Tiewaukee Gold And Silver Mining Co.

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This page last updated on July 13, 2019.

Overview

Timeline

1884
"Tiewaukee Gold And Silver Mining Company. This company's property is located at Bingham, Utah territory. There are at present upwards of twenty miners at work for this company. Already a depth of 350 feet has been reached; there are five levels all in ore running east and west, and at present they are sinking, drifting and stoping. The ores so far obtained assay 20 per cent, lead and 80 per cent, silver, while, the gold assay averages ten dollars per ton. The average width of the vein now being worked is eight feet." (Leading Industries of the West, 1884, page 38)

1885
"The most important mines in this canyon are the Winnamuck and the Tiewaukee, with the adjacent groups belonging to them. The Tiewaukee group consists of the Tiewaukee, Tilden, George, Ely, Surprise, and Lorenzo, which overlap the others, and is situated near the railroad station on the side of the steep ridge which forms the eastern side of the Main Bingham canon. Ore was discovered in 1871, and work was prosecuted only at intervals until 1878, when the present body of ore was discovered. In August, 1879, the mine was bought by Mr. Goldberg. Troubles with adjacent claim owners gave rise to the consolidation in November, 1880, of all interests under the Tiewaukee Gold and Silver Mining Company." (Statistics and Technology of the Precious Metals; U. S. Department of the Interior, Census Office, 1885, page 410-411)

January 1, 1898
"Tiewaukee. This old property was worked under lease and shipped something between 200 and 300 tons of ore. On early days it was one of the great mines of the district, and made a big record in production, but for many years it was entirely dormant and has only been operated the past two or three years with a small force." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1898)

February 5, 1899
"The Tiewaukee group of fourteen claims, having recently passed to the control of W. S. McCornick, was last Saturday leased to A. D. Beeman, who is now putting the property in shape preparatory to doing a large amount of development work in new ground." (Salt Lake Tribune, February 5, 1899)

April 21, 1900
"Owing to the financial conditions in which the Tiewaukee Mining company, of Bingham, became involved in the spring of 1897, the management thought best to cease operations, and from that time until the present this well known property has been closed down. Col. Shaughnessy says that while it is his intention to resume work, it will likely be some time before ore will again be extracted from this old producer." (Deseret Evening News, April 21, 1900)

(Shaughnessy had used 99,980 shares that he owned of the company's 100,000 shares as collateral on a loan of $36,000 from banker McCornick & Company, dated March 2, 1897. On April 2, 1900 McCornick sued to take possession of the shares, and therefore the mine. An out-of-court settlement was reached, and the company was reorganized, with a special shareholders meeting held on May 8, 1900. -- Deseret Evening News, April 21, 1900; Salt Lake Tribune, April 21, 1900)

May 28, 1900
The Tiewaukee management announced that their tunnel was to be extended 300 feet to reach the Caledonia vein, but work had not yet started by December. The mine continued to be worked by leasers. (Salt Lake Herald, May 28, 1900; December 30, 1900)

May 12, 1901
"Last Monday Manager Lathrop of the Tiewaukee mine put a force at work on the Winnamuck mill, which after several years of idleness is to be refitted and run on Tiewaukee second class ores. Two Cammatt tables and new rolls will be added. It is expected to start this month, and the mine is in shape to give it a steady run. A horse tram is being laid between mine and mill." (Salt Lake Tribune, May 12, 1901)

May 29, 1901
The same Detroit syndicate of investors holding an option on the Tiewaukee property, had just taken an option on the adjacent Winnamuck property for $100,000, and a half-interest in the adjacent Dixon property for $50,000. The Tiewaukee was shipping good ore and there was no doubt that the payment would be made on the Tiewaukee option. The first payment of $10,000 was made in March 1901. The second payment of $25,000 was made on June 1, 1901. The final payment, also for $25,000, was paid on October 1, 1901. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 29, 1901; June 2, 1901; October 2, 1901, "yesterday"; Salt Lake Herald, December 29, 1901)

(From June to December 1901 there were almost weekly reports about one, two or three carloads of concentrated Tiewaukee ore being shipped from the Winnamuck mill. Those shipments ended in December 1901 when the company gave up the lease of the Winnamuck mill. The same Detroit syndicate owned the Tiewaukee and Winnamuck mines, but possibly not the Winnamuck mill.)

