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 Mining Notes 1871-1890 Refer also to the general news reports, and: Mining Notes 1851-1870 Mining Notes 1891-1897 Mining Notes 1898-1905 Mining Notes 1906-1957 TABLE OF QUARTZ MILLS.
With the Location, Name of Mill, Date of Erection, Number of Stamps, Cost of Machinery, and the Director's or Owner's Name of Each.
Henry G.
Langley, The
Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1871-73, San
Francisco, 1871, page 117
The Jacksonville Sentinel of March 18th says the late rain will bring out over $100,000 worth of gold from the mines in that county. "Oregon," Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 1, 1871, page 197 The quartz mill at Leland, Josephine County, is crushing rock which yields $10 per ton. Weekly Butte Record, Oroville, California, November 11, 1871, page 1 THE NEW DIGGINGS.--Oregon Sentinel, Dec. 2nd: We learn that the new diggings on Rogue River, 5 miles below the mouth of Applegate, are prospecting well. "Oregon," Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 16, 1871, page 373 E. K. Anderson, of Jackson County, Oregon, recently, while ground-sluicing in bis claim at Forty-nine Diggings, discovered the remains of a large animal, the thigh bone and part of the leg being seven feet long. A number of bones of like character have been found in the same locality, at a depth of seven or eight feet, in a stratum of cement and gravel. Stockton Daily Independent, Stockton, California, March 19, 1872, page 2 A decision by Judge Prim of the First Judicial District is announced, which virtually settles the question that where lands have been surveyed and returned as agricultural lands, mere possession by the miners gives them no legal or equitable rights sufficient to resist a patent. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, July 2, 1872, page 3 Oliver Johnson, who was working in a mine on Coyote Creek, Jackson County, was "caved in on" last Friday and had his leg broken. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, March 20, 1873, page 1 A. J. Burnett, formerly of Jackson County, in connection with others, have discovered a quartz lead on the summit of Roberts' Hill, Douglas County. The ledge is well defined, and can be traced on the surface the distance of 300 yards. "Oregon News," Daily Alta California, San Francisco, August 16, 1873, page 1 A miner named Southworth Isham, working in his claim on Brimstone Gulch, in the Grave Creek diggings, Jackson County, was caught in a cave and suffered the fracture of one of his legs, both above and below the knee, and also received other severe injuries. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, April 21, 1874, page 1 The Briggs Creek mines, in Jackson County, Oregon, are being worked with considerable success. There is plenty of water and quite a number of miners, who are constantly receiving accessions to their ranks. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 5, 1874, page 153 The miners on Foots Creek, in Jackson County, recently held a meeting, and by resolution politely requested the following named individual--William Orders--to make some other locality than Foots Creek his future residence and scene of operations, as his absence was greatly to be preferred to his company. We expect Wm. O. "got," for when miners talk that way they mean something. "Oregon Items," San Diego Union, November 3, 1874, page 1 DISCOVERY OF A QUARTZ MINE OF
GREAT RICHNESS.
Josephine
Co., Dec. 1, 1874.
Editor
Times:
Having been spending some time in company with others prospecting the mining country in this county, I take this method to give publicity to some things I have seen. I have seen an immense quantity of placer mines lying on the hills along Rogue River, from the mouth of the Applegate to three miles below the mouth of Galice Creek, that would pay handsomely if some company would put in a large ditch from Applegate on the mountains above said hills. I have no doubt but that it would prove remunerative. There are placer diggings enough here to employ a thousand men for the next ten years to profit, if scientifically managed. But the matter that took me into the mines was to see if the great ledge of quartz, discovered three miles below the mouth of Galice Creek, was what it is represented to be. This ledge, you will see by the proceedings of the miners' meeting last Saturday, a copy of which I send you, is called the Yank Ledge. Rogue River has worn its way through said ledge to the depth of some 500 feet, and where the river is now running it is more than 100 feet wide. The ledge of quartz, through which the river runs [in] a westerly direction, is cased well on one side with slate rock and on the west side with granite. But now comes the incredible part--that the ledge is over 125 feet wide. I have traced it for over three miles, and at different points have found where it is cut with small streams that run through it. It is cased the same as at the river, and on the left-hand fork of Rocky Gulch it is wider than it is at the river. The quartz of this ledge contains both silver and gold, and is in appearance the same as that of the great Comstock ledge of Nevada. I have the receipts of an assay made by an assayer of Walla Walla, W.T., for Messrs. Courtney, which reports $21.50 in silver and $6.40 in gold per ton. The same gentlemen have had another assay which is more than double the one I have given. The amount of minerals contained in the Rogue River Mountains is immense. I think if enterprising men will take hold of the Yank Ledge (which should have been called the mammoth ledge, as it surely is the largest known in the United States, if not in the world), they will make it profitable to themselves and of immense value to Oregon. I would say to the citizens of our county that we need to go to work to help Josephine County get a good wagon road to this mountain of minerals, that machinery may be put up and men set to work to develop its value. And if it proves as good as many think it is, it will give us a home market for our surplus at good figures, and be a benefit to all, if properly used. There is a tolerably fair road to Pickett Creek, which is some ten miles from the mouth of Slate Creek, from whence it is about twelve miles to the ledge by a pack trail, which one unaccustomed to the mountains would call bad. I have sent some of the rock for assaying to Portland and also to San Francisco. When I receive returns, by your permission, I will give the public the facts thereof. A letter from Slate Creek, Josephine County, Oregon, says that a very rich silver and gold quartz ledge has just been discovered on Rogue River, a few miles below that place. The correspondent is of the opinion that it is the richest thing yet found on the coast, which is hard to believe. "Pacific Coast Brevities," Territorial Enterprise, Virginia City, Nevada, December 16, 1874, page 2 Wild Excitement Over the New
Quartz Mines.
Rock Point,
December 15.
J. L. Colvig and James Birdseye, just
arrived from
the new quartz mines some fifty miles below this place, report things
lively. The road is lined with men and pack trains going to the land of
gold and silver. The great mammoth ledge is about 180 feet in width at
the point where Rogue River has worn its way through to the depth of
500 feet. About 200 claims are now taken. It has been traced for about
twenty miles through a very rough country. Guides get from $10 to $20
per day to trace the lead. Colvig says he crushed a few pounds of the
ore and it averaged ten cents per pound in gold. A town has sprung up
in a few weeks; it is to be known as Mammoth City. Hotels, feed
stables, shops and other buildings are being erected, and all that is
needed now is capital to take hold.Territorial Enterprise, Virginia City, Nevada, December 16, 1874, page 3 The Jacksonville (Oregon) Sentinel says the Yank ledge, on Rogue River, near the mouth of Galice Creek, is occasioning an excitement about here which grows stronger every day. Visions of unbounded wealth are already haunting the minds of claim-holders. Several parties will start from here soon to visit the ledge. "Pacific Coast Brevities," Territorial Enterprise, Virginia City, Nevada, December 17, 1874, page 2 The Jacksonville Sentinel says: "Prospecting for cinnabar is the exciting pastime of the loose-footed in this region. Rich ledges are supposed to be near here, as much rich float ore is picked up by miners. The existence of some ledges is demonstrated." Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 19, 1874, page 389 NEW OREGON MINES.--Advices from Rock Point, Oregon, dated Dec. 15 state: J. L. Colvig and James Birdseye have just arrived from the new quartz mines, some fifty miles below this place. They say the road is lined with men and pack trains going to the land of gold and silver. The great Mammoth ledge is about 180 feet in width at the point where Rogue River has worn its way through to the depth of 500 feet About 200 claims are now taken up. It has been traced for about 20 miles through a very rough country. Guides get from $10 to $20 per day to trace the lead. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 26, 1874, page 402 New Oregon Mines.
An excitement is raging with regard to a recently discovered quartz
ledge, situated in Josephine County, Oregon, at or near the junction of
Galice Creek with Rogue River. This place is a little to the west of
Jacksonville, and distant therefrom about fifty or sixty miles. The
Jacksonville Times
has the annexed on the subject: "The excitement consequent upon the discovery of the quartz mines at Galice Creek seems to be on the increase. Several of our citizens have left for that section to see what prospect there is of 'making their pile.' Parties from other parts of the state are also arriving upon the scene, among whom are Judge J. H. Reed and W. H. West, of Portland. Judge Reed formerly owned some placer mines on the creek, but, we believe, sold them a short time ago. The ledge is of immense proportions, some saying it can be traced for twenty-five miles, while its width is estimated as high as two hundred feet, with a depth of 500 feet in sight. The assays of ore from this ledge, made by various assayers on this coast, speak favorably for its richness. We understand that it is the intention of Mr. Courtney, one of the persons interested, to ship below for milling a few tons of this rock, so as to fully test its value and ascertain if the ore is refractory or not. This movement will be necessarily retarded some time, as, owing to the rough roads, it is impossible to do so now. Should these discoveries prove as rich and extensive as we have cause to believe, money will be more plentiful than ever before, for there is enough for all. Jackson and Josephine counties cannot be benefited more by any enterprise than by the successful working of these mines. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 2, 1875, page 6 OREGON ITEMS.
A goat thief tried to carry off an Angora from Mace's flock, in Jackson
County, the other night, but was caught and had to drop the kid.Further assays from Marysville of the "Yank" ledge, Jackson County, give from $80 to $400 per ton in gold and silver. An expert from that place is now examining the mines. Speaking of the new quartz mines in Southern Oregon, the Times, of Jacksonville, says: A late dispatch from Rock Point says J. L. Colvig and James Birdseye have just arrived at that place from the new quartz mines. They say the road is lined with men and pack trains going to the land of gold and silver. The great Mammoth ledge is about 130 feet in width at the point where Rogue River has worn its way through to the depth of 500 feet. About 200 claims are now taken up. It has been traced for about twenty miles through a very rough country. Guides get from $10 to $20 per day to trace the lead. Colvig says he crushed a few pounds of the ore, and it averaged ten cents per pound in gold. A town has sprung up in a few weeks. It is to be known as Mammoth City. Hotels, feed stables, shops and other buildings are going up. Sacramento Daily Union, January 7, 1875, page 1 THE NEW OREGON MINES.--Speaking of the new quartz mines in Southern Oregon, the Times, of Jacksonville, says: "A late dispatch from Rock Point says J. L. Colvig and James Birdseye have just arrived at this place from the new quartz mines. They say the road is lined with men and pack trains going to the land of gold and silver. The great Mammoth ledge is about 180 feet in width at a point where the Rogue River has worn its way through to a depth of 500 feet. About 200 claims are now taken up.t has been traced for twenty miles through a very rough country. Guides get from $10 to $20 a day to trace the lead. Colvig says he crushed a few pounds of the ore, and it averaged ten cents per pound in gold. A town has sprung up in a few weeks.t is to be known as Mammoth City. Hotels, feed stables, shops and other buildings are going up." Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 9, 1875, page 29 THE NEW OREGON MINES.--Mrs. Heard received letters the first of the present week from her husband at the New Oregon mines on Rogue River near the mouth of Galice Creek. He thinks the mines, without question, are extremely rich. Owing to the bad weather and lack of facilities of all kinds, but little work will be done in the way of developing them till spring. However considerable work is being done in the way of taking out quartz to be crushed when mills shall be erected. One mill has already been ordered and will be up and ready for use by spring. The place is yet without hotels for the accommodation of people or stables for the accommodation of horses. Mr. Heard has taken up two claims on the ledge and a land claim in the vicinity for a farm. The country is, we understand, very mountainous, but has, notwithstanding, small bits of land here and there on the streams adapted to agricultural and grazing purposes. Mr. Heard's account of the richness of the mines, the prospects of the district, and of his own prospects in particular are quite flattering, but we hope not more so than future developments will justify.--Yreka Journal. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 23, 1875, page 54 The Oregon Mining Excitement.
They are having quite an excitement in Oregon over mining matters, and
people are getting quartz on the brain badly. The excitement in the
southern part of the state is by no means confined to the Galice Creek
discoveries. There are numerous prospectors tramping the gulches and
hillsides in all directions, and bringing in specimens daily. They have
not only found gold, but cinnabar also. A 12-foot deposit of cinnabar
is reported on Louse Creek, and indications are also found on Wagner,
Griffin, Sams and Brush creeks; as also on Farmers' Flat. They have
found a large ledge, almost 20 miles north of Jacksonville, which is
pronounced very valuable. The principal excitement, however, is at
Galice Creek. The developments made there lately, particularly on the
Yank, or Mammoth ledge, are beginning to excite considerable interest.
Nothing has been done until lately to prove the value of the mines. The
ledge in question is stated to be from 100 to 210 feet wide, which if
true would make it probably the largest ledge ever discovered,
discounting Panamint altogether in this respect.t is said to assay from
a trifle up to $500 per ton; but if it will work $15 per ton and is as
wide as claimed, it ought to be a fortune for the owners. The ore
contains silver principally. The Oregon
Sentinel
states that two mills will soon be put up. Reynolds & Co. have
a
40-stamp mill on the way, and a California company have a 50-stamp mill
coming. Wood and water are abundant, and a wagon road is being
constructed from the stage road on the north to the ledge, about 60
miles. At present the snow has prevented much of a rush, but the Oregon papers predict a crowd in the spring. There are various other ledges in the same range of mountains that are now being prospected. Some 15 miles of the Yank ledge are already claimed. The main ledge has numerous veins of rich ore running through it from one to ten feet wide.n other parts of Oregon the late rains and melting snows have put water in some of the ditches and smaller creeks and the miners are beginning to work. Oregon was credited with $609,070 last year, as her bullion product, and if these discoveries prove half what is claimed for them she ought to quadruple the amount in 1875. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 13, 1875, page 97 OREGON MINES.--Parties in from the quartz mines on Rogue River report great excitement there, occasioned by recent developments in the Hank McNair mine. Active measures are being taken to secure a road from the mines, to intersect the stage road at Grave Creek. Numerous prospecting parties are out. Several veins have been struck, some of which promise well. The Consolidated Virginia Company are putting up a new set of boilers at their hoisting works, in addition to those already in use. They do not wish to be delayed by any accident which may happen to the boilers now in use. How nice it is to have a "bonanza" to fall back on. You can get extra engines, boilers etc., even before you need them. However, in a big mine it pays to take all precautions to prevent delays and stoppage of work, if only for a few hours. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 13, 1875, page 105 MINES OF SOUTHERN
OREGON.
From
the Jacksonville Sentinel
and Times
of last week
we collate the following items of mining news in the southern part of
our state:
MINING
NEWS.The late pleasant weather has started prospecting in a way that will soon determine the actual worth of the late numerous discoveries reported by us, as well as extend the field already gone over. Earnest work is begun on nearly or quite all the ledges heretofore spoken of. A rough test made of ore from the copper mines on Illinois River revealed the presence of silver, copper, iron and a metal which gave good reason to believe it tin. The ore, in its original state, resembles newly cast bronze. Returns from that sent below will be received, it is thought, in about ten days. The vein bearing the ore, where exposed, is about six feet wide, and is itself embraced in a well-defined lead of about 100 feet in width, through which smaller seams of the same ore are apparent at irregular intervals. The company that was engaged in viewing and surveying the Chetco wagon road had finished its labors and gone. The prospecting party traveled for some distance on the line of that survey and think the real difficulties of that enterprise have been somewhat magnified. The last and most extensive discovery of cinnabar was made about a week ago. It was discovered near a place known as "The Meadows," on Evans Creek, about 30 miles northeast of here, by a man named Daniel Hodges, who had been prospecting in that region for several weeks, living at times on bread and water, but so sanguine was he of success, notwithstanding the adverse counsel and even ridicule of acquaintances, that he persevered against all obstacles until finally rewarded with the discovery of what promises to be the most valuable lead of that ore yet found. After locating what ground he desired he notified his friends, and soon parties from here were on their way to secure claims. Thus far ten claims of 1,500 feet each have been recorded, and each claim has, or soon will have, miners sinking shafts on them. The ledge crops out in many places for a distance of about three miles, and float ore, panned out of the gulches below it for the whole of that distance, specimens of which we have in our possession, assays as high as 70 to 80 percent. Where exposed, the lead is from 4 to 6 feet wide, and is of the spar and ochre formation. The party who were down on the Chetco road found some quartz, which, though showing no gold to the naked eye, yielded at the rate of $1,400 to the ton of that ore. A small but rich gold-bearing ledge was lately discovered by Sam Rath, on the head of Jackass, a few miles west of town. Sam is at work on it. The Yank ledge is the richest at its eastern wall. As we proceed westerly the quartz gradually depreciates in value until it prospects only moderately in many places at the extreme western wall. Oregonian, Portland, February 16, 1875, page 1 THE GALICE CREEK MINES.
MOUND
RANCH,
Editor Democratic Times:Jackson County, Feb. 10, 1875. BOATING ON ROGUE
RIVER.
According to promise, I again give a few items concerning
these mines.
I must first tell about the boat that was brought down Rogue River the
other day. It was 20 feet long, five feet wide and two feet deep, built
on the flat bottom plan. The cargo consisted of 800 pounds of potatoes,
600 pounds of oats, 100 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of provisions and
100 feet of lumber--about a ton all told. The boat was loaded near
Vannoy's Ferry and landed near the Yank ledge. It was manned by Mr.
Presley, captain and owner of cargo and boat, Mr. Mannering, pilot, and
John Flaughes, propeller, and was set afloat on the 1st instant,
landing on the 3rd. Mr. Mannering says the trip can be made in ten
hours.Mr. Harkness is now preparing to raft 5,000 feet of lumber down from the mouth of "Jumpoff Joe." So you see that Rogue River is to be used in developing the great Yank ledge. THE LEDGES.
The width of the Yank ledge, which I estimated at over 125
feet in my
first letter, upon measurement is found to be 297 feet wide. I may here
state that it is one solid mass of quartz of a fine quality this width.
Then comes about the same width of granite, and then another ledge
nearly as wide as the Yank ledge, with streaks of granite in it; then
another field of granite wider than the one above; then another ledge
of quartz interspersed with granite. These two ledges are not as good
as the Yank, I believe, but they may be better than I think they are.WHAT IS BEING DONE
ON THE LEDGES.
Some parties are surveying, some are sinking on their claims,
some are
cutting and making trails to go to work on their locations, while
McNair & Co. are blasting out some of the finest ore from the
ledge
I have ever seen. J. S. Howard, our County Surveyor, is here surveying
claims. He showed me some fine pieces of quartz he obtained Saturday
that had been taken from the east side of the ledge that day. One piece
would weigh about half a pound, which he said he would not sell for $5.
Mr. Howard has procured a lot from Mr. McNair, on which he intends
building as soon as possible. He says the quartz is better than he
expected to find it before he came down. Surveyor Myer and other
Ashland gentlemen are camped something over a mile below Saunders'
store. They have been relocating their claims in conformity with the
state law, as they think, but I differ with them in their construction
of the law, as the law says the claimant shall hold the ledge with its
dips and angles and 75 feet on each side. They are dividing a 600-foot
claim into four claims, and putting a man on each one-fourth.IMPROVEMENTS.
Mr. Harkness is building a feed stable, and is going to put
up a house
if he makes a success with his raft. Gupton and Burch are pushing their
tavern forward to completion. Saunders & Co. are going ahead
with
their building. Mr. Saunders had Surveyor Watt at work surveying out
the lots to build Galice City on when I left on Monday. Mr. Crow and
his men were making the mountains at the mouth of Taylor Creek ring
with the sound of the ax, preparing timber for the saw mill there.
Williams & Co. are pounding away on their ferry boat about one
mile
above the ledges. They will soon have it ready for use. Indian Joe is
making slow progress with his boat, situated a few miles above the
ledges. Geo. Reed and W. H. Case, of Eugene City, are intending to put
in a ferry immediately at the Yank ledge. This and Mr. Williams' ferry
will be for the accommodation of the Grave Creek travel, and the Indian
Joe ferry for that from Grants Pass. C. C. Bailey, from Eugene, intends
starting a trading post at the ledges as soon as suitable preparations
can be made. The three men from Eugene came in last week. They are
young, energetic and gentlemanly, and seem to mean business. There are
other improvements going on, which I am unable to notice at present.THE WAGON ROAD.
In conclusion, let me say to one and all to not forget our
road to the
mines. Attend the meeting on the 20th and come prepared to say how much
you will help on said road. By many it is thought it is best for us
from the valley to help the citizens at Grants Pass and vicinity to
make a road down on that side of the river to Indian Joe's. It perhaps
will [be] best, but for the citizens of Illinois Valley and Kerbyville
it would be much better to go down on this side of the river. Be that
as it may, let us work for a road on the best route, for it is badly
needed. No doubt there will be three roads into this rich mineral
region--one from Grave Creek, one from Grants Pass, and one down the
river on this side.More anon,
Democratic
Times, Jacksonville, February 19, 1875, page 3MARTIN PETERSON. QUARTZ is the only thing that is talked about in Southern Oregon just now. Constant discoveries are being reported and the people are being kept in a constant state of excitement, and employ their leisure hours between making discoveries and building golden castles in the air. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 27, 1875, page 140 The quartz mill of Klippel, Beekman & Johnson, on their ledges on Rogue River, is now in working order and running constantly. Mr. Klippel, who arrived at Jacksonville from the ledge, informs the Times that they have 125 tons of quartz taken out already and that the mill is pounding it up at the rate of three tons per day. John Bilger, of Jacksonville, says the Times, has received from his brother, William Bilger, who is in San Francisco, another test of Galice Creek quartz. The result is obtained from fifty pounds of rock taken from the Yank ledge, and subjected to the milling process, which is a more thorough way in getting at the true value. The quartz was run through in lots of twenty-five pounds each, and the inferior quality brought $38 per ton, while the better assayed as high as $78. There is a presence of both gold and silver, as also copper, which the assayers say is a sign of good silver-bearing rock. "Oregon News," Sacramento Daily Record-Union, March 2, 1875, page 1 LETTER FROM GRAVE CREEK
MR. EDITOR:
Having just returned from the mines on Grave Creek, I thought that
perhaps in this day of mining excitement a few words in regard to the
mines in that locality might be interesting to some of your readers.
The Grave Creek Mining District, as organized Feb. 15th, 1875, is in
Josephine County, Oregon, and runs from the north line of the Galice
Creek Mining District to the Douglas County line on the north, and to
the Jackson County line on the east, embracing a scope of country that
is no doubt rich in mineral wealth, both in quartz and placer mines,
the latter of which have been extensively worked for the last fifteen
years, and have paid largely for working.Many quartz lodes have been known to exist within this district for years, but have had but little attention paid to them until the recent quartz excitement on Galice Creek, since which men have been prospecting in every direction for quartz, which has led to the discovery of several promising leads in the vicinity of the mouth of Grave Creek. The most westerly lead discovered, and known as the Keystone, crosses Grave Creek close to its mouth; crosses the point of a high ridge and runs into Rogue River, following the bed of the river for some distance; and if it appears again, which it more than likely does, it will appear on the south of the river, some distance west of where the Yank and other leads cross. This lead, though being next to the last taken up, is now claimed for seven or eight miles, nearly all of which distance it can be traced by bold croppings, and measures where discovered 168 feet between walls. The quartz of this lode is of a very fine quality, is very full of sulphurets, and in general appearance is second to none that I have seen in the Galice Creek District. The next ledge east and close alongside of the Keystone is the Ophir, the rock of which shows well in many places, but is a darker colored quartz, having rather a grayish cast, and in many places a rusty appearance. This lead is quite large, but is not taken for so great a distance, as its croppings are not as distinct as the Keystone. The next east of the Ophir is the Mammoth. The quartz of this lead is similar to that of the Keystone, and claimed for a considerable distance. The next on the east of this is the Grey Eagle. This is a large lead, but has been prospected but little; the croppings look well. The next and most easterly lead on which claims have been located is the Yank, having been traced through from where it crosses Rogue River to where it crosses Grave Creek, a distance of about five miles, and is now claimed several miles north of Grave Creek. The quartz on this lode looks well for croppings, and the lead is large and well defined. All the rock I have seen from the above leads compares favorably with the rock of Galice Creek at a corresponding distance below the surface, and in my opinion are but a continuation of the same leads; and if so, the Galice Creek District will have no percentage over this, and it remains to be determined which is the richest, if there is any difference. As to natural facilities for working mines, Grave Creek stands unsurpassed by any mines I have ever seen, there being an abundance of water and timber handy to almost every claim--two of the principal articles necessary for the successful working of the mines; and the timber is of the best quality, both for sawing and the furnace. The sawing timber consists of fir, cedar, sugar pine and pitch pine, and for firewood we have white oak, black oak and live oak. As to water, the leads all cross Grave Creek, Mt. Reuben Creek and Rock Creek, and various smaller streams that will afford water sufficient for running machinery and for all other necessary purposes. Persons going to the mines on Grave Creek from this valley will find the nearest and best route by crossing Rogue River at Rock Point, and following the stage road to within a mile of Harkness' Station, and, turning to the left, follow the road to where it strikes the creek, and then follow the main road down the creek about one mile and a half, from which point they will have to pack into the mines, which will be about ten miles. The trail is very good for a person used to a pack trail through the mountains, but for a person unaccustomed to mountain trails, it will appear rough the first time going over, but will improve greatly by the time they get back, if they prospect awhile. I was there three weeks prospecting, and missed all the bad places coming back that I went over going down. A company has been organized and a town site has been located in a splendid place for a mountain country like this. The soil is of such a character that every family can produce their vegetables in the back yard. The same company have located a ditch, started a dam, and let in the water in compliance with the U.S. law in such matters. FRANKLIN
WIRTS.
February 22, 1875.Central Point, Jackson Co., Oregon, Democratic Times, Jacksonville, March 5, 1875, page 1 MINES OF SOUTHERN OREGON.
From the Jacksonville Sentinel and Times
of Saturday last we take the following items concerning the mines in
the southern part of our state, which seem to be attracting
considerable attention:THE YANK LEDGE.
Commencing at the Yank ledge, running south, the lode facing Rogue
River is not, as many would believe from former descriptions, rising
abruptly up to a height of 500 feet, supposed to have been cut down by
the waters of the river. The high mountains on each side of the river
ascend gradually, receding from the stream till they attain the height
of some 500 feet, with a visible cropping out of the ledge down to the
high water mark at the base of the hill on each side of the river. Here
this immense ledge is washed bare for about 300 feet. Large spurs
extend above the water at intervals and cross the river, running
southerly or up the same. Along the summit of the mountain, for a
distance of four miles to Galice Creek, a well-developed ledge all the
way, tapped and laid bare by every mountain stream crossing it, can be
traced for many miles by its heavy croppings.It is generally believed that there will be 3,000 people at the Yank ledge by the first day of May. The Yank Company have struck some very fine ore 15 or 20 feet wide at the eastern wall. TOWNS LAID OFF.
There is a beautiful town site laid out near the Yank ledge, owned by
Mr. McNair, a wide-awake and energetic gentleman, who has set apart
thirty-two town lots for sale at $50 each, the proceeds of which he
intends appropriating towards building a wagon road, running from
Quartzville to Harkness, on the stage road, a distance of 15 miles.
This road commences at a ferry, now being constructed by a couple of
enterprising gentlemen from Eugene, running up a gulch called Crevice
Gulch, along the Yank ledge north a distance of two miles to the summit
of the Grave Creek Hills; thence down the hill to Grave Creek, a
distance of five miles, intersecting a road running up said stream;
thence up said road a distance of seven or eight miles to Harkness'
hotel, on the stage road. There is only about seven miles of road to
build to intersect the Grave Creek road.There is also a neat town site one mile above Quartzville, on the river, owned by old Yank, at the base of the hill bearing the ledge. This town is called by some Lumberville, and others Yankville. J. S. Howard surveyed this town off into lots on the 13th. There is also a ferryboat ready to launch at Lumberville, owned by Williams & Co., of Vannoy's ferry. There will also be a wagon road running from this ferry up a gulch called Foul Air Gulch, intersecting the Crevice Canyon road on the summit of the Grave Creek Mountains, at a distance of three miles from Lumberville. Mr. Harkness floated 5,000 feet of lumber from the mouth of Louse Creek down the river to Quartzville a few days ago, to be used in constructing a hotel. The interested parties in Lumberville and Quartzville, as well as the citizens of Grave Creek and Douglas County, are manifesting a lively interest in the Crevice Canyon wagon road, and operations at this time are being prosecuted on both ends with vigor. FACILITIES FOR
WORKING.
A correspondent says: As to natural facilities for working mines, Grave
Creek stands unsurpassed by any mines I have ever seen, there being up
abundance of water and timber handy to almost every claim--two of the
principal articles necessary for the successful working of the
mines--and the timber is of the best quality, both for sawing and the
furnace. The sawing timber consists of fir, cedar, sugar pine and pitch
pine, and for firewood we have white oak, black oak and live oak. As to
water, the leads all cross Grave Creek, Mt. Reuben Creek and Rock
Creek, and various smaller streams that will afford water sufficient
for running machinery and for all other necessary purposes.ASSAYS OF ORE.
The assays of ore taken from Dan Levens' claim on the north side and
about 3,000 feet from Rogue River contained 0.549 ozs. gold, value per
ton, $11.35; 1.46 ozs. silver, value per ton, $1.89; total value per
ton of 2,000 lbs., $13.23, assayed by Leopold Kuh & Co., San
Francisco. Ore taken from McNair & Co.'s claim on the south
side of
Rogue River contained 2.00 ozs. silver, value per ton, $2.58; 0.80 ozs.
gold, value per ton, $16.53; total value per ton of 2,000 lbs., $19.11,
assayed at the San Francisco assaying and refining works. Ore taken
from various places in Nick Thoss & Co.'s claim on the north
side
of Rogue River was found to contain 21.87 ozs. of silver, value per
ton, $28.28; 1.46 ozs. of gold, value per ton, $30.15; total value per
ton of 2,000 lbs., $58.43; assayed by Riehm, Hemme & Co., San
Francisco.MORE DISCOVERIES,
ETC.
Frank M. Smith, of Applegate, brought to town last week some
fine-looking rock from a ledge he has just discovered in the Siskiyou
Mountains, a quantity of which he has sent to San Francisco for assay.
He informs us that a cinnabar ledge of enormous proportions has also
been found in that section of the country.Charles Griffith brought to Jacksonville on Wednesday some ore from a ledge of large dimensions discovered near Kerbyville. The croppings have assayed $4 in silver per ton, and the quartz from the main ledge is expected to pay handsomely. W. M. Turner states that another rich cinnabar deposit was found in the neighborhood of the Hodges ledge by Mart Dickenson. The ledge is large, fourteen claims of 1,500 feet each having already been taken up on it. Quartz from the claims of Kincaid, Fisher & Co., lately discovered on Grave Creek, seems to be a good article. Quartz from what is supposed to be a continuation of the famous Steamboat or Fowler ledge, on Applegate, which has been abandoned by other parties, was tested by A. W. Sturgis last week. Two pounds of the same crushed in a mortar, gave $2.87½ in gold, or at the rate of over $2,000 a ton. Corvallis Gazette, March 6, 1875, page 2 Parties just from Galice Creek, Oregon, says the Jacksonville Times, express the opinion that the ledge lately discovered by D. Courtney is likely to prove richer than the other quartz mines found.t is a few miles distant from the scene of the other discoveries and about 100 feet in width. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 6, 1875, page 153 MINING NEWS.
Surveying claims is progressing at a rapid rate.
Wm. Bilger is engaged in getting out a ton of rock at Galice Creek, to be shipped to San Francisco for testing. We learn that from $2 to $5 a foot is being offered for claims on Galice Creek, but nobody seems anxious to sell. The Oregon papers contain considerable correspondence from parties who have been at Galice Creek, all of which speaks favorable of the new mines. Over 150 claims on various ledges in the county have already been recorded in the Clerk's office. Several claims upon which notices have been posted are not recorded as yet. A large number have also been recorded by the Clerk of Josephine. Parties just from Galice Creek report matters in status quo. Improvements are still progressing. S. Harkness is putting up a hotel and feed stable. A saw mill is being erected near the ledges. Comparatively few shafts have been sunk and those not to any great depth. Mr. Scott who has just arrived from the mines, says he has traced the Galice Creek ledges as far as Cow Creek, where a well-defined lead is developed. The ledges all seem to come to a focus here, as the width of the new discovery is over a mile wide, interspersed with strata of apparently different kinds of rock, but which he thinks is the same ledge. The leads can be traced no further. Mr. Scott brought several pounds of rock with him, which will be tested in the mill of Brooks & Co., on Wagner Creek. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, March 12, 1875, page 3 JACKSON COUNTY.
