Ray-Jefferson Mining Company

Records, 1909-1951
5 cubic feet

The records of the Ray-Jefferson 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 Lena M. Johnson in December 1987. Processing was completed by Michael Tarabulski in February 1992. Funds for processing were provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the U.S. Department of Education HEA Title II-C "Strengthening Research Library Resources" program, the Library Associates of the University of Idaho and other donors.

COMPANY HISTORY

The Ray-Jefferson Mining Company was organized August 14, 1909, for the purpose of engaging in general mining. The first claims included, the "Ray" Lode, the "Jefferson" Lode and the "Lincoln" Lode, all in the Beaver Mining District in Shoshone County Idaho.

The first of the Ray-Jefferson directors included: David C. Smith, president; Daniel L. McGrath, vice president; E.G. Ellis, secretary/treasurer; A.G. Kerns, assistant secretary; and Edward Dolan. Little action occurred under their direction until 1915, at which time the "Carlisle", "Hill Group," and "Carbon Creek" mining claims were purchased and parts of the Ray-Jefferson mine were leased to other mining companies.

In 1916, Eugene and Harry Day locked horns with Interstate-Callahan over the acquisition of the Ray-Jefferson property. Although they were successful in acquiring the property, a higher price was paid than the fair market value. The new directors included Eugene R. Day, president, secretary and treasurer; Harry L. Day, vice-president; George L. Garrett, D.L. McGrath and James J. Murphy. James P. Maggy took over the position of secretary/treasurer a year later. A number of loans were taken out for the construction of the Ray-Jefferson mill with the hopes of a large return on profits. However, the Ray-Jefferson failed to live up to the Days' earlier expectations and little profit was made.

In 1918 the mine was closed and in 1919 the company began yearly assessments to repay debts acquired during their two years of operation. The assessments were so regular that when no assessments were levied in 1932 and 1933, a number of concerned stockholders wrote to the company because they had not received their yearly notice of assessment and were worried about their stock becoming delinquent. Some stockholders even went as far as to send in money so the stock would not become delinquent.

By 1940, Eugene R. Day had passed away and a new set of directors took over. These included Jerome J. Day, president; George K. Garrett, vice president; S.F. Heitfield, secretary/treasurer; and Frank M. Rothrock. During this year, the Day brothers convinced the directors of the Ray-Jefferson, Blue Grouse, Virginia, and Amazon-Manhattan Mining companies, to consolidate their properties into one company. The Days felt the most economical way was to create a new company, the Monitor Mining Company, and then have each company in turn join Monitor, handing over all property owned by the companies.

The Ray-Jefferson Mining Company existed for twenty-six years in which time little profit was made. All three of the Day brothers were at one time or another on the board of directors with Jerome and Eugene Day playing a major role in the end of the Ray-Jefferson, as well as the beginning of the Monitor Mining Company.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The records of the Ray-Jefferson Mining Company span the years 1909 to 1951, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1916 to 1940. Included are minutes of meetings, financial statements, correspondence with suppliers and stockholders, stock ledgers and journals, assessment records, lists of stockholders, financial ledgers, voucher and check registers, tax returns, and time books and payroll records.

Related materials can be found in the records of the Monitor Mining Company and among the papers of John H. Wourms.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The records of the n Mining Company are divided into five series: Records of the Board of Directors and the Stockholders, 1909-1940; General Correspondence and Related Records, 1915-1944; Capital Stock Records, 1910-1940; Financial Records, 1916-1951; Personnel Records, 1914-1916, 1929-1937

The first series, Records of the Board of Directors and the Stockholders, includes minutes and other records relating to meetings.

General Correspondence and Related Records, the second series, contains an alphabetical file which includes annual reports and statements, tax returns, claims, invoices, leases, contracts, stock related material and general correspondence.

The third series is Capital Stock Records. Included are stock ledgers and journals, and assessment records.

The fourth series, Financial Records, contains voucher registers for both the mine and the mill, financial ledgers, an appraisement, and a check register.

