnel No. 2 averages $55 while two feet lately struck runs $500. This ore is being shipped and 40 tons have already gone out.
The Tramps are not incorporated. They belong to T L Oddie, Arthur Winslow and Davis and Aldrich of Colorado Springs. They lie south of the Eclipse and have 2,000 feet on the strike of all the Eclipse ledges. It would be difficult to describe this property. It need only be said that an examination of its surface showings is bewildering to the mining man. It is a mountain of ore, and good ore at that. Everywhere are veins, large and small, and their future development means millions in dividends.