M.M. Kingman and Robert Pershall this week shipped to the smelter a ton of good looking ore from the Chub claim at Meadow Creek, in which these gentlemen are jointly interested.

The Davenport, a big galena proposition in Horseshoe Basin, on the easter slope of the Cascades, 24 miles above Lake Chelan, has been bonded from Pershall and Kingman, the discoverers, but W.S. Norman and others, of Spokane. The Davenport has a 50-foot tunnel, and the ore assays variously at 60 to 90 ounces silver, $3 to $5 in gold, and 40 percent lead. It is high up and hugs the glaciers. – Spokesman Review

H.R. Kingman has sold to M.M. Kingman a one-half interest in the new mail steamboat – the Swan, and leased him the remaining share for four years, Morrison to act as captain and pilot during that term. John Carlyle will be chief engineer. We congratulate Morrison on again identifying himself with the trade of Lakeside, and wish him every success in his new venture.

It is expected that the new and elegant steamer Swan, Messers Kingman and Kingman proprietors, will make its trial trip up the lake March 15^th.

Mr. M.M. Kingman returned Saturday from Horseshoe Basin, where he succeeded in reaching the upper basin, but found too much snow for mining operations. He says the season up there is a month later than usual.

Messrs. M.M. Kingman and Charles Graham went to Horseshoe Basin last week, expecting to do some development work on the Davenport mine if the snow isn’t too deep.

Horseshoe Basin Mines Relocated

It is learned from Mr. C.H. Cole, who called Wednesday morning, that the parties who own the Ferguson group in Horseshoe Basin failed to do the require assessment work on the claims last year; that consequently the claims were open to relocation by anyone who chose to do so, and that he (Mr. Cole) and Judge Wm. Henry, of Lakeside, have relocated the Blue Devil, Black Warrior and Golden Gate claims, the latter covering the famous Ferguson tunnel. The two first have been renamed Schley and Dewey. The new name given the Golden Gate claim was not learned, but Mr. Cole said the new locations had been recorded. The Blue Devil and Black Warrior claims were sold by Messrs. M.M. Kingman and A.M. Pershall, to a syndicate represented by Mr. Donald Ferguson, as far back as 1891 to 2, for $30,000 in cash, and are part of what is considered one of the most valuable and important mining propositions in the state. It is claimed that internal dissentions in the syndicate have led to the present status of the property.

Messrs. M.M. Kingman and A.M. Pershall will soon go to Horseshoe Basin to inaugurate development work on the great Davenport galena ledge.

The Davenport Mine

Mr. M.M. Kingman returned Tuesday from Horseshoe Basin, where he and Mr. A.M. Pershall have been doing development work on the famous Davenport ledge, on which these gentlemen are the fortunate owners of three claims. The Davenport parallels the highest backbone of the Cascade divide near the apex, at an altitude between 8,000 and 9,000 feet, and is one of three great ledges that parallel each other in that gigantic mineral zone, at a distance from each other of about 4,000 feet, viz: The Blue Devil, the Davenport and the Boston, the first-named lying on the east side of the mountain like unto the eaves of a roof, the second the ridge pole and the latter the western eaves, while in between, as sheeting to the mountain shed, are numerous other veins, like the Buzzard, Crescent, Waupaca, etc., which go to make up the most wonderful mining proposition, in many respects, known in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, in every crack and crevice in the whole mountain chain at this point the mineral crops out. These ledges run east and west, and the Davenport runs through the summit of Mt. Sahale – made famous by the recent visit of the Mazamas. The property, which was discovered in 1891 by the present owners, has an average width of 40 feet, the narrowest point on the ledge being 21 feet. It carries on the hanging wall from one to two feet of nearly solid galena. In the center is a body of concentrating ore from one to eight feet wide, which carries galena in kidneys or bunches. The ore on the hanging wall assays 50 percent lead and 50 percent of the assay value. During the progress of work this year a quantity of steel galena was also encountered. We are also indebted to Mr. Kingman, who called Wednesday morning, for the foregoing facts.

Messers M.M. Kingman and Al Pershall started for the upper Stehekin on Monday’s boat, having taken the contract to represent the owner on the famous Isoletta silver mine.

Messers M.M. Kingman, A.M. Pershall and Lloyd N. Pershall returned last week from the upper Stehekin.

M.M Kingman returned Saturday from a trip to Horseshoe Basin, and reports the snow to be 12 feet deep in the lower basin.

It is learned from M.M. Kingman that Mr. Gable, who recently bonded the Davenport group in Horseshoe Basin, is expected to arrive here next Saturday with a crew of men to begin development work on the property.

C.E. Gable, who last fall bonded the Davenport group of Horseshoe Basin, came in on Saturday and held a consultation with Messers. M.M. Kingman and A.M. Pershall. He expects to send in a force of men in about a month to begin development work.

Robert N. Pershall started on Tuesday’s boat for Horseshoe Basin, where he expects to do development work on the White Cap and Opal claims, extensions on the Blue Devil and Black Warrior ledges, for M.M. Kingman. With him went Ival Pershall and Sumner Mitchell, the latter a son of Mr. A.I. Mitchell, who thus takes his first lesson in mountaineering. They expect to be absent some six weeks. This is Robert Pershall’s first attempt at mining since he was blown up in an explosion in the Isoletta mine last summer.

