Bingham Copper Boy Mining Co.

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This page was last updated on August 31, 2024.

Overview

The Bingham Copper Boy mine was located in Carr Fork, a branch of Bingham Canyon in Utah. The company's claims were adjacent to those of the Utah Consolidated company, and the Bingham Copper Boy was heavily promoted as being the next big successful mine in Bingham Canyon.

No economical ore was ever found and by 1907, the company was out of money, and deep in debt. A review of newspaper reports reveals no reports of the mine actually shipping any ore.

Timeline

February 19, 1901
The Bingham Copper Boy Mining company was incorporated on February 19, 1901. The claims of the new company was at the head of Carr Fork, adjcent to those of Utah Consolidated's Highland Boy mine. There is already a tunnel 470 feet deep. While the officers and most directors were Utah and Salt Lake City men, the majority owners were Boston bankers. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 20, 1901, "yesterday")

February 28, 1901
The claims of the Bingham Copper Boy included the Copper Boy, Copper Boy No. 2, Copper Queen, Copper Queen No. 2, Gracie C, Florance C and three other lodes adjoning the Highland Boy group. (Salt Lake Mining Review, February 28, 1901)

October 30, 1901
Construction of a two-story boarding house made of eight-inch hewn logs, a store room, a blacksmith and carpenter shop and a power house would all be complete by early November. The power house machinery would be running by November 15th. (Salt Lake Mining Review, October 30, 1901)

Throughout 1902 the newspaper stories were all about the investors and potential investors that American Inventment company of Boston was bringing to the mine to inspect the property, always with favorable reports. The tunnel itself had been driven to more than 700 feet.

During late 1902 and during 1903, a second, lower tunnel was driven from the Pine Canyon side of the dividing ridge. The Pine Canyon tunnel had not yet shipped 50 tons of ore, due to deep snows. Throughout 1903, there were reports of tunnels being driven, with connecting drifts and raises, but no apparent reports of actual shipments, but with plenty of promises of shipmenst soon to take place. In late 1903 there were promises of a concentrating mill soon to be built.

By late 1904, the power house, compressor and machinery had not yet been installed at the surface on the Pine Canyon side, where all the activity was taking place. The same investors also own the adjacent Great Divide Mining company.

January 26, 1907
"In Kilby street, Boston, there is a concern which styles itself the American Investment Co. Its members are Edward C. Davis and Joseph H. Allen. It was responsible for two of our list of 1901-1902 copper companies — the Bingham Copper Boy Mining Co. of Utah, and the Crescent Oil Co. of Santa Cruz and Kern counties, California. The modest claim made bv this "banking house" for the Bingham Copper Boy was that it would be "one of the greatest producing and dividend-paying copper mines in the world," and investors were ready to believe from that claim that Bingham Copper Boy would make them "more money than any other stock in the market". It may, some time, but the property is idle and in debt, and is trying to get more money out of the stockholders by offering one-dollar stock at twenty cents a share, which may be bought of brokers at six cents a share." (Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 26, 1907)

(From 1907 through 1909 there were numerous ads from various brokers offering the stock at 15 cents.)

1909
The Copper Handbook for 1909 included the following information (The Copper Handbook, Volume 9, 1909).

Bingham Copper Boy Mining Co.
Office: 14 West First South St., Salt Lake City, Utah. Mine office: Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Abram Hanauer, Jr., president; J. P. Spalding, vice-president; J. H. Hurd, secretary; J. A. Cook, treasurer and general manager; J. B. Taylor, superintendent. Organized Feb. 19, 1901, under lawa of Utah, with capitalization $1,500,000, shares $1 par. Annual meeting, first Monday in March.
Lands, 12 claims, 11 patented, area 142 acres, also an 11-acre millsite, in Carr Fork Canyon, in the western part of the Bingham camp, somewhat out of the developed district, lying west of the Highland Boy mine of the Utah Consolidated and apparently carrying a continuation of the Utah-Apex ore bodies. Property shows 3 veins, of 20' to 40' reported width, giving estimated average assays of 6% copper, 20% lead, 1.5% zinc, 18 oz. silver and $2.50 gold per ton, these figures being in themselves evidence of gross exaggeration. Ore on the dump shows 2 to 4.5% copper. Mine has an 800' crosscut tunnel and a 2,000' lower tunnel, with circa 6,500' of workings, claimed by company to put 1,500,000 tons of ore in sight, which figures are excessive. Equipment includes an electric air-compressor. Company is out of funds and property idle, with poor prospects, though property is not devoid of promise.

December 31, 1912
W. S. McCormick filed foreclosure proceedings against the Bingham Copper Boy mining company for non-payment of a $13,000 note issued during 1911. (Deseret News, December 31, 1912)

August 21, 1913
The property and mining claims of the Bingham Copper Boy Mining Co. were to be sold at a sheriff sale on the steps of the Salt Lake County courthouse on August 21, 1913. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 31, 1913)

1914-1920
In addition to the description offered in the 1909 edition, The Copper Handbook for 1914 adds, "Out of funds and idle several years, with no sale or market for the stock, so far as known."

The last reference in online newspapers was on December 21, 1917, as part of a large list of companies owing back taxes in Tooele County.

1920
The Copper Handbook for 1920 shows no description, but with the note, "Out of funds and idle several years, with no sale or market for the stock, so far as known."

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