Mound Ranch,
Jackson Co., Ogn.,
Mr. Editor: As I learn from persons coming to the Galice Creek mines,
in Josephine County, from your valley, that there are many things
published in the papers down there that are leading people astray
concerning these mines, I therefore take this method to say a few words
through your columns to all who will read this short article. I have
visited this mining district five times since the first of last
November. I attended the first meeting that was held to make some local
regulations concerning the quartz mines there, and wrote out the
proceedings of that meeting, and also the first article that was
published in our county papers to call attention to the great Yank
ledge. There have been many exaggerated statements made about these
mines, but I father none of them. The quartz in this mining district is
plenty; four different and distinct ledges, ranging in width from one
hundred to near three hundred feet, have been discovered and traced for
miles. It is not to exceed four miles from the east one of the four to
the west one. They run nearly parallel with each other, and their
course is a little west of south and east of north. They are in an
unsurveyed region, but according to our County Surveyor, if the country
was ranged and townshipped, where the Yank ledge is cut by Rogue River
would be in Township 34 South and Range 8 West.March 2nd, 1875. There has been but very little of the quartz taken out yet, and less tested. The tests are very unsatisfactory, some showing mere traces of gold and silver, and others giving as high as $78 to the ton. We are anxious for these mines to prove a success, but this cannot be done by overrating the quartz, nor by overrating the work being done upon them. Therefore, I would say to all concerned, do not become unduly excited on this matter. It has been stated that there were mills to work these mines on the way from San Francisco. If this is so, it is not known by the parties down at the mines. There is a sawmill being built some seven miles from where Rogue River passes the east ledge, but here they have plenty of hands. There are several buildings being put up, but they are of a very temporary character. There is much talk of a wagon road, but as there are three ways or routes proposed, there is not much prospect of getting any one opened soon. There was a meeting down there last Friday to adopt some measures to try to unite on some one route, but this was not accomplished. There is a doubt with some whether we even need a road there. I am strong in the belief that we do. On Grave Creek they have found some fine ore. This is some four or five miles north from the river. These mines are finely situated for working; there is an abundance of water power both on Grave Creek and Rogue River to run machinery, and plenty of fine timber for fuel and building purposes. Our valley and Umpqua can supply many persons with provisions at reasonable rates. I think that this mine will be of vast importance to Southern Oregon. Prospecting is being prosecuted with considerable success in our county. There has been some very good silver ore found in different places of late. Cinnabar--why we do not know how much there is of it in this county. I think not less than half a dozen different ledges have been found, but we do not know how rich they are going to be, nor how well they are going to pay, nor yet how lasting the ledges will be. They are very flattering in places at least. Let no one become excited over these prospects and leave remunerative businesses to run after them, but if any have money to spend to prospect, there is a grand opening here to spend it. If any of the subordinate Granges want to send out a few good prospectors to assist in trying to create a home market for Southern Oregon, and with good prospects to aid themselves, there are fine openings now before them, by coming on this spring and taking a part in this enterprise. We will give them all the aid we can. I will furnish the Farmer with an article on this subject once in a while. Willamette Farmer, March 12, 1875, page 8 THE SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
From
the Jacksonville Times of
last
Saturday we take the following items concerning the mines in the
southern part of our state:
Surveying claims is progressing at a rapid pace. William Bilger is engaged in getting out a ton of rock at Galice Creek, to be shipped to San Francisco for testing. We learn that from $2 to $5 a foot is being offered for claims on Galice Creek, but nobody seems anxious to sell. Over 150 claims on various ledges in the county have already been recorded in the clerk's office. Several claims upon which notices have been posted are not recorded as yet. A large number have also been recorded by the clerk of Josephine. Parties just from Galice Creek report matters in status quo. Improvements are still progressing. S. Harkness is putting up a hotel and feed stable. A sawmill is being erected near the ledges. Comparatively few shafts have been sunk, and those not to any great depth. Mr. Scott, who has just arrived from the mines, says he has traced the Galice Creek ledges as far as Cow Creek, where a well-defined lead is developed. The ledges all seem to come to a focus here, as the width of the new discovery is over a mile wide, interspersed with strata of apparently different kinds of rock. The leads can be traced no further. Mr. Scott brought several pounds of rock with him, which will be tested in the mill of Brooks & Co. on Wagner Creek. Oregonian, Portland, March 17, 1875, page 1 GALICE CREEK.--Concerning mining matters in Southern Oregon, the Times of last Saturday says: The weather of the past week has been rainy and disagreeable, so as to render prospecting and other mining developments almost out of the question. Several citizens of Jacksonville have returned from Galice Creek, but report no further developments. There are about 150 people there at present; but large numbers are constantly coming and going, as the accommodations are not ample enough as yet. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 20, 1875, page 184 QUICKSILVER IN OREGON.--The Jacksonville Times says: The cinnabar deposits discovered in Sams Valley are reported to be exceedingly rich in the metal. This district is said to embrace about ten miles of country, several of which are already claimed. One of the locators claims that he does not exaggerate in the least when he says these mines will rival the New Almaden in point of abundance and richness. The rock is of a yellow cast, but when crushed exhibits a blood-red color, strongly impregnated with quicksilver. Some work has been done on these mines, and those interested are sanguine of having struck it rich. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 20, 1875, page 184 Womack's Letter.
For the Fayetteville Observer. ASHLAND, OREGON, March 4, '75
Editor of the Observer--After
preparing, my pony and I set out for the mines situated on Rogue River.
After riding past green wheat fields, clumps of evergreen pine, and
white farm houses for sixty miles, I reached the new Eldorado of the
West. These mines are situated in a wild and rugged mountain range near
the Pacific Ocean. The already celebrated "Yank Ledge" is seen, where
Rogue River has worn a chasm five hundred feet deep through the rocks.
This ledge is one hundred and thirty-eight feet wide and has been
traced for twenty miles; thus making it the largest mass of gold and
silver in the world. Hundreds of miners are prospecting the
mountains--loud blasts can be heard, now and then, like artillery, and
horsemen, foot-men and mule-men are still arriving. Far up on the
mountain trails, I saw the trains of pack-mules winding through the
lofty pines and gigantic cedars--the jingle of the bells on the lead
mules--the shouts of the drivers sound strangely, while your
correspondent sits astride of his skeleton pony. I tell you, Mr.
Editor, the scene is picturesque--I may add sublime. The ore in some of
the mines is filled with pyrites of iron, chloride of lead, etc., while in others the chloride of silver, ruby silver and horn silver
interspersed with fine gold go towards making up the ore. Having had a
great deal of experience in the quartz mines of Nevada, Utah, Montana
and Idaho, I pronounce the "Yank," the McNair" and a few others to be
unsurpassed. But, it takes a mint of money to work a quartz mine;
"placer" claims are the only mines which are profitable for the poor
man. I took no claims. I have had enough of the mines. Our winter is
over, and the ice-fetters are broken in the mountain streams--the
prairies are checkered with brilliant flowers and the farmers are
jubilant. Far up in the gloomy canons among the whispering pines and
the moaning cedars, I caught a mess of speckled trout out of a clear
stream, yesterday, and I "gobbled" them down my capacious throat.JOHN A. WOMACK.
Fayetteville Observer, Fayetteville, North Carolina, April 1, 1875, page 3CLEANUP.--Messrs. Henry Klippel and C. C. Beekman this week returned from a visit to the Elizabeth quartz ledge, having witnessed the first cleanup of the new mill lately put up there. Ninety-three tons of quartz have been crushed, which averaged over $15 per ton. This is a good yield, considering that considerable of the quartz was bedrock and the difficulty experienced in getting the machinery in working order owing to the cold. The company feel encouraged enough to keep ten men constantly employed, and are sanguine of the ledge paying even better than this. The main ledge has not been discovered as yet. Oregon City Enterprise, April 16, 1875, page 3 A search is being instituted along the beach in Coos County for black sand mines. The Elizabeth Quartz Mill Company, of Jackson County, cleaned up for the first time last week, after crushing ninety-three tons of rock, which averaged about $15 per ton, one-half of which is profit. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, April 22, 1875, page 4 SAMS VALLEY.--Cor. Jacksonville Times, April 10: Prospecting and locating cinnabar claims are yet the order of the day in this vicinity. The field of operation seems to have drifted from the north side of Evans Creek to the south. Neither homesteads or entered lands escape the scrutiny of these experts. This mineral has been discovered on several homesteads and also pieces of entered land, which has given occasion for the exchanging of some pretty rough compliments between parties, of such a nature as to give offense to most anyone but the good-humored prospector, who seems to have more interest in the steady application of the pick than the multiplication of idle words. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 24, 1875, page 269 Those wonderful mines in Southern Oregon, about which so much interest has been aroused, are peculiar in one respect instead of being the cause of "flush times," as is usual in the early history of every mining camp, it appears that common labor at the mines commands only one dollar per day, and that wages and prices generally are proportionately low. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 29, 1875, page 346 CINNABAR.--Oregon Sentinel, May 29: We have within three miles of Jacksonville the largest cinnabar ledge that has yet been discovered and which is now being thoroughly prospected. A cross-cut, having been run eight feet in depth and ten feet wide, shows the ledge to be 60 feet wide from casing to casing. They have sunk a shaft in the cross-cut to the depth of 35 feet, and the ore looks very fair all the way down and seems to be of a better quality the farther down they go on the ledge. Messrs. John Bilger, E. D. Foudray, West Manning, T. McKenzie, M. Caton, E. D. Walton, J. H. Penn, J. B. Coates and H. K. Hanna are the names of the gentlemen who compose the company. They are pushing the work vigorously forward in the shaft, and they expect in a few days to strike a very rich vein of ore, as the present appearance of the rock is very encouraging. We wish the gentlemen success in their undertaking, and trust they will realize a handsome profit for their investment, as certainly the energy and enterprise of these gentlemen in developing this lead is worthy of a flattering reward. MINING ITEMS.--Weekly Oregonian, May 29: They are passing around the hat for contributions to work up rock of the famous Yank ledge in Jackson County. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 5, 1875, page 365 THE SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
From
the Jacksonville Times of
last
Saturday we take the subjoined items concerning mines and
mining operations in the southern part of our state:
Some very good rock is being taken from the Hodges ledge on Evans Creek. Houston & Co., of the Evans Creek district, are working their cinnabar claims with an arrastra pulverizing the ore. The people of Siskiyou are excited over the quartz discoveries on McCloud River, and the Journal says Galice Creek is nowhere. C. C. Beekman took 25 pounds of ore from the Elizabeth ledge with him to San Francisco, which he will have subjected to a practical test. The Emmeline Quicksilver Mining Company, of Beaver Creek, propose running a ditch from the creek to its claims this summer with which to facilitate their development. The English company, which has invested in Galice Creek placer mines, propose running a ditch from that creek to their diggings and commence operations soon. The ditch will be about four miles long, and it is estimated will cost from $25,000 to $30,000. During the excitement, Crow & Sanders undertook the building of a sawmill near the mouth of Taylor Creek, some 4½ miles from Sanders' store on Rogue River. Their mill is now completed, or nearly so. The building is a staunch one, and cost about $4,000. Knight & Co. expect to commence work soon, on Taylor Creek bar, near Crow's sawmill. I believe there is a large bar of some 40 acres that has undoubtedly once been the bed of Rogue River, that prospects well, but has never been worked, except by some Chinamen. Lige Heard, of Galice Creek, says the ledge discovered by E. R. Scott is one of the richest ledges ever discovered on the coast. There is a great deal of the rock which appears to be half gold, and they have taken rock that you could not see a particle of gold in which panned out very rich after being pounded in a mortar. The ledge where [it was] discovered is a foot wide, and five or six feet down is three feet wide. Oregonian, Portland, June 28, 1875, page 1 Oregon Correspondence.
Browntown,
Josephine Co., O.
Ed. Dispatch:As I promised Tom, Dick, Jake and Harry, to write and tell them about the mines of Southern Oregon, I take this method of keeping my promise. First comes the mines of cinnabar, located in Sams Valley about 20 miles north of Jacksonville. I say mines, but as yet no vein or deposit has been found. The ground is covered with float rock, some of which is very rich in cinnabar. Work is only being done by one company, Cooledge & Co. In the location of these gentlemen, native mercury oozes from the rock in very small quantity, which shows the former presence of a condensing heat, probably a hot spring. The country is pretty well located, but by men who know comparatively nothing about prospecting. There is plenty of room for good prospectors. A large number of gold-bearing quartz ledges have been located around and near Jacksonville, mostly for speculative purposes by a set of men who will not work if they can help it. In passing by stage from Jacksonville to Kerbyville an old miner is struck with the appearance of the gravel on most of the hillsides and river bars; no signs of prospecting appears and the old residents know of none, and yet this is situated in the midst of a rich placer country. All the placer of little depth has been worked over and over again by white men and is now being worked for the fourth and fifth time by Chinamen, while this ground or gravel beds are of a depth perhaps of a hundred feet or more and is regarded by old miners as a big prospecting country, but all pass it by, as they say it takes too much money to open that kind of diggings. In this county (Josephine) is the famous York Lode, the Oregon "Bonanza." I have not yet visited this ledge, but judging from assays made from it have concluded that I don't want any of it. A few months ago nothing else was talked of but Galice Creek and York ledge, while now one scarcely hears it spoken of. The owners of the York were numerous, today it is hard to find one. There are however in the neighborhood of the mother lode a large number of smaller veins, that will pay to work, also a large number of valuable gravel deposits that have been purchased by a company of English capitalists from Judge Reed of Portland. This place, Browntown, on Althouse Creek, is a dilapidated, almost deserted town, though formerly one of the richest spots discovered in Oregon. There are still working on the creek about 25 white miners and from 30 to 40 Chinamen. Quartz lodes are found in every direction, some of which appear to be rich in gold. Formerly these have been overlooked in the eager search for placer diggings, but now there is quite a quartz excitement, and the hills are covered with prospectors. A former citizen of Seattle (whose residence is still there) is superintendent of a Portland company who are erecting a quartz mill for the purpose of testing the several lodes located by him. Silver float has been found a few miles above here that assays nearly $10,000 per ton in silver, besides being rich in gold. Mr. Jay G. Kelly, of Seattle, and two of the miners here on the creek have located 60 acres in the gulch from which the float was found, and are at present stripping the ground in search of the fountain head, and frequently pieces of the rich ore (polybasite) is met with. This portion of Oregon is the former home of Judge Jacobs, your Delegate-elect to Congress, and a more popular man I have never-heard spoken of. Immediately upon my return almost everyone I met asked about him. It think the citizens of Washington Territory have reason to be proud of a man whom all speak of so well. I am homesick and sigh for the bracing, life-giving atmosphere of Seattle, the "Queen of the Sound." It makes my mouth twitch to think of the salmon, clams, oysters, halibut and other dainties that the Seattleites are enjoying while I am here on the Siskiyou Mountains, living on rusty bacon and hardtack. To finish I will say this is a good country to prospect in, but for a steady thing and a good future home give me Seattle. Will write more of the prospects in a short time. Jay
G. Kay [probably James
G. Kelly]
Puget Sound Dispatch, Seattle,
July 1, 1875, page
1It is said that the English-American Company on Galice Creek are making all necessary arrangements toward pushing work forward rapidly, and that they are hiring about one hundred hands to make ditches, flumes &c., and do work generally in their gravel claims. Nicholas Thoss will superintend the work. He is also an owner in the Yank ledge and says that he has more confidence in it than ever. The Jacksonville Sentinel says: Messrs. Wm. Bybee and John Bilger returned from Galice Creek last Sunday evening, where they have been attending to business in connection with their quartz leads--Mr. Bilger's on the Yank ledge, and Mr. Bybee's some two miles below. We understand that Mr. Bilger effected a consolidation of his and the river claim, and will commence taking out ore immediately, to have [it] worked in San Francisco. They intend running a cut across the ledge to see how it looks at a certain point. This we think is the inaugural step towards opening the Oregon bonanza, and the parties comprising this company have every confidence in the richness of the mines. "Oregon," Morning Oregonian, Portland, July 20, 1875, page 1 MINES OF SOUTHERN OREGON.
The
Galice Creek correspondent of the Jacksonville Sentinel, in a
letter last week, says:
The English Mining Company have commenced operations in earnest, and their tools have nearly all arrived at their destination, and the men putting them to use to the best advantages. I believe they now have 160 Chinamen in camp. Chinaman [Gin Lin]'s company of 70 men have been at work a week and have been making ditch very fast. Chinaman Con has 30 men at work for them, and a band of 60 more arrived within the past few days. I do not know the number of white men they have employed, but suppose that with contractors and all there are about 50. From this time forward work will go on lively. When men have good grub at regular hours, and know their money is ready at any time, they can turn off a great deal of work. I have heard but little about the quartz mines on Rogue River since I last wrote to you. I met Mr. Cox one day this week, who said that they wanted me to pack in 20,000 lbs. of freight for them soon, which would indicate that everything is lovely in that direction. One day this week Mr. Whitcomb showed me some of the best-looking rock that I have ever seen come from the Yank. It was taken from the tunnel being run in by Messrs. Bilger, Thoss, Courtney and others. He also showed me rock from below on the ledge of the same claim, the rock of which assayed $480 per ton. I could see no difference in it and the rock they are now taking from the tunnel. He also informed me that the tunnel was now in from 30 to 35 feet, and the rock getting very hard. This is all I can say at present concerning the mines. There are now about twenty pack animals running regularly, and have all they can do, which I am confident will continue until winter sets in. It makes one think of old times to see the trains traveling daily to and from camp. Oregonian, Portland, September 7, 1875, page 1 Says the Sentinel: "Some of the rock taken from the Yank ledge, near the river, from the north side, which was recently tested by Mr. Campbell, of this place, assayed $480 to the ton." Wilbur F. Cornell has just arrived at Jacksonville from Beaver Creek. The Sentinel says: While here he showed us some very fine specimens of cinnabar, which he says will yield handsome returns, and from the appearance of the ore, in which could be plainly seen the small mercurial particles, we have not the least doubt but what they will reap a rich reward for their labors, and that their most sanguine expectations will be realized. He informed us that their ledge is about two feet wide at present, and is increasing in width the further they proceed into the mountainside. It is the intention of this company to get out about 100 tons of rock, when they will put up a furnace in the vicinity of the ledge. Wood and water is abundant in the vicinity, and all that is necessary for the proper development of that country now is a good wagon road from some point either in Siskiyou or Jackson County to the mines. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, September 7, 1875, page 1 A rich gold lead, thought to be the richest ever struck in Southern Oregon, has been discovered in Rogue River, in Josephine County, about fifty miles below Jacksonville, and assays about $500 to $1,100 per ton. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 5, 1876, page 92 MINING ITEMS.--Oregon Sentinel, Jan. 19: From parties who have recently arrived from Rogue River we learn that the owners of the Scott mine have sunk a shaft on their ledge to the depth of 12 ft., and that the ledge at this depth was about the same width as when first discovered; that the ore taken out is very rich, and the proprietors are sanguine that it will yield very large returns. The English company at Galice Creek have commenced operations, and have been at work about three weeks in the claim formerly owned by Thoss & Co., but have not yet made a cleanup. They have now about 125 men employed, and we expect shortly to hear very flattering returns from this section. The miners in this vicinity, owing to the recent cold weather, have been compelled to suspend operations, but as the weather has moderated considerably, they are again at work livelier than ever. Sam Bowden and Wilford Prefontaine are running two claims with hydraulic apparatus on the right-hand fork of Jackson Creek, and will no doubt go over considerable ground while the supply of water continues. The Oregon quartz mill and mining company have, we are informed, suspended work for the present on the Althouse ledge, but we have not learned the cause of the suspension, which we hope is only temporary. Everything augurs well for an abundant yield of the precious ore in Southern Oregon the present winter, and, as a consequence, during the coming summer money will be more abundant in this county than for many years past, which has been owing to a lack of water with which to work the placer mines. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 5, 1876, page 93 Jackson County produces the largest yield of gold, 4,493 ounces being reported. "Facts and Curiosities of the Census," Santa Rosa Democrat, Santa Rosa, California, February 9, 1876, page 1
The cinnabar company in Applegate, Jackson County, are now burning a
large quantity of brick, to use for their furnaces preparatory to
commencing operations on an extensive scale the coming summer.
"Oregon
Items," Sacramento
Daily Union, February 23, 1876, page 6From parties who have visited the recently discovered placer mines in the neighborhood of Fort Lane, Jackson County, the Sentinel learns that these mines are paying handsomely, and that a nugget of gold weighing some $16 or $17 was picked up one day last week. These mines were discovered in this wise: The water running through a rut which had been made by wagons bringing wood from that vicinity had washed the gold free from the earth, which was discovered by some parties who immediately took up the ground in the vicinity, and who have been working the same for the past few weeks. Some idea of their richness can be formed when we state that after washing up a piece of ground not over 8 or 10 feet in width and about 13 feet in length, $200 was the result of the cleanup. There is some talk of organizing a company at Jacksonville to start for the Black Hills country in the summer. Nearly all the mining claims in Jackson County heretofore worked by Chinese have been jumped by the whites. The Jacksonville Times says: "T. G. Reames last week showed us a piece of cinnabar ore from the ledge of the Strong brothers, on Little Applegate, which is among the richest specimens we have yet seen. They have erected a furnace for the reduction of ore, which is ready for use as soon as the weather will permit of operations. It is of brick, and has a capacity of retorting fourteen tons daily. The ledge is ninety feet wide, and should the furnace prove a success, the owners have a big thing in sight." "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, February 26, 1876, page 3 The latest report from the Fort Lane diggings in Jackson County, Oregon, are more conclusive as to their richness than ever. James McDougal, a miner engaged in ground sluicing there, took out a nugget the other day worth $400, and several other very valuable specimens have been found. The only drawback to working the mines at present is the scarcity of water; but arrangements are being made to obviate this difficulty. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 4, 1876, page 145 Nearly all the mining claims in Jackson County, Oregon, heretofore worked by the Chinese, have been jumped by the whites. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 4, 1876, page 148 The cinnabar company on Applegate, Jackson County, Oregon, are now burning a large quantity of brick to use for their furnaces preparatory to commencing operations on an extensive scale the coming summer. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 11, 1876, page 166 From parties who have recently visited the placer mines at Fort Lane the Jacksonville Sentinel learns that the previous reports of their richness are not exaggerated. A nugget weighing $400 was picked up by Mr. James McDonough, and several other smaller pieces have also been found. The depth of bedrock is not more than two feet, and after sluicing off the dirt gold in considerable quantities is picked up from the bare rock. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 18, 1876, page 190 GALICE CREEK DISTRICT.--Cor. Jacksonville Sentinel, May 17: Everything in this section begins to look as though the people mean business. I was informed that Mr. Fisher, the assayer from Nevada, finds all the way from two to thirty dollars per ton in silver from the Yank Ledge rock, and that he has proposed buying an interest in the claims owned by Bilger, Thoss and others on the north side of Rogue River. At the Reed claims I found all things in good shape, and the water from a 22-inch pipe forced through a 6-inch nozzle playing on about a 100-foot bank, and just melting it down like snow. It is the grandest sight in the way of mining that I have ever witnessed. From here I went to Messrs. Griffin and Courtney's mine. I found them busily engaged preparing to clean up. They have run off an immense quantity of ground the past winter, considering their machinery, and I have heard from Mr. Courtney that they have picked up a considerable amount of the precious metal in pieces weighing from two to three dollars. Their prospects are certainly very flattering for a large cleanup. After visiting all the mining claims and camps of any note in Southern Oregon and Northern California, I have to give it as my opinion that this is ahead of all the claims in richness that I ever visited. They have a regular blue gravel bed of about 12 feet in thickness, which all prospects well. Today Galice Creek certainly stands far ahead of any other mining camp in Southern Oregon, and it is now only beginning to be prospected. New companies are continually forming and locating gravel claims and throwing their mites together to give the district a thorough prospecting the coming summer. I cannot say to everyone to rush to Galice Creek with the expectation of picking up a fortune in a few days, for these things have passed from us; but I have no doubt but there is more good-paying ground in the Galice Creek district than in any other camp in Southern Oregon. The diggings are now generally deep and lasting--say from 10 to 150 feet in depth, and it requires men of energy and some little capital to open these mines; but when once opened then there are fortunes there for the gold seekers, and no humbug. The Thoss, the Read, the Courtney claims all prove it, and the claim owned by Mr. August on the north side of Rogue River, and every claim in fact that has been thoroughly opened on this gravel lead pays well. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 27, 1876, page 348 LIVE OREGON GOLD CAMP
E. N. Williams of Gold Hill, Or., principal owner of the Sulfur Springs
hydraulic mine, south of the wild Cow Creek Canyon and seven miles
north of Gold Hill, is at the Russ.E. N. Williams' Story of Rich Diggings Near Cow Creek Canyon. Ditches from the Rogue River That Will Open Up Hundreds of Thousands of Acres. Mr. Williams owns two and three-fourths miles of placer ground on Sardine Creek, an affluent of the Rogue River. He gets water on it for eight months in the year. "I didn't know but the least bit about mining when I went there three years ago," said Mr. Williams, "and in the ordinary sense of the word one would have supposed that I would have got 'done up.' I was almost a tenderfoot of the tenderfeet. I came from England over twenty years ago, and lived in different parts of Canada for fourteen years, and then came to the United States. "Three years ago I scarcely knew a mine from a well. But I went to Gold Hill, and got some ground that I believed was good, and then got two or three young men to take hold of the property who were well informed in gold mining. To one of these men I gave an interest. Then I began to make a careful study of the business. "We have been able to make the property pay well from the start, and now I think mining is about the nicest business. "The ground where we are pays about 24 cents to the cubic yard. There is a good deal that is a great deal worse, and there is some that is a great deal better. The gold of the district varies from fine dust to nuggets worth $40 or $50 each. The biggest nugget we ever got out of our claim was worth but $4.40. "We use a No. 2 giant and an 11-inch steel hydraulic pipe from a fall of 205 feet. This great fall gives us an immense power. We can tear up the soil any way we please. There is an abundance of water for eight months in the year. "When I first went to the district there wasn't over 100 people in Gold Hill, and not 500 in the whole district. Now Gold Hill has from 400 to 500 people, and there must be at least 2000 men who are at work in the mines. They are all placer mines. No quartz has been found yet that amounts to anything. I suppose that is because the prospectors have not gone high enough up. "Gold Hill is the center of what I think will be one of the greatest placer mining districts of the world. There is a company managed by J. W. Northup, whose office is in the Crocker building here, that is taking out a new ditch for ten miles up the Rogue River from Gold Hill. It is a low-level ditch, but after they get that finished they are going to take out another one, a high ditch. These two will open up hundreds of thousands of acres." Mr. Williams brought down a lot of specimens of ore to be tested. The Gold Hill diggings are on the line of the Shasta route to Portland. San Francisco Call, April 22, 1896, page 11 A couple of Chinamen, while mining on Jackass, Jackson County, were caught by a cave of dirt, and received injuries from which, we learn, they both died. Parties lately from the Fort Lane diggings, Jackson County, report the prospects even better than ever. Pieces of gold weighing $60 and $40, as also smaller ones, have been picked up within the past few days. The large nugget picked up in the Fort Lane diggings, Oregon, some time ago, by James McDonough, weighs about twenty-six ounces, but contains some quartz. The value of this handsome specimen is between $300 and $400 in gold. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, April 29, 1876, page 2 The Times (Jacksonville) says the English company now working extensive diggings on Galice Creek is considering the purchase of the Sterling Creek mines. There is a vast strip of pay dirt yet remaining in that section which requires only capital and enterprise to make it pan out. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Record-Union, May 25, 1877, page 1 The total product of mines worked in the counties of Jackson and Josephine, in Southern Oregon, since 1851, when gold was first discovered, is estimated at $18,000,000. . . .Oregon Mining-Immigration Journal. "Oregon Minerals," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 9, 1877, page 367 R. J. Cameron is engaged in constructing a ditch to bring water to the mining grounds on the Little Applegate, Jackson County. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 9, 1877, page 372 SISKIYOU CINNABAR.
Oregonian, Portland,
August 27, 1877, page 3JACKSONVILLE,
Aug. 20, 1877.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
OREGONIAN:Anyone who will travel forty miles southwest from Jacksonville in the summer season can find the original Garden of Eden and the spring which Ponce de Leon sought for so long a time, and which has the power to restore youth and vigor. This Garden of Eden is situated four or five thousand feet above the level of the sea in the Siskiyou Mountains at the cinnabar mine on Beaver Creek, and resembles the other one of old in the salubrity of its climate, the beauty of its scenery and the luxuriance of its vegetation. Whether it is an improvement on the original garden or not depends upon the temperament of the visitor. It has the serpent (with nine or ten rattles), but the Eve and the apple and the fig leaf are wanting. The reason why you must go in summer is because if you wait until winter you will have to walk on snowshoes. There is a trail leading to the mine from Jacksonville up Little Applegate Creek a few miles, then on by Little Beaver and on up by Squaw Creek, and still "Excelsior" by Chappel's spring and the Silver Fork (you see what camp furniture we have in the mountains) of Elliott's Creek to a low gap in the Siskiyous, from which Elliott Creek runs north into Oregon and Beaver Creek runs south into California, and from which you can see far down south and gaze upon Mt. Shasta from base to summit. You descend three miles and amidst gigantic sugar pines and tamarack and grass belly deep to your animal and you are on the enchanted ground. The cinnabar deposit is on a point running down from the "divide" spoken of above, and is between the Lick fork and the west fork of Beaver Creek. From underneath this hill or mountain, and on the side of the Lick fork bubble out the most delightful springs of soda and iron, two of soda at a distance of a mile or so apart, and one of iron. There is still another spring not quite so delightful, being strongly impregnated with sulfur, and going to show that the opposition establishment to our paradise may not be far off. It is impossible to imagine or describe the delights of drinking from these soda springs. The water bubbles continually, and it is just sufficiently pungent to make it pleasant, and it is so light that one can drink almost any quantity of it. Indeed, in drinking it "the appetite seems to grow by what it feeds upon." I was informed by an old hunter who camps in the neighborhood every summer that the deer come from a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles to drink this water, and any morning between daylight and sunrise you can see, by secreting yourself near the soda lick, from twenty to forty or fifty deer absolutely guzzling the nectar. They will wade the creek without drinking to get at it, and they drink till their little stomachs are swelled out like frogs. The tastes of your humble contributor may not be known, but I am fond of champagne in a goblet, and yet I would rather at any time have a quart or two of this soda water than a tumbler of Charles Heidsieck or Veuve Clicquot with ice. Whilst exploring for springs one was found which was nearly dry, not containing more than a cup full of water. Then it was that one of those wretches who infest society, an old joker, a sort of intellectual Bashi-bazouk, unimpressed by the grandeur that was about him, sillily and in bland accents remarks that he had often heard "that one swallow did not make a spring, but there was a case where one swallow would destroy a spring." The mountain men of the party looked at the perpetrator as if he had let his rifle go off by accident, and they moved on in contemptuous silence. The iron spring not at all unpalatable, and one can almost feel as he drinks it its life-giving and life-renewing qualities. This is the spring which has the most reputation medically, and indeed the cures which it has worked in some chronic cases are astonishing. It may perhaps be somewhat impregnated with mercury, as it comes right out from under the cinnabar. The whole of this cinnabar discovery is somewhat peculiar. Some years ago a tradition was floating around that the Indians had encamped somewhere and kindled a fire on some loose rocks, and that shortly afterward they lost their hair (without being scalped) and all their teeth. The story reached the ears of one of our most enterprising and persistent prospectors and miners, Mr. Henry Klippel. He did not like to acknowledge that he had been set in motion by such an airy nothing as this report until success had crowned his efforts. He succeeded in getting an Indian who would not go near the place for fear of the evil spirit that had so quickly "lifted the hair" of his brethren, but he described the locality. An examination of Beaver Creek showed float cinnabar, and for six years the search has been continued until at last the deposit has been found, and is of surpassing richness and in great abundance. A well-known miner came to grief in the claim as well as the Indians. He was a great smoker and carried his tobacco loose in his trousers pocket. When sinking a shaft some crumbs of ore must have got into his pocket and mingled in the tobacco, and when he lighted his pipe the mercury became volatilized by the heat, and he lost every tooth in his head. Some time since, 2,800 pounds of ore was shipped to Oakland in this state, where it was reduced in a large retort, and over 1,400 pounds of quicksilver was returned to the shippers. That was over 50 percent, and the ore is better now than it was then. A retort weighing 2,000 pounds is now on the ground and will be ready to go to work in two weeks. From the appearance of the ore on the dump and in the mine we predict a good return for the patience, time, labor and money which have been used in its development. BEVANS.
The Emeline company, of Jackson County, expect to get out 10,000 pounds
of quicksilver before they shut down their works for the winter.