Personnel Records, the fifth series, includes time books and payrolls. Additional payroll records can be found in Monitor no. 362, 1916-1918

Removal of cancelled stock certificates, returned assessment notices, vouchers, paid checks, and duplicate materials reduced the size of this collection by 2 cubic feet.

SERIES LIST

									Container
I.	Records of the Board of Directors and the Stockholders, 1909-1940	1-2
II.	General Correspondence and Related Records, 1915-1944	3-4
III.	Capital Stock Records, 1910-1940	4
IV.	Financial Records, 1916-1951	5
V.	Personnel Records, 1914-1916, 1929-1937	6

RAY-JEFFERSON MINING COMPANY
INVENTORY

Box	Folder	Description

I. Records of the Board of Directors and the Stockholders, 1909-1940

1	1-3	Minutes, 1909-1940
	4-7	Records relating to meetings, 1915-1924
2	8-14	Records relating to meetings, 1926-1940

II. General Correspondence and Related Records, 1915-1944

3	15	A, 1916-1938
	16-17	Annual Reports and Statements, 1924-1941
	18	Assessment work, 1926-1932, 1939
	19-20	B-C, 1915-1941
	21	Capital stock tax returns, 1923-1928
	22	Claims, 1919, 1926, 1931
	23	D, 1916-1938
	24	Dissolution statements, 1940
	25-28	E-H, 1916-1941
	29	Hospitals, 1917-1920
	30	I, 1916-1919, 1926-1940
	31-33	Invoices and receipted bills, 1914-1916
	34	Income tax: employees, 1916-1927
	35	Income tax returns, 1920-1940
	36	Incorporation, 1910
	37	Insurance: fire, 1932, 1936
	38	Insurance: workmen's compensation, 1938-1940
	39	Inventory, November 1926
	40-42	J-L, 1915-1941
	43	Leases and agreements, 1916-1918
	44	Legislation, social security, 1937-1940
4	45-46	M, 1916-1939
	47	Mining contracts, 1917-1923
	48	Miscellaneous, 1916-1935
	49	Montana Power Co., 1932
	50	McPherson, James, 1918
	51-52	N-O, 1916-1937
	53	Ore settlements, Ray-Jefferson--Carlisle vein, 1917
	54	P, 1916-1939
	55	Payroll, 1916-1917
	56	Proof of labor, 1923-1931
	57	Q-R, 1916-1940
	58	Red Cross contribution, 1917
	59	S, 1916-1944
	60	Statements, Financial, 1917-1940
	61	Stock consolidation, 1939-1940
	62	Stock Exchange, Spokane, 1934-1939
	63	Stock list, 1916-1928
	64	Stock purchased by Day Family, 1916
	65	Stock tax returns, 1934-1942
	66	Stock transfers, 1916, 1936-1941
	67	T, 1916-1937
	68	Telegraph code, n.d.
	69-71	U-W, 1916-1940
	72	Wage and Hours Division, 1920
	73	Water rights, 1916-1918
	74	Y-Z, 1917-1919, 1927-1940

III. Capital Stock Records, 1910-1940

	75-76	Ledgers, 1910-1940
5	77-78	Journals, 1916-1940
	79-94	Assessments, 1919-1939
o.s.	95	Assessment register, 1919-1939

V. Financial Records, 1919-1951

o.s.	96	Voucher register, 1916-1920
o.s.	97	Voucher register, 1921-1939
	98	Voucher register, 1939-1940
6	99-101	Ledgers, 1916-1940
	102	Mill ledger (E.R. Day) 1916-1917
	103	Mill voucher register, 1916-1917
	104	Appraisement, 1937
	105	Check register, 1939-1951

V. Personnel Records, 1914-1916, 1929, 1937

	106	Time books, 1917-1918, 1929-1937
o.s.	107	Pay rolls, June 1914-October 1915, April 1916

mg265.htm / February 1995

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