A Novel Tramway

M.M. Kingman and A.M. Pershall are at work on an extension to the Davenport, in Horseshoe Basin, and will ship ore as soon as possible. They are putting in what is known as a rawhide tramway. Instead of a steel cable and buckets they will use ropes and a sort of a basket fashioned out of rawhides. The rope will run through pulleys at either end and the ore, laced up tightly in the rawhides will slide down over the glaciers, instead of being suspended in the air, as in ordinary gravity tram-ways. The descending load of ore will be used to carry up timbers in the ascending baskets.

Messrs. Higley & Isenhart have recently sold the Little Davenport to Kingman & Pershall.

Mr. Patch, of Seattle, who holds the bond on the Davenport mine, came in on Monday and went up the lake Wednesday in company with Messrs. A.M. Pershall and M.M. Kingman, en route to Horseshoe Basin.

Business Directory (only a small part included)

Lake Steamers

Steamer Stehekin, carrying U.S. Mail; Capt. R.J. Watkins, Master; owned by Watkins and Smith

Steamer Swan, owned by Kingman and Sullins, leased by Capt. Watkins

Steamer Dexter, catamaran, owned by Capt. A.J. Dexter

Steamer Rustler, formerly the Omaha, owned by Capt. T.R. Gibson

There are also several smaller craft.

Mrs. M.M. Kingman and children will start about Sept. 1^st for Tabor, Iowa, on an extended visit to relatives. Mr. Kingman will do some mining development work on his Horseshoe Basin property and will probably spend the winter in Seattle. The family expects to re-occupy their elegant home in West Chelan next spring.

Among Our Mines

From Mr. T.S. Burgoyne, who called last week to order stationary and subscribe for the Leader, the following was learned relative to mining operations in the famous Horseshoe Basin:

Mr. Burgoyne is president of the Horseshoe Basin Mining and Development Co., which owns the Black Warrior on one ledge and three claims on another and parallel ledge known as the Development Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The Black Warrior was located about 1891 by Messrs. Pershall and Kingman who also discovered and located the Davenport later. They are east and west ledges, the Black Warrior laying at an altitude of 6,000 feet, and the Davenport (outcroppings and surface development) at between 8,000 and 9,000. The Black Warrior varies in width from 20 to 30 feet, with a pay streak of two to eight feet, carrying galena and chalcopyrite’s, with silver values.

A ton of the Davenport ore shipped to the smelter gave a return of $74 in lead, copper, silver and gold. Assays on the latter have given as high as $28 in gold, $91 in silver and $35 in lead.

The development of the Davenport, the two companies, the one under consideration in this article and the Cascade Gold and Copper Mining Co., are running a joint tunnel, and a force of men and ample supplies were taken in late last fall, and work was continued during the whole winter for the first time in the history of Horseshoe Basin. The snowfall was over 50 feet, and sometimes it took the men days of tunneling through snow to find the mouth of the tunnel after a night or a day or so’s lay-off.

They have built comfortable cabins this year and electric drills are being installed, and Mr. Burgoyne thought they would be in operation within ten days. The tunnel is now in 75 feet, but the work will progress much faster with the electric drills. They have 300 feet more to go to strike the ledge at a depth of 700 feet, which will probably be accomplished by January 1, 1904.

It takes a pile of money to develop such properties as this, but the values and quantity of ore are there our of which are made million-dollar propositions.

It also takes clear headed, far seeing experienced mining men of muscle and indomitable will to surmount difficulties and conquer obstacles and carry such propositions to a successful conclusion, and such a man – the right man in the right place – Mr. Burgoyne impresses us being.

Mining in Horseshoe Basin

From H.F. Buckner, who came down to Chelan for supplies Saturday, returning Monday, it is learned that he has the contract to run a 700- or 800-foot tunnel in the upper Horseshoe Basin to intersect the Davenport ledge at a depth of 600 or 700 feet. The tunnel is owned jointly by the Cascade Gold and Copper Mining Co., and will occupy the better part of a year and cost from $20,000 to $25,000 to complete it. After the ledge is reached Mr. Buckner will drift on it to the intersection of the properties.

Some $700 or $800 is also being expended on the trail from Park Creek to the Basin. Eight men are employed in the tunnel and upon the trail and several more are to be put on. Mr. G.A. Head, then whom there are few if any more experienced mining men, has been secured to take charge of the mining operations and went up with Mr. Buckner on Monday. Two shifts of men will work in the tunnel continuously night and day.

The Davenport ledge was discovered many years ago by Messrs. M.M. Kingman and Al Pershall, away up in the sawteeth crags that mark the eastern and western Washington, and is remarkable for the great wealth of galena ore exposed at the discovery point. It may be remarked that the whole mountain thereabouts is seamed with valuable ore veins, and it would seem the foregoing that there is likely to be “somethin’ doin’” in that world-famous scenic and mining locality.