""From Oregon and Washington Territory," Sacramento
Daily Union, September 14, 1877, page 2The Sterling ditch, in Jackson County, is about completed. The Jacksonville Sentinel says the Emeline cinnabar nine now turns out about 150 pounds of quicksilver a day. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, September 26, 1877, page 1 Jacksonville Times: Captain Caton, Superintendent of the Emeline mine, was in town Tuesday, bringing several flasks of quicksilver. He reports matters as progressing swimmingly, about 230 pounds of pure metal being realized daily. Operations will be prosecuted night and day after this week. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, October 20, 1877, page 1 MINING PROSPECTS.--Oregon Sentinel, Dec. 26: Very little rain has fallen in this section this winter, and our mining population is mostly idle, anxiously waiting for the commencement of the rainy season. The miners are all ready for work, and will begin active operations as soon as they have sufficient water, but the prospects for a very prosperous mining season are not as flattering as they might be. LUCKY QUEEN.--We are informed from a most reliable source that the owners of the Lucky Queen mine have very great cause to rejoice. From late developments it seems to be established to the satisfaction of those interested that the main ledge has at last been reached, and that the prospect is flattering indeed. It seems that the work heretofore has been prosecuted in the wrong direction, and, consequently, without avail; but a few days ago the work was placed in charge of another superintendent, who, from his extensive experience in such business, determined to take another course from that of his predecessor, and was rewarded in a very short time by finding, only a short distance below the surface, strong indications of that which he was seeking, and has finally struck what, if past experience in quartz mining does not fail, is a large, abundantly rich, and well-defined ledge. This will add another and, we doubt not, permanent attraction toward the rapidly developing mines of Southern Oregon. The efforts of this company certainly deserve success, and our best wishes are with them. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 5, 1878, page 12 AT JACKSONVILLE.--Sentinel, Feb. 27: Work progresses in the shaft of Smith, Courtney & Waisman in Rich Gulch, with satisfactory results. The water is pumped out by the engine in their shop and work is continued day and night. The hydraulic claim of Gin Lin on Little Applegate is still being worked. We presume it pays or Lin would discontinue. Only two and one-half miles of the Sterling ditch remains to be dug. GALICE CREEK.--All the hydraulic claims on Galice Creek are being run day and night. An immense slide of dirt and gravel did considerable damage in the English claim, carrying away quite a number of sluices and, of course, the product of several days' run. The claim of Cook and Ankeny shows a large quantity of the blue gravel peculiar to that section, and is evidently remunerating its owners handsomely. Bybee's claims show well and are no doubt yielding good returns. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 9, 1878, page 149 MIDDLE CREEK.--Sentinel, March 6: Work at these mines is progressing rapidly, and in ground sluicing gold is frequently seen with the eyes. They have very little dump, and considerable trouble is experienced on this account. SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.--The Sterling started into full operation on the first of the month, and is going at full capacity. It has three hundred feet head of water the year through, and with two giants is sluicing away the mountain at a rapid rate. They will make their first cleanup on the last of March. THE BLUE GRAVEL MINE, on which $100,000 has been spent, is now in full operation and working finely with excellent prospects. It has a head of two hundred feet, and with two giants running, and forcing water through six-inch nozzles tears out tons of earth from the mountainside, which has been washed away until it presents a perpendicular front ninety feet in hight. A cleanup will be made about the 10th of March. THE ENGLISH MINE, after a temporary suspension on account of a breakdown, is working away at its fullest capacity. They have a head of three hundred and twenty-five feet, and run three giants. With these hydraulic hose, or either of the other mines, a stone of a ton weight is rolled aside as if it was a marble, and at three hundred and fifty yards the strongest brick building in the city would be swept down as if it were built of sand. The English company have made a cleanup, but the result is kept secret. There is no stock for sale in any of these mines. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 23, 1878, page 181 BIG NUGGET.--Sentinel, March 27: On Saturday last Martin Koster, of Foots Creek, found a nugget in his claim weighing three and a half pounds, worth about $700. The day previous he found a piece worth over $42. ESTHER MINE.--The parties in charge have made one small run on quartz, with satisfactory results. The mill is now engaged in running the tailings through the pans. They are making arrangements to have quartz taken out so soon as the roads can be traveled over, thus keeping the mill steadily at work. OUR GOLD PRODUCT.--C. C. Beekman has handled over $10,000,000 in gold dust during his 25 years' residence in this place, and estimates that as much more passed through the hands of other buyers. This enormous amount of bullion was the product of the mines of Jackson and Josephine counties, which still furnish a great stretch of mining ground that has never been worked and only awaits the introduction of capital to make it yield forth its golden treasure. Hydraulic mining is destined to be one of the leading industries of Southern Oregon, and a very remunerative one, too. A PROSPEROUS SEASON.--The mining industry of Jackson County has not been so prosperous for years as at this season. The abundant winter rains and the melting snows in the mountains keep the creeks and gulches full, affording enough water for all practical purposes, "and some to spare." The mines on the two Applegates and the various creeks and gulches are all being successfully worked, and considerable of the "precious" taken out. Farming in the valley is also taking a new start and promises to become remunerative. This, with the people learning and practicing habits of economy, is a sure indication of the ushering in of an era of prosperity for Southern Oregon. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 6, 1878, page 213 ABOUT JACKSONVILLE.--Sentinel, April 3: The Centennial mine, after a seven days' run, made a cleanup of $230. This, considering their limited supply of water, is good. Chinaman Lin is now making over $100 per day in his mines on Applegate. A cleanup was made at Capt. Ankeny's mines, on Galice Creek, last week, after a six weeks' run, and upwards of $10,000 worth of gold was taken out. A lump of pure gold worth $212 was picked up by Mr. Mayburn last week in his mines on Foots Creek. Work on the Enterprise ledge, Althouse Creek, Josephine County, has been suspended. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 13, 1878, page 229 BIG NUGGET.--The Jacksonville Sentinel of the 27th ult. says that on Saturday last, Martin Koster, of Foots Creek, found a nugget in his claim weighing three and a half pounds, worth about $700. The day previous he found a piece worth over $42, the which awakened in the mind of ye ancient miner memories of the past. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 4, 1878, page 272 Mining interests in the northern part of Jackson County are flourishing. Three miles of the Grave Creek ditch have been completed and twenty men are busily engaged on the seventeen miles remaining. Miners on Coyote Creek are cleaning up and realizing largely on the season's work. "Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, May 16, 1878, page 1 Mining interests in the northern part of Jackson County are flourishing. Three miles of the Grave Creek ditch have been completed, and twenty men are busily engaged on the seventeen miles remaining. Miners on Coyote Creek are cleaning up and realizing largely on the season's work "Oregon Items," The Sentinel, Red Bluff, California, May 18, 1878, page 3 Mining
interests in the northern part of Jackson County, Oregon, are
flourishing. Three miles of the Grave Creek ditch have been completed,
and twenty men are busily engaged on the seventeen miles remaining.
Miners on Coyote Creek are cleaning up and realizing largely on the
season's work.
"Pacific
Coast
Items," Sacramento
Daily Union, May 23, 1878,
page 1NEW ENTERPRISE.--Sentinel, May 29: The owners of a gravel claim on Applegate Creek have finished the survey for a ditch to bring water upon the same. It will be built this season. The deposit lies parallel with Applegate River, and 40 or 50 feet higher. This ancient channel is about a quarter of a mile wide with an apparent depth of over 100 feet in the deepest part, and prospects most flattering wherever tried. Their water ditch is taken out of Beaver Creek, which will afford a head of 3,000 inches of water for six months in the year. The creek has a very rapid fall, so that the surveyed line of this ditch is only two and one quarter miles in length, and brings the ditch to an elevation of 250 feet above the bedrock in the old channel. THE MINERS in Southern Oregon are generally doing well. Water is fairly abundant and the season will be an average good one at least. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 8, 1878, page 357 Southwestern Oregon.
From the Holt County
Press,
published at Oregon, Missouri, we take the following extracts from an
article written for that paper by Adam Klippel. Mr. K. visited this
valley last year, and having become favorably impressed with our
climate and resources, intends returning ere long to make his permanent
residence in this county:
The Rogue River country in Southern Oregon, extending 150 miles from the foot of the Cascades range of mountains to the Pacific Ocean, is now being extensively "prospected," with varying results, for the precious metals. The most recent gold and quicksilver discoveries have been made in the border counties of Jackson, Josephine and Curry. The mining season which commenced in October 1877, and closed in July 1878, has been one of unusual prosperity, especially in the so-called "placer" or gravel diggings, and miners generally are enjoying better times now than they have for many years past. Three methods of gold mining are in vogue in Oregon, namely: Surface placer mining, hydraulic placer mining and quartz mining. The first is a very laborious method, continuing only as long as the water lasts in the gulches during the rainy months, and where the pick and shovel play a conspicuous part. Success in this class of mining depends greatly upon a man's muscle and his ability of picking and shoveling "pay dirt" into a sluice box. In Jackson and Josephine counties considerable of this kind of mining is being done. The area of surface upon which mining claims are located and worked will not exceed 5,000 acres. But surface mining is rapidly giving way to the hydraulic process. What is called hydraulic mining is the turning of a stream of water eight or twelve inches in diameter through a nozzle under a pressure of 300 vertical feet against a bank of clay or gravel, and washing it away. This process accomplishes results that it would take thousands of men to perform. Six large hydraulic mining companies have constructed at great expense ditches for carrying the water, have been at work this season, and are taking out large quantities of gold. As miners are exceedingly reticent about the yield of their mines, statisticians find it difficult to get at the exact amount of gold taken out. It is [the] custom of the large hydraulic mining companies to send their gold dust directly to the U.S. Mint at San Francisco for coinage. The surface miners, however, take it to Jacksonville, and sell it to the stores. One individual, Mr. C. C. Beekman, has for himself and the express company handed over ten million dollars worth of gold dust since he has gone in the business some twenty years. He is of the opinion that at least as much has passed through other hands during that time. The average yield of gold of the district, of which the town of Jacksonville is the center, heretofore has undoubtedly been from $800,000 to one million dollars per annum. And when the really small amount of ground worked is considered, an approximation of the probable future yield of gold in Southern Oregon would seem fabulous and incredible. Hydraulic mining is proving successful wherever sufficient water can be obtained, and it seems as if mining in that end of the state had only just begun. Last fall and winter Messrs. Klippel, Hanna & Co. of Jacksonville, assisted by Messrs. Bellinger, Thayer, Hawthorne and Kelly of Portland, Oregon, built a ditch in the Applegate country that has a carrying capacity of between 1,200 to 1,500 miners inches. The ditch is eleven miles and forty-four rods long, and receives its supply of water out of the two Squaw Lakes. These lakes are situated in the Siskiyou range of mountains and have an elevation above the level of the sea of some 3,800 feet. The construction of the ditch, the raising of both the lakes by powerful bulkheads (the upper lake being fourteen feet and the lower sixteen), the purchase of over a thousand feet of 22-inch iron piping, and putting the mines which are located on the east bank of Applegate River in working order, necessitated an outlay of not less than $30,000. The lakes answer as immense natural reservoirs, are each a mile long and a half a mile wide, and furnish an abundant supply of water and enable this company to continue their gold washing when nearly all other mines have suspended operations for want of water. On the first of July the company commenced washing away at its banks of gravel and clay at the rate of one thousand cubic yards per day, continuing day and night, with but slight intermission ever since. It is the intention of the company to run three months before a thorough "cleanup" will be made. Early in August a few feet of the flume were cleaned up, which proved entirely satisfactory to every member of the company, and warrant the belief that the enterprise will pay. Since the commencement of this Squaw Lake mining enterprise, this attention of capitalists as well as practical miners has been drawn toward the gravel deposits upon Applegate River, and several parties are busily engaged in developing claims upon the banks of that stream. Large deposits of paying gravel line either bank of Applegate from near its head to its mouth, and it is a source of surprise to those visiting that stream for the first time to find such inexhaustible fields of gravel lying there entirely unprospected. A joint stock company, of which judge W. R. Willis, of Roseburg, Oregon, is the head, has been formed and incorporated with a capital of $500,000, who propose to carry on placer mining on a gigantic scale on the west bank of Applegate. Having bought up all the water rights, claims and improvements of individual miners in the neighborhood, this company proposes to construct a ditch of a carrying capacity of six to ten thousand inches, taking the water out of the main Applegate near the mouth of Elliott Creek, and carrying it down [to] the large gravel deposits lying below that point. It will require a large outlay of money in the first instance, but it is regarded as a safe investment. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, September 25, 1878, page 2 Southwestern Oregon.
We clip the following letter from the Press, published in Oregon, Holt Co., Mo., which will doubtless be read with interest by our readers at home and abroad.Her Mineral Resources and Mining Industry . ED. PRESS:--Your weekly columns of "Occidental Jottings" contain much valuable information about the mineral resources of the different states and territories of the West. As I have not seen anything in them concerning the mineral industry of Southwestern Oregon I thought I would write you a few items, which you are at liberty to spread before your readers. The Rogue River country in Southern Oregon, extending 150 miles from the foot of the Cascade Range of mountains to the Pacific Ocean, is now being extensively "prospected," with varying results, for the precious metals. The most recent gold and quicksilver discoveries have been made in border counties of Jackson, Josephine and Curry. The mining season which commenced in October, 1877 and closed in July, 1878 has been one of unusual prosperity, especially in the so-called "placer" or gravel diggings, and miners generally are enjoying better times now than they have for many years past. Three methods of gold mining are in vogue in Oregon, namely surface placer mining, hydraulic placer mining and quartz mining. The first is a very laborious method, continuing only as long as the water lasts in the gulches during the rainy months, and where the pick and shovel play a conspicuous part. Success in this class of mining depends greatly upon a man's ability of picking and shoveling "pay-dirt" into a sluice box. In Jackson and Josephine counties, considerable of this kind of mining is being done. The area of surface upon which mining claims are located and worked will not exceed 5,000 acres. But surface mining is rapidly giving way to the hydraulic process. What is called hydraulic mining is the turning of a stream of water eight or ten inches in diameter through a nozzle under a pressure of 300 vertical feet against a bank of clay and gravel, and washing it away. This process accomplishes results that it would take thousands of men to perform. Six large hydraulic mining companies, having constructed at great expense ditches for carrying water, have been at work this season and are taking out gold in large quantities. As miners are exceedingly reticent about the yield of their mines, statisticians find it difficult to get at the exact amount of gold taken out. It is the custom of the large hydraulic companies to send their gold dust to the U.S. Mint at San Francisco for coinage. The surface miners however, take it to Jacksonville, and sell it to the stores. One individual, Mr. C. C. Beekman, has for himself and the express company handled over ten million dollars worth of gold dust since he has gone into the business some twenty years ago. He is of the opinion that at least as much more has passed through other hands during that time. The average yield of gold of the district, of which the town of Jacksonville is the center, heretofore has undoubtedly been from $800,000 to one million dollars per annum. And when the really small amount of ground worked over is considered in approximation of the probable future yield of gold in Southern Oregon would seem fabulous and incredible. Hydraulic mining is proving successful wherever sufficient water can be obtained, and it seems as mining in that end of the state had just begun. List fall and winter, Messrs. Klippel, Hannah and Co., of Jacksonville, assisted by Messrs. Bellinger, Thayer, Hawthorn and Kelley, of Portland, Oregon, built a ditch in the Applegate country that has a carrying capacity of between 1,200 to 1,590 miner's inches. The ditch is eleven miles and forty-four rods long, and receives its supply of water out of the two Squaw Lakes. These lakes are situated in the Siskiyou Range of mountains, and have an elevation above the level of the sea of some 3,800 feet. The construction of the ditch, the raising of both the lakes by powerful bulkheads (the upper lake being raised fourteen feet and lower sixteen), the purchase of over a thousand feet of 22-inch iron piping, and putting the mines which are located on the east bank of Applegate River in working order, necessitated an outlay of not less than $30,000. The lakes answer as two immense natural reservoirs, are each a mile long and a half mile wide, and furnish an abundant supply of water and enable this company to continue their gold washing when nearly all other mines have suspended operations for want of water. On the first of July, the company commenced washing away at its banks of gravel and clay at the rate of one thousand cubic yards per day, continuing day and night, with but slight intermission, ever since. It is the intention of the company to run three months before a thorough "cleanup" will be made. Early in August a few feet of the flume was cleaned up, which proved entirely satisfactory to every member of the company, and warrant the belief that the enterprise will pay. Since the commencement of the Squaw Lake enterprise, the attention of capitalists, as well as practical miners, has been drawn toward the gravel deposits upon Applegate River, and several parties are busily engaged in developing claims on the banks of that stream. Large deposits of paying gravel line either bank of Applegate from near its head, to its mouth, and it is a source of surprise to those visiting that stream for the first time to find such inexhaustible fields of gravel lying there entirely unprospected. A joint stock company, of which Judge Wm. R. Willis, of Roseburg, Oregon, is the head, has been formed and incorporated with a capital of $500,000, who propose to carry on placer mining on a gigantic scale on the west bank of Applegate. Having bought all the water rights, claims and improvements of original miners in the neighborhood, this company proposes to construct a ditch of a carrying capacity of six or ten thousand inches, taking the water out of the main Applegate, near the mouth of Elliott Creek, and carrying it down the west side of Applegate, on to the large gravel deposits that lie below that point. It will require a large outlay of money in the first instance, but it is regarded as a safe investment. The Jacksonville Times of a recent date says: "That these mines have remained unappropriated so long is only due to the proverbial apathy of the average Oregonian. But now that capitalists from abroad are investing in these mines, we predict the time is not far distant when more gold will be taken out here than was the case in the palmiest days of Jackson County." Of the rich deposits of cinnabar (ore of quicksilver), platina, copper, iron, plumbago, coal, isinglass, marble, quartz, gold and silver ore in all of which Southwestern Oregon abounds--I will write you some other time. ADAM KLIPPEL.
OREGON, MO., Aug. 28th, 1878.Jackson County, Oregon, wool growers, during the week ending Oct. 19th, sold about 50,000 pounds of wool at Roseburg for 10 cents per pound. "News in Brief," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 2, 1878, page 285 NEW MINING ENTERPRISE.--A new enterprise has been inaugurated at Willow Springs by the transfer of certain mining property in that locality to Portland capitalists. J. Brandt Jr., superintendent of the O.&C.R.R. Co., is the principal stockholder, and the new company expect to put on about 1,500 feet of hydraulic pipe this season. They have also purchased several water rights and ditches in the immediate vicinity, which they will place in good repair for this winter's work. Al McKenzie, an old and experienced miner, is superintendent of the mines. A GOOD YIELD.--Dan Fisher last week completed the crushing of 1,500 pounds of rock taken from the mines of the Fort Lane Quartz Company, and realized $216 in gold. This company has some fifty or sixty tons of the same rock in sight, and they are now talking of building another arrastra for crushing it. They also have some placer mines adjoining, and are now making preparations for working them this winter. Thos. Kahler is superintendent of these mines. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, November 6, 1878, page 3 MINING NOTES.
Wimer and Co., of Waldo, have completed their ditch.The miners on Silver Creek, Josephine County, have been driven out by snow, but propose returning next spring. The "Grand Applegate" have decided on enlarging their ditch now in course of construction. Over two miles of it has been finished by the contractor, Wm. Healy. Charles J. Howard is still engaged in making the survey of the ditch for Owen, Magruder & Co. It will take some time yet before it is completed. Kahler, Eckleson & Co. have some fluming to do before commencing work at their mines. With this exception everything is in readiness for this season's work. Mr. Fitzpatrick, superintendent of the Grand Applegate, has built a new house at the company's mines. Several teams loaded with pipe for this mine arrived last week. The mines on Forest Creek, owned by A. A. Hamilton, will soon be ready for this winter's work. They use the old hydraulic formerly used at the Uniontown diggings. The ditch leading from Star Gulch to the Hamilton mines, owned by Brogan, Robb & Co., will soon be completed. Work on their hydraulic pipe has been commenced by A. Maegly. Applegate raised about two feet and a half during the rain of last week. A few more days' rain, like that of last, week would give the miners in that locality enough water to begin work. The Sterling Mining Company, through their efficient superintendent Frank Ennis, have been engaged for some time past in getting their large derrick in readiness for work this winter. A portion of the dam on Applegate, belonging to the Beck brothers, was washed away by the break of Klippel, Hanna & Co.'s ditch on Friday last. The damage is only slight and can soon be repaired. The mines near Steamboat City, owned by Messrs. Bybee, Benedict & Taylor, are being thoroughly prospected, and a drift is now being run. A ditch and hydraulic will be placed on these mines in the spring. A break in the ditch of Klippel, Hanna & Co., last Friday caused a delay of a day and a half before piping could be resumed, but repairs have again been made and everything progresses finely. The break was caused by mole holes. The meeting of the stockholders in the Grave Creek Ditch and Mining Company, called for last Monday, did not take place on account of the absence of several of the principal owners. The election of officers has been postponed until December 15th. A new mining enterprise has just been started in Josephine County which promises to be a very important one. C. C. Beekman, U. S. Hayden, Wm. Turner, Joe Clough and a number of others are the projectors of this scheme, and they feel confident of having a big thing as soon as these mines are once opened. Their gravel bed is on Rogue River, a short distance from Wilderville, and they propose taking water for working the mines from Slate Creek. J. S. Howard, accompanied by Wm. M. Turner, Chas. Schultz, Fred Overbeck and Steve Hubbard, is now making a survey of the proposed ditch, which it is supposed will be some eighteen miles in length. They have a good bed of gravel and an excellent dump, and no doubt of their success is entertained by the owners of the mines. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, November 20, 1878, page 3
From
the Southern Oregon exchanges the following news
is collected in regard to mining prospects in that portion of the state:
Jos. Saltmarsh reports the miners on Sterling confident of success. Work is progressing steadily at French Flat, Josephine County. Fred Baughman will put up a hydraulic on Josephine Creek before long. John Marshal is preparing to work his extensive mines on Coyote Creek on a larger scale than before. The Grave Creek company has made arrangements to start a second hydraulic in a day or two. Parties are returning from Silver Creek, Josephine County, driven in by the snow. Some of the claims have paid well. The Sterling and Blue Gravel mines on Galice are all ready to commence operations, and are simply waiting for water. W. A. Hamilton & Co., on Forest Creek, will put up the hydraulic formerly used at Uniontown and carry on operations more extensive than ever before. The Grand Applegate Mining Company will increase the size of its ditch, now in course of construction, widening it considerably on both the top and bottom. Bybee, Benedict & Co. are sinking a shaft on their claim near Steamboat City, and will run a drift at once. They propose to do some thorough prospecting this winter. The survey of Magruder, Constant & Co.'s ditch is being continued by Charles J. Howard. It has progressed several miles, with a prospect of its extending much further. Beck Bros., who have taken up a mining claim on Applegate, will soon complete their dam, and expect to have their ditch finished in time for the ensuing season's work. The Coyote company has commenced operations with one hydraulic, and as soon as another arrives it will be set at work. The prospects in this claim are highly encouraging. J. B. Coates came in last week from H. B. Seybert's ditch, which is designed to take water from Applegate across the country to the Forty-Nine mine diggings west of Phoenix, and on touching various creeks in its route. The late rains have furnished T. L. Beck, of Willow Springs, enough water to wash up some ground sluicing done last winter, which is paying well. He will engage quite extensively in mining operations this winter. The Roseburg company, composed of Lee Rodenberger, John Rast and Thomas J. Criteser, have about completed their ditch from Tom East Creek, and are now engaged in getting their hydraulic pipe into position for the winter's work. I. N. Muncy passed through Roseburg last week, on his way to Portland, to purchase a crushing mill for the Tellurium mine. The mill is of the pattern known as Salmon's patent crusher. Mr. Muncy proposes to ship the mill to the mine before bad weather sets in. He reports work at the mine as progressing satisfactorily to all interested. Two more wagons heavily laden with hydraulic pipe from Middle Creek went to Abraham & Wills' mines on Applegate last week. All the mining apparatus from that deserted camp is being brought over the mountain and will be conveyed to the Applegate mines in a few weeks, where it will probably be used to a good purpose. Oregonian, Portland, November 26, 1878, page 1 SOUTHERN OREGON MINING NOTES
The
Squaw Lake Ditch Co. received 600 feet more of
hydraulic pipe this week.
Beck Bros. have repaired the recent break in their dam and are strengthening the works. The Centennial Mining Co. in the Willow Springs district has its hydraulic in position and now awaits the winter rains. The miners are anxiously awaiting water, though many of them have not completed preparations for the winter's work as yet. Gin Lin has been piping since the rains of a few weeks ago, but the recent cold spell has been quite unfavorable for extensive operations. J. E. Beggs recently brought the Sterling Company a monster derrick from Roseburg. It weighs over 5,000 pounds and can handle boulders of uncommon size with ease. Kahler, Robb & Co. at the Palmer Creek mines are now putting in another flume. The pipe is about laid, and when the fluming is completed this company will be ready for operations. The cold, frosty weather has retarded mining operations somewhat. But little water was afforded by the rains that preceded, though the streams all raised perceptibly for the time being. The survey on Magruder, Owen & Co.'s ditch has proceeded as far as Henry York's on Applegate. It is estimated that it will bring up near the bridge across that stream. The length of the ditch approximates 48 miles. The Grand Applegate Ditch Company are pushing their work with commendable energy. Their pipe and giant are on the ground, and as soon as three miles of ditch are completed they will be prepared to go to sluicing. Rodenburger, Criteser & Rast's ditch from Tom East Creek to their claims in the Grave Creek district, three miles distant, is completed and a fair head of water now running through it. The company is putting on 1,800 feet of pipe and a little giant. Lawrence Grob & Co., which have extensive placer mines on Elliott Creek, on Wednesday sent out a load of supplies in charge of Jimmy Leslie, also interested. The company will renew prospecting their ground and may do some substantial work this winter. Messrs. Robb and Brogan, of the Hamilton claim near Uniontown, were in town Saturday. They report work on their diggings progressing satisfactorily and expect everything to be ready when the rains set in. The hydraulic pipe is being put up by A. Maegle, who intends completing the job in a short time. Wm. Bybee and Isaac Irwin have recently purchased the placer diggings of Henry Wines at the head of Jumpoff Joe Creek and will put up a small hydraulic on them this winter. A ditch one mile in length is now being brought in and will afford enough water for the present, though it is proposed to extent it some farther hereafter. Morning Oregonian, Portland,
December 3, 1878, page 1
MINING NEWS.
From the Jacksonville Times
we gather the following news of the mines of
Southern Oregon:
The mines of Farmers Flat are about ready to commence operations. Considerable mining is going on in the region of Willow Springs this winter. The mines on Jackass Creek are being worked more extensively than ever before. The Esther quartz mine is probably to be leased to a company of Nevada miners. The pipe for Gin Lin's second hydraulic is now in position and almost ready for active work. The Squaw Lake Ditch Company has ceased piping and is now making a general cleanup. The Silver Creek excitement is in a fair way to be discouraged for the present by the heavy snowfall in that vicinity. Miners are of the opinion that but another rain like the one recently experienced will be necessary to furnish enough water for mining purposes. The Sterling Company will soon build one or more reservoirs, which will enable it to continue operations the year around. Reports from Josephine County are of a favorable nature. More mining than ever will be carried on in that country than ever before. The Douglas Independent, Roseburg, December 21, 1878, page 2 No mining notes to report this week, as the late freeze-up has caused a suspension of all work in that line. "Local Items," Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, January 8, 1879, page 2 A flock of geese flying rather low over a Jackson County (Oregon) miner's claim the other day, the man in charge of the hydraulic pipe turned it on them and succeeded in bringing down two of the birds, one of which was secured. Weekly Pacific Tribune, Seattle, Washington, January 12, 1879, page 1 THE STEAMBOAT QUARTZ MINE.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Jan. 1: Says Richard Cook, one of the owners: A large vein of gold-bearing quartz has just been discovered, assaying from $22 to $90 per ton. Messrs. Cook & Heard have done about $500 worth of work during the past season. An effort is now being made to organize a stock company to work the ledge. THE LUCKY QUEEN RENTED.--Independent, Jan. 1: The Lucky Queen mine has been rented for a period of one year to a Mr. Rodebaugh, an experienced miner, who, after practical tests, is satisfied he can work the ore with profit. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 18, 1879, page 44 MINING ON ROGUE RIVER.--Crescent City Courier, Jan. 22: There is more or less mining going on along the river. It is a hard matter to ascertain the amount of gold taken out during the year, but it is evident that the miners make it pay or they would not remain so long as some have. Very fine prospects have been found high upon the benches, both on Rogue and Illinois rivers. On the Illinois River it would pay a company with capital to bring in a ditch and work the benches, which are one above the other, and prospect well down to the bed of the river. Six or seven miles of a ditch will bring a sufficient supply of water. The gold is coarse. Experienced miners state if water could be brought on the grounds that men could make about four dollars per day. "Del Norte," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 8, 1879, page 85 MINING NOTES.
It is
unnecessary to explain that our mining notes are perfectly reliable.The reports of the nuggets found on Briggs Creek, in the Ferren claim, are confirmed. The "Dry Diggings" Mining Company have been piping since February with very good prospects, but will not clean up until their water gives out. Jos. Clough, Geo. Howard and Wm. Nickell started yesterday for Silver Creek. They won't take anybody's word but want to see for themselves. The troubles of the Squaw Lake Co. with regard to their ditch seem to be over, as they have now been piping over a week without any break occurring. In the case of the Coyote Gold and Silver Mining Co. vs. Wm. and Walter Ruble, testimony is being taken, and on petition of defendants Garrett Crockett has been appointed receiver. Frank Ennis, superintendent of the Sterling mine, was in town yesterday and reports everything working satisfactorily. The prospects are splendid, gold being visible and plenty in the gravel. Tom Kahler's last cleanup at the Fort Lane diggings was $90--for the work of two hands for one day. The week previous he cleaned up $158--for the work of two hands six days, ground sluicing. Irving & Co. are opening their claims with very good prospects. As the work now being done on this creek is in a newly discovered channel, and as the creek was successfully worked twenty years ago, it will probably be a good camp. Sturgis and McKee, on Jackass Creek, have just cleaned up two boxes at the end of a two-hundred-foot race and realized $621. Considering the short time they have been at work this is good pay and indicates a cleanup of three or four thousand dollars for the season. Mr. Henry P. Macnevin, the gentleman who lately purchased a quartz lode near the lower Table Rock, and who has been examining our mines, returned to San Francisco last night. He will return here with his family in about a month and will, we hope, become a permanent resident among us. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, April 16, 1879, page 2 MINING NOTES.