June 6, 1901
The Winnamuck concentrator was fired up "this morning," with its many alterations and number of devices to increase its efficiency. The mill was processing ore from the Tiewaukee mine, with the initial run being for 85 tons, and increased to 100 tons per day. The pump at the Winnamuck mine was sending forth 120 gallons per minute, with the goal being to lower the water to the 400-foot level, where a quantity of good ore was known to be present. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 6, 1901; June 7, 1901)

June 22, 1901
"H.M. Crowther, Supt. of the Tiewaukee-Winamuck group at Bingham, reports that the Winnemuck mill was started up on the 13th with ore of good quality from the Tiewaukee." (Mining and Scientific Press, June 22, 1901, page 288)

July 5, 1901
The Tiewaukee was sending 75 tons daily to the [Winnamuck] concentrator mill. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 5, 1901)

October 15, 1901
"Tiewaukee Deeds Filed. The final act in the Tiewaukee deal, on which the final payment was made some time ago [October 1, 1901], was performed yesterday when the deeds conveying the group were filed for record. In the transfer the deed passes from William S. McCornick and wife of this city to F. C. Andrews of Detroit, Mich., the consideration $51,000. The properties embraced in the deed consist of the Tiewaukee, Tyu, Tilden, Ely, George, Mystic, Accident, Apex, Caledonia, McQueen, Gibbons and Baroness, all lode claims, and the Tiewaukee 1 and 2 , placers. The sale was promoted by Martin L. Effinger of this city and, including the opening up of the group and its equipment, has involved over $100,000, although it has already begun the reimbursement of its owners." (Salt Lake Tribune, October 16, 1901, "yesterday")

December 29, 1901
"Tiewaukee Mine. In March last an initial payment of $10,000 was made by a Michigan syndicate for this mine, located about half a mile from the railway station at Bingham. The price agreed upon was $150,000, to be paid within twelve months. The first ore mined was treated at the Dewey custom mill and the results were so satisfactory as to justify the leasing of the Winnamuck concentrating mill and mine just at the depot. After a varied experience in operating the plant and the discovery that the ore bodies in the mine upon which they were depending for their product, and which had been worked out, so far as the shipping ore was concerned, were not sufficient to supply the mill — in fact, were considerably disappointing — the lease of the mill was disposed of to Colonel E. A. Wall." (Salt Lake Herald, December 29, 1901)

January 2, 1902
Local mine promoters Effinger and Lathrop sold their 75,000 shares in the Tiewaukee to the Detroit investor syndicate for a reported $50,000. New tunnels and crosscuts were being cut in the mine, below the lowest level, to connect with the Caledonia vein, which was thought to be close. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 2, 1902)

February 10, 1902
The City Savings Bank of Detroit failed. Frank C. Andrews was the vice president, and the principal investor in the Tiewaukee mine. Andrews was literally writing checks on the assets of the bank, without authorization of other officers or the board of directors. An order was received on February 10, 1902 suspending all work at the Tiewaukee. (Ogden Standard, February 11, 1902)

(The failure of the City Savings Bank of Detroit was a major national story, and hundreds of newspapers carried the story on February 10, 11, and 12, 1902.)

February 22, 1902
The manager of the Tiewaukee mine was in Detroit giving testimony in the bankruptcy of the City Savings Bank, concerning the value of the Tiewaukee mine. Andrews had paid $100,000 for the mine, of which $35,000 remained to be paid. The mine had produced $600,000 to $800,000 in value, but its current value was impossible to determine because it was inactive at the time. "The tangible property at the mine, Mr. Effinger [mine manager] values at $4,000 to $5,000, but he would give no estimate as to the mine's value, as it is not being worked now. If sold, it would have to be on its future prospects." (Detroit Free Press, February 22, 1902)

(The Union Trust Company of Detroit was handling the accounts of the failed City Savings Bank of Detroit. In a January 1910 accounting of accounts payable and receivable, there was an option to purchase the Tiewaukee mine, given as $6,000 paid. -- Detroit Free Press, January 9, 1910)

(In a March 1911 accounting of accounts payable and receivable, Union Trust reported that "The option referred to in the Receivers last report was not exercised but the trustees have again leased the property with an option to purchase." -- Detroit Free Press, March 19, 1911)

(No additional references to the Tiewaukee mine in online Detroit newspapers, but the above references suggest that the Bingham-Butte "purchase" of May 1907 was in fact an option to purchase, with a balance still owing in 1911. The option was apparently still in effect, with $37,500 still owed in October 1917.)

