Yosemite Mines Company

Old Producers Again At Work.
Strong Consolidation Settles Suits Involving Bingham Lead Mines.
Already Shipping Ore.
Yosemite Mines Company Opens Vigorous Campaign.

Properties which in the period from 1880 to 1881 were among the leading lead producers of Bingham, and which throughout the succeeding years have been tied up by litigation, have just been released to production and further development by the effecting of a consolidation which promises to result in the opening of one of the big mines of the camp.

The new company formed is the Yosemite Mines company, incorporated under the laws of Maine and capitalized for $1,000,000, divided into 1,000,000 shares, of which 200,000 shares have been placed in the treasury and a sufficient number of them underwritten to provide ample working capital. W. Mont Ferry and Ernest Bamberger, with the Bingham Mines company, are the controlling factors; James P. Graves of Boston is president of the company. Operating offices of the company are with the Bingham Mines company, in this city, while general headquarters is in Boston.

The properties included in the consolidation comprise the Yosemite No. 1 mine, the Cluster group of claims and the Mississippi claim, all patented ground, in the heart of the lead-producing section of Bingham. The Yosemite is bounded on the east and south by the Bingham Mines company's Dalton & Lark mines, and it has approximately 2,400 feet on the strike of the Lark-Yosemite vein, while on the southwest are the Old Jordan and other veins.

Produced High-Grade Ore. - The Yosemite has been productive of high-grade silver-lead ore on the surface for almost its entire length. Years ago it was worked by an inclined shaft to the depth of about 500 feet. At that level considerable water was encountered, making it impracticable at that time to work the ore bodies to greater depth. It is now being vigorously developed by a drift from the Mascotte tunnel, at the depth of approximately 1,800 feet from the surface on the plane of the vein. That drift will drain the mine and at the same time afford an outlet for the ore.

The Cluster group of claims has been developed by the Paradox tunnel, which driven in from Bingham canyon attains a depth of about 500 feet from the surface. The portal of the tunnel is near the upper headhouse of the United States company's tramway, the tunnel having been driven 1,270 feet in a southeasterly direction.

At 1,120 feet from the portal has been encountered a large body of lead ore of good grade, which is now being mined and shipped to the Salt Lake Valley smelters. A complete power plant, with compressor and motor, is being installed on the Bingham canyon side to care for extensive operations through the Paradox tunnel.

Works Through Mascotte. - The company has been granted operating privileges through the Mascotte tunnel, for working its Yosemite mine, and it is understood that arrangements have been made for milling its low-grade ores in the Ohio Copper company's concentrator, the first two sections of which are to be placed in commission within the next few weeks.

The Yosemite Mines company's territory is virtually all virgin ground. While it has been worked to the depth of 500 feet through an inclined shaft, rich ore has recently been found on the plane of the vein 1,800 feet from the surface, or on the Mascotte tunnel level. Mining men who are acquainted with the mineralization of the Yosemite and the merits of adjacent ground owned by the United States and Bingham Mines companies, predict that the new company will be a highly profitable producer within a comparatively short time. That its property should rank among the best lode mines of the district is claimed by experts.

Work is to be resumed immediately by the Yosemite Mines company, which several weeks ago opened a fine showing of copper ore in the bottom level of the old Yosemite No. 1 workings, after having run a drift over from the Mascotte tunnel, which drained the old workings. The drift taps the vein 1,400 feet below the bottom of the shaft, which in the early days was sent down 300 feet on the vein.

Until the water level was reached the Yosemite No. 1 was a lead-silver mine, there having been shipped from it a large tonnage of ore which averaged 50 per cent lead, 14 ounces in silver and $1.40 in gold. Copper came in at the water level and, on account of ore containing that metal having been heavily penalized by the smelters of the time, the mine was abandoned and the workings were permitted to fill with water.

About a year ago the Bingham Mines company, in association with Ernest Bamberger and W. Mont Ferry of this city, formed the Yosemite Mines company, which took over the Yosemite No. 1 mine, the Cluster group and the Mississippi claim. Under the management of Imer Pett, who is also manager of the Bingham Mines company, was undertaken the task of unwatering the old workings by driving the long drift from the Mascotte tunnel, cutting through an enormous dike which held back the water. It was an Herculean task, but it was successfully accomplished, and the disclosure which followed exceeded all expectations.

The drift from the Mascotte tunnel will eventually afford an admirable outlet for the ore from the mine. But for the present operations will be conducted through the old inclined shaft, which is to be equipped at once with hoist and compressor. After the shaft shall have been cleaned out it will be sunk deeper, to prove up the ore. After fully demonstrating that the ore goes down the management will raise from the drift below to connect it with the shaft. During the time that proving of the mine is in progress only ore taken out in doing development work will be handled, but enough is in sight that the company has entered into a treatment contract with the Garfield Smelting company.

[Letters to the Boston office and the Salt Lake City office requesting information were returned by the Post Office unclaimed.]

Yosemite Mines Co.; Utah. - Lands, 12 claims, patented, including the Yosemite group of 6 claims, the Cluster group of 5 claims, and the Mississippi claim, adjoining. The properties are said to have produced upwards of $1,000,000 in gross values, mainly in silver-lead ore, under previous ownership, and the mines were considerable lead producers as early as 1892. The lands lie north [sic: south] and west of the Dalton & Lark group of the Bingham Mines Co., and carry approximately 2,400' of the strike of the Lark vein.

Development is by an old 800' incline shaft, which it was planned, September, 1910, re-equipping with a hoist and air-compressor. The Cluster group is developed by the 1,650' Paradox tunnel, and there is a 1,300' tunnel said to show a large body of good ore, with a back of about 800', from which production is made. Values developed are mainly in silver-lead, but some good copper ore is shown, especially below water-level, and some chalcopyrite of good grade, associated with pyrite, is found on the 800' level. The mine is quite wet, and some of the old workings are caved and in bad shape. It was proposed, at the time of organization, to develop the property by a branch tunnel from the Mascotte tunnel, to give a back of 1,500' on the dip of the vein, at the point of the main and branch tunnels. Equipment includes a power plant and air-compressor.