From good
and reliable authority I am this week enabled to give your many readers
mining news that is not mythical. First then about Silver Creek. From
S. T. White, Chapman and Thornton, I learn that only two claims have
been prospected to any extent, the principal one being that of Redman
& Co., who in thirty days work last fall, including
prospecting, took out on an average fifteen dollars per day to the
hand, the other claim averaging from six to eight dollars per day; and
now that the water is getting lower greater results will be shown
shortly, and no doubt slugs that will astonish the natives will be
taken out. As but little prospecting has yet been done on the main
creek, and none on the seven tributaries, except Tod's Creek, the final
result, no doubt, will cause such a stir in mining circles that has not
been heard of in these latter days. Besides the creeks named and the
one partly prospected, there is a territory of twenty or thirty miles
square that has never been prospected, and, no doubt, as rich and
perhaps, richer mines will yet be discovered in that region. As to the
ground to be worked it varies from three to eight feet in depth, but on
the flat above the falls and below it is thought to be very deep. The
quality of the gold is very fine, as high as $18.25 per ounce having
been received for it, besides the gold is all clean and coarse, valuing
from 25 cent to $25 pieces. Below the falls of Silver Creek (which are
said to be very fine, the water falling 100 feet perpendicular, then 60
feet; from there to level 140 feet rapids), Byers, Mace & Co.
are running a tunnel and have already got in thirty feet, but are
bothered by the heavy head of water issuing from it. They are very
.sanguine of success as they are sure the old channel was filled up by
a slide and the creek now is of recent times. There is a large
basin of about one section that is without doubt an old lake, and which
is underlaid by a body of gravel, perhaps 100 feet in depth. This is
immediately above the falls and will soon be prospected.The Briggs Creek mines are as good and even better than Silver Creek, and I am told by Mr. Thornton that it will be the principal camp. Another prospector tells me that it is by far the best of the two, for the mines will be more permanent. So far as the country has been prospected the claims are all taken, and it would be well for people going in there to be prepared to board and bed themselves, as provision are quite high. As far as I can learn tramps and loafers are not wanted. A well-known party, being rather short of means, concluded to go down to Red Dog, a tributary of Briggs Creek, and with but little knowledge of mining worked alone and without sluice boxes, and picked up off the bedrock six hundred dollars. Another man went down on a bar formed by last winter's freshet and worked diligently for a few hours on the clean washed gravel but was not paid for his trouble, which dampened his mining ardor in that region. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, May 7, 1879, page 1 MINING ITEMS.--Times, May 30: The Squaw Lake company has been resetting its pipe, and is by this time moving the gravel at a lively rate. Robb & Co., at the Hamilton diggings, expect to commence making a final cleanup for this season in the course of a week or two. Claims on Silver Creek command fair prices. One sold for $300 recently, and several others have changed hands at more reasonable figures. The parties from California prospecting the old Johnson ledge at Blackwell are said to be getting out good ore, which promises to be abundant. E. K. Anderson, at the Forty-Nine Diggings near Phoenix, has washed considerable ground during the season, and is sanguine of excellent results. John Egan and others will at once resume the prospecting of a quartz ledge in the Willow Springs district, upon which some work was done last year. James McDonough has several specimens of very rich ore taken from the shaft of the Fort Lane mine at a depth of 40 ft. They exhibit free gold in abundance. Operations will soon be commenced on the ditch that the Savage Bros., F. M. Plymale, J. B. Wrisley and others intend running from Savage Creek to some promising gravel beds in the vicinity of Rogue River, two miles beyond. Parties from Briggs' and Silver creeks report that recent storms have delayed mining operations there. Several hundred miners are now in that section getting ready to work the diggings, which in many cases prospect well. J. T. Layton and Kubli & Bolt, who are running hydraulics on Farris Gulch, made excellent cleanups last week, which establish the value of their diggings. They will have plenty of water for several months to come. Messrs. Chadwick, McNevin and Lightner, who are doing much to revive the failing interest in quartz mining, are also turning their attention to placer mines. They have been and are now visiting several hydraulic claims in this county, and may conclude to invest. Johnson & Allison, mining on Jackson Creek, made a partial cleanup last week, which proved a satisfactory one. They picked up several pieces of gold, one of which weighed $4.95, and another over $6. They will be able to pipe a few weeks longer before cleaning up finally. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 7, 1879, page 372 Southern Oregon Mines.
From the Jacksonville Times.
A
general cleanup is about to be commenced in this
section.
Brown brothers, at Althouse, are now engaged in cleaning up, with good prospects. Smith & Waisman are prospecting the Shipley lot in the northeastern part of town for paying diggings. The Josephine mine, situated on Rogue River, below the mouth of Slate Creek, and which promised well, is in litigation. Much prospecting will be done during the summer and fall, many miners having already purchased their outfits and started for different localities. A. W. Sturgis & Co. are still engaged in cleaning up and have every prospect of excellent results. They will operate with a "Little Jiant" [sic] next winter. A nugget of gold worth about $50 was recently found in the claim of A. Koster & Co., Foots Creek. A very fair cleanup has been made there this season. Gin Lin, the Chinese tyee operating extensively in the rich mines near Uniontown, cleaned up 192 ounces, or over $3100, the other day, the result of a three weeks' run. Captain H. Kelley, of Leland, is in town; from him we learn that the miners of Coyote and Grave creeks generally are still busily engaged and seem sanguine of the best results. It is believed that, owing to the increase of scientific mining, the amount of gold taken out this season will be fully up to the average, though the supply of water has been more limited than usual. Messrs. Egan & Steel, who are prospecting a quartz claim in the Willow Springs district, brought some specimens of rich ore to town Saturday. They will continue operations and thoroughly open up the ledge. Robb, Eckleson & Co., at the Hamilton diggings, made another partial cleanup last week, from which they realized nearly $1000. This company is now engaged in cleanup for the season and expect to make a good report. M. O'Hara, of Foots Creek, gave us a call on Friday. He informs us that many of the miners there are now engaged in cleaning up, though several have water enough to continue operations awhile longer. The prospects are generally favorable. Dan Fisher has disposed of his interest in the Fort Lane ledge, noted for its rich ore, to the other members of the company, who now are Jas. McDonough, Thos. P. Kahler, Robt. Kahler, Henry Klippel and J. B. Lifers. The ledge will be thoroughly opened, the proprietors intending to inaugurate operations before long. We have been shown two first-class prospects from the Steam Beer placer mine on Grave Creek, made at a distance of five and eight feet by C. L. Rodenberger, which prove the claim to be a valuable one. The banks are deep and the gravel appears to be of an excellent quality. The proprietors intend to make several improvements on the previous modus operandi and expect to be well rewarded for their pains next winter. Grant County News, Canyon City, June 28, 1879, page 4 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, June 25: Squaw Lake mine is looking well and the depth of the bank of pay gravel is increasing. In the Sugar Pine ledge the supply of gold quartz is abundant. In the Steamboat quartz mine active preparations are being made to find the lost vein. A nugget worth $140.50 and another worth $8.25 were picked up near French Gulch at the Auburn mines in piping a claim owned by Mr. R. Roberts. The specimens were fine gold. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 5, 1879, page 12 JACKSONVILLE.--Times, July 4: The Grand Applegate company is now engaged in piping. The Squaw Lake company is still piping away with good effect. Hein Deneff, mining on Farmers Flat, last week, picked up two pieces of gold weighing nine ounces. The miners of Josephine County still have a fair supply of water, but some of them will commence cleaning up soon. Jacob Klippel, Thomas Keaton and Henry Weber are now engaged in ground sluicing on Elliott Creek, with fair prospects. The mining season has come to a close in Willow Springs district, the last miner, T. L. Beck, having suspended operations this week. The news from Silver Creek is favorable, many of the miners there making good wages. Water is said to be failing at Briggs Creek since warm weather set in. Several of the miners on Sterling Creek have just completed ground sluicing and are cleaning up, Kleinhammer & Co. among the number. The run has been a fair one. Beck Bros., on Big Applegate, have completed their ditch, which is about three miles long, and will commence active mining operations forthwith. Their ground is said to prospect well. They are to be complimented on their enterprise, which deserves success. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 12, 1879, page 28 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Times, July 11: Thornton, Kincaid & Co. are doing well on Silver Creek. They have picked up nuggets weighing $89 and $47, besides several smaller pieces. W. A. Johnson, an experienced miner, is opening a quartz claim in Josephine County and expects to commence crushing ore about the 1st of September. A partial cleanup was made the other day at the diggings of Kubli & Bolt, on Farris Gulch, which proved quite satisfactory. Several nuggets of quartz containing a large proportion of gold were picked up. Operations have been resumed and will be continued for several weeks yet. J. T. Layton, mining on Farris Gulch, made another cleanup a few days since, after a three weeks' run, which yielded 100 ounces of gold, or about $1,650. Recent reports leave the impression that the richness of the Briggs Creek mines has been exaggerated. The Silver Creek country promises better, as several good claims have been opened. Beck Bros., on Big Applegate, recently completed a ditch over two miles in length, and are engaged in ground sluicing. They expect to employ more scientific methods as they open their claim. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 19, 1879, page 37 ITEMS.--Sentinel, July 16: The miners on Foots Creek have about completed work for the season. All who have been able to uncover bedrock have realized good pay for their labor. This camp is rich and extensive, and though it has been worked for many years there are extensive fields of rich ground on the creek that have never been moved. Wm. Crow reports a nugget just found on Silver Creek, as large as a man's hand, and worth over $1,000. Gin Lin cleaned up $1,200 after a two weeks' run. Mr. Helms has a specimen of quartz taken from his claim, on Foots Creek, which weighs $600. ITEMS.--Times, July 18: Kretzer & Otten, mining on Farmers Flat, recently picked up a nugget of gold valued at $120, as also other smaller pieces, one of which weighed almost an ounce. Egan & Co. are down 38 ft. upon their ledge near Willow Springs, and find the vein four ft. in width and still widening. The ore is of an excellent quality. Wm. Nickell, who has returned from Briggs Creek, does not give a flattering account of that section. He says the diggings are deep, hard to work, and not particularly rich in gold. Towne & Reynolds, in the Sterling district, have completed ground sluicing and are now engaged in cleaning up, which will occupy some time. Mr. Reynolds informs us that the spring proved an average one, the results of which have been quite favorable. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 26, 1879, page 60 ITEMS.--Times, July 25: Desselles & Co.'s Scott's Gulch claim and the hydraulic mine of Wimer & Co., near Waldo, are both running day and night. Water is failing generally and most of the large hydraulic companies will soon be obliged to suspend operations for the season. It is reported that certain parties mining on Silver Creek took out $240 in a single afternoon. It proved to be a pocket in the bedrock. A cleanup was commenced at the Sterling mine last week, which will conclude this season's operations. Some excellent ground has been washed off, and a large amount of gold dust will no doubt be realized. The miners of Galls Creek have all finished for the season, with the exception of Pfeil Bros., who will not complete their cleanup until several weeks later. The spring run has proved a fair one, in a financial point of view. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 2, 1879, page 76 Magruder Bros. and J. W. Hays will, in a few days, complete a ditch from Sams Creek to their diggings on Rogue River, which is 990 rods [three miles] in length. They are quite sanguine that the enterprise thus inaugurated by them will prove a successful one. "Southern Oregon," Oregonian, Portland, August 18, 1879, page 3 STERLING MINE.--Jacksonville Sentinel: Work to establish the new base in the Sterling mine is progressing rapidly. A deep cut is being opened just below the point where piping will be commenced. Everything will be in readiness to open on ground of known richness in a short time. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 11, 1879, page 236 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel: Geo. W. Elliott & Co. have an arrastra running on the quartz taken from their ledge near Willow Springs. The vein they are on prospects very rich, and they anticipate realizing a profit from their prospecting operations with their present appliances. The gold obtained is free from sulphates or other base metals and easily saved. BIG NUGGET.--Messrs. C. Y. Miller and James Eaton, who have been at work mining on Elliott Creek, a tributary of Big Applegate, recently took out of their claim a nugget of pure gold weighing $120. They have taken out many smaller pieces weighing from an ounce to $3 to $5, besides a considerable amount of fine gold. Reames Bros. purchased the large nugget. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 1, 1879, page 284 ELLIOTT CREEK.--Sentinel, Nov. 12: Miners on this stream are reported doing well. Pickle, Smith & Co. last week struck very rich prospects. In running a cut they came upon an old channel where the gravel averaged 50 cents to the pan. Other miners on the creek are generally doing well. Elton & Miner's claim is paying well. JOSEPHINE CO. ITEMS.--Letter from Waldo to the Sentinel reports that mining operations are assuming a lively appearance. Preparations are being made for a long run. Prospecting has been the rage during this fine weather, and the mines that have lain dormant for years will be opened this winter. W.H.M. Co.'s hydraulic claim, containing 220 acres mining ground, conducted by Wimer & Simmons, will be ready for piping in about three weeks. This mine has been considered by old experienced miners to be one of the richest mines in Southern Oregon. Two years have been consumed in constructing a cut, one-fourth of a mile in length, 60-ft. bank. Large flumes have been placed in this cut for a tail race. They have a ditch four miles in length, carrying 1,500 inches, taking their water out of the East Fork of the Illinois River and dumping it into the West Fork. New flumes have been constructed wherever required throughout the entire distance. This winter they will have 140 ft. pressure; 900 ft. of iron pipe will be used with an 11-inch giant and 4-inch nozzle. Wessel & Co., hydraulic mine, are making extensive preparations for a long run. The elevator used in carrying the dirt from their mine to the flume works to perfection. Rich prospects have been found beneath what was supposed to be a bedrock, but what proved to be a boulder formation, with good pay dirt. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 22, 1879, page 332 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Nov. 19: Piping commenced at the Eckleson & Hamilton mining claim, on Applegate, last Monday, with every prospect of success. Magruder & Hays last week received 600 ft. of 11-inch pipe for their mine on Rogue River. The pipe is now being put in position. Sturgis & Beckner commenced ground sluicing at their mines on the 10th inst. Last season they did not get to work till the 1st of March. J. H. Hyzer, Sanford Carter and John Gale discovered a rich gold-bearing quartz ledge in the vicinity of the Squaw Lake mines last week, which prospects well. The Grave Creek ditch and mining company have their ditch about completed and will be ready for work in a short time. The late rains have furnished water enough to start some of the mines in this section providing our miners had been prepared for it. It was not expected so soon, however, and did no good. At the quartz mine in the Willow Springs district, owned by parties living in Portland, silver ore was discovered one day last week, assaying about $6 per ton. A thorough prospect of this ledge is now being made. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 29, 1879, page 348 ITEM.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Dec. 8: Messrs. Watts & Redman, on Horse Creek, in Josephine County, discovered what they believe to be a rich quartz ledge. The specimens of quartz found are highly impregnated with the precious ore. Having made the necessary arrangements they will at once wash off the top dirt in order to lay bare the ledge. The indications are all favorable for a rich strike. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 13, 1879, page 380 The recent heavy rain storm in Southern Oregon resulted in great damage. Immense quantities of lumber, several mill dams and thousands of logs were swept away. "News in Brief," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 20, 1879, page 404 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Dec. 17: The English company, on Galice Creek, is now piping with about 1,000 inches of water. K. Kubli has just finished a lot of hydraulic pipe for Messrs. Hayes & Magruder, above Rock Point on Rogue River, and that company commenced to pipe last Saturday with every prospect of success. The Blue Gravel company, on Galice Creek, are running with a good head of water. More snow seems to have fallen in that locality than elsewhere in Southern Oregon. The supply of water is yet limited. Two pipes are now in use at Chinaman Lin's mine, on Applegate, with prospects favorable for a continuance of their supply of water during the winter. Lin employs twenty hands in the working of these mines. Sturgis, Beckner & Co. purchased the remainder of the ground lying at the mouth of Poormans Creek and the forks of Jackass Creek. They now own a continuous stretch of about two miles of that creek, and are ground sluicing at present with a very good head of water. McKnight & Goldworthy, of Foots Creek, are adding more pipe to their hydraulic at that place, so as to enable them to work their mines on an extensive scale this winter. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 27, 1879, page 420 MINING ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Dec. 24: Ed. Hutt, one of the miners on Foot's Creek, in making a partial cleanup last Monday, took out a nugget weighing $22. Along Foots Creek is some of the best mining ground in Southern Oregon. There are five hydraulic mining companies at work on the left-hand fork of Foots Creek, and one on the right-hand fork of that stream. Three are worked with six-inch pipe, one with ten-inch, and one with eleven-inch pipe. Week before last a slide occurred at the Squaw Lake company's ditch, which it took only a few days to shovel out. The ditch was never in better condition than now. Piping commenced Tuesday morning of last week on ground which had previously been thoroughly prospected. Notwithstanding there is 20 inches of snow on the ground, the company was piping at last account. The very light estimate usually placed on the gold yield of Jackson and Josephine counties by writers on Oregon has induced us to make inquiry into the subject. There is no way to ascertain with certainty what the actual yield has been during the past 25 years, but from the most reliable sources of information we are satisfied that it has been quadruple the amount usually estimated. One individual alone, C C. Beekman, of this place, informs us that he has, for himself and the express company, handled over $10,000,000 worth of gold dust since 1853, the largest portion of which was taken from Rich Gulch, Jackson, Jackass and Sterling creeks. From his intimate knowledge of the business of other buyers, and from information derived from equally reliable sources in Josephine County, Mr. Beekman gives a decided opinion that at least as much more has passed through other hands from that date until the present. This would give an average yield of $800,000 per annum for the two counties, and when the really small amount of ground worked over is considered an approximation of the probable future yield of gold in Southern Oregon would seem fabulous and incredible. Hydraulic mining is proving successful wherever sufficient water can be obtained, and it seems as if mining in this end of the state was just commencing. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 3, 1880, page 12 OUR MINING INTERESTS.
Speaking of mining information the Scientific and Mining Press
remarks:
"It may be very pleasant reading for miner Tom, who has just subscribed for the paper, and wants to purchase a few copies to send East, to read that 'Tom's mine is one of the best in this district and has just struck it rich. Samples assay to the thousands in silver, with a trace of gold. He will probably soon find indications of a true fissure, a mother vein, rapidly widening as he goes down.' Such journalism may induce a few other miners to send in subscriptions, in order to read their own names in connection with big strikes, but it at the same time will most effectually turn aside capital that is carefully scanning the field and gathering facts to decide upon a basis of action. Big strikes, large assays and the best mines have become so common that their announcement has no effect and excites no attention." This is a strong intimation that local journals are either careless in gathering facts with regard to mines, or dishonest in puffing them up for the pitiful amount of a subscription. We speak only for ourselves when we say that this journal has been scrupulously careful in the publication of mining notes. Our intention is to publish facts only, and if we ever deceive the public it will be because we, ourselves, have been imposed on. With regard to the mines of Southern Oregon we will remark: that singly or collectively, they require no "puffing." They are mostly gravel mines, yielding steadily, according to the water supply, and not depending in the slightest degree upon the state of the stock market. We note the progress of mining industry in order to show the outside world that there is a mining field here of no small extent, worth the attention of capitalists if they choose to look at it. All those who have invested here are perfectly satisfied, at least we presume they are, as there are no mines for sale. So far as "lode" developments are concerned, no one can express an unqualified opinion. Quartz, as rich as ever seen in the richest mines of California, has been found in extensive pockets, and at least one mine, that of the Green Bros., in Josephine County, has been worked for over two years yielding an average of over forty dollars per ton. It is nonsense about capital being easily frightened away. Newspaper puffs do mot sell mines, but we agree with the "press" that there is neither sense, honesty nor profit in saying that which is not true; and puffing a mere "indication" into a "bonanza" is all wrong. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, January 7, 1880, page 2 Quite an excitement was created last week, says the Jacksonville Times, by the reported discovery of gold in large quantities at the Big Bar of Rogue River, which has been only partially confirmed. "Oregon News Items," San Francisco Bulletin, January 14, 1880, page 4 MINING ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Jan. 28: Piping at the dry diggings, at Grants Pass, is going on night and day with a full head of water. Keaton & Klippel, on Poormans Creek, are working with a good head of water and prospects flattering. The Squaw Lake Co. have been interrupted by slides, but Supt. Klippel expected to be piping again on Saturday last. Miners on Foots Creek are tearing the dirt up in that camp at a lively rate. Plenty of water and a good prospect for a harvest of dust. Jackass Creek is unusually flush and every miner is busy. A very large amount of the rich dirt of that camp will he moved before the season ends. Sturgis & Co. have a force of 16 men ground sluicing in their two claims, and have already moved more dirt this season than was moved all last winter. Pipe laying at the '49 Diggings, owned by E. K. Anderson, was completed on Saturday and work commenced in earnest. Thos. Kahler brought into town yesterday a nugget of gold and quartz weighing five and one-half ounces. It was taken out at the Fort Lane diggings, and is worth about $60. The operations of the Sterling hydraulic company have been retarded by numerous slides in their ditch owing to melting snow. The English and Blue Gravel companies, on Galice Creek, are piping with a full head of water, and moving immense quantities of dirt. Green Bros. are again crushing rock from the Sugar Pine ledge, work having been suspended for a short time during the freeze. Eckleson & Chappell have a full force on their claim working night and day with an ample hydraulic head of water. The Kahler & Lackland claim, on Applegate, are now running night and day. The pipe is tearing up ground that prospects exceedingly well. The Willow Springs camp has still abundant water, every miner being busy. The arrastra of Egan & Co. is still crushing good rock with the best of prospects for plenty more. Thos. Mee, on Foots Creek, is working his small hydraulic very successfully with a prospect of a rich cleanup. More than wages is picked up daily in pieces weighing from $2.50 to $5. Saltmarsh & Co., on Sterling Creek, have a splendid head of water, and are keeping it busy ground slicing. This company use a small pipe with a light pressure to facilitate moving the dirt in the ground sluice. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 7, 1880, page 92 The season promises to be the most favorable one the miners of Southern Oregon have experienced in many years The supply of water is ample and promises to continue for some time to come. "Pacific Coast Items," Marysville Daily Appeal, Marysville, California, February 13, 1880, page 3 MINING ITEMS.--Sentinel, Feb. 11: Thawing at Sterling and piping resumed with a fair water supply. Miners in Josephine County are generally retarded in their operations by the freeze. The Applegate Gravel company are still busy with a flush head of water and working in good ground. Geo. McKnight, of Foots Creek, has been sojourning in town for his health. He reports the miners all very busy in that camp. The English company at Galice Creek are now piping with about 800 inches of water, everything working satisfactorily. Miners in the Willow Springs camp are complaining of failing water, the freeze having locked up the springs for the present. Blue Gravel company is using about 600 inches of water, and prospects quite flattering. A few warm days will increase their water supply. The Squaw Lake company are now busy driving dirt through the flume again. Ditch all clear and no more interruptions looked for. The company is working in rich ground. From Mr. Chenoweth, just returned from the East, we learn that there is a good prospect that all the money necessary to complete the Grave Creek ditch will be raised, and that it will be pushed to completion next summer. The ditch will be 21 miles long, and will probably require an expenditure of $75,000. From our knowledge of this locality we have no hesitation in predicting that when this work is finished the property will be the most valuable in Southern Oregon. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 28, 1880, page 140 FLOATING ISLAND.--Among the many natural curiosities of Tuolumne County it is not generally known that there is a "floating island." Up in the "Siskiyous," lying like a pearl in the great mountain chain, is Squaw Lake, a beautiful sheet of water now utilized by a mining company as a reservoir. For many years the lake has been a favorite and delightful resort for fishing parties, and contained nearly in its center an island, comprising about an acre of ground covered with luxuriant grass and a growth of willow and alder. It was never dreamed that the pretty little island was not terra firma, but when the bulkhead across the outlet of the lake dammed up its waters, the island rose slowly until it had been elevated fully 16 feet above its original level. It would be a question for the naturalist rather than the geologist to determine the age of this floating island, as it is evidently made up entirely of decayed vegetation. Perhaps at some remote period the roots of a tree, uptorn by the mountain storm, drifting out in the lake, formed the nucleus from which the island has grown, but it seems singular that it should have remained anchored and unchangeable in its position. The locality is much frequented by pleasure seekers who will hereafter notice the increased elevation.--Jacksonville Sentinel. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 28, 1880, page 140 MINING NEWS.--A. O. Eckleson, brother-in-law of our townsman R. Roseveare, who has a mine on the Applegate, Jackson County, Oregon, made a partial cleanup of eight boxes, from a two weeks' run, which netted him $1,138. He is engaged in hydraulic mining and reports the vocation good, there being good prospects and plenty of water. Samuel Lackland, a young man formerly of Red Bluff, has a mine in the section and is doing well. The Sentinel, Red Bluff, California, March 6, 1880, page 3 Hydraulic miners in Southern Oregon are again at work. Prospecting for quartz mines is going on vigorously in Southern Oregon. The mining ditch to the Big Bar of Rogue River will soon be completed, some blasting being necessary before it will be entirely free of obstructions. "Oregon News Items," San Francisco Bulletin, March 10, 1880, page 4 MINING NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 27: Johnson & Allison, on Jackson Creek, are busily at work with a good supply of water. It is quite probable that much prospecting for quartz mines will be done next summer. Eckelson & Chappell and Gin Lin are running day and night, as also are most of the other hydraulic claims. Superintendent Lackland, of the Palmer Creek diggings, will make a cleanup this week, and we expect to hear a good report from him. Beck Bros. have their claim on Applegate in good shape this season, and expect to make a profitable run. They are busily engaged in ground sluicing. Thomas P. Kahler picked up several small nuggets in the Fort Lane diggings the other day, one of which weighed $17. As the bedrock is neared the prospects become better and nuggets more numerous. Air. Benner proposes sinking down 50 ft. further on the Ralls quartz ledge in the Willow Springs district this summer, which will make the prospect shaft 100 ft deep. He is of the opinion that it will prove well-defined and valuable. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 13, 1880, page 172 A Floating Island.
Among the many natural curiosities of Jackson County, Oregon, [it] is
not generally known that there in a floating island. Up in the
Siskiyou, lying like a pearl in the great mountain chain, is Squaw
Lake, a beautiful sheet of water, now utilized by a mining company as a
reservoir. For many years the lake has been a favorite and delightful
resort for fishing parties, and contained nearly in its center an
island, comprising about one acre of ground, covered with luxuriant
grass and a growth of willow and alder. It was never dreamed that the
pretty little island was not terra firma, but when the bulkhead across
the outlet of the lake dammed up its waters the island rose slowly
until it had been elevated fully sixteen feet above its original level.