March 3, 1905
The Tiewaukee property was sold to a company incorporated as the Old Tiewaukee Mining Company. (Salt Lake Herald, March 4, 1905)

The Tiewaukee property consisted of 13 patented claims and 225 acres. (Detroit Free Press, February 22, 1902)

(The sale was the result of the bank failure in Detroit in 1902. The assets of the bank, including the Tiewaukee mine, were turned over the the Union Trust of Detroit for disposal and sale. The proceeds of the sale of all assets were to be turned over to the depositors of the failed bank. There were suits and counter-suits, and settlement took three years.)

1906, 1907, 1908, 1909
"Old Tiewaukee Mining Co. Lands include the old Tiewaukee mine, area 120 acres, adjoining the Winnamuck, supposed to carry the Caledonia vein at a depth of circa 600 feet. Deepest shaft is less than 100 feet, development being mainly by tunnel, and the property has produced some good ore in the past." (The Copper Handbook, Volume VI, 1906, page 779; Volume VII, 1907, page 889; Volume VIII, 1908, page 1076; Volume IX, 1909, page 1076)

December 29, 1907
"Bingham-Butte Consolidated. The strike made on the 26th of November was made in the old Tiewaukee mine, by which name the property was known before the Bingham-Butte company acquired the property about seven months ago." (Salt Lake Herald, December 29, 1907)

October 11, 1908
Newspaper reports that the Scott's Mines Company, a holding company organized by A. W. Scott of Pioche fame, had taken an 18-month lease on the Tiewaukee property. (Tonopah Daily Bonanza, October 11, 1908; Salt Lake Herald, November 1, 1908)

December 1, 1908
"The Bingham-Butte company, of which Mr. Treloar will be general manager, is the owner of the Tiewaukee properties at Bingham, comprising 12 patented claims of 67 acres. The mines have produced about $2,000,000 in gold and silver, but the Bingham-Butte company was organized and acquired the properties only last year. W. E. Hubbard of Salt Lake is president of the company." (Anaconda Standard, December 1, 1908; Salt Lake Herald, December 4, 1908)

(Sam H. Treloar was a well-known and trusted mining man from Butte, a resident of Butte for over 20 years, had visited the Bingham-Butte's Tiewaukee property the week before, at the request of some of the mine's Butte owners. He was impressed by the very recent discovery of high value ore found below a fault line that was 100 feet below the current Tiewaukee tunnel. He immediately accepted the offered position of manager, and reportedly took a financial interest in the mine.)

March 24, 1910
The Tiewaukee Gold and Silver Mining Company, and the Old Tiewaukee Mining Company were both shown as being delinquent on paying their State of Utah corporation license fee, and would be involuntarily dissolved, and lose their ability to do business in Utah if the fee was not paid. (Salt Lake Herald, March 24, 1910)

1911
"Old Tiewaukee Mining Co. Dead Property passed, 1908, to Bingham-Butte Consolidated Mining Co. Formerly at Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Described Vol. VIII [1908]." (The Copper Handbook, Volume X, 1911, page 1343)

1911
"Bingham Butte Consolidated Mining Co. Was succeeded, June, 1910, by Montana-Bingham Consolidated Mining Co. Organized in 1907, under laws of Utah. Lands are 14 claims, 13 patented, including the old Tiewaukee mine, opened by tunnel and shaft, with about a mile of workings." (The Copper Handbook, 1911, page 413)

March 10, 1917
The Montana-Bingham company, in a letter to shareholders, dated February 23, 1917, "The company recently acquired the old Tiewaukee mine." (Honolulu Star Bulletin, March 10, 1917)

February 22, 1923
The lease and option to purchase the Tiewaukee continued to linger on. An agreement signed on July 6, 1922 stipulated a purchase price of $50,000, payable in five annual payments of $10,000, with an agreement that $3,000 would be expended in the first year for improvements on the Tiewaukee property. Although the Tiewaukee mine had been under lease to the Bingham-Butte Consolidated company, and later the Montana-Bingham Consolidated company, since 1907, payments on the lease were tied to production from the mine. The cost of development for the other Montana-Bingham properties had resulted in the Tiewaukee property being inactive, but still under lease, which resulted in the lease being renegotiated. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 22, 1923)

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