May 2005 Volume: 19 ISSUE: 5
April’s Raffle Winners Corner
Gold Terry Boud
Bill PotterBill Carr*RaffleKen Bob John Hargraves** Gayle Hobben Charles Munnoy* Terry Bouk |
Linda Olsen*
Scott ? (bob) Tracy Underwood* Boyd Pickering* Name TagsJesse KeltonStephen EvigleDan Moody Brandon ??? Brent Fisher |
Janis Crook Gary Adams Bruce Alexander Larry Lazzarotto Arlin Ward Jerry Brockmier Darwin Olsen Jay Barnett Scott Kindred Dennis Farnsworth |
Jeff Morris Shane Dickerson Laura Murray Kenneth Gren John Semone Paul Hargraves Trent Didericksen Bill Thulin Frank G??? Jimmy Crook |
Tom T??? Heath Oto Pat LazzarottoMel Carson Danny Morrey Brian Kindred Tom Thulin Ed Thulin Roy Jo??? Diane Semone |
Don SeatonDuane Gren Scott Nangle Gary Warner |
*indicates a multi-raffle winner
Meeting Dates for 2005 May 17, June 21, July 19, Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15, Dec. 20. All meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month and start at 7:00 pm sharp, and go until 9:00 pm. |
Club Outing for May, 2005 May 20,21, and 22. Will be at the Silver City Idaho Claims. There will be a dinner at the hotel. We need exact counts of who is planning on attending the dinner, and we must have RSVP (required) to Dan Burdett 963-3602 or Brandon Miller 766-0272. |
Last Meeting:
At our April meeting we had a real treat for the club, Gary Garret spoke, he was very dear and trusted friend of Gale “Dusty” Rhoades. Gary shared many experiences and adventures he had with “Dusty” (a great grandson of Caleb Rhoades), while they searched for the historic treasures and mines left behind by Thomas and Caleb Rhoades. Gary even shared several localities of those fabled “lost” mines. He graciously offered to take the UGPC members to those sites for outings. The club thanks Gary for his time and his shared experiences.
Next Meeting:
We are going to continue this historic gold mining momentum, Steve Shafer the author of several books on old Uinta mining history and other books on other goings
on in the state related to this subject. His last book was titles "Of men
and gold". His presentation will include a slide show, an artifact display, and a question
and answer session. Steve will also have books for sale for the members that want to
buy them.
Presidents Message:
How time fly's when your not having fun, just imagine when you are having
fun. So little time so much gold. The last meeting we had 72 in attendance and net
donations were $796. Thanks for all the support. We ask all members to please be prompt for the meetings start at 7:00 pm. It is has been difficult to start the meetings when there is a lot of walking around and talking. The door will always be open at 6:30 pm, for those who want to purchase tickets and other items. Our last meeting ran over
by a half hour, and the building personal have to stay until we are finished. In June we will try to have another great speaker to keep the momentum. At the officers meeting we did vote to have the legal adviser volunteer position filled by Jay if he still wants it. We will try to get an equipment rental list in the newsletter on there is to rent, so we can give our members an idea what we have. Please use these items, and don't let them
waste away or take up space. As for the May outing it will be at Silver City Idaho and the June outing will probably be with Gary Garrett. Our last newsletter printing
was around 190. The club memebership is rising up in numbers again, great job everybody. I think that all for now and if we missed anything we will pick it up at the
meeting. Until then be safe, and let see who gets the biggest piece of gold this year. Go
Jesse!!.
Thanks again, “Fearless Leader” Phil
True Tales:
The Blind Miner
By, Gordon Van Leeuwen
As a young boy in the early 1970’s, I can remember, while on a family outing up in Big Cottonwood canyon, there was an old man pushing a cart out of a “cave”. I really never thought much of it until the late 1970’s, while I was 14 years old and working for the YCC, (Youth Conservation Corps); I heard this legend of a blind miner who continued to mine the area up until his death in the mid 1970’s. I was not able to determine if the man I saw, or if the tale of the blind miner I heard, was true. It wasn’t until the early 1990’s I that noticed a historical marker had been erected a mile above the Mineral Fork trailhead, which told about this blind miner named J.L. (Roy) Newman, it was then I realized that the story was true. According to the U.G.S. publication; Geology, Ore Deposits, and History of the Big Cottonwood Mining District Salt Lake City Utah, by ~Laurance P. James. Roy Newman was blinded in 1929 by a dynamite explosion while mining in a different area. He may have aso set the world record for diving a 2000-foot tunnel by hand using a light steel drill and hammer, which is known as “single jacking”. According to the publication the typical number of blows to advance an l inch hole in the Cottonwood rock would take an average of 1500 hits. Roy Newman worked this tunnel alone and single handedly until his death in 1974. So, I did see the old man pushing a cart out of a “cave”, when I was a young boy. I would hope those club members who like to travel up Big Cottonwood canyon, would take the time, to stop and read about this legend of “The Blind Miner” named J.L. (Roy) Newman. The Location of this mine site, sits off the south side of the road, about 1 mile above the Mineral Fork trail head. It is located near the Mississippian marble mine, and a proposed dam site. Big Cottonwood canyon has a rich mining history, and is strewn full of old mines, and ruined buildings and historic towns. The publication, I of fore mentioned, has maps, diagrams, claim sites, and the historical significances and geology of the area. The Utah Geological Survey has it for sale, and many more publications on Utah’s mining history, I would encourage club members to use this invaluable source for research of mining areas.
Helpful Hints:
“Gold Suckers”
What the heck are they? Gold suckers are usually made out of PVC pipe they are designed to sample cracks, crevices and hard to reach gravels without the use of motorized equipment. They are lightweight and extremely easy to make operate. Since the gold sucker is normally used with the bottom open, you may ask, "how do you keep the stuff from falling out the bottom while transferring material to my pan or bucket?" The answer is "yaw got to be quick". Try to keep your bucket or pan as close as possible to the spot you are working and keep it almost submerged so you don't have to move the sucker very high or far. It also helps if you can get into a rhythm where you are still pulling on the plunger while transferring the material. Clean up any material that falls out between your hole and your pan or bucket. Once you use one of these devices for a while, you will be surprised at how little material is lost. The following pages have diagrams and plan to build you own gold sucker.
Gold Sucker End
The gold sucker or swizzle stick, as I know it is an excellent piece of equipment. I have built one with a little different idea on the sucking end. What I did was use a piece of 2" PVC pipe for the sucker body with what's known as a bell end or a formed coupling end that would be used to connect to the next piece of pipe. I then put a 2" to 1/2" and/or 2" to 3/4" PVC pipe reducer into the bell end. I trimmed out the inside lip of the reducer and glued in a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" pipe so it protrudes up past the reducer at least an inch or more. The inside of the reducer fitting should be manufactured hollow thus allowing the gravels to be caught. Do not glue the reducer in or jam the fitting in real hard since you will have to remove the reducer and clean it out in your pan or clear rocks that get stuck in the nozzle from time to time. Small rocks tend to get stuck in the smaller tubing but generally come out easily. Sometimes the fitting is hard to get out of the bell end due to pushing it in too hard or sand that finds its way between the fittings. The small pipe makes it very easy to get into small cracks.
These plans and instructions were found at the web page of www.miningold.com.
Interesting Sidelines:
Silver City Idaho
From www.historicsilvercity.com
In 1865, rich silver ore was discovered on War Eagle Mountain overlooking Silver City, Idaho. The War Eagle Mine and over 200 other mines in the area went on to produce more than $60,000,00 of precious metals. Silver City in 1866. Many homes and businesses were physically moved to Silver City hoping to capitalize on Silver City's newly acquired status of Owyhee County Seat. Silver City Idaho has a turbulent history. There are stories of shootings between rival mining companies, and men and management. The cemetery is well populated with such men and their stories, which now lie forever, beneath ornate, wrought iron fences. In it's "Heyday", Silver City's population was approximately 2,500. There were over 300 homes and 75 businesses. There was a China Town, several saloons, drug stores, six general stores, two hotels, newspaper, photography studio, undertaker, churches, two lumber yards, several doctors, hospital, lawyers, a Masonic Lodge, an Odd Fellows Hall, and of course, the 'brothels".
The town had the first telegraph and first daily newspaper in the territory. In 1880, they had telephones, and by 1890, electricity. Silver City is a Ghost Town of another "caliber". It has escaped commercialism and the shoddy and inaccurate "restoration" work of many others recently occupied Ghost Towns. The elevation of Silver City is 6,300 feet and due to heavy snowfalls, the roads that lead to Silver City Idaho are only accessible from late May through early November. There is a 'town watchman' that oversees this wonderful and most unique Ghost Town during the winter months.
Silver City Today
Silver City is in Owyhee county Idaho, they have residents and a hotel that is open for business, it can accessed by 2 wheel drive and has many of it’s original buildings still standing. They have a lot of snow during the winter and are hot during the summer. It is recommended that 4x4’s be used during the summer if it rains. Bring a camera; it is very beautiful and picturesque. There is still a lot of good placer gold that needs to be found, small nuggets are common, according to our members. Our Claims can be metal detected, however, there is a lot of junk that can drive a gold detector crazy.
Taps
Submitted By, Boyd Pickering
We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps." It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings. Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. the Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union of Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead, The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army. The following morning, heartbroken asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial , despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son respect of the father, they did say they could give him only one musician, The Captain chose a bugler.
He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform. This wish was granted.The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps"...used at military funerals was born. The words are:
Day is done...Gone the sun...From the lakes...From the hills...
From the sky...All is well...Safely rest...God is nigh...
Fading light...Dims the sight...And a star...Gems the sky...
Gleaming bright...From afar...Drawing nigh...Falls the night...
Thanks and praise...For our days...'Neath the sun...'Neath the stars,...
'Neath the sky...As we go...This we know...God is nigh...
I have never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even know there was more than one verse. I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it along . I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.
Golden sites:
Camp Cookin’:
Polish Meat Balls
(12 INCH DUTCH OVEN)
•
1 lb hamburger
•
1 small bottle of catsup
•
5 oz. jar of grape jelly
•
1 tbls. lemon juice
•
Salt and pepper to taste
•
1 egg
•
Blend catsup, jelly and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat (12 coals on bottom), stirring constantly. Simmer over low heat 8 to 10 coals on top 8 coals on bottom. Blend remaining ingredients and form into 1” meatballs. Gently drop into sauce. Simmer about 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand until ready to serve.
If any club members have any new prospecting books, products, websites, stories, or recipes that you have used or have came across, let us know; and we will add them to our next UGPC News Letter.
UGPC Kits, Hats, T-Shirts, & Decals
T-shirts: Small and Medium $ 9.00 Large thru 2 XL $13.00 3 XL $18.00 Long Sleeve: XL and 2 XL (available in black only) $15.00
Pocket T’s: Small and Medium $10.00 Large thru 3 XL $15.00
Hats $ 5.00 (Shirts and Hats available in a variety of color)
Bumper Stickers $ 1.00 License Plate Frame Stickers $ 3.00 Window Decals Small and Medium $ 1.50 Large Decals $ 3.00
Panning Sand Bags $ 10.00 and $15.00 (Every bag is guaranteed to contain gold!!)
10" Gold Pans $ 3.00 10" Gold Panning Kit $ 9.00 (Kit includes clean-up pan, sniffer bottle, vial, And panning instructions.) |
Books "Signed by the Authors"
Drills and MillsBy: Will Meyerriecks $20.00 The Mining Camps SpeakBy: Beth and Bill Sagstetter $17.00 2005 UGPC Claims Guide: Are now available
If you would like to order any of these items they are available at the meetings and also available by mail order. If ordering by mail Please send check or money for full amount of purchase plus $5.00 for shipping please have order made out to: Utah Gold Prospectors Club In C/O: Duane Gren 279 west 500 north #6 Tooele Utah 84074 Phone: 1-435-882-4625 after 6pm E-mail: Duane will be happy to send a letter, email; or even call you with a list of available colors. |
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BUSINESSES Business advertising for 1 yr, $25.00
Chucks Detectors & Prospecting Supply Whites Metal Detectors “Authorized Dealer” John P.Urses-Owner 1260 East Vine St. #B3 SLC, Ut. 84121 Phone: 801-264-9347 E-mail: chucksdetectors@aol.com
J & J METAL DETECTORS MINELAB*GARRTT*TESORO FISCHER*BOUNTY HUNTER “CUSTOMER SERVICE COMES FIRST” WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS TUES-SAT 10am To 6pm 121 E. Main St. (8720 s.) Sandy 801-567-1122 |
Businesses that Donated too the UGPC:
Free 1 year Advertising
Pioneer Mining Supplies * Keene & Proline Gold Dredges * Metal Detectors*
·
Prospecting Equipment * FRANK & MINDY 943 Lincoln Way Auburn, Ca 95603 (530) 885-1801 (530) 885-0583 FAX Email: pmiming@pioneermining.com
Pro-Gold Prospecting The Trinity Bowl It’s just the beginning… Travis Brown P.O. Box 9309 Surprise, AZ. 85374 1-800-617-5231
Gold Prospectors Association of America |
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