It would be a question for the naturalist rather than the geologist to
determine the age of this floating island, as it is evidently made up
entirely of decayed vegetation. Perhaps at some remote period the roots
of a tree, uptorn by the mountain storms, drifting out into the lake,
formed the nucleus from which the island has grown; but it seems
singular that it should have remained anchored and unchangeable in its
position. The locality is much frequented by picture seekers, who will
hereafter notice the increase [in] elevation.Vancouver Independent, Vancouver, Washington, March 25, 1880, page 1 MINING ITEMS.--Jacksonville Sentinel, Mar. 17: Two Indians prospecting on Scott River found a nugget weighing four and one-half ounces. The Squaw Lake company has ample water, and is piping dirt through their flume very fast. Piping at McCall & Anderson's diggings, near the Eagle Mills, is going on. Those claims have always yielded handsomely. The Sterling company is working with a very light head of water, their ditch being only one-third full, owing to the exceedingly cold nights. Cleaning up has commenced at the Centennial, in the Willow Springs district, on account of the failure of water. Keaton, Klippel & Co., on Poormans Creek, are still working with a full head of water in good-paying ground. They have already moved twice as much ground as was moved the whole of last season. At the Star Gulch mine a partial cleanup was made, amounting to 66 ounces of dust valued at $1,122. W. G. Kenney, just returned from Josephine County, tells us that the Messrs. Wimer have struck it rich in their hydraulic claim near Waldo. The claim is now well opened, and a stratum of gravel, several ft. in thickness, that prospects a bit to the pan, or over $8 to the cubic yard, has been developed. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 27, 1880, page 204 MINING ITEMS.--Oregonian, May 1: William Griffin has discovered a promising quartz ledge on Shan Creek, in Josephine County, the rock from which looks well. The Grave Creek ditch company has resumed possession of its diggings and employed a number of hands to prospect them thoroughly. The miners of Josephine County are busy, have plenty of water and expect to do well this season, which will no doubt be a protracted one. A gold nugget was taken from the claim of Smyer & Co., at Susan ville, Grant county, recently, weighing $260. A $50.25 nugget was also taken from Sam Hillis' claim at Marysville. Gin Lin, the Chinese mining sharp, made a cleanup at his diggings near Uniontown this week, from which he obtained about $2,400 in gold dust. This is the result of only a short run, and is evidence that he has some of the best diggings in Southern Oregon. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 15, 1880, page 308 JACKSON COUNTY.--Oregon Sentinel, June 16: Silas Draper, of Foots Creek, gives a very flattering prospect of the cleanup in that district. He says a much larger amount of gold dust will be taken out than usual and that the miners, generally, are very well satisfied with their winter's work. WILLOW SPRINGS.--Democratic Times, June 18: Egan & Co. are down about 50 ft. on their ledge in Willow Springs district, and the quartz is improving. John Egan showed us some ore taken out at that depth that was full of gold. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 26, 1880, page 405 JACKSON COUNTY NOTES.--Democratic Times,July 23: Barkdull & Kline struck another rich pocket of quartz in their mine at Blackwell the other day. The rock pays well, $18 in gold having been obtained from about 500 lbs. crushed in their arrastra. The ore was obtained from the same ledge discovered by them lost winter, but some distance from the original place of discovery. They have been prospecting other ledges in the vicinity, some of which will pay for milling. Work has been commenced on the main ledge, and it is proposed to keep the arrastra busy. ROGUE RIVER MINES.--Savage Bros., who have been piping near the banks of Rogue River during the last season, have suspended operations for the present. They have cleaned up about one-third of the ground washed off and secured good wages for their work. WILLOW SPRINGS.--Egan, Schumpf & Co. have ordered a pump for their quartz mine near Willow Springs, which will enable them to keep the water out of the shaft. Drifting is being continued, with good prospects, some excellent rock having been taken out this week. The pulverized ore is being worked by rocker and yields well. The company will probably start their arrastra soon again. Rhoten & Co. have their arrastra in the Willow Springs district in operation and are crushing fair rock. ITEMS.--The Sterling Co. will not clean up until the end of the season. The Squaw Lake Co. have reset their pipe and are busily piping again. N. Schaedel and A. Trunke are now engaged in cleaning up the Failing claim on Jackass Creek. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 31, 1880, page 69 MINING ITEMS.--Democratic Times, Nov. 12: The miners are beginning to question the probabilities of a good mining season. Everything is ready at the Sterling and Blue Gravel mines for next season's operations. D. M. Marden, of Kane Creek, is putting in a new flume and making extensive preparations for winter. Capt. Ankeny, of Portland, the enterprising mining capitalist, is now in Southern Oregon looking after his mining interests. Keaton & Co. have completed their wing dam across Rogue River, near Jos. Douden's, and are engaged in mining the bed of that stream. Gus. Pfeil, of Galls Creek, reports the miners of that section making considerable preparations for winter. Ralph S. Smith, of San Francisco, special census agent, is now in Jackson County gathering mining statistics for several years past. Work is progressing steadily on Schumpf & Co.'s ledge in the Willow Springs district. The tunnel will be completed in about a month, and machinery for crushing quartz put in position before long. There is considerable good ore on the dump and much more in sight. The ledge is one of the best in the state. THE SCHUMPF LEDGE.--Oregon Sentinel, Nov. 10: This quartz mine, the property of George Schumpf, which is situated in the Willow Springs district, has recently been visited by a number of gentlemen, among them two California mining experts, who pronounce it among the best, if not the best mining property in Southern Oregon. There are about 300 tons of rich quartz rock already on the dumps awaiting the crushing process. The machinery for crushing is now being placed in position near the mouth of the tunnel. The tunnel itself is being dug into the side of the mountain for a distance of 200 or more ft., and is intended to drain the main shaft from which the quartz is taken. Two sets of men, a night shift and a day shift, are constantly working in the tunnel, and Mr. Schumpf expects to reach the bottom of the main or 70-ft. shaft by Christmas. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 20, 1880, page 325 GENERAL ITEMS.--Democratic Times, Nov. 21: Chas. Schultz has purchased Pony Hampton's interest in some diggings on Rich Gulch. P. C. Ream will return to Pickett Creek this week and commence preparations for mining his claim there the ensuing winter. T. L. Beck, of Willow Springs, was over to Heard's sawmill, on Poormans Creek, this week ordering lumber for new flumes. He will commence shoveling in as soon as water starts. The Sterling company will extend its ditch 3 miles this season, which will bring water on some excellent ground. C. J. Howard has been engaged in surveying out its course. Keaton & Co. have worked out the ground laid bare by their wing dam in Rogue River, with fair returns. They will take out the dam and suspend river mining for the winter season. Jack Layton is about enlarging and improving his old Williams Creek ditch, that it will give him more water with which to work his diggings. He is making extensive preparations for the ensuing winter. Geo. Schumpf has purchased his partners' interests in the Rockfellow quartz ledge near Willow Springs and will vigorously prosecute the work of prospecting it. Whenever the tunnel is completed crushing of ore will follow, as he has made arrangements to put up machinery on the ground before long. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 4, 1880, page 357 OREGON MINING STATISTICS. The Oregon Sentinelsays: The following statistics in regard to mining in Jackson County are taken from the records in the County Clerk's Office, as compiled by W. J. Plymale, Deputy Clerk: Number of mine locations in the several mining districts of Jackson County from Oct. 29, 1856, to June 30, 1880--Big Applegate, 466; Little Applegate, 39; Uniontown, 2; Sterling, 151; Jackass, 491; Jacksonville, 1,463; Forty-nine, 234; Willow Springs, 785; Gold Hill, 361; Galls Creek, 95; Foots Creek, 288; Evans Creek, 115; Sardine Creek, 132; Louse Creek, 25; Dry Diggings, 33; Jumpoff Joe, 114; Grave Creek, 224: Coyote Creek, 75; Poormans Creek, 300; Steamboat 45. Of these 16 were copper locations, 124 were cinnabar, 1 tin, and the balance gold and silver. During the same time there were 1,221 conveyances of mining claims recorded and 133 transfers of water ditches. All of the above was compiled for the use of the census department. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 11, 1880, page 380 WING DAMS TAKEN OUT.--Sentinel, Dec. 8: Thomas Keaton and Lannes Klippel have finished taking out their wing dam on Rogue River near Douden's. We did not learn the amount cleaned up by them. Mr. Keaton will mine on Poormans Creek this winter. The wing dam on Rogue River, half a mile above Chavner's bridge, run by Chinamen, was also taken out last week. Lumber and other material used in constructing the dams has all been placed beyond the reach of the winter freshets. RENTED.--Democrat, Dec. 8: B. W. and Ralph Dean have rented Thomas Chavner's big ditch, and will engage in mining on a larger scale than ever in the Willow Springs district this season. They are now engaged in putting down a new flume. The water of this ditch was formerly controlled by Chinese. GALICE CREEK.--Frank Ennis returned from Galice Creek the other day, from whom we learn that little rain has as yet fallen in that section. There was about 2 ft. of snow at the bead of the ditches of the English and Blue Gravel companies, and two-thirds as much on the diggings. Everybody is ready, and a heavy rain is all that is necessary to set the camp in motion. ELLIOTT CREEK.--Jacob and Lannes Klippel returned from Elliott Creek this week, from whom we learn that there is about l½ ft. of snow on the ridge. Several of the companies are still engaged in mining, while others have suspended operations for the present. The past season has not been a particularly successful one in that section, but the future promises to be better. The miners were in high glee last week, supposing that the rain would continue until they had an abundance of water. They were unfortunately disappointed, however. SAVAGE BROS., of Rogue River, were in town Tuesday. They informed us that but little more rain is necessary to enable them to start up their pipe. They use a giant, with which they made a good run last year. NOTES.--Keaton & Klippel are getting their Poormans Creek property ready for this winter. The miners are generally prepared for water, and are anxious for a war of the elements. Green Bros., at Galice Creek, have their arrastra in motion, and are grinding a good quality of rock. The Applegate gravel company is now piping, and are running off considerable ground. John Goff, of Grave Creek, brought several handsome specimens of quartz, as also some gold dust taken out of his claim, to town the other day. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 18, 1880, page 389 The news from the different mining camps contains nothing special. Miners are generally working with full heads of water and satisfied that the storm is over. Last week the Applegate company cleaned up, having a satisfactory yield, but the last freshet damaged their ditch considerably, but they expect to be piping again soon. "Local Items," Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, February 12, 1881, page 3 PLACERS.--Oregon Sentinel, Mar. 19: Messrs. W. D. Anderson and Frank Cook have discovered rich diggings on Jackson Creek, near Farmers Flat, in which they have taken out as high as $15 per day with a rocker. T. L. Beck, of Willow Springs, has commenced cleaning up, but expects to have work until the 1st of June before completing it. Prospects look so good that he expects to pay friends in the East a visit next summer. Supt. Benner, of the Centennial, has been picking up considerable coarse gold, which indicates a good cleanup soon. Supt. Ennis reports full heads of water in the large hydraulic claims on Galice Creek, and everything working admirably. The Sugar Pine ledge, owned by Green Bros., of Galice Creek, is yielding rock enough to keep the arrastras running steadily. The quartz will average $50 per ton, with plenty in sight. A. P. Ankeny & F. Ennis have just refused an exceedingly liberal offer, made by English capitalists, for their Sterling ditch and mine, and the property is not for sale. It is estimated that it will take 80 years to work out the ground, patented to the owners. During the coming summer 2 more miles of ditch will be built. GOLD.--Democratic Times, Mar. 19: D. W. Anderson and Cook Bros. have struck a rich streak in a gulch on Farmers Flat heretofore unworked. From 5 buckets of dirt $1.87 was realized, while one day's work with a rocker returned $15 and another a like amount. The gold is of an excellent quality, but unfortunately the water is so light that no extensive mining can be done. The miners of Josephine County have plenty water still and are busily at work, sanguine of a good run. Water is becoming light in some places and more rain is needed there. Most of the miners will be able to run some time longer in any event, however. Work at the Fort Lane diggings is progressing. Thos. Kahler, one of the proprietors, informs us that a piece worth $10 and several smaller ones have been picked up there recently. Prospectors will find a full line of mining blanks, printed after the latest and best forms, on hand at the Times office. Also a supply of Copp's Handbook of Mining Law, standard authority. W. H. Benner, of the Centennial mine, near Willow Springs, showed us some neat pieces of gold picked up there recently. He informs us that piping is progressing advantageously and that a good cleanup is expected. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 2, 1881, page 213 THE CALIFORNIA.--Democratic Times, April 1: A correspondent sends up the following news from Josephine County: The California gold and silver mining company will soon commence operations in order to get their claim in running order for next season. They have excellent ground, which they intend to work with a large-sized giant as soon as their ditch is completed. Desselles & Co., at Scotch Gulch, have finished piping for the season and are getting ready to work their elevator. H. Carron, of Butcher Gulch, is running steadily with a full force, and will continue ground-sluicing for 2 months longer. Wimer & Simmons are piping night and day, and have made a grand showing in the line of moving ground with their little canal and big giant. NOTES.--Cleaning up is becoming general. More rain would be greatly beneficial. The mining season is beginning to ebb. S. W. Lackland has sold his interest in the Palmer Creek diggings to Gin Lin for $1,500. The warm weather is melting the snow in the mountains, keeping up the supply of water in the big ditches. A. Koester informs us that a piece worth $45 was recently picked up in Goldworthy & Co.'s claim on Foots Creek. A promising quartz ledge has been found near Canyonville, and some excitement exists there in consequence. McDonough, Kahler & Co., at Fort Lane, are cleaning up, and have found several pieces ranging from $2.50 to $20. More white miners are at work in Galice Creek district than ever before known. Several new claims are being worked there this season. Frank Bills has sold his mining interests on Jackass to A. D. McKee, and purchased the interests of George Armstrong and John Haskins in some mines on Sterling Creek. A. W. Sturgis informs us that the miners of Jackass district have had a fine supply of water this season, and that a large amount of ground has been stripped. All are sanguine of a good cleanup. Hays & Magruder, mining on Rogue River, recently made a partial cleanup that proved highly satisfactory. They will make a general one before many weeks, and the best of results are anticipated. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 9, 1881, page 229 DITCH.--Democratic Times, April 8: From W. J. Savage, of Rogue River, we learn that work has been resumed on the main ditch that will run from a branch of Savage Creek to some diggings near the residence of his father, which are supposed to be quite good. Savage Bros. are enterprising miners and deserving of success. STRIPPED.--L. Orme, of Foots Creek, was in town Saturday, who informed us that the miners of that section have stripped more ground than ever this season, and expect to do well. PROSPECTING.--Anderson & Cook have been prospecting on Prairie Flat with good success, having taken out $6 and $7 a day on several occasions. With a fair supply of water they could take out a large amount of gold. NOTES.--Cleaning up is becoming general. The mining season will close earlier than usual. A larger area of ground than usual had been stripped this season. Dan Silva is now cleaning up at the Applegate Gravel Co.'s diggings, and good results are anticipated. Some partial cleanups have been made at the Sterling mine, which are said to have resulted very satisfactorily. GALICE.--Frank Ennis left for Galice Creek yesterday, to look after the interests of the English and Blue Gravel companies. ELLIOTT.--Tom Brown reports that the miners of Elliott Creek have done substantial work in spite of the freshets, and are now cleaning up. BAD.--The much-looked-for April showers are dilatory, and many of the miners will be unable to finish cleaning up this season in consequence. DITCH.--Jas. McDougall will soon commence building a mining ditch from the head of the big bar of Rogue River to the old quartz mill site some distance below. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 16, 1881, page 245 FOOTS CREEK.--Oregon Sentinel, April 23: We found a number of the miners still working away on their claims, though with a diminished head of water; others were engaged in cleaning up. Judging from the amount of ground worked over on this fork of Foots Creek a profitable yield of gold will result. The mines on the right-hand fork of Foots Creek are scarcely opened yet. The mining claim of Messrs. Duffield, Lance & Hosmer we consider among the best in the state. All ground worked so far has prospected uniformly at 25 cents to the cubic ft. What this claim needs to make it the best in the country is a greater volume of water. Since this mine has been opened only about a quarter of an acre of ground has been worked over, with the bedrock ranging from 15 to 20 ft. below the surface. ROCK POINT.--Mr. Jamison, of Rock Point, tells us that Bybee and Fisher's big ditch out of Rogue River to work Big Bar is well under way, about one-half mile being finished. The ditch will carry about 2,000 inches of water. The claim of Duffield, Lance and Hosmer, on Foots Creek, is one of the best in the county. It will average about 20 ft. in depth, prospecting uniformly 25 cts. to the cubic ft., while the bedrock is very rich. These gentlemen have only washed off about a quarter of an acre which has yielded over $10,000--the work of several years. Two giants are still in operation at Sterling, and nearly twice the amount of dirt washed last season has already gone through the flume. The Holman ledge is still being prospected by Richard Cook, who, it is said, has struck some small veins of very rich silver ore. NUGGETS.--Democratic News, April 22: D. M. Marden, of Willow Springs, who is now cleaning up, has picked up several pieces of gold of late, some weighing as high as $15. Enoch Rhoten, of Willow Springs, picked up a piece of quartz in his diggings the other day, from which he realized two ounces of gold. We learn that the company which has the Applegate Gravel Co.'s diggings leased intend suspending operations, finding recent cleanups unprofitable. Two nuggets were last week found in Yaudes, Saltmarsh & Co.'s claim at Sterling, weighing $30 and $12 respectively. Bybee & Fisher's ditch to the big bar of Rogue River will be done in less than two months. J. T. Layton, of Farris Gulch, is about putting in a giant with a six-inch nozzle, and enlarging the size of his flume. Green Bros., of Galice Creek, have suspended crushing quartz and are now engaged in running a tunnel to tap their ledge lower down. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 30, 1881, page 277 BLACKWELL.--Oregon Sentinel, April 30: Barkdull & Cunningham have struck very rich quartz in their tunnel in the Blackwell district. The quartz, which is quite yellow with free gold, was struck in the top of the tunnel, is nearly a ft. wide, and the owners feel sanguine that they have a valuable pocket. The rock just discovered yields, in a hand mortar, $24 to the pound. PROSPECT.--Supt. Ennis, of the Sterling hydraulic, has piped off about 7 acres of very rich ground the present season, with a good prospect for over 2 months' more of a full head of water. Work on the ditch extension is going steadily on, and next winter 3 giants will be used. YIELDING.--The claim of Saltmarsh, Klum & Co. is evidently yielding well, as last week 2 pieces of gold were picked up in the ground sluice, one weighing $14 and the other $30. Work of cleaning up in the mine has not yet commenced. GOOD YIELD.--The claim of Hosmer, Lance & Duffield' on Foots Creek must have some rich pay in it. It will average 20 ft. in depth, and every cubic ft. will yield 25 cents. Only a quarter acre has been worked off, yielding over $10,000. NOTES.--Miners on Coyote Creek have generally cleaned up, with fair returns for their labor. John Montgomery has cleaned up $1,600 for the season's work on the ground leased from the Dean Bros., at Willow Springs. The large hydraulic mines of the Blue Gravel and English companies, at Galice, have discontinued piping on account of failure of water. The Schumpf tunnel is still being vigorously pushed ahead. It is yet in hard rock, with about 50 ft. to run before the lode can be struck. Green Bros., of Galice Creek, are still engaged on a new tunnel, but are continually washing quartz which yields from $40 to $50 per ton. Alex Watts, of Williams Creek, reports suspension of operations for the season. He runs a small hydraulic, and averaged $12 per day for the season. Sturgis & Beckner are now engaged in cleaning up on Jackass Creek. Their ground is panning out well, and within the past 2 weeks they have picked up about $300 on the bedrock. J. T. Layton, of Applegate, has sent for 1,200 ft. of 15-inch hydraulic pipe, and will lay down the old Bolt flume, which was torn out last winter. His claim is said to be yielding very satisfactorily. A new tunnel to strike the Holman ledge, between the branches of Jackson Creek, at a greater depth is spoken of. Were that hill in Nevada or California it would have been honeycombed with tunnels long ago. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 7, 1881, page 293
The Duffield gravel mine, Jackson County, Or., has yielded $10,000 from a quarter of an acre.
"Mining Notes,"
Sacramento
Daily Union, May 13, 1881, page 1At Big Bar, on the Klamath, $900 was cleaned up after a thirteen day's run, and work is being pushed day and night. San Francisco capitalists are examining Brown's property at Orleans Bar, Del Norte County. KANE CREEK.--Democratic Times, May 14: Rhoten Bros. of Kane Creek are down 20 ft. on their ledge. The rich pay was struck at a depth of 15 ft., where the quartz is much decomposed, and full of free gold. A comparatively small amount has been crushed in an arrastra, but considerable panning out has been done, with extraordinary results. Some panfuls have yielded considerably over $100 each, one bringing $104 and another $140. HAYS & MAGRUDER, who have a hydraulic mine on Rogue River, are about done cleaning up. They are satisfied with the results, which would have been still better but for a cave last winter and the short mining season. The Grand Applegate Co.'s diggings have been started up again by Dan Silva and the Chinese who have leased them, and piping is progressing. Most of the miners have either cleaned up or are in the act. The unusually short spring run will cut off the gold product considerably. Considerable prospecting for quartz is now being done in Willow Springs and Blackwell districts. Late discoveries have infused new life into the miners there. Gin Lin proposes running a ditch to the red hills of Palmer Creek, utilizing the waters of that stream and Applegate. Its length is about five miles and will be completed this summer, we learn. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 21, 1881, page 325 NUGGETS.--Democratic Times, May 20: B. W. Huston, of Foots Creek, was in town Wednesday and showed us some neat nuggets of gold taken out of his claim, one of which weighed $16 and another $8. He informed us that some of the miners have cleaned up for the season, while others are following suit. WILLOW SPRINGS.--We learn that the ore of the Rhoten ledge, in Willow Springs district, is not as rich as formerly, though still of a good quality. The company evidently struck a pocket, which seems to be worked out. POORMANS CREEK.--Keaton & Klippel, of Poormans Creek, have cleaned up with satisfactory results. Among other gold taken out recently were three good-sized nuggets, the smallest weighing $13 and the largest $25. PUMP.--Cunningham & Barkdull will put in a pump on their quartz ledge in Blackwell district, as there is considerable water in the shaft--so much so that it interferes with the prospecting. The ore is of a decomposed character, and quite a sum has been pounded out by means of a hand mortar. MINERS are winding up the season's work everywhere. The run was over a month short. Chappell & Co., of Star Gulch, cleaned up their boxes the other day, with good results. P. T. Ives is on his regular prospecting tour in the Siskiyou Mountains. John Richards and other parties are likewise engaged there. Frank Towne, of Sterling, informs us that the miners of that section are all cleaning up, as water is failing fast. John Beckner and Jos. Burns have finished cleaning up their work on Missouri Flat, with fair success. They talk of emigrating before long. Kleinhammer, Towne & Reynolds, of Sterling, are cleaning up and doing well. They brought 106 oz. of dust to town a few weeks since. Savage Bros., of Rogue River, have about two-thirds of their ditch completed and will soon suspend operations, as the ground is becoming very dry and hard. Sheriff Bybee returned from Waldo this week, have consummated a contract with the Chinese to construct several miles of ditch for the firm he is a member of. Bybee & Fisher are almost through the hardest of their ditch leading to Big Bar and expect to complete the enterprise in about two weeks. They will then have a fine water privilege. Gin Lin cleaned up some boxes the other day. How much gold dust he got none but the Mongolian himself knows, but those doing business with him say it was considerable. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 28, 1881, page 341 ITEMS.--Democratic Times, June 10: Mining items are scarcer than gold dust. Piping is still going on at the Grand Applegate mines. Several of the miners on Foots Creek are still cleaning up. Bills & Armstrong, mining on Buncom, cleaned up $209 the other day, the result of a 14-days' run with four hands. Frank Ennis returned from Galice Creek last week, from whom we learn that that camp is in status quo, the miners having gone into summer quarters. J. S. Howard has surveyed the line of the extension of the Sterling M. Co.'s ditch, and work will be commenced soon. This makes the ditch about three miles longer, which will then cover the company's vast mining property entire. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 18, 1881, page 389 MINERAL RESOURCES.--West Shore, Nov. 3: The mineral resources of Jackson County, although its mines have been continually worked for 29 years, are far from being exhausted, and, indeed, it is only within three years that efficient hydraulic machinery has been introduced. The Sterling mine, owned by Capt. A. P. Ankeny, of Portland, and Mr. Frank Ennis, the latter gentleman being superintendent, is without doubt, the most valuable placer mine in Oregon. It was opened several years ago at an outlay of $100,000; although its yield is not definitely known by the public, the properly is valued by its fortunate owners at $2,000,000. The mine is situated on Sterling Creek, about 8 miles south from Jacksonville, formerly one of the richest mining camps in the county. It is estimated that 50 years will be insufficient to work all the ground owned by the company. Another large hydraulic mine, paying handsomely, is owned by a Chinaman on Applegate Creek; and still another owned by the Squaw Lake mining company on the same creek will soon be in working order, and promises handsome dividends. The aggregate yield of gold dust in Jackson County since the discovery of the mines in 1852, is estimated by the best authorities at about $30,000,000, and it is said that by the aid of modern appliances and powerful machinery the mines will produce quite as well in the future. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 12, 1881, page 317 WATER.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 7: More rain is wanted at once. Sturgis & Co. of Jackson Creek are still engaged in drifting with fair results. The water has run down again during the past week, and most of the miners are idle. Geo. Schumpf has sent a lot of fine ore from his ledge to San Francisco for assaying. Reed & Vickroy, of Forest Creek, are running with reservoir heads and expect to make a good cleanup. DeLamater & Co. have their mines, on Cow Flat, Josephine County, in running order, and are working night and day. Jacob Klippel and Frank Staab, of Poormans Creek, have everything in readiness and are about digging a new ditch. UNFAVORABLE.--Many miners fear that the present season will be an unfavorable one, owing to the lack of rain. There is time for a good run yet, however. Wimer & Simmons' locomotive lamp is at Crescent City, and as there is but little snow on the mountains; it is expected to arrive before long. Chas. Williams of Pleasant Creek called on us this week, from whom we learned that the miners of that district have plenty of water and are busy. Wm. Linville and Wm. Little have purchased a piece of ground on Poormans Creek, of L. Herling, we learn, and propose working it this winter. Thos. Carr and H. R. Boling, of Foots Creek, were in town this week, from whom we learned that mining is again in status quo there for lack of water, which is the case generally. The Coyote Creek mines were sold last Saturday at sheriff's sale, by virtue of an execution issued in favor of H. Kelly and against Ruble et al. They were bid in by Capt. Kelly for $15,000. Another bid of $12,000 was made by D. H. Feathers in behalf of other parties. APPLEGATE.--Hansen & Berryman.of Applegate are still engaged in drifting in the bank of the Applegate, near Kubli & Bolt's store, and have struck another pay streak that promises better than the old ones. They often realize $15 a day to the hand, while washing the dirt. GALICE CREEK.--F. B. Rodgers, who has been spending the holidays in the valley, returned to Galice Creek Wednesday. He informs us that McElvey & Simmons' claim is being rigged up with plenty of hydraulic pipe and a "giant," which will be in operation in the course of a very few weeks. ROGUE MTN.--Skeeters & Co.'s mines on Hogue Mountain, Josephine County, are promising very well. Recent prospecting denotes that they are rich, and of great extent. One box yielded nearly $4, after a very short run, and $1 worth of dust was realized from a single pan taken from the ground sluice. Sheriff Bybee is interested in this mine. BYBEE & NEWMAN'S claim near Waldo is paying very well, although they have not the requisite amount of water. They cleaned up their boxes after a short run, and realized $575. The ground sluice remains untouched, however, and there the best pay is supposed to exist. Mr. Bybee believes that a small ditch is all that is necessary to make it one of the best pieces of mining property in this section. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 14, 1882, page 21 PIPING.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 13: W. Ludington has charge of Hays & Magruder's mines on Rogue River and is busy piping, having plenty of water. RAIN.--Much more rain has fallen in the northern portion of the county than in this, and the miners there are all busily at work. SNOW.--Considerable snow has fallen in the mountains and there is some probability that this will prolong the mining season somewhat. JOHN HALL has assumed the management of Bybee, Newman & Hawkett's mine, near Waldo. There seems to be some misunderstanding between the partners. QUARTZ.--Report reaches us, and it seems to be well authenticated, that Green Bros., of Galice Creek, are now taking out quartz that will pay $1,000 a ton. We hope it is true. WATER.--A. W. Presley, of Jumpoff Joe precinct, Josephine County, is in town, who informs us that the miners of that section have an abundance of water and are busy. GALICE.--Frank Ennis and V. Cook returned from Galice Creek last Monday. The former informs us that plenty of rain has fallen in that section and the miners are all at work there with full heads of water. WILLOW SPRINGS.--W. H. Benner, of the Centennial mine in Willow Springs district, informs us that some piping has already been done there and that more ground has already been washed than there was up to this time last year. Mr. Briggs has completed the survey of a water ditch on Wolf Creek, which extends from Henry Smith's down Wolf and Grave creeks for some 8 or 10 miles, and will supply water for a large amount of good-paying ground. Mr. Morse, the agent of the company, hopes to have the ditch finished at an early day, when that place will greatly increase in mining population. BRUSHY GULCH.--John Lewman and Wm. Farris are working their quartz ledge on Brushy Gulch, in the vicinity of Applegate, with promising results. They have sunk down over 20 ft. and their ledge is about a foot wide, with an abundance of good quartz in sight. Gold can easily be seen in the ore with the naked eye, and the owners are now engaged in grinding some of it. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 21, 1882, page 37 Southern Oregon Mines.
In Southern Oregon mining is the great special industry. All the mines
operated in Jackson County are placers, and at this season present the
unsightly appearance of scars upon the country, very much resembling
abandoned brickyards. There are several fine quartz ledges in the
county, but to operate them mills must be employed, and none have yet
been put in. Just what the annual yield of the mines here is, it is
impossible to say. The dust is used as a circulating medium among the
miners, part of it is sold at the Jacksonville bank, part is traded at
the stores, part is shipped by registered package, part is shipped by
express, and part is carried out by the miners themselves. The
difficulties of the situation may be seen. Only in a general way we may
say that the annual gold production of the county approaches half a
million dollars, much of which finds its way into the hands of farmers
and merchants of the county. Fully one-half of the men engaged in
mining are Chinese, and one of the principal mining bosses and
proprietors is a Chinaman. The mining season commences in November or
December, with the winter rains, and lasts till May, the miners
generally making enough during these months to keep them the rest of
the year. Every process of water mining, from the old-fashioned rocker
to the most approved hydraulic methods, are employed in these mines.
Mining is the great and almost the only industry of Josephine County.
They are similar to the mines of Jackson. The annual gold production of
the various districts in Josephine is estimated at $192,500. The number of men engaged in these diggings is about five hundred, more than 250 being Chinamen. The various hydraulic methods are in use. The mines of Douglas County are mostly quartz, and are undeveloped. Very rich silver ore is found in several places, whose owners would like to sell. For more than thirty years black sand mining has been carried on along the beach south of Coos Bay. The Lane mine was first worked sixteen years ago, and is now under the management of Mr. Bailey, to whom it is leased. The works represent an investment of $25,000, and employ sixteen men. The Eagle company spent $50,000 in building works, etc., and after conducting a failing business for some time sold out for $40, 000 to a California company, who spent $25,000 more and then abandoned the claim. First and last a good deal of gold was taken out of the Eagle, but the business never was profitable. Miners working by hand along the beach have always made good wages, and some few have picked up fortunes. "Big Mac" took $100,000 out of the sand in a few weeks, spent it in a few months, and is now keeping a hotel in Crescent City. The town of Randolph, which is marked on the maps, exists nowhere else. It was once a thriving mining camp, but the sands shifted, the mines failed and Randolph died--died as only a mining town can die. Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 28, 1882, page 59 NOT FAVORABLE.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 27: Many of the miners have been able to do some work since the thaw and rain of this week, though a few of the nights have been cold and were accompanied by frost that served to make water scarce again the forepart of the day. Altogether, the milling season has not been a favorable one thus far, though it is not too late yet for a great change for the better. More rain is wanted. Hannum & Roff of Grave Creek made a good run before the thaw, and are busy again since. Some of the miners have plenty of water again and are at work, but others are not so fortunate. B. Corder, of Grave Creek, has found some rich quartz croppings and is looking for the main ledge. Hale & Manning, of Leland precinct, have their ditch completed and will commence active operations at once. Gin Lin attempted to force the water through his ditch (which was filled with ice), damaging it considerably. The Sterling Co.'s ditch has been full of ice and Supt. Ennis has not attempted to run the water into it as yet. There seems to be more snow than ever on the hills and mountains, which will prolong the season to some extent. L. Orme, of Foots Creek, was in town last week. He informs us that his brother, Alex., is now prospecting for copper in Smith River Valley. Bybee & Fisher's ditch to the big bar of Rogue River has been completed, and work on the bar will be commenced as soon as the weather moderates. Andrew McGee and Sheppard Bros. are engaged in mining a short distance from Major Barron's place, with flattering results. They cleaned up over $17 worth of beautiful gold after a run of about 2 days. G. R. Justus and wife, of Foots Creek, were in town this week. George, who is now engaged in mining, says that most of the miners of that camp are busy since the late thaw and that there will be unusual activity there in case of plenty of water, as several miners have fitted up their claims in a better and on a more extensive scale than ever. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 4, 1882, page 77 WOLF CREEK.--Jacksonville Miner, Feb. 10: A company of gentlemen from abroad styling themselves the Pacific M. Co. has become possessed of some excellent ground on Wolf Creek, and have let a contract for digging quite a long ditch to the Chinamen recently taken down by Wm. Eaton and P. Boschey. H. B. Morse is the superintendent. LIGHT YIELD.--Few miners have done comparatively anything, and unless they have a favorable spring the yield of gold dust will be much lighter than usual. Some have been able to do a little work late in the day, with the aid of reservoir heads, but the prolonged cold snap has generally prevented any extensive operations. BREAK.--Ben. Haymond, of Rock Point, who was in town yesterday, informs us that the damage resulting from the break in Hays & Magruder's reservoir, last week, including loss of time, amounted to about $1,000. Wm. Ludington, who has charge of the mine this season, lost no time in making repairs, however, and operations have already been resumed. WATER.--Snow, intermingled with rain, commenced falling Wednesday morning, and continued until yesterday noon, when it started in raining earnestly. This has furnished the miners a fine supply of water and they are making the most of it. A little snow still remained on the ground as we went to press, but was melting rapidly. The prospects for a fair season are good, unless cold weather should again intervene. Jacob Klippel & Co., of Poormans Creek, have been sluicing a few hours each day with the aid of reservoir heads. A. W. Sturgis & Co., of Jackass Creek, have resumed drifting, as there was hardly enough water for ground sluicing at the time. The miner is happy in anticipation of a change for the better, since the weather broke, and still hopes to make a good run this season. The Applegate Gravel Co.'s elevator, received last week, will be put into position as soon as the weather is favorable. Pfeil Bros., of Galls Creek, have struck some very good prospects and they believe that the rich channel of olden days has been found again. We hope so. W. S. Brodbeck and Lannes Klippel, who have a claim on Dividend Bar, came to town Wednesday. From them we learn that the cold snap caused a total suspension of mining operations. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 18, 1882, page 109 WATER.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 17: The weather in the northern portion of the county seems to be much more moderate than here, and the miners all have plenty of water. Many miners are able to do some work during the day with the aid of reservoirs, but little effective mining has been done anywhere as yet. Capt. H. Kelly returned from Coyote Creek this week, who informed us that the miners of that section are taking advantage of an excellent supply of water, H. F. Niday, of Lucky Queen post office, was in town this week. He is engaged in working the Trullinger mine this winter, and says the prospects for a favorable run were never better. B. W. Huston, L. Orme, A. Koster and W. S. King, of Foots Creek, were in town this week, from whom we learned that many of the miners of that section are at work, with the aid of reservoirs. COLD.--The cold snap does not seem to have prevailed continually over the entire county, as Chappell & Co., Gin Lin and other miners along Applegate have been busily at work for some time past with a good supply of water. The cold spell is about over, and the miners will all soon be busily at work, as the ground, which is full of moisture, has thawed out and water is beginning to be plentiful. A favorable spring, with plenty of rain, is also anticipated, and the unusually large amount of snow in the mountains will prolong the mining season. The prospects for a good run are certainly not as gloomy as they might be. The Applegate Gravel Co. is piping, and expects to make a cleanup soon. Some of the large hydraulic companies are now cleaning out their ditches. The Squaw Lake Ditch Co. is completing its reservoir and getting ready for active operations. Gin Lin will build a ditch several miles long to bring the water from Palmer Creek to the red hills. Wm. Q. Brown, formerly of Althouse, is now in Douglas County on a prospecting tour in the interest of California capitalists. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 25, 1882, page 125 SUCCESS.--Jacksonville Times, March 2: W. Q Brown is now engaged in thoroughly prospecting some mines in the vicinity of Canyonville for a company of California capitalists. He is meeting with flattering success and we may expect to see some extensive mining operations commenced in that district before long, for Will is full of enterprise and pluck.… Theo. Cameron, of Uniontown, informs us that all the miners in that vicinity for miles around have an abundance of water and expect to make a profitable run. The same may be said of every camp in Jackson and Josephine counties. The golden harvest will be bountiful if there is plenty of rain during the next few months.… The miners have plenty of water at last, and are happy.… The miners of Galice Creek are all at work and a big yield is expected from that camp this season.… The Squaw Lake Co.'s ditches are being cleaned and repaired. Piping will be commenced soon.… Piping is now progressing in earnest at the Forty-nine Diggings near Phoenix, which are owned by E. K. Anderson.… Gin Lin has about 20 Celestials employed in digging a ditch from Palmer Creek to the red hills, several miles distant.… Miners are running on full time in Willow Springs district and increasing their forces. Extra hands are therefore in demand there.… John Marshall, of Coyote Creek, has worked off a large area of ground with excellent prospects, as also have Hannum Bros. on upper Grave Creek.… D. W. Anderson, Jas. Priddy and others are now engaged in mining on Farmers Flat, with excellent prospects. They cleaned up about $10 the other day after having worked but a few hours.… Twenty-five hands are now at work on the Pacific mining company's ditch in the Wolf Creek district. H. Morse and Mr. Brown, formerly of the St. Charles Hotel, at Portland, are superintending operations.… A nickel deposit is said to have been discovered in the vicinity of "Old Piney," a high and rugged mountain just north of Canyonville. A company has been organized to work it, and operations will soon be under way. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 11, 1882, page 157 SQUAW LAKE.--Jacksonville Times, March 17: Henry Klippel, Esq., returned from the Squaw Lake Ditch Co.'s mines this week. He informs us that the reservoir is now being completed and the ditch cleaned out, preparatory to earnest operations. We expect to hear of some good cleanups there this year. CLEANUP.--Chas. E. Chappell & Co., of Star Gulch, made a cleanup last week, realizing 31 ounces of dust, which is considered flattering under the circumstances. The "giant" became displaced just before starting in, or the showing would be still better. WATER.--Piping continues at the Sterling mine with a fair supply of water. The weather has been so cold high up in the mountains that very little snow is melting, and the ditch is consequently not full. This company will be able to run until late in the summer, as there is much more snow than usual. SNOW.--The occasional showers of the past week have been very beneficial to miners, and, if they continue a while longer, a large amount of the glittering dust will be unearthed in spite of the unfavorable winter, for the miners are not losing an available moment. The deep snow in the mountains will also be of great advantage WORK has been suspended on the diggings of Bybee, Newman & Hawkett, near Waldo, owing to some misunderstanding, though the ditch is also broken. Excellent reports were expected from there, as the ground is good. WE LEARN that Logg & McDonnell have suspended operations at their mines on Jackass Creek, claiming that they are disturbed by an unusual amount of tailings coming down that stream this season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 25, 1882, page 189 Jos. Bagley and A. Rummell are making preparations to begin mining in the claim of McCall & Rockfellow, in the bed of Bear Creek, near the old French mines. They will put up wheel-pumps and have good prospects for pay.--Tidings. "Mining News," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, March 31, 1882, page 3 MINING NOTES.--Sentinel, March 18: Cowan & Gale, of Birdseye Creek, picked up a $12 nugget last week, besides several smaller ones. The late warm rain has given the Sterling company an abundance of water, and gravel is being moved fast. Desselles & Co., at Waldo, are running their elevator successfully, and will make a good cleanup soon. The Waldo hydraulic company, Wimer & Simmons, are piping day and night, and moving a vast quantity of dirt; this is one of the big paying claims of Southern Oregon. Gin Lin is running two pipes on his claim on Little Applegate in good paying ground, and one pipe on his Palmer Creek claim. Fifteen Chinese began work this week on the ditch from Palmer Creek to the Red Hills. It will be nearly eight miles in length, and is being built by Gin Lin. The Applegate gravel company are going to put in an elevator soon, and feel confident that it will work well. Blue Gravel and English companies on Galice are crowding things with full heads of water. All the miners in the Willow Springs and Foots Creek camps are busy again. Tom Kahler, of the Fort Lane diggings, has been cleaning bedrock with good success. Chappell, of the Star Gulch mine, is getting off a large amount of gravel, and has plenty of water. W. Q. Brown, of Oakland, has purchased two more copper and nickel claims near Canyonville; price not stated. The Star Gulch company made a partial cleanup this week of 38 ounces. Schumpf is still working on his tunnel at Willow Springs, the ledge showing plenty of good quartz. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 1, 1882, page 213 GRANTS PASS.--Jacksonville Times, March 31: A Grants Pass miner writes: Beekman & Klippel will resume operations on the Elizabeth mine in a few weeks. W. A. Johnson has been tunneling all winter and will get out considerable quartz of a promising character this year. Carson & Bybee will commence sinking a shaft on their ledge next month. The long, cold winter has been quite a backset to the miners here, but at the present time we have good weather and plenty of water. Beekman & Johnson's placer mine has been leased for the season to Edward Wade and John Brown. They have sluiced off considerable ground, and are in hopes of making a good cleanup. Wm. Brown is working a gulch claim near the old steam sawmill, with good prospects of fine gold. Fred. Grob, who visited Galls Creek Tuesday, says the miners there have plenty of water and are doing well. The Squaw Lake Co.'s ditch has been cleaned out and put in thorough repair. Piping was commenced a few days ago. The warm weather during the week has been melting the snow in the hills, which is furnishing the miners plenty of water. The Sterling Mining Co. have plenty of water, and every pipe is in operation. Supt. Ennis proposes making the gravel fly from now on. Jacob Klippel has received recent advices from T. J. Keaton, now in Idaho, which denote that he is doing well tunneling in Salmon River. Many of the miners will have but a short run this season, on account of the unfavorable winter, but those having ditches or having access to the various streams will be much more fortunate. C. Kleinhammer, of Sterlingville, informs us that the miners of that camp are furnished full heads of water by the melting snow. The same can be said of Foots Creek and other places. W. H . Carter, of Willow Springs, was in town this week looking for hands. His company have several men employed in their mines already, intending to make the best of the opportunity now presented for effective work. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 8, 1882, page 229 NOTES.--Sentinel, April 8: The pipes and both giants at the Sterling mine were moved this week and the superintendent, Mr. Ennis, thinks the pipes will not have to be moved again for several years. The water will probably hold out at this mine until August.… Inquiry is being made for samples of ore from the "Yank" ledge by parties in Portland who desire to test it.… The English company and Blue Gravel, on Galice Creek, are both running with full heads.… Gin Lin is still running 2 giants. His ground is as rich as formerly but not so profitable on account of increasing difficulty in moving it.… A $14 nugget was picked up on upper Applegate last week.… There are now a number of men prospecting on the Carberry fork, of Applegate.… Dick Cook is still pushing his tunnel on the famous Steamboat ledge. The quartz is beginnining to show a little free gold occasionally.… Small quantities of dust continue to come in from the small mines, but the mining season in short gulches will soon be over.… Wimer & Simmons of the rich Waldo claim are working night and day without interruption, but do not expect to clean up before fall. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 15, 1882, page 245 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, April 14: Our Leland correspondent says that E. F. Walker is prospecting about 4 miles above the Grave Creek house, and is running a tunnel in a high bench, several hundred feet above the creek. Over 70 ft. of this tunnel has already been dug. Most of the miners are still piping or ground sluicing. The melting snow keeps up the water. NOTES.--Miners of Jackass Creek are favored with plenty of water yet, and make good use of it. Some of the miners have already begun cleaning up, as water has commenced to fail in many localities. Ingram & Dean still have a good head of water, but expect to commence cleaning up soon, after a fair run. The Squaw Lake Ditch Co.'s diggings are being operated on full time. Lannes Klippel is acting as foreman. George R. Justus, who was in town this week, informs us that the miners of Foots Creek have plenty of water, and expect to make a good run this season. Parties from below have located copper mines near Waldo and Illinois River, Josephine County, and we are assured that they will be thoroughly prospected soon. Thomas Carr, of Foots Creek, was in town Saturday, and exhibited two nuggets of gold, worth about $35 each, as also several smaller ones. They were taken out of a claim he is interested in. Charley Gilmore, a little son of D. M. Gilmore, picked up a nugget worth $86 in William Clarke's mine, situated near the head of No. 7, a tributary of Althouse Creek, Josephine County. Several other pieces, worth from $6 to $19 each, were picked up the same day. This is one of the best pieces of property in that section. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 22, 1882, page 261 OREGON.
