The Benton Mining Company of Wallace, Idaho, originally consisted of five unpatented claims, Ward (1901), Silver Chief (1894), Dump, Darlington, and Benton (all registered in 1899), in the Lelande District of Gorge Gulch, a quarter of a mile from Burke. It adjoined the Stanley and Moonlight mines. In 1916 the company purchased from Trade Dollar Mining Company the Trade Dollar, Truax, Bad Axe, Lilly, Eureka, and Silver Dollar Claims. The company was originally incorporated February 14, 1903, and reincorporated April 19, 1920. The 1920 capitalization was 1,500,000 shares with a par value of $1.00 per share.
The mine was developed by John Callahan, president until 1924 when he was succeeded by Mary Callahan. Development of this lead-silver and zinc mine consisted of approximately 1500 feet of tunnels and a 200 foot shaft. Money for development was raised through stock assessments. In addition to the assessments mentioned in these papers there were assessments March 31, 1923 (3 mills), March 29, 1924 (2 mills), March 28, 1925 (2 mills), and April 30, 1928 (3 mills). The plant consisted of an electrically driven hoist and two drill compressors. Development work in 1922 resulted in a very encouraging showing and in 1923 the original five claims were patented. By 1927 the largest of the six tunnels was 2500 feet long. It was lengthened during the following years but by 1930 the mine was idle. The mine remained inactive until 1967 when, under the direction of R.J. Bruning, president, an agreement was reached with the Silver Dollar Mining Company to do exploration work. The mine was active through 1970 when it again lapsed into inactivity.
The 1967 Report to Shareholders is among L.C. Gaffney's papers "Miscellaneous Financial Materials (folder 24)
Although never part of Day Mines, Incorporated, that company owned 54,480 shares of Benton, as shown in a 1972 report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The records of the Benton Mining Company span the years 1894 to 1920, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1903 to 1916. Included are records concerning meetings, financial statements, correspondence with stockholders, stock ledgers and journals, assessment records, lists of stockholders, a cash book, assay certificates, correspondence concerning accidents and insurance, and tax returns.
The records of the Benton Mining Company are divided into seven series.
The first series, Records of the Board of Directors and the Stockholders, includes proxy statements, votes, and notices and reports of meetings.
General Correspondence and Related Records, the second series, contains contracts and escrow agreements, and correspondence from stockholders.
The third series is Capital Stock Records. Included are a stock ledger and journal, an assessment register and receipt books, and a stock audit.
The fourth series, Financial Records, contains bank statements and paid checks, invoices bills and receipts, and a cash book.
Series five, Ore Production and Shipment Records, contains assay certificates.
Personnel Records, the sixth series, includes payrolls and correspondence concerning insurance and accidents.
Tax Records, the final series, consists of income tax returns and property tax receipts
Removal of cancelled stock certificates, returned assessment notices, vouchers, and duplicate materials reduced the size of this collection by one cubic foot.
The records of the Benton Mining Company are part of the records of Day Mines, Inc., donated to the University of Idaho by Henry Day in 1984 and 1985.
Initial processing of this manuscript group was done by Judith Nielsen in November 1988.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.