Oregon is one of the oldest of the Western mining states, the discovery
of gold within its limits having followed closely upon that in
California. Its output has never been very large in comparison with the
yield of its neighbor state, but although the mines have become
secondary to its agricultural resources in point of importance, they
still furnish occupation and profit to many of its inhabitants. The
quartz veins of Baker County, in the eastern portion of the state,
adjoining Idaho Territory, continue to yield the larger portion of the
total deep-mine product of this state. The prevailing type of the
Oregon ores is a free gold quartz, though rebellious gold ores
requiring special treatment are found in some localities, and a small
amount of silver is produced in Grant County. The latter county takes the lead in surface mining, while Baker, Jackson and Josephine counties are also productive of a considerable amount of placer gold. Oregon now ranks seventh on the roll of the mining states in production of gold, eleventh in output of silver, and ninth in its yield of both metals. Its quota toward the total production of the United States is 7.75% of the placer gold, .80% of the deep-mine gold, 3.29% of the total gold, and only .07% of the total silver. The percentage of the total combined gold and silver product is 1.49%. The average yield per square mile is $11.43 gold, $0.20 silver and $11.63 total. The product per capita is $6.28 gold, $0.11 silver, and $6.39 total, giving Oregon a rank of seventh in gold, tenth in silver and ninth in total bullion output, in point of production, as relative to population. The small proportion per capita shows how completely mining has been overshadowed by other industries in this state. Oregon--Production of Placer
Mines for the Year Ending May 31, 1880.
BUSY.--Jacksonville Times, April 28: W. H. Banner, of Willow Springs, called on us one day this week and informs us that the miners in that section were still busy piping and ground sluicing, the late storms having furnished them plenty of water. John Beckner informs us that the miners of Forest Creek have had a good run this season, and all of them will commence cleaning up soon. Vickroy & Reed have already started in gathering their dust, with favorable results. ITEMS.--The English Co. has about worked out its claims on Galice Creek, excepting one or two.… Peter Hansen, of Althouse, has washed off a large area of ground already, with favorable prospects.… The recent rains keep up the supply water well. Especially is this the case in Josephine County.… Riley Hinkle, who is employed on Humbug Creek by J. Johnson, reports good prospects in that claim.… The miners of Josephine County will make an excellent run generally, the spring being quite favorable.… The Wm. Clark, of No. 7, a tributary of Althouse, has struck an exceedingly rich pay streak, taking out $700 in a very short time. He is said to be averaging $40 a day.… Seven "little giants" are busily employed in claims whose tailings are dumped into the Applegate above Uniontown. As a consequence, that stream is quite muddy.… J. W. Howard has purchased L. McElvey's interest in the hydraulic claim being opened on Galice Creek by McElvey & Simmons. Excellent results are promised here.… N. DeLamater & Co.'s mines on Cow Flat are turning out very well. Several cleanups have been made during the season, one of which reached the neighborhood of $2,000, we learn.… Some copper mines near Waldo have been bonded to Portland capitalists, who are also interested in the location of others. The prospects are favorable for a boom in that section in the near future. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 6, 1882, page 293 PROLONGED SEASON.--Jacksonville Times, May 5: The mining season has been prolonged considerably by the late spring rains, and proves to be a favorable one generally. Miners owning gulch claims have hardly been as fortunate as others, however.… Bybee, Newman & Hawkett, who own one of the best pieces of mining property in the state, situated near Waldo, will soon commence getting it in shape for next winter's run. They will repair the old ditch, and perhaps build a new one.… McMullen & Johnson, of Silver Creek, Josephine County, are doing very well. They have been picking up some good-sized pieces, one of which weighed $23. There is an unusual quantity of snow in that section, which retards expeditious mining.… A great many miners are now engaged in cleaning up. Goldworthy & Co., of Foots Creek, made a cleanup the other day, which resulted favorably.… John Attenberry says the miners of Jackass have moved more dirt than ever this season, with favorable results.… Saltmarsh & Co., on Sterling Creek, continue to pick up chunks of gold in their claim. Last week they found a neat nugget, worth $80. A good cleanup is expected here.… O. Swacker informs us that the miners of Foots Creek have plenty of water still, and are doing well. Lance & Co.'s hydraulic claim is being worked to perfection, and a good cleanup is expected. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 13, 1882, page 309 WAGES IN OREGON.--The following is from a circular of the Oregon .Railroad and Navigation company, in answer to one of many questions propounded by intending immigrants : Farm labor, $1 a day and board; harvest work, $1.50 a day. On the Sound wood-choppers earn from $G0 to $90 a month. All good hands find work on railroads at the following prices: Common laborers, $1.75 to $2 a day; foremen of gangs, $75 to $100 a month; blacksmiths, $2 to $4 a day; carpenters, $3.50; tracklayers, $2 to $2.50; team and driver, $4. 50. These figures are intended to apply to Willamette valley, and are equally applicable to southern Oregon. In Jackson and Josephine counties a good many hands are employed in placer mining, the wages generally being $1.50 a day and board. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 10, 1882, page 375 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, June 16: Mining is approaching a close.… Considerable prospecting in quartz is now being done in Willow Springs precinct.… A. Schmidt has built a new reservoir to facilitate his mining operations on Jackson Creek.… The English Co.'s mines at Galice are said to have paid better than usual last season.… Rhoten Bros., of Willow Springs, have their arrastra in operation and are crushing some rich quartz.… Hayes & Magruder will soon commence getting their mines on Rogue River ready for winter.… The miners of Galls Creek are doing pretty well this season. Some of them have considerable water yet.… Water is getting light, and nearly all of the miners will be done for the season before the end of the month.… R. Cain, who came up from Galice Creek last week, says that Green Bros, are row engaged in crushing rock worth $100 a ton.… Lannes Klippel and W. S. Brodbeck were down from Big Applegate last week and report mining operations in full blast there.… Simmons & Howard of Galice Creek made several partial cleanups, which resulted satisfactorily. The final one proved the best of all.… Rummell & Bagley are about ready to commence mining the bed of Bear Creek. They have just finished a large water wheel with which to facilitate operations.… Dan Silva, superintendent of the Applegate Gravel Co.'s mines, was in town last week and reports that he struck the old channel again. Better pay than ever is expected hereafter.… Patterson Bros. are putting in a little giant at their claim on Beaver Creek. Their ditch will be 300 rods long, and they have 700 ft. of pipe on the way from San Francisco. They will use a 3-inch nozzle.… Lance & Co. and Goldworthy & Co., of Foots Creek, are still busily engaged, and will make excellent runs. These claims are rigged up in good shape, and are well supplied with water for the greater portion of the year.… Sheriff Bybee and A. W. Hawkett left for Waldo Monday, to look after their mining interests. They are interested in one of the best placer mines in the state with Wm. Newman, and propose putting it in good shape for next winter's run.… Wimer & Simmons, of Waldo, are still piping day and night, but will commence cleaning up in about a month in order to got ready for winter. They have a full head of water for several months longer, as there is still considerable snow in the mountains. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 24, 1882, page 413 The Cook brothers, who have been working in the cinnabar mines of Beaver Creek, Jackson County, all summer, have discovered placer mines in that region, in which gold is said to exist in paying quantities. "News in Brief," Humboldt Times, Eureka, California, October 23, 1875, page 2 QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, June 24: J. M. Smith has discovered a quartz ledge in his lot in the western end of town.… Henry Klippel has gone to the Squaw Lake Ditch Co.'s diggings for a few days.… D. Caldwell has sold his mining claim on Steamboat to Mr. Shearer, lately from the Willamette Valley.… James Ralls, of Willow Springs, showed us some fine-looking quartz taken from a ledge he is interested in the other day.… Mr. Derickson, of Idaho, has some intention of putting up a small quartz mill in the vicinity of Fisher & Bybee's ditch in Widow Springs precinct.… Sheriff Bybee returned from Josephine County yesterday. He says that arrangements have been made to extend his company's ditch to Illinois River, which will be of great advantage. A. W. Hawkett will remain there for the present. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 1, 1882, page 5 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, July 7: Capt. Kelly's mines on Coyote Creek are said to be paying well.… John Haviland, of Canyon Creek, Josephine County, is about extending his ditch some distance.… Wimer& Sons, of Waldo, are about making preparations to clean up. They expect to make a very good run.… Ex-Governor Chadwick is in Josephine County in the interests of Portland capitalists who talk of investing in copper mines.… DeLamater & Newman, who own the Cow Flat mines, in Josephine County, have finished cleaning up, with very satisfactory results.… Goff & Triplett, of Grave Creek, have been picking up some fine nuggets of quartz rich with gold. A few days ago they picked up one worth $250.… The Squaw Lake Ditch Co. will set their pipe on higher ground at once, when piping will be resumed. Big Applegate is said to be full of tailings where they have been dumping.… The miners of Grave Creek and vicinity are generally in the midst of cleaning up, though some have finished. We are informed that several are well paid for the season's work.… The Steam Beer mine, on Grave Creek, has paid very well during the past season under the management of Thos. Critser. We learn that there is some prospect of it being sold for a respectable sum.… The Sterling M. Co. is making preparations to clean up. The fount of supply has about been exhausted, but there is still a large quantity of water in a ditch. It is beginning to fail, however. A very good result is anticipated.… Wm. Bybee informs us that the contract has been let for the extension of Bybee, Newman & Hawkett's ditch in Josephine County, and J. W. Bennett is engaged getting out several thousand ft. of lumber for the company for fluming purposes. They expect that these improvements will enable them to take out thousands of dollars next season.… Mr. Derickson, lately of Idaho, expects to make arrangements to work several quartz ledges in this county for an interest in them, and will order a small mill from Portland soon. This may be the means of opening several good mines, and at the same time call proper attention to our mining interests, which seem to only lack development to make them valuable.… N. DeLamater has purchased Peter Reiser's claim, some distance below Cow Flat, paying him $5,000 for it. This is one of the best pieces of mining property in Josephine County. We learn that Mr. DeLamater proposes extending the ditch from his other claim, so that a "little giant" can be operated on his last purchase. He is a gentleman of enterprise and pluck, and deserves success. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 15, 1882, page 37 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, [July] 14: The Squaw Lake Ditch Co. will resume piping in a new location next week.… DeLamater & Newman are widening the ditch that carries water to their Cow Flat diggings, in Josephine County.… The Sterling Co. is engaged in cleaning up, and we expect Supt. Ennis is taking out gold by shovelfuls.… Geo. Gleisman and Chas. Feldt of Althouse, who have purchased S. W. Forbes' claim there, did well during the past season.… The Applegate Gravel Co., Dan Silva superintendent, made another cleanup the other day. We learn that these mines have been leased to Chinamen.… We learn that Mr. Derickson has ordered a small quartz mill from Portland, and will soon commence prospecting a number of ledges in this and Josephine counties.… W. A. Jones, of Applegate, informs us that J. T. Layton still has a good head of water, but will soon commence preparing for a final cleanup. Prospects are favorable.… Water is running through Bybee & Fisher's ditch in Willow Springs precinct in large quantities, considerable of which is being utilized by miners, and more will soon be. The firm also has ground to rent. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 22, 1882, page 53 GENERAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, July 21: Cleaning up is progressing favorably at the Sterling mine.… The Squaw Lake Ditch Co. has shut down for the present, water being rather low.… Mr. Derickson will first put up his quartz mill in the vicinity of Williams Creek, near the Horsehead ledge.… Hansen & Berryman will next week commence prospecting a bar in the Applegate, opposite the Long place.… N. Wright, of Big Applegate, was in town yesterday, from whom we learned that the Applegate Gravel Co. has resumed piping.… J. T. Layton, of the Farris Gulch mines, made a partial cleanup this week, obtaining about 100 ounces. He will take out much more.… W. Q. Brown & Co.'s nickel mine on Cow Creek is prospecting well, and the proprietors propose spending a considerable sum of money in developing it.… The Oregon Cinnabar Co., whose works are located near Oakland, cleaned up 500 lbs. of quicksilver the other day, after a run of about three weeks.… J. D. Shearer, lately of Washington County, who purchased Caldwell's mining claim on Steamboat, is now engaged in getting ready for extensive operations.… J. J. Johnson, who owns the only good-sized mining claim on Humbug Creek, Applegate precinct, was in town this week. He is engaged in cleaning up, with favorable results.… Lance & Duffield, who are extensively engaged in mining operations on Foots Creek, are cleaning up with excellent results. They brought a large amount of gold dust to town Saturday last.… John Angel, of Portland, formerly of this place, is interested in the mines near Nisqually, W.T., that promise well. Some of the quartz assays several hundred dollars to the ton, and California capitalists are negotiating for its purchase.… We are informed that the copper mines situated in the vicinity of Waldo, Josephine County, have been bonded to a company of Boston capitalists for $50,000. An expert, in their interest, has examined the deposits and is favorably impressed with them.… Wm. Bybee left for Josephine County yesterday to look after his mining interests near Waldo. The Chinese who contracted to dig his company's ditch have thrown up the job, which will necessitate making another contract with other parties. Mr. Bybee expects that water will be turned in by the middle of November next. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 29, 1882, page 69 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, July 28: Mining is almost entirely suspended.… It will take the Sterling mining company 2 months to clean up.… Mr. Derickson and J. B. Egan have relocated the Poormans Creek ledge.… Derickson & Co. have some men engaged in cleaning out the Horsehead ledge, on Williams Creek, preparatory to prospecting it.… Work is steadily progressing on Kretzer & Miller's ditch, running from Cantrell Gulch to Farmers Flat, several hands being employed.… The report that the copper mines near Waldo have been bonded to Boston capitalists, or anyone else, is emphatically denied from headquarters. Prospecting continues, but further than that nothing has been done with these mines.… Frank Rodgers, who has been mining on Silver Creek with his father and brother, informs us that their claim has been worked out with good results and abandoned. He showed us several fine nuggets of gold, the heaviest of which is worth $21.75.… There are half a dozen miners on Silver Creek, Josephine County yet, some of whom are doing fairly. McMullen & Johnson seem to have the best claim. As most of the diggings are very deep in that section, it will take capital to work them advantageously.… John Miller, who is now in San Francisco, will also purchase a "little giant," hydraulic pipe and everything necessary to fit up in first-class style the mines he is interested in with Chris. Kretzer on Jackson Creek. They propose operating on an extensive scale next season.… Ankeny &. Co. are taking out rock from a ledge near Woodville, with the intention of having it fairly tested. The ledge has long been known about here as "the copper ledge," but it is said to assay well in gold and silver, also. Mr. Hansen, superintendent of the Blue Gravel mines at Galice Creek, has charge of the work.… Geo. Brockendorf, an experienced prospector, is sinking on another ledge, on the mountain side, near Woodville.… Thomas Coker is also running in on an old ledge on Seitz Creek, about 10 miles from here and near Mr. Hillis' place.… Other old prospectors are busy through the mountains, and Woodville post office is doing a land office business in the way of sending off rock for the assayer in Portland, Philadelphia, etc.… About all the Chinamen on Pleasant Creek and Murphy Gulch have finished cleaning up, and have gone below to work on the railroad. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 5, 1882, page 85 COPPER.--Jacksonville Times, August 5: Chas. J. Howard last week surveyed the copper mines near Waldo, Josephine County.… A gentleman, said to be a representative of California capitalists, is now in this section looking at our quartz ledges.… Capt. Rogers & Sons have sold their mining interests on Silver Creek, Josephine County, to Newton York and Jess Smith.… Wimer & Simmons, of Waldo, are now engaged in cleaning up, after a favorable season. We may expect to hear of something big from this mine.… Wm. Heckert was in town during the week, and reports mining as about suspended on Galls Creek. Most of the miners there have done well.… Miller & Kretzer are rushing their ditch along, and it will soon be completed. This firm proposes going into mining operations quite extensively.… It is reported that John Hall and others have struck a ledge of silver-bearing quartz in Slate Creek precinct that is very rich. We have learned no further particulars.… Bybee, Newman & Hawkett, who own some mining ground near Waldo that is unsurpassed, now have a considerable force of white men engaged in extending their ditch some distance. They will also do a large amount of fluming, but expect to have everything in readiness when water comes. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 12, 1882, page 101 IRON.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 12: Iron ore, in considerable quantities, has been found in the vicinity of Rock Point. J. W. Hays informs us that J. H. Pomeroy, connected with the Oswego (Clackamas County) iron manufactory, has examined it, as also the mountain on which it has been found, and pronounces the chances for the discovery of a valuable iron mine as flattering. A tunnel will probably be run soon for prospecting purposes.… Miners are preparing for winter, in some cases.… Bolt & Co. are developing their quartz mine on Steamboat.… Capt. Ankeny and W. C. Parsons, an Arizona expert, left for the north this week, to look at some mines.… Quite a number of prospectors are now in the region of Sardine Creek and rummaging the country over.… The Chinese who leased the Applegate Gravel Co.'s diggings are now at work, being the only ones that are doing anything on Big Applegate. TIN.--Mr. Mullen this week showed us a specimen of tin ore, which, he informs us, has been thoroughly tested and prospects well. It was found in the vicinity of Evans Creek. MILL.--Geo. Ross informs us that his company will probably put up a quartz mill on Louse Creek before long, having found good prospects there. Gradually our mining interests are coming into prominence.… Miller & Kretzer's pipe and ''giant" are now on the road and expected to arrive soon. Their ditch is also nearing completion, and everything will be in readiness for extensive operations when the rainy season commences. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 19, 1882, page 117 GETTING READY.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 18: Some of the miners are getting ready for winter.… Jack Layton, of Applegate, is still cleaning up considerable of the glittering ore.… Quartz interests are looking up, and considerable prospecting for ledges is being done.… A. W. Sturgis is still at work in his drifting claim, on Jackass Creek, with fair success. The sale of the Josephine mine has been postponed until Monday, Sept. 25th.… With very few exceptions, all the miners of Foots Creek have suspended work for the season. Goldworthy & Justus are still at work, however, and are doing well.… N. O. Mitchell and George Ross are taking up a large number of quartz ledges in different portions of the county. We learn that they have a mill at Roseburg, which will soon be shipped to this section.… John Bolt, of Applegate, was in town Saturday and informed us that Derickson & Co. have struck a promising ledge at Horsehead, in Josephine County. Their mill has already arrived and is being put in position.… D. Slagle, who now resides near Waldo, Josephine County, informs us that Wimer & Simmons will be engaged in cleaning up for several weeks to come. They will, no doubt, take out in the neighborhood of $20,000.… Parties from San Francisco have been, and some are still, in Josephine County, looking at the mines, with the intention of purchasing. Bybee & Skeeters were offered $6,000 for their claim.… Rast & Criteser will work the Steam Beer mine, in Leland precinct, all reports to the contrary notwithstanding, and have employed Ben Parker as superintendent. These mines are paying well, and have already proven valuable property. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 26, 1882, page 133 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 20: N. McNair will be in charge of Howard & Simmons' mines, at Galice Creek, next winter.… Gin Lin is still piping, but not regularly, as water is light. He has done well this season.… Fred. Otten, of Foots Creek, was in town this week. He is engaged in opening a new drifting claim.… Jacob Klippel and Wm. Brodbeck have taken charge of the Squaw Creek mines and will put them in shape at once.… Miller & Kretzer's hydraulic pipe, of which there is about 2,000 ft., arrived this week, and will be put together at once.… Cleaning bedrock is still going on at the Sterling mine, and will continue about 6 weeks longer. Very satisfactory results are promised.… Martin Mackey, Josephine County, sent us a piece of iron ore last week, which seems to be rich in that metal. He has a large ledge of it. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 2, 1882, page 149 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 2: Prospecting is going on everywhere.… J. M. Cook has found a promising quartz ledge in the Gold Hill region.… Patterson & Co. have a "giant" at work in their Beaver Creek (Cal.) mines, with excellent prospects.… Wm. Willis, of Ashland, has found a ledge of coal in the mountains, within about 12 miles of that place.… Derickson & Co.'s quartz mill is nearly in position at Horsehead, Josephine County. They have struck good prospects on the ledge.… Jack Layton was in town Monday, from whom we learned that cleaning up is still progressing at his claims on Farris Gulch. An excellent result has already been assured.… Desseler & Co., of Scotch Gulch, Josephine County, have cleaned up, with better results than ever, having taken out several thousand dollars. Their elevator works like a charm.… Curtis Bros. have contracted for the delivery of 20,000 ft. of flume lumber, and will operate on Jackson Creek, on an extensive scale, next winter. We learn that they will also invest in a hydraulic.… Wimer & Simmons, of Waldo, Josephine County, finished cleaning up this week. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 9, 1882, page 165 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 7: D. A. Neal, an old Shasta miner, has gone to Josephine County on a prospecting tour. He speaks highly of the mineral resources of this section.… Jake Miller, of Josephine County, has been sent on a prospecting tour for copper in the mountains between Waldo and Crescent City by parties from abroad.… Shepherd Bros., who did some mining near Major Barron's place last winter, succeeded so well that they will continue operations on a larger scale next season.… A great deal of prospecting is now being done throughout Southern Oregon, and we shall soon see the hills full of prospectors. The railroad is bringing them forward.… J. W. Hays, who is interested with J. M. and R. A. Cook in a promising quartz mine recently discovered in the Gold Hill district, says work will be commenced on it at once.… N. O. Mitchell and George Ross, who are prospecting this county for quartz, are now cleaning out the old Blackwell shaft. We learn that they will put up a quartz mill somewhere in that vicinity.… The Roseburg Plaindealer says it is reported that a very fine lode of nickel ore has been discovered on Myrtle Creek, near Mt. McLoughlin, which promises to prove very valuable. It is said that parties from San Francisco are becoming interested in the mine and will have it thoroughly tested and worked. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 16, 1882, page 181 Capt. Ankeny, while at Sterling last week, let the contract for digging the extension of his ditch to a Chinese company at $4.25 a rod, who took it quite low. "Oregon Items," Puget Sound Argus, September 18, 1879, page 2 NUGGET.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 16: J. W. Ingram, of Willow Springs, while scratching in a bank of the claim he is interested in, the other day picked up a nugget of gold worth $10. R. W. DERICKSON & CO. have their mill on Horsehead, Josephine County, almost ready for business, and will commence crushing ore before long. They have excellent prospects in sight. PIPE.--Bilger & Maegly are engaged in putting several hundred feet of hydraulic pipe together for Alex Watts, of Williamsburg, Josephine County. He did quite well last winter, and proposes operating on a larger scale next season. MILL.--B. W. Dean informs us that Mitchell & Ross have the foundation for their mill under way, and will have everything in readiness by the time it arrives from Roseburg. They have located in the Blackwell district for the present, proposing to test quartz from various ledges in that vicinity. COPPER.--The latest rumors from Josephine County are to the effect that parties representing Eastern capitalists have purchased the copper mines in the vicinity of Waldo, and that several men are now engaged in prospecting them. It is believed that there is it large deposit of ore that will pay well. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 23, 1882, page 197 STERLING.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 23: The Sterling mining company finished cleaning up this week, after a very satisfactory run. CAPT. KELLY, encouraged by results of last season, will operate on a larger scale at his Coyote Creek mines this winter. IT is said that Messrs. Pierce, Mulkey and Dwyer are sinking prospect shafts in the creek bottom at A. P. Talent's place, on Wagner Creek. D. FISHER informs us that some mining is being done on the big bar of Rogue River. Mr. Jamison has found excellent prospects there, and good diggings are promised soon. MILL.--John Bolt, the genial Applegate merchant, was in town this week, from whom we learned that Derickson & Co. expect to have their quartz mill on Horsehead, Josephine County, running next Monday. RETURNED.--Wm. Bybee has returned from California, and is now near Waldo, Josephine County, looking after his mining interests. His company is building a new ditch several miles long, and will also repair their old one, all of which work they expect to have completed in the course of a few months. SLATE CREEK.--The property known as the Josephine mine, situated in Slate Creek precinct, Josephine County, will be sold at Kerbyville next Monday by Hon. W. B. Gilbert, Master in Chancery, together with the ditches, appurtenances, etc., belonging thereto. Here is an opportunity for someone to buy a good piece of mining property. GALICE CREEK.--A correspondent writes: While at Galice Creek I visited the English company's diggings, which, I have been informed, are about to be sold. This ground, although it may not pay a large company to work it, would provide employment for several miners for many years. The Ankeny diggings would also make quite a little camp and give profitable employment for years. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 30, 1882, page 213 CENTENNIAL.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 30: The Centennial Co., who are outraged in mining the bed of the Klamath River, Siskiyou County, took out 10 ounces of gold one day recently. As a general thing, these river mines are not paying as well as usual this season, however. "Siskiyou," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 7, 1882, page 229 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 29: Miners are getting ready for the rainy season.… Jacob and Lannes Klippel and W. S. Brodbeck are mining at Dividend Bar with fair success.… W. Prefontaine has returned from the railroad and commenced preparing his claim for winter. He will put down a large amount of fluming.… J. W. Ingram, of Willow Springs, the other day picked up a nugget worth $25 in the claim he is interested in with R. H. Dean. He is at present engaged in drifting.… DeLamater & Co., who have extensive interests near Kerbyville, have completed the enlargement and extension of their ditch, and will operate on a larger scale than ever next season.… The Sterling mining company having finished cleaning up for this season. Frank Ennis left for Portland this week for a short business visit. There is not a doubt but what many thousand dollars were taken out of this claim during the past season.… N. O. Mitchell has returned to Portland, and Mr. Welch has come to put up the quartz mill at Blackwell, the huge engine of which arrived this week, as also most of the paraphernalia. It is expected that the mill will be in running order before rainy weather sets in.… The Josephine mine, located in Slate Creek precinct, was sold at Master's sale at Kerbyville last Monday, and bought by Wm. Bybee for the sum of $3,740, the amount of his judgment, and the costs of the suit, etc. This property will be put in first-class order at once. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 7, 1882, page 229 BRIEFS.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 20: A. W. Sturgis is still drifting on Forest Creek and doing better than ever.… The recent rains have accelerated the miners' speed in getting ready for winter.… Welch & Co.'s quartz mill, recently set up in Blackwell district, is about ready to run.… The miners anticipate a good run next season and are making extensive preparations for it.… Ginter & Burkholter, of Applegate, are putting in a long flume, which will greatly facilitate operations.… Wm. Cameron, of Uniontown, informs us that Gin Lin has both his pipes at work with a full head of water.… Hays & Magruder are making preparations at their diggings, on Rogue River, for more extensive mining than ever.… The Sterling company is engaged in fixing its ditch for next season's run. They have about finished cleaning bedrock.… The ground is well soaked and it will not take much more rainy weather to furnish the miners with an abundance of water.… Mulkey & Co. are now making extensive preparations for mining on the Root place, on Wagner Creek, where good prospects have been found.… DeLamater & Co., who own rich diggings on Cow Flat, a few miles from Kerbyville, have nearly completed the extension and enlargement of their ditch, which will enable them to reach better ground than ever.… R. W. Derickson came over from Horsehead, Josephine County, this week, and seems well pleased with the prospects. A fine quality of quartz has been struck, but it is not known as yet how extensive the vein is.… R.Cook came over from Steamboat this week, where he is engaged in running a tunnel to strike the ledge that created such an excitement in early days, but suddenly pinched out. He has progressed a distance of 212 ft..… Daniel Fisher informs us that Mr. Pomeroy and others, who have some connection with the Oswego Iron Works, in Clackamas County, recently located a number of claims in the vicinity of Gold Hill, and proposes prospecting them at once for iron. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 28, 1882, page 277 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 4: Good weather for miners.… Superintendent Ennis, of the Sterling mine, has had the long line of ditch cleaned out and is nearly ready for business.… Welch & Co. have their mill in Blackwell district at work, and are crushing quartz taken from the old Wallace ledge.… Several tons of quartz have been taken from Bolt & Co.'s ledge on Steamboat to the mill at Horsehead, Josephine County, for testing.… W. A. Johnson is still at work on the old Jewett ledge, in the expectation of striking a bonanza yet. His perseverance is worthy of reward.… John Haviland, of Canyon Creek, Josephine County, has his mine in readiness for the pipe and giant laying at Crescent City.… The prospects for a good mining season seem better than ever. The early rains have thoroughly soaked the ground, and not much more is needed to afford a sluicehead.… The two quartz mills now running in Southern Oregon have long been needed, and will prove of great convenience and importance to those owning ledges, inasmuch as it enables them to ascertain their value in a thorough and scientific manner.… The Blue Gravel M. Co. has concluded not to work its mines at Galice Creek any more for the present, and the English Co.'s diggings will also lie dormant this season, owing to some difference between the stockholders in England, we learn.… Wm. Bybee and A. H. Carson are now working a ledge that paid enormously several years ago and was abandoned after a protracted lawsuit. It is situated near the old Jewett ledge, and Mr. Carson assures us that there is every prospect of its proving first-class property.… Wm. Bybee, who returned from Josephine County a few days ago, informs us that the mine he is interested in with Messrs. Newman and Hawkett will soon be ready for work. The ditch, which is ten miles long and required 40,000 feet of lumber for fluming, is nearly completed.… Jas. Hansen, a first-class miner, and who was recently appointed receiver and superintendent of Wimer & Simmons' mines near Waldo, took charge this week, and is putting them in shape for the season's run. There is already a full head of water in the ditch connected with the diggings.… C. W. Burrage, of Portland, who is prospecting the county for iron ore with Mr. Pomeroy of Oswego, called on us yesterday. He informs us that the indications for extensive deposits are favorable. Owing to the inclement weather, they will be obliged to suspend their present search before long. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 11, 1882, page 309 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 12: The country is filling up with miners.… Most of the miners are ready for the winter's run.… Supt. Ennis, of the Sterling mines, says there is plenty of water and he will commence active work next week.… Eleven inches of snow fell last week along the line of Bybee & Co.'s ditch, near Waldo, but Supt. Hawkett expects to finish up the work and get ready in time for a full season's run.… The party who built Welsh & Co.'s quartz mill arrived at Blackwell, from Portland, this week to put it in operation. Derickson & Co., of Horsehead, have a similar mill.… Messrs. Burrage and Pomeroy, of Portland and Oswego, who have been prospecting for iron ore in the hills in the vicinity of Rock Point and Gold Hill, are said to have found very rich and extensive deposits. We learn that the chances are favorable for a furnace being put up somewhere along Rogue River when the railroad is completed.… Our mining interests will, in all probability, receive an impetus before long. The hills are full of rich minerals of every kind, and all that is needed to make Jackson one of the foremost mining counties on the coast is capital. Already prospectors from abroad, and representing men of means, are making their way hither. Developments of an important character will be made, which will attract general attention, and then look out for a boom. Southern Oregon is destined to be a very rich and prosperous section. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 18, 1882, page 325 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 16: The iron deposits of Jackson County are attracting more attention than ever.… A. W. Sturgis, of Forest Creek, is still drifting, and has sufficient water for present purposes.… C. W. Burrage and others are still prospecting the hills in the vicinity of Rock Point for iron ore.… Springstead & Co. have an arrastra at work at their quartz ledge at the head of Wagner Creek. The prospects are promising.… S. L. Fielder came over from Kerbyville this week, from whom we learned that many of the miners of Josephine County are busy.… DeLamater Brothers are ground sluicing at their claim near Kerbyville, while DeLamater & Newman will soon have their bulkhead in, and will then be ready for an extended run.… H. T. Hutchins, of Galice Creek, is in town, from whom we learn that Green Brothers are again taking out a considerable quantity of rich ore. They have not crushed any since July, but have run a winze, with excellent results.… R. W. Derickson, of Horseshoe, Josephine County, visited Jacksonville this week. He informs us that the quartz mill has been shut down for the present, and that considerable ore of excellent quality is being taken out daily. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 23, 1882, page 405 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 6: Berryman & Hansen, of Applegate, continue drifting to good advantage, in spite of the cold weather.… S. A. Barough, of Slate Creek, showed us some fine specimens of iron ore found in that section by him.… D. W. Anderson & Sons are sinking a shaft in J. A. Cardwell's orchard, preparatory to commencing mining operations there.… Josephine County promises to rank very high as a mining section soon, as her copper and iron mines are attracting a great deal of attention.… The weather is more favorable for mining at this writing, as the cold spell seems to be broken, and some snow and rain have fallen in the past day.… The cold snap has put a stop to mining operations, but it is not liable to last long. More rain is needed to facilitate business in this line, however.… R. W. Derickson came over from Horsehead, Josephine County, this week, and reports that considerable good ore is being taken out right along.… The miners of Josephine County have been favored with much more rain than these here; besides, the weather has not been so cold there, and many are busily at work already.… Geo, Ross, who was up from Blackwell this week, informs us that Welch & Co.'s mill has been put in excellent running order, and will soon be crushing several tons of ore daily. Judge Hanna has been in Josephine County locating iron mines for himself and others. He returned Thursday, accompanied by Sam Bowden, bringing some fine specimens of ore with him.… Geo. Simmons' mammoth ditch has been completed, but as Illinois River is too high for effective fluming at this season, operations will be suspended for the present. Mr. S. expects to have this mine in full blast next winter. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 13, 1883, page 21 SNOW.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 16: A considerable amount of snow lies back in the hills, upon which the miners anticipate fondly. Wm. Heeley was down from Big Applegate this week, who informs us that the Chinese operating the Applegate Gravel Co.'s claims have suspended work. H. D. Russell has sold his interest in the McKee claim on Jackass Creek to Polk Dews. W. Q. Brown, superintendent of the nickel mine on Cow Creek, is having a wagon road built to G. W. Riddle's old place from the mine. The O. C. and S. mining company, at Oakland, Or., have discharged all the miners, and for the present work in the mine will be discontinued, as they already have ore enough out to run the furnace four months. The last cleanup was 38 bottles of quicksilver. J. F. Salmon, one of the inventors of the quartz mills now being operated at Blackwell and Horsehead, has recently been putting them in running order. They come up to expectations now, and are said to be unexcelled in the economy and perfection of their work. Mr. S. is interested in a hydraulic claim on Cow Creek, which has not been worked to any extent this season, owing to the weather. There are two like claims in that vicinity. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 27, 1883, page 53 Operating Pumps in Mines.
Mr. John Huffer, of Jacksonville,
Oregon, has just patented through the Mining and Scientific Press
Patent Agency a new method of operating pumps in mines or deep wells,
where the pumps are located on different levels or stations. The object
of the invention is to furnish means for operating all the pumps upon
the various levels or stations at the same time by the application of
the original power, which, by certain mechanical devices, is
transmitted throughout the entire system. Across the top of the shaft is suitably journaled the driving shaft, upon which is a pulley on which is firmly clamped a flat wire cable. This cable is clamped to its center at the top of the pulley to prevent slipping, as its ends are loose and swing down upon each side over the face of the pulley. This power pulley does not make a complete revolution, but oscillates, that is, it revolves part way and then back. At the first side station or level is journaled a horizontal shaft, carrying upon one end a double-faced pulley. Upon the outer of these faces is clamped at the center and underneath the pulley another flat cable, the ends of which pass about the face of the pulley at its sides, and extend up to connect with the lower ends of pieces of round cable already attached to the flat cable of the power pulley, thus making a connection with the upper pulley. In the pieces of round cable connecting the flat cables are placed set screws or links, whereby the cable connection can be tightened and adjusted. Over the other face of the pulley at the station is another flat belt connected in a similar manner to that already described, with the pulley at the next station by similarly arranged belts. Each level is connected with the one above in this way, and at each station is a pump. The shafts of each of the sets of pulleys have pinions at their ends, these pinions engaging with a rack, either formed with or attached to the piston rod of the pump. Power is applied to the main driving shaft and pulley at the surface to give the pulley an oscillatory motion. This is transmitted through the continuous belt or cable connections to the pinions at the several stations, and by means of these pinions the piston rods of the pumps are moved back and forth to operate the pumps. The pumps may be single or double-acting, or two single-acting pumps, one at each end of the rack, may be used. The pumps may be operated at any angle desired, by clamping the flat cables at suitable points upon their pulleys, and by the interposition of guide pulleys the power may be transmitted to them in any location, as in a tunnel or down another shaft. The general principle of operating a series of pumps simultaneously is not new, but the other devices differ from Mr. Huffer's. The vibrations of the cable is provided for, and also the stretching of the cables. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 3, 1883, page 72 A patent model for this device survives, in the vault of the Beekman Bank, Jacksonville. NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 26: The miners are having hard luck, as the water is very late in starting. Klippel & Keaton this week received a giant, which will be used at their claim on Poormans Creek. Since the weather has moderated, the miners feel more encouraged and expect to make a good run yet. R. W. Derickson, of Horsehead, was in town this week. He says that some excellent quartz is being taken out there and that the mill is now operated with success. Cold weather has been the order in Josephine County as well as here. In fact it has been so cold that Wimer & Simmons' mine, which generally runs right along, was frozen up for several days. Capt. Kelly came up from Coyote Creek Saturday after supplies. He informs us that he had enough water to clean up with until the cold snap put an end to operations, which were resumed this week. D. Reynolds informs us that he has received favorable assays from the ore he sent to Chicago. He claims that one of the richest mineral belts on the coast is located on Evans Creek. Coal and petroleum also seem quite abundant. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 3, 1883, page 77 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 3: Miners favored with good water rights are at work. Miners in Josephine County have a good supply of water and are busy. More rain has fallen there than here. Miners in the northern portion of Jackson and Josephine counties have plenty of water and are using it to good advantage. The party working Bybee & Saunders' claim on Rogue River, Josephine County, have struck good prospects and are doing first-rate. Both of the quartz mills at Horsehead and Blackwell are now in the best running order, and good reports may be expected from them. Considerable ore is being taken out. J. E. Gale and E. E. Moore, who are mining at Hole-in-the-Ground, Leland precinct, are getting good prospects. They picked up a piece of gold worth $8 the other day. The Sterling mine has not been able to do much this season, owing to the cold weather. Mulkey & Co., who are mining A. P. Talent's land on Wagner Creek, have an abundance of water and are doing well. They washed a rod of dirt not long since and obtained over $100. We were shown some excellent prospects from that claim this week. Judge Hanna has directed the superintendent of the Wimer & Simmons mine near Waldo to work only the undisputed ground. Mr. Hansen has given ]i.e., reported] the required bonds and operations are progressing with dispatch since the cold spell was broken. There has been some rain during the past week, but not enough to give most of the miners a sufficient head of water. Still, there is every prospect of a good run yet, as the cold snap seems to be over and but little more rain is necessary to start a plentiful supply of water. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 10, 1883, page 93 COAL.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 7: D. Reynolds of the Meadows has discovered a large vein of stone coal, which grows better as he goes down upon it. It is now 10 ft. wide, and the coal is of an excellent quality. FARMERS FLAT.--Miller & Kretzer's placer diggings on Farmers Flat have been provided with hydraulic pipe and a little giant, and a good report may be expected from here if the season is at all favorable. DISCOURAGEMENT.--Some of the miners are able to work during the warm part of the day, but generally speaking there is room for much discouragement. Should the spring be late, there will still be a chance for a good run. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 17, 1883, page 109 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 33: The head of the Sterling ditch is thawing out, and piping is about to commence. The prospects do not seem favorable for an extended run for many of the miners. Dale & Son, who are mining below the Eagle flouring mill, have found new gravel beds that prove remunerative. N. Cook, of Willow Springs, informs us that miners are at work in that vicinity and are able to do several hours work daily. Klippel & Keaton, of Poormans Creek, are able to work 8 hours out of 24 by catching the water in their reservoir. ]. T. Layton, of Applegate, is hiring quite a force of men to clean out his long line of ditch, which work will take some time. He has not done much so far, but expects to make a good run yet. The melting snow has enabled many to work their claim. There is an unusual quantity of snow in the mountains, and those whose ditches head there will have an ample supply of water for a while. Ross & Co., have purchased C. H. Barkdull's title to the quartz ledge in Blackwell district, which paid so well about two years ago, when $600 was pounded out with a mortar in a short time. Prospecting will be commenced at once. Most of the miners are busy at work since the pleasant weather began, but unless rain begins to fall soon, there will be a dearth of water. Those who rely on gulches and short creeks are not liable to do much this season, without the spring is late and wet. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 3, 1883, page 149 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 2: Miners of Josephine County are busy, being more favored with water than those here. Gin Lin seems to be the only miner in Uniontown precinct who has an abundance of water. Many of the miners are busy, but some have no water at all. The mining season does not promise well. Miners who have reservoirs are in better luck than ever this season, for without them they could not run at all. Goldsworthy & Justus are opening the main bed of Foots Creek, which enterprise will no doubt prove remunerative in time. The pleasant weather has greatly discouraged the miners, who will be unable to do much unless there is plenty of rain during the spring. The snow in the mountains is fast disappearing, much to the disgust of the miner, who looked to it as a source of supply in the late spring. The American Mining Code, the best work published, can be obtained at the Times office. Also blank notices of location of quartz and placer mines. Jas. Hansen returned from Josephine Tuesday. He informs us that Wimer & Sons are in possession of the big mine at Waldo, where operations are progressing steadily. Curtis Bros., who are engaged in piping off the old tailings in Jackson Creek, have been doing well, considering their opportunity. They took out about $50 in one day last week. Mullen & Adams have commenced working the Rockfellow diggings this side of Ashland, and expect to make a good run. They use the water from the ditch that supplies the Ashland flouring mills until the 1st of July. Chas. Williams of Pleasant Creek, who was in town this week, informs us that the once-prosperous mining camp has dwindled down to almost nothing, one white man and eight Chinamen constituting all the miners in that section. The Gold Hill M. Co. has employed Mr. Thomas, an experienced quartz miner, to prospect for the missing vein, which paid so enormously in days gone by. He had been engaged in repairing the old tunnel, which was in a dangerous condition. Bybee, Hawkett & Co. are running their claims near Waldo night and day, with good prospects. Snow fell to the depth of 3 ft. at the head of the ditch and they will probably be able to run two pipes until the 1st of June, as they have excellent water privileges. A cleanup made after a few days' run yielded over $300. Some of their ditches slid in, but the damage done is about repaired. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 10, 1883, page 165 MINING NEWS.
The weather still continues unfavorable, and there is not much prospect
for a good run this season.
Welch & Ross are engaged in prospecting the Barkdull ledge and are sanguine of good prospects. C. J. Howard returned from Josephine County this week, and reports miners doing comparatively nothing. The American Mining Code, the best work published, can be obtained at the Times office. Also blank notices of location of quartz and placer mines. Judge Hanna and Henry Klippel, Esq., went to Josephine County Wednesday on business connected with their mining locations in that section. McKee & Dews of Forest Creek are able to run about five hours daily with their hydraulic. Klippel & Keaton on Poormans Creek are not so well favored with water. Much prospecting is still going on in Southern Oregon, which will yet prove the best mining region on the coast. Several prospectors from abroad are in the vicinity at present. Mr. Thompson is still at work in Gold Hill and is going down on ore that seems rich in iron. The walls are well defined and he hopes to yet strike a ledge rich in gold. The tunnel is now 150 feet long. The ore from the Wallsee ledge yields very little, but McDonough & Kahler's dump near Fort Lane is yielding an ounce to the ton. The latter ledge will probably prove an excellent one, as also may some others in the vicinity. E. W. Derickson of Horsehead, Josephine County, was in town this week. He informs us that he has a large amount of ore on the dump yet, after crushing, which he will clean up and make different arrangements as to working the mill. Bybee & Co.'s ditch near Waldo, built last summer, does not fulfill their expectations, and it will have to be remodeled. Consequently, they have not been able to do much work this season, but what they have done establishes the value of their mines. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, March 16, 1883, page 2 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 10: Jack Layton, of Applegate, has a large force of men at work cleaning out his ditches. Goldsworthy & Justus, of Foots Creek, who have superior water privileges, are able to do considerable piping. Sargent & Sons, who are mining on Thompson Creek, Applegate precinct, have obtained excellent prospects. The weather continues discouraging to miners, who fear that they can make no run of any consequence this season. Bybee & Co. have been making a cleanup at their claim near Waldo, which turned out better than Supt. Hawkett expected. Some of the miners have not done any work at all so far. The present season is the worst for mining ever known in Southern Oregon. Frank Ennis and James Hansen, accompanied by Charles Howard, surveyor, went over to Josephine County last week, to look at some mining ground which they will probably purchase. Mr. Ennis returned Tuesday. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 17, 1883, page 181 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 16: The weather still continues unfavorable and there is not much prospect for a good run this season. Welch & Ross are engaged in prospecting the Barkdull ledge and are sanguine of good prospects. C. J. Howard returned from Josephine County this week, and reports miners doing comparatively nothing. Judge Hanna and Henry Klippel, Esq., went to Josephine County, Wednesday on business connected with their mining locations in that section. McKee & Dews of Forest Creek are able to run about five hours daily with their hydraulic. Klippel & Keaton on Poormans Creek are not so well favored with water. Much prospecting is still going on in Southern Oregon, which will yet prove the best mining region on the coast. Several prospectors from abroad are in the vicinity at present. Mr. Thompson is still at work in Gold Hill and is going down on ore that seems rich in iron. The walls are well defined and he hopes to yet strike a ledge rich in gold. The tunnel is now 150 ft long. The ore from the Wallace ledge yields very little, but McDonough & Kahler's dump near Fort Lane is yielding an ounce to the ton. The latter ledge will probably prove an excellent one, as also may some others in the vicinity. R. W. Derickson of Horsehead, Josephine County, was in town this week. He informs us that he has a large amount of ore on the dump yet, after crushing which he will clean up and make different arrangements as to working the mill. Bybee & Co.'s ditch near Waldo, built last summer, does not fulfill their expectations, and it will have to be remodeled. Consequently, they have not been able to do much work this season; but what they have done establishes the value of their mines. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 24, 1883, page 205 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 31: Placer miners have generally been disappointed by the unusually dry winter season. Wimer & Sons have their mine, near Waldo, in good running order, and expect to make a big cleanup. H. L. Hanson has sold his interest in the drifting claims, near Applegate post office, to his partner, Thos. Berryman, for $600. Bybee & Co. are still working their mines, near Waldo, with half a head of water. They will next raise the source of their ditch, when a good supply will be afforded them during the greater part of the year. Green Bros., of Galice Creek, have a large amount of ore on their dump, which will pay from $50 to $100 to the ton, and are probably crushing it before this time. They have a rich ledge that is constantly improving, The Roseburg Plaindealer, speaking of the smelting works that W. Q. Brown & Co. propose putting up at Piney, Douglas County, says that they are intended to be of a sufficient capacity to give employment to 150 persons. W. W. Graham, who is engaged in mining in the Siskiyou Mountains, was in town this week. He reports that several claims are being worked on Grouse and Beaver creeks, with promising results. His company are ground sluicing just below the mouth of Grouse Creek, where coarse gold seems to exist in considerable quantities. Patterson Bros, have a hydraulic and giant, and are piping with good effect. The other miners also seem to be doing well. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 7, 1883, page 237 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, April 28: John Barkdull and E. Rhoten have commenced work at the big bar of Rogue River. Brown, Feldt & Co., mining on Althouse, have been doing well since water became plentiful. They picked up a fine nugget worth $40 not long since. Placer mining was a failure in most instances this season. Such dry weather was never experienced before, and the miners sincerely hope it never will be repeated. The Sterling mine is being worked without interruption, though the ditch is not full as yet. A continuation of the weather of this week will melt the snow remaining in the mountains, when there will be plenty of water. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 5, 1883, page 309 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, May 18: The rains are keeping up what water supply there is. F. M. Blevins, of Siskiyou County, is in this section on a prospecting tour. Rich rock is being taken out of the old John Rhoten ledge on Kane Creek. T. B. Hueston, of Thompson Creek, says the miners of that region still have plenty of water. The miners have made no extraordinary reports as yet. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 26, 1883, page 357 New Pumping Apparatus for Mines.
The engraving
on this page illustrates a new form of pumping apparatus designed by
John H. Huffer, of Jacksonville, Oregon, who has patented his device
through the Mining and
Scientific Press
Patent Agency. The shaft of a mine is represented with stations at
various levels, where pumps are placed. At the surface of the ground,
and across the mouth of the shaft, is mounted a shaft upon which is
secured a pulley. Extending from each of the various stations or levels
are short shafts, each carrying double-faced pulleys, all of which are
here in a vertical plane with the pulley at one side of the shaft. Clamped upon [the] top of the face of the upper pulley is a flat cable or belt, the ends of which pass over the sides of the pulley and hang down in the shaft. The cable may be a flat wire cable, on a chain, as may be necessary, clamped to the tops of the next two pulleys, upon their outer faces, are similar flat cables or belts, the ends of which hang down on each side. Under the three pulleys, upon their inner faces, are clamped flat cables, the ends of which extend up over the sides of the pulleys, and are connected with the depending end of the flat cables alongside of them respectively by round cables or chains, or cords, thus completing the connection between all the pulleys so the oscillation of the driving pulley will oscillate the other three. Tightening nuts and turnbuckles take up the slack. To produce the oscillatory movement a steam engine cylinder is mounted on the surface, and in a frame are two rods or tracks, upon which a traveler is adapted to reciprocate. The end of the piston rod of the engine is connected with this traveler to which it transmits a reciprocating rectilinear motion. Secured on the shaft is a pulley with three faces. A band or belt is clamped on top of the central face and thence passes loosely around one side of it and under the pulley, and is secured to the end of the traveler nearest the steam cylinder. Two similar bands or belts are clamped to the outer faces, thence pass loosely around and under the pulley in an opposite direction to that of the central band, and are secured to the opposite end of the traveler. Through these bands or belts the rectilinear reciprocatory motion of the traveler is converted into an oscillatory movement, with which the pulley is affected. Through the shaft and pulley all of the other pulleys are oscillated. The movement is reconverted into a rectilinear reciprocating motion affecting the pump rods. There are frames and tracks in said frames, and reciprocating travelers at each station where there is a pump. Secured upon each of these shafts are pulleys having three faces. Bands or belts are clamped upon these faces and pass loosely around them, being secured to opposite ends of the travelers, the arrangement being similar to those of pulley and traveler above. Thus the oscillating movement of these pulleys is transmitted to the pump rods in a rectilinear reciprocating motion to operate the pumps. There are no racks or pinions. These pumps are supposed to be double-acting pumps, and are connected with each other through suitable pipes and intervening tanks, or in any appropriate manner. Vertical pumps may he also worked on exactly the same principle, with a little different arrangement. One vertical pump is shown in the engraving. The inventor states that this conversion of rectilinear to oscillating motion, and vice versa, while being simple, is advantageous in overcoming the dead-center of crank motion for one half of a circle. Although the engraving shows the pumping apparatus in a shaft of a mine, it is obvious that the same apparatus is applicable to a deep well. In all ordinary cases of this character no stations would be required other than the one near the bottom, where the pump would be supported. This could be in any practicable manner. The principle on which the well pump is operated is shown in the smaller of the two engravings accompanying this article; the details are arranged to suit circumstances. The pump rod would be reciprocated in the manner already described by the oscillating pulley, connected through belts and chains with an oscillating driving pulley receiving motion from an engine or a hand crank, as might be desirable. The operation of the lift pump has a tendency to throw the system out of balance by the amount of force required to operate it. This may be overcome by adjusting the cutoff of the steam engine, allowing it to admit more steam at one end than at the other. When the required depth of shaft is reached, the lift pump may be dispensed with. This apparatus will work at any angle desired by fastening the chains or cables at the center of the pulleys on a line in the new direction. By the use of this apparatus the power is exerted directly against the water to be lifted, less the friction on the bearings, and the inventor is confident there will be no jar in pumping. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 9, 1883, page 385 MINING NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, June 16: A prospector has found a promising silver ledge near Ashland. Klippel & Keaton are digging a new ditch to bring water on their Poormans Creek diggings. Wm. Selph and Mr. Cole are now prospecting for quartz in the Blackwell district and are sinking a shaft at present. Thos. Chapman, of Josephine County, paid Jacksonville a visit Monday, from whom we learned that the season is at an end with most miners. Considerable mining is being done near the mouth of Beaver Creek, in the Siskiyou Mountains. Patterson Bros. have a hydraulic in operation there. DeLamater & Newman, who own first-class mines near Kerbyville, have cleaned up. They made a satisfactory run, although water was not as abundant as usual. D. Steckel, of Wolf Creek, called this week who informed us that the Portland co. by whom he is employed washed off a large piece of ground that is now being cleaned. Crushing has been suspended at Welch & Ross' mill in Willow Springs precinct, owing to the scarcity of water. About three tons of rock from the John Rhoten ledge on Kane Creek was crushed and prospected even better than anticipated. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 23, 1883, page 421 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, June 2: Bybee & Newman's claim has been shut down for the season. About $2,000 was cleaned up recently, which shows that the claim is a good one. L. A. Heberlie returned from Josephine County Monday, and informed us that the companies working their claims in that section are getting ready to clean up, as water is beginning to fail. Considerable chrome is being taken out right along from the mines in the vicinity of the low divide of Smith River, for the transportation of which to Crescent City teamsters going down from here can earn $5.50 per ton. G. W. Burrage and Mr. Pomeroy, representing capitalists of Portland, have men at work prospecting some iron deposits in the vicinity of Rock Point. The outlook is promising, and we expect that some important developments will be made soon. The mineral resources of Southern Oregon are gradually receiving the attention they deserve. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 30, 1883, page 437 SOUTHWESTERN OREGON.--Times, July 13: W. T. Clemons, who has been looking after the English company's mines at Galice Creek, has removed from that section and will remain in town a while. He informs us that considerable prospecting is being done on Silver and Briggs creeks, as also in quartz on Galice Creek. The English Co. will probably operate their mines at Galice Creek next season. Walter Simmons is building a big reservoir at that place and making other preparations for extensive operations next season. Wimer & Sons are cleaning up and a big yield may be expected from their mine. R. Cook has finished 300 ft. of his tunnel at Steamboat and is going still further in. He expects to strike the lost bonanza in the near future. Desselles & Co. of Scotch Gulch, Josephine County, have finished cleaning up and no doubt did well. Sargent Bros., in vicinity of Steamboat, are doing well. Have found some fair-sized nuggets. J. Epperson & Co. of Steamboat are taking out considerable gold from their placer diggings. P. Fehely, and others, who have been prospecting in Josephine County, have struck it rich at the head of Johnson Creek. Wm. Griffin of Slate Creek precinct, Josephine County, who is prospecting a quartz ledge in the vicinit) of Rogue River, brought some fine specimens of ore to town last week. Jack Layton is now engaged in cleaning up at Applegate and will be occupied for several weeks to come. Notwithstanding the fact that water has been scarcer than usual, a large area of rich ground was piped off. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 21, 1883, page 37 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 3: Patterson Bros. have leased their hydraulic mines on Beaver Creek. These claims are improving right along. Cleaning up was finished at the Sterling mine a few days since, with good results. R. W. Dickerson and Mr. Ward, who have been running the quartz mill at Horsehead, Josephine County, informs us that water has failed entirely, causing a suspension of work. A cleanup has been made which, although not a large one, demonstrates that there is some good rock. The Messrs. Caldwell, who have been mining in Steamboat section for some time past, have struck excellent prospects. Their ground is rich and there is plenty of it. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 11, 1883, page 85 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 24: Geo. Ross will start up the quartz mill in Blackwell district, there being plenty of water in the shaft. Wimer & Sons of Josephine County have about finished cleaning up. The tunnel that taps Geo. Schumpf's ledge in Willow Springs precinct is 310 ft. long and the shaft 106 ft. deep. Alonzo Sturgis, who is working the old Capt. Alcorn diggings on Jackson Creek, found a crevice not long since which contained $60 of beautiful gold. Will. Brown, superintendent of the nickel mine near Riddle, has returned from San Francisco, where he had a quantity of the ore smelted. He exhibited to us a bar of the metal, which is pure. A correspondent of the Times, writing from Josephine County, says that the company mentioned as having struck big prospects on Althouse is composed of John Swan and others. They are prospecting the "big slide," and have got as high as $5 to the pan. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 8, 1883, page 149 MINING NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 7: Wm. Dorn, who is mining on Elliott Creek, just across the state line, says that there are fewer miners there than usual, but all seem to be doing fairly. R. Cook, who has been putting the Rhoten ledge in Willow Springs precinct in shape for Ross, Dolsen & Co., says there is a well-defined vein of quartz. The Elk Head cinnabar mine in Douglas County is working with good results. It is so arranged that they can take out the ore from the condensers each day, and it averages 50 pounds. Bilger & Maegly are manufacturing hydraulic pipe for Logg & McDonnell, who have extensive mines on Forest Creek. Jas. Hansen will prospect the Blue Gravel mines at Galice Creek this season by drifts, hoping to find the pay streak again. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 22, 1883, page 181 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 28: Anderson & Wells are interested in quartz ledges in the Siskiyou Mountains, near the state line, and will prospect them at once. Simmons & Co. are engaged with their mining enterprise near Waldo, probably one of the most important in the state. A copper excitement has again started up in Josephine County. Wimer & Sons of Josephine County are enlarging their ditches and flumes and expect a giant of the latest pattern and 1,400 ft. of hydraulic pipe in a short time. N. DeLamater of Kerbyville is getting his claims in readiness and will mine on a more extensive scale than ever next season. J. T. Bryan, who is mining on Brush Creek, Steamboat District, has been getting $2.25 a day with a rocker. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 13, 1883, page 229 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 5: Supt. Ennis informs us that the Sterling mine will be ready for business again in less than 10 days. Miners are generally preparing for winter, and expecting plenty of water. Chas. E. Chappell & Co., of Star Gulch, are ready for water, having placed their mine in good condition. Isaac Skeeters, of Josephine County, is making arrangements to have a giant put on his claim on Hogue Mountain. Ross & Co. have sent specimens of ore from the Rhoten ledge, in Willow Springs district, below for assay, and if the report is favorable active operations will be resumed at once. It is likely that the copper mines near Waldo, Josephine County, will soon be the scene of active work. If the company to whom they are bonded do not mean business, there are plenty others who are ready to step in. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 20, 1883, page 245 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 19: Simmons & Co. are making good headway with their new enterprise in the vicinity of Waldo, and have quite a force engaged in opening a huge cut. Wimer & Sons, of Waldo, who are enlarging their ditch and renovating flumes preparatory to putting in another pipe, will soon resume operations. Klippel & Keaton are getting their claim ready for winter. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 3, 1883, page 285 JOSEPHINE COUNTY.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 26: Miners of Josephine County are generally ready for the next season. Geo. Livingston, Supt. of Bybee & Co.'s claim near Waldo, is putting the same in first-class order. N. DeLamater is fitting up his mining claims near Kerbyville. Frank Ennis is engaged with Geo. Simmons of Waldo in opening some extensive placer claims. The cutting of a large tunnel has been commenced. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 10, 1883, page 301 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 2: The Sailor Gulch diggings near Waldo are being fitted up for an extensive run. Joe Epperson & Co., of Steamboat are putting their hydraulic pipe on some diggings on Applegate. Jack Layton is piping away at Harris Gulch. Hays & Magruder, who have good hydraulic mines on Rogue River, are making extensive preparations for winter. Saltmarsh Bros. inform us that miners of Sterling are ready to take advantage of the winter season. Curtis Bros. are working over the old tailings and ground on Jackson Creek. G. B. Caldwell was making some arrangements Monday for hydraulic pipe for the placer mines on Steamboat. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 17, 1883, page 317 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 16: William Scott of Galls Creek informs us that the miners of that section are all ready for water. McCall & Anderson have purchased S. Dale's mines, on the east side of Bear Creek, and put some hydraulic pipe on them. Huston & Hosmer of Foots Creek are making extensive preparations, and propose pulling a giant and plenty of pipe on their claims. Miller & Kretzer, who have large mining interests on Farmers Flat, are ready to commence piping. They will operate on an extensive scale. Jack Layton was in town this week. He has been piping some, but water is yet too scarce to mine advantageously. A Waldo correspondent says: Wimer & Sons will commence piping with 2 pipes in a few days. Simmons, Ennis & Co. are pushing along rapidly. Bybee & Co. are ready to run, as also are Desselles & Co. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 1, 1883, page 349 MINING
NEWS.
Miners want some more rain.
The Sterling Co. has not commenced piping as yet, but does not need much more water to set both pipes in motion, as the ditch is half full now. Several of the miners are making good use of their reservoirs. The ground is well soaked, and not a great deal more rain is needed to set all claims in motion. The American Mining Code, the best work published, can be obtained at the Times office. Also blank notices for location of quartz and placer mines. The Coeur d'Alene mines are still attracting much attention, and some of our citizens intend going there in the spring. Sargent Bros. of Steamboat have enough water to ground sluice with. Caldwell & Sons have started up their giant. J. D. Shearer & Co. are expecting to receive a quantity of hydraulic pipe soon. Jack Layton is making the gravel fly at his extensive mines on Farris Gulch. A. Stevens and J. M. Kendrick are about commencing to mine on Jackson Creek. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, January 4, 1884, page 2 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 21: Sargent Bros. of Brushy Creek, in the Steamboat district, have their claims ready for water. They have been rocking considerably during the past few months and averaged over $2 a day to the hand. Mining of the bed of Klamath River, which has become quite extensive, is about over for the season. Some companies have done quite well, Wm. McConnell having taken out several hundred ounces of gold during the past few months. In two weeks before quitting they look out $4,100. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 5, 1884, page 5 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 4: The Sterling Co. has not commenced piping as yet, but does not need much more water to set both pipes in motion, as the ditch is half full now. Several of the miners are making good use of their reservoirs. The ground is well soaked, and not a great deal more rain is needed to set all claims in motion. Sargent Bros., of Steamboat, have enough water to ground sluice with. Caldwell & Sons have started up their giant. J. D. Shearer & Co. are expecting to receive a quantity of hydraulic pipe soon. Jack Layton is making the gravel fly at his extension mines on Farris Gulch. A. Stevens and J. M. Kendrick are about commencing to mine on Jackson Creek. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 19, 1884, page 37 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 18: Miners looking blue. Curtis Bros. have everything in good shape for effective work on Jackson Creek. Quite a number of prospectors, some of whom hail from California, are prospecting in Blackwell district. Capt. Kelly, having been put in possession of the Coyote Creek mines, will commence active operations as soon as the cold weather is over. Wm. Clark, of Althouse, Josephine County, whose claim has yielded a number of large chunks of gold, picked up a $25 slug the other day. The prevailing weather is quite unfavorable for the miners, who are able to do little, if anything. It is hoped that the cold snap will speedily come to an end and give them a show. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 26, 1884, page 73 ITEMS.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 26: Rough weather for miners. Several persons in this section prospecting for quartz. Isaac Skeeters is piping night and day on Hogue Hill, Josephine County. Piping is going on in the Steamboat district, notwithstanding the frosty weather. Little snow is in the mountains now, the warm weather of the past fortnight having melted it off. A prospector employed by Fuller & McNulty has discovered on the Siskiyous what promises to be a good quartz ledge. There is said to be plenty of free gold in the rock. The miners of Josephine County are all busy. There are as many as five giants at work in a circle of two and a half miles. Several old miners are coming back to the mines, there to hunt old claims they worked several years ago. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 2, 1884, page 89 RAIN.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 2: Much more rain has fallen in Josephine County than here and most of the miners are busily at work. The rain that fell during the week was not generally heavy, hence did not afford the miners everywhere an abundance of water. N. Cook informs us that the miners of Willow Springs precinct have not been able to do much as yet, which is generally the case throughout Jackson County. John Hall of Pickett Creek is managing Bybee & Co.'s diggings near Waldo and left for that destination Wednesday morning. He says they are in better shape than ever and that the prospects for a good cleanup are favorable. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 9, 1884, page 105 LITTLE DORY.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 9: Miners are still idle. Wiley & Co., who are drifting in the Dry Diggings, are doing fairly. Green Bros. are still going down on their ledge near Galice Creek and take out considerable fine ore. W. R. Cook is mining below his station on the road near Grants Pass and has struck good prospects. The mines were completely frozen up for a while this week, and it seems as if the clerk of the weather intended to slight the miners again this season. From Capt. Alcorn, who was over from Steamboat this week, we learn that owing to the cold weather not a great deal has been done there as yet. Shearer & Prickett have their hydraulic pipe almost ready for work. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 16, 1884, page 126 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times: More rain is wanted by the miners, and soon, too. The Coyote Creek mines are being worked with a full head of water. Miners in Josephine County have plenty of water and are busily at work. Considerable mining is going on in the Grave Creek district, where water is abundant. Simmons, Ennis & Co. have water in their big ditch near Waldo. Work is progressing satisfactorily there. The late storms have enabled many of the miners in these parts to do more or less work, but more rain is necessary for advantageous operations. Wimer & Co. were compelled to shut down their mine near Waldo for a few days last week, owing to the extreme cold weather, but are busily at work again. A large amount of snow lies at the head of the Sterling company's ditch, which will afford quite a run. Supt. Ennis informs us that operations have not been commenced as yet. The Yreka Creek mining enterprise having proved a failure after being prosecuted several years; the machinery, tools, etc., are being sold. The diggings can doubtless be purchased cheap, also. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 1, 1884, page 162 MINING NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 26: More rain is wanted at once. Miners of Josephine County are busy. Klippel & Keaton, of Poormans Creek, and H. D. Russell, of Forest Creek, are doing some piping. There is an abundance of water in the Galice Creek district, and several miners are taking advantage of it. It is said that E. Canfield, who is prospecting for quartz in the Galice Creek district, has discovered a good ledge. The snow in the mountains is melting fast, affording those whose ditches head there considerable water for the time being. There being an abundance of water, quite an area of ground has been washed off at the Coyote Creek mines already. A cleanup is now being made. Some prospectors from Eugene City--Mr. Whitney, an old Southern Oregon miner, among the number--are investigating the Jackson Creek diggings. The miners in the Steamboat district have plenty of water since cold weather ceased, and we expect to hear good reports from there, as considerable mining is being done. A. P. Ankeny, D. P. Kennedy and Vincent Cook have incorporated themselves into the Buncom Mining Co., to work extensive diggings not far from the Sterling mines. Walter Simmons is working his extensive mines at Galice Creek, and has plenty of water for his giant. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 8, 1884, page 180 GENERAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 14: The Palmer Creek diggings are being operated with success. Most of the miners have been able to do something during the week. Miners of Steamboat district have plenty of water and are doing well. Josephine County miners now have plenty of water and are making the most of it. Supt. Ennis of the Sterling mine has two giants busily at work. He expects to make a four months' run at least. More snow lies on the hills now than at any time during the winter, which will no doubt prove beneficial to the miners. The copious rains the forepart of the week did the miners good, and they hope to see them repeated at once. Edson Bros. have purchased the big ditch in Siskiyou County of the defunct Yreka Creek Mining Co. and will repair it immediately. Walter Simmons of Galice Creek made a cleanup not long since, after a 16 days' run, and got $800. He has struck a rich channel. J. T. Layton of Applegate has a force of men engaged in cleaning out his extensive ditch and will probably be at work this week. N. DeLamater has both his claims near Kerbyville running on full time and expects to make an excellent showing at the end of the season. J. Griffith, who is engaged in prospecting for quartz in the Hungry Creek section, just across the Oregon line, was in town Tuesday. He has high hopes of striking it rich. The miners of Willow Springs precinct are all busy and most of them have a good supply of water. Benner & Co, are at work as also D. M. Marden, who has the Kane Creek ditch rented. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 22, 1884, page 213 GENERAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, March 22: More rain would be advantageous to the miners. Chappell & Co. of Star Gulch are running with half a head of water and doing good work. Mr. Simmons, while mining on Jackson Creek, not long since picked up a nugget worth $15. It is said that there is more snow in the mountains than usual, which will prolong the mining season some. This season promises to be a favorable one for many of the miners. All of them will be able to do something. Richard Cook has run his tunnel on Steamboat 320 ft., and expects to soon strike the rich quartz he is looking for. Logg & McDonnell of Forest Creek are able to run their pipe several hours each day. They have good mines and only lack water to make a fine showing. Curtis Bros. of Jackson Creek have considerable water and are able to run their pipe the greater portion of the day. They are doing well, working over old ground. A rich strike in Bybee & Co.'s mines near Waldo is reported, and it is said that several hundred dollars were taken out there in a short time. We hope the report may prove true. Miller & Kretzer of Farmers Flat have not as much water as they want, yet they are washing off a considerable amount of ground and will no doubt make a good report if the season yet affords a reasonable amount of rain. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 29, 1884, page 229 GENERAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times,March 28: Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s big enterprise near Waldo is progressing. Jack Layton of Farris Gulch is making the gravel fly and will have a good run. Through the aid of reservoirs a number of miners are doing considerable work. Skeeters & Walker of Hogue Hill, Josephine County, are busily at work, with favorable prospects. The miners of Foots Creek, Jos. Goldsworthy informs us, are in most cases favored with a fair supply of water. The mining season will not be a long one, but most of the miners will do much better than during the past two. W. J. Stanley is reported to have struck a quartz ledge in Grants Pass precinct, the ore from which prospects well. S. W. Forbes of Josephine County, who is mining in the Althouse district, recently picked up a 17-ounce slug of gold. It seems as if there is more snow in the mountains than usual, which will keep up the water supply for those miners whose ditches head there. The cool weather and occasional showers are keeping the water up, though not increasing it to any extent. Plenty of rain is what the miners are hoping for. Mr. Corker of Pleasant Creek reports plenty of water in that region, and some of the miners are doing well. Considerable coarse gold has been picked up there of late. N. DeLamater has both his claims near Kerbyville in operation, and having excellent ground and plenty of water, will no doubt make a big cleanup this season. A Waldo correspondent writes us that Wimer & Sons are running both of their pipes day and night. Desselles & Co.'s mine at Butcher Gulch is also being operated the same length of time. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 5, 1884, page 245 NEWS.--Jacksonville Times, April 5: The Shepard claim in the Siskiyous is yielding some fine specimens of gold. Many of the miners in Josephine County will make a good run this season. It is reported that John Rush of Evans Creek has discovered a rich bed of chrome. Much more rain has fallen in Josephine County than here; consequently, the miners have more water. Rhoten Bros., of Harris Gulch, in Willow Springs precinct, are cleaning up and expect to do fairly. They have picked up some neat pieces of gold already. The supply of water is decreasing in some localities, and cleaning up has commenced. The season has not been a protracted one, but better than at one time anticipated. Wm. Bybee has returned from Josephine County. He informs us that he has discharged all the hands employed at his mines near Waldo, excepting two, who are cleaning up. The season has not proved a first-class one there. A Woodville correspondent, under a late date, sends us the following: Samuel Rush and son have struck good diggings on Evans Creek. They picked up a piece recently that weighed $6.50. John W. Robinson and Jesse Tyler of Sardine Creek have put a pipe on their diggings and have done considerable work, considering the unfavorable season. They are gentlemen of enterprise and merit success. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 12, 1884, page 261 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, April 11: Water is decreasing fast and most of the miners are engaged in cleaning up. Ingram & Dean, of Willow Springs, commenced cleaning up this week, having washed off a considerable amount of ground. Keaton & Klippel, of Poormans Creek, are able to pipe three hours a day with the aid of their reservoir. A number of other miners are also doing some work through reservoirs. M. Hoover, of Jackson Creek, has struck unusually good prospects, and he is of the opinion that he has found the old channel which paid so enormously in former days. There is a large amount of snow at the head of the Sterling Co.'s ditch, which is slowly melting and affording a good supply of water. Supt. Ennis expects to make a several months' run. The season has been considerably of a failure for many of the miners, owing to the scarcity of water. Some of those who rely on the runs altogether have been able to make a short run, but generally they have been disappointed, we are sorry to say. The enterprise inaugurated by Messrs. Simmons, Ennis & Cameron, near Waldo, is progressing satisfactorily, and we expect to announce before very long that they have commenced mining operations. They are not employing as many men as usual, the force of the water cutting a channel in good shape. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 19, 1884, page 277 LOCAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, May 12: Klippel & Keaton of Poormans Creek are getting ready to clean up. McKee Bros., who are mining on Forest Creek, picked up a $2.50 piece last week. Huston & Hosmer of Foots Creek have cleaned up, and considering the opportunity, have done fairly. H. D. Russell of Forest Creek has been able to do considerable work during the season with his reservoir. Drifting is going on at A. W. Sturgis' claim on Jackass Creek, with good results. Several men are employed there. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s mining ditch near Waldo, which is a young canal, by the way, is already over four miles long and has several feet of water in it. Two pipes are in full blast at the Sterling mine, and Supt. Ennis expects to have a good supply of water until the end of July, as there is a great deal of snow at the head of the ditch. A. L. Rhoten returned from the Coeur d'Alene mines last week. He says there is no reason for this great excitement, which seems to have been gotten up in the interest of speculators. Snow is still on the ground and no work of consequence being done. Mr. R. says he did not see $2.50 worth of gold dust while in the camp. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 17, 1884, page 341 NEWS.--Jacksonville Times, June 20: Considerable prospecting is being done in Jackson and Josephine counties. A successful run is being made at Wimer & Co.'s mine near Waldo. It is proposed to clean up there soon. Rhoten & Sons are taking some quartz from their ledge in Willow Springs precinct, which shows considerable free gold. John Rush of Evans Creek has discovered a chrome deposit, which promises to be valuable, as it is extensive and evidently of good quality. The Sterling Company's ditch is still running a full head and two pipes are kept busy. The snow in the mountains is nearly gone, however. Cleaning up will be commenced before long. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 28, 1884, page 437 MINING NEWS.--Jacksonville Times, July 3: Considerable prospecting is going on. Miners will soon commence getting ready for another season. Wimer & Sons, of Waldo, are still piping, but will soon commence cleaning up. Bybee & Newman are getting their claim near Waldo in shape for next season's work. The Sterling company has quit piping and is now engaged in cleaning bedrock. A good report is promised. Simmons, Ennis & Co. have suspended active operations on their mammoth enterprise near Waldo, owing to the scarcity of water. The hydraulic mines of McCall and Anderson, located this side of the Eagle mills, are still being worked on full time. A. G. Rockfellow is in charge. The Steamboat mines are turning out fairly and in another season we may expect something interesting from them, as several parties are engaged in opening them. A San Francisco company has secured a large area of mining ground in the Althouse district, Josephine County, and will soon commence the construction of a large ditch to bring water on it. Desselles & Co., of Scotch Gulch, Josephine County, will soon commence making a final clean-up for the season, as water is failing. This is one of the best mines in Southern Oregon and will make a good report. Mr. Graham, who is engaged in mining in the Beaver Creek district, was in town Wednesday. He informs us that the mines there are turning out well. Among the gold he brought over was a nugget worth nearly $14. John Hall and Wm. Bybee have inaugurated a mining enterprise on Canyon Creek, Josephine County, which they have great faith in. The ditch that will be necessary is only a few miles long, and operations will be begun on it at once. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 12, 1884, page 26 MINING NOTES.--The Sterling mining company have commenced cleaning up. . . . The China mines near Uniontown are still piping, but they cannot last long with the present supply of water. . . . All of the Galls Creek miners done quite well this season, if it was a short season, so we are informed by Wm. Blackert, who was in town this week. . . . Mining has generally suspended throughout the county for the season, but considerable prospecting is going on. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, August 2, 1884, page 2 CLEANING UP.--Jacksonville Times, July 25: Wimer & Sons of Waldo are cleaning up; so are Desselles & Co. Both claims are expected to pay well. John Beckner informs us that J. T. Layton will finish work for this season in a few weeks. The prospects are favorable. A. T. Johnson and Joe Braendel have discovered a promising quartz ledge in sight of town. A company will probably be organized to work it. Joe Braendel, while prospecting the bedrock in one of the gulches west of town, picked up a nugget of gold worth $17.50, also a few small pieces. One of the best developed and most promising quartz mines in Southern Oregon is that owned by George Schumpf in Willow Springs precinct. A large body of ore is in sight and recent assays prove that all which is required to make this enterprise a profitable one is capital enough to put up a good mill. Mr. Schumpf deserves success for his endeavors to advertise the mineral resources of the county. BONDED.--Crescent City Courier, July 25: J. J. Aiken of San Francisco returned from Kerbyville this week. He is interested quite extensively in mining matters over the divide, and states that his company has bonded the well-known Mackay claim for one year in the sum of $25,000. They have also located two other claims, amounting in the aggregate to about 500 acres, all of which prospect well. There will have to be about 20 miles of ditching in order to put in a water supply for all the year round. He goes to San Francisco and will begin immediate preparations to commence work. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 2, 1884, page 73 CLEANING UP.--Jacksonville Times, August 3: Miners on Grave Creek have finished cleaning up. Jack Layton, of Farris Gulch, will soon finish this year's run. Wimer & Sons, of Waldo, have about finished cleaning up for this season. Sargent Bros., of Steamboat, have resumed rocking, and are making good wages. Gin Lin is piping away at his diggings in Uniontown precinct, and seems to be doing well. Work still continues at the hydraulic mines of McCall & Anderson on the hill northwest of the Eagle mills. One thousand dollars worth of gold dust was cleaned up at E. K. Anderson's diggings, southwest of Phoenix, this season. Goff & Co., who have excellent mines in the Grave Creek district, made a successful run this season, everything considered, cleaning up a nice lot of gold-dust. Wm. Bleckert, of Galls Creek, was in town during the week, who informed us that the miners have done tolerably well, all things considered. A heavy storm in the mountains demoralized the Sterling company's ditch for quite a distance one day last week. The damage done was repaired in a very few days, and cleaning up is again progressing there. Mr. Caldwell informs us that active operations have ceased for the season at the Steamboat mines. Considering the scarcity of water, the result has been favorable. A piece, weighing $25, was picked up in Caldwell & Son's diggings. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 9, 1884, page 89 NEW ORE MILL.--Geo. H. Chick, an expert mining operator, appreciating the necessity of a mining mill for the reduction of ores, has a mill now in operation at Campbell & Co.'s foundry at the corner of First and Main streets. The mill, as well as the rock-breaker, is a Portland invention, and as a representative of this paper was permitted to inspect its working, we can truly say that for its size it surpasses anything of the kind on the coast. Mr. Salmon of the ice works is the inventor of the mill and has spent years of study in bringing it to perfection. Its capacity is ten tons daily, and Mr. Chick informs us that should the demand be larger he will run as many as is needed. Mr. Jones, a partner in the foundry, is the inventor of the rock-breaker, pronounced by experts to be perfection itself. A six-horsepower engine runs both mill and crusher, the steam being furnished by the foundry. Mr. P. Rigney, the silver plater, on Morrison Street, plated the riffles with quicksilver, an idea originating with Mr. Chick. This industry fills a want long needed in Portland, miners heretofore being obliged to send their ores to San Francisco. It is to be hoped that Mr. Chick will be so encouraged as to enter largely into the business. The rock now being reduced came from Southern Oregon, from a mine owned by Mr. Chick and partners.--Portland Standard. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 16, 1884, page 103 GOOD WAGES.--Jacksonville Times, August 16: Sargent & Sons, of Steamboat, are still engaged in mining, and are making good wages. Superintendent Ennis, of the Sterling mine, informs us that they have finished cleaning up for this year, and will soon commence fitting up for next season. Messrs. Prickett, Finney & Shearer, of Steamboat, have bought Beckner & Co.'s ditch, and are engaged in cleaning it out. They propose running on an extensive scale next season. T. L. Knox & Co., of Applegate, have bonded one of their quartz ledges to Portland parties for $2,000, who propose to put up a mill at once, and test the ore of this, as well as other ledges in that vicinity. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 23, 1884, page 121 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 28: H. M. Hassett and A. T. Johnson have gone into [the] Siskiyous on a prospecting trip. Dr. Inlow, of Ashland, struck some rich prospects the other day, getting about a dollar from half a bushel of dirt. He will prospect still further. Dan. Fisher, Robt. Dean and J. W. Ingram put a wing dam in Rogue River this season, but we regret to learn that the enterprise has not proved a successful one. M, Volk, who is interested in the placer mines of Cow Creek with Mr. Dunnell and others, was in Jacksonville Friday, accompanied by T. Ferguson. It is proposed to work these mines more extensively than ever next season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 6, 1884, page 153 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 27: John W. Robinson has sold his interest in a mining claim on Evans Creek to J. Tyler. Oliver Nadau of Sardine Creek will put hydraulic pipe in his placer mines this season and proposes operating on a more extensive scale than ever. John Miller is getting his mines on Farmers Flat in readiness for the winter season, intending to operate on an extensive scale, if there is any water. Miners are getting ready for winter. They are not discouraged by their experience during the past few seasons and hope to have plenty water next time. Geo. H. Chick of Portland, who has a a quartz mill of his own invention, has rented Morse & Jacob's quartz mill near Henley, Cal., and will soon commence crushing ore. He claims to be able to work up sulphurets to perfection. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 4, 1884, page 217 WORKING.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 22: Many of the miners have commenced to do a little work already. Gin Lin of Uniontown has a fair supply of water and is busy piping. The miners are generally well prepared and expect to make a better showing this season than they have for several past. Wimer & Sons are operating two pipes in their claims near Waldo, and other miners in Josephine County are also at work. The Southern Oregon Development Co. has 500 tons of low-grade ore ready to ship from this county to the reduction works in East Portland. The iron and copper mines of Jackson and Josephine counties are rich and extensive, and must sooner or later command the attention they deserve. Geo. Schumpf informs us that some capitalists will soon arrive from Portland for the purpose of examining his quartz ledge in Willow Springs precinct. John Miller, who has one of the best hydraulic mines in Southern Oregon, has everything in shipshape for a big run and will commence work this week. Green Bros., of Galice Creek, who have one of the best quartz ledges in the state, recently bonded it to parties from abroad for the sum of $20,000, we learn. The transfer of the property is expected to take place before long. NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 26: Miners are happy everywhere and anticipate largely on the future. Frank Smith will work Marshal Curtis' mines on Jackson Creek this season. Greater activity than ever is noticeable in the mining districts of Southern and Southwestern Oregon. Wm. Bybee's mine near Waldo is running on full time, as also is Bybee & Hall's claim on Canyon Creek. Keaton & Klippel of Poormans Creek are already favored with a fair supply of water and have their pipe in operation. The Sterling Mining Co. had everything in readiness when wet weather began and is piping with a full head of water. Miners in Josephine County are greatly encouraged and will make a good report. Some of the best mines in the state are located in that section. A considerable quantity of snow is already piled up in the mountains, which will come handy in the spring. No doubt plenty more will fall yet. Ingram & Dean of Willow Springs have commenced ground sluicing. They recently purchased the mining claim formerly worked by the late John Ambrose. Jas. Eaton, who is now engaged in mining on Dividend Bar, in the Big Applegate section, struck good prospects and has taken out a nice lot of gold, including a few nuggets of fair size. Piping has commenced at John Miller's extensive mining claim on Farmers Flat, where great preparations have been made for the season's run. A good report may be expected from that mine. H. H. Magruder of Rock Point was in Jacksonville Tuesday, from whom we learned that many of the miners in that vicinity have sufficient water to commence operations, and that a good mining season is promised. To all appearances this will be the best mining season Southern Oregon has experienced for years. No wonder that the miners are in high spirits. Many thousands of dollars will be taken out if the stormy weather continues and affords a good supply of water for the next few months. There would be quite a difference in the financial affairs of this and other vicinities in the event of a protracted wet season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 3, 1885, page 9 GRAVEL.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 2: Henry Hutchins is in charge of the mines of the English and Blue Gravel companies. Walter Simmons, of Galice Creek, has his mines in good shape, and expects to make a good return this season. Since the frosty weather began, the water has been turned out of the Sterling Co.'s ditch as a precautionary measure. The weather of the past few days has not been very favorable for the miners, though we think a change may be looked for soon. Many of the miners were at work when the cold snap began, but most of them are again at their leisure, we are sorry to say. The frosty weather is inclined to dissipate the hopes of many of the miners who have been so badly disappointed in the past few years. Judge Crockett, of Josephine County, informs us that a party of Colorado miners are prospecting a quartz ledge near Tunnel 9, and are well pleased with the developments so far. Geo. Schumpf has received word from the parties who intend testing his quartz ledge in Willow Springs precinct, to the effect that they will be on the ground immediately after the holidays. From Anton Rose, who recently returned from Galice Creek, we learn that the miners there had an abundance of water when he left--more than usual at that time of the year. They are all doing well, several nuggets of good size having been picked up in some of the claims. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 10, 1885, page 25 PLACERS AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 31: T. J. Keatts and C. J. Armstrong have located a promising quartz ledge in Willow Springs precinct. Considerable prospecting is being done in this region, as our quartz interests are again attracting some attention. Ingram & Dean are still at work, though their supply of water has diminished perceptibly during the past week. D. L. Curtis has leased the mining ground he purchased of the late Sam Bowden, situated on Jackson Creek, to a Chinese company. Oscar Swacker of Foots Creek informs us that the miners of that section have done some work, but need more rain badly at present. W. H. Benner & Co. of Willow Springs district have their mines in excellent condition for an extensive run and are doing some work. Considerable mining is going on in the Sardine Creek district. B. F. Miller's mines are being worked this season by parties from this vicinity. McCullough & Co. continue to take out rich quartz from their ledge in Willow Springs precinct. We were shown a very fine specimen of it last Saturday. L. D. Montgomery has purchased Chas. Baer's interest in Levens & Co.'s mines in the Coyote Creek district. Considerable work has already been done there. A. W. Sturgis, the indefatigable miner of Forest Creek, has done considerable work already. He informs us that he recently completed a new piece of ditch, which affords him more water. Newell DeLamater of Kerbyville informs us that the miners of Josephine County have had an excellent run so far, but that the water supply is slacking up in many places at present. No doubt a good report will come from the mines of that section this season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 7, 1885, page 97 GENERAL NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 14: Most of the miners have enough water to do some work. Promising quartz has been found on J. M. Smith's premises in town. Wagner Creek is developing into a mining camp. Several parties are doing well there. John Miller's hydraulic mines on Farmers Flat are being operated successfully. Considerable mining is now being done on Forest, Poormans and Jackson creeks. The rains of the past week have aided the miners materially and it will not take a great deal more to ensure a good season for them. G. B. Caldwell & Son are running a ditch to their mines in the Steamboat district and expect to commence piping before many weeks. Jos. Goldsworthy of Foots Creek informs us that not a great deal of work has been done there as yet, but a good season is anticipated. Jos. and Capt. Saltmarsh of Sterlingville were in town yesterday and inform us that they have been unable to mine any so far. However, that is one of the driest districts in the county. Parties are prospecting on G. H. Lynch's place in the Wagner Creek district, also further up the creek. They report favorable developments, the only drawback being the depth to the bedrock. Ex-Sheriff Bybee returned from Josephine County this week and informs us that the miners of that section have a considerable water supply and expect to make a good report this season. A correspondent writes us that John Lewman of Applegate says he recently made a new strike on the ledge at Brushy Gulch. The quartz is very rich, showing tree gold. Prominent assayers say that it will yield from $75 to $100 per ton. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 21, 1885, page 129 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 21: Considerable prospecting is going on in Southern Oregon at present. There was some rain this week, but not enough to do the miners much good. Considerable mining is being done on Rich Gulch, Jackson Creek and Farmers Flat. Many of the miners are at work and considerable gold dust will be taken out this season. Dean Bros. of Willow Springs precinct are doing considerable work in their placer diggings at Willow Springs precinct. S. Dysert of Leland precinct is taking big pay out of his placer diggings. Other miners in that district are also doing well. J. Rhoten of Willow Springs precinct showed us some fine specimens of quartz, which he had taken out of his mine last week. B. F. Pierce, C. C. Ragsdale and others have located a quartz ledge in the vicinity of Gold Hill, which promises finely. Some excellent rock has already been secured and work will be vigorously prosecuted before long. Geo. H. Chick of Portland is now in San Francisco to buy machinery for his company's reduction works at the Metropolis. When he returns he will in all probability visit the Schumpf and other ledges in this section. S. Bailey and F. Cimborsky, who took the contract for digging a shaft 50 feet deep on the Enterprise Co.'s mine in this place, gave up the job after going down 10 feet, as they found the rock too hard to make their contract profitable. The work will nevertheless be continued. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 28, 1885, page 145 PLACER MINES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 28: More rain is wanted by the miners. The miners of Josephine County are making the best of an abundant supply of water. Most of them will do well. Charles Sanders of Galice Creek was in Jacksonville this week. He says the miners of that section have an abundance of water. Keaton & Klippel of Poormans Creek have a good supply of water and are piping regularly. They expect to make a good run. The Centennial Mining Company of Willow Springs are busily at work drifting and are doing considerable work, with excellent prospects. Jack Layton of Farris Gulch has an excellent supply of water and will make a paying run. He has one of the best claims in Southern Oregon. The Enterprise Mining Company of this place solicits bids for completing a shaft on their mining properly recently begun by S. Bailey and F. Cimborsky. Hays & Magruder's claims on Rogue River are being run on full time and prospect excellently. The proprietors expect to open the claim thoroughly this season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 7, 1885, page 161 WATER NEEDED.--Jacksonville Times, March 6: Water is running down fast and more rain is needed at once. Nail & Casteel, of Josephine County, have been on Applegate looking at some mines, and may conclude to work them. Frank Ennis, superintendent of the Sterling mines, informs us that his supply of water is getting light, which is generally the case. R. Cook, who returned from Steamboat this week, informs us that his tunnel is now 342 feet long and 180 feet deeper than where quartz was struck before. A company of our French citizens, known as Joe, Jerry and Jerome, who are mining on Kanaka Flat, recently picked up two pieces of gold, which are worth $25 and $8 respectively. M. F. Hull, of Foots Creek, who is in town, informs us that the miners of that section have done well so far this season. He says that Huston & Anderson picked up a piece of gold worth $18 not long since. Considerable mining is being done in the Steamboat district, with favorable results. Prickett & Finney recently picked up a nugget weighing nearly $30. Meldrum & Co. and Sargent Bros, are mining on Brush Creek and are doing well. G. B. Caldwell & Son have their hydraulic pipe at work, and are washing off a large amount of dirt, while Duncan & Caldwell are also busily at work. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 14, 1885, page 177 IRON ORE.--Oregonian, March 12: There was received here yesterday several specimens of magnetic iron ore from the Garfield mine in Jackson County. The mine is located at Gold Hill station, on the O.&C. road, very close to the railroad track. Assays show that the ore contains 63 percent and it richness may be understood when it is stated that 72 percent is the highest known. Some specimens have been presented to the Oregon Board of Immigration, and some will be sent to New Orleans by Mr. C. W. Burrage, who is part owner in the mine. SHORT SEASON.--Jacksonville Times, March 11: The mining season will be rather short, but still much better than several past. Water is getting light and most of the miners have commenced cleaning up. Wimer & Sons and Desselles & Connell of Waldo precinct are running day and night and will no doubt make a big cleanup. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s mining enterprise near Waldo is progressing favorably. They expect to get their mine opened during the ensuing year. Many of the miners of Josephine County will soon be compelled to shut down, unless timely rains should come to their relief. Water is getting light there also. John A. Horn has discovered a promising quartz ledge on Applegate, in the vicinity of Ed. Hendrick's place. He showed us some specimens which contained considerable gold. The Enterprise Mining Co. of this place has let a contract to an old California miner named Knapp to finish their shaft on Fir Street. It is proposed to sink down 50 feet in all. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 21, 1885, page 193 PLACER AND LEDGE.--Jacksonville Times, Mar. 21: Howard & Wakefield are at work in some mines near the month of Slate Creek and are doing well. Thos. P. Kahler is sinking down on his quartz mine near Rogue River and securing excellent prospects. L. Martin of Ashland, who bought a 40-acre tract of L, Applegate last year, has found a ledge of quartz on it. He has sent samples of the ore to Portland for assay. Mr. Knapp, who took the contract for sinking a shaft on the Enterprise Co.'s ground in this place, is making excellent progress. He is an old miner and understands his business. Abraham, Levens & Co. have rented what is known as the Grand Applegate mines to a company composed of J. N. Casteel, Chas. Nail and Jas. Wright. The ground has been worked for some time past by Chinese. The continued pleasant weather has dissipated all hopes for an extended run and most of the miners are cleaning up. Some of them have no water at all, while others will not be able to clean up this season's work unless timely rains intervene. A flourishing mining camp has sprung up on Wagner Creek and considerable gold is being taken out there. Garvin & Lewis, who are mining in the bed of the creek, have struck favorable prospects. Neil Bros., who took out good pay last season, are doing very well and doubtless have one of the best claims. Elliott & Snyder also have good diggings. Torrey & Hubbard of Medford are getting down to pay dirt, with favorable results. Noah Allen's claim is the lowest on the creek and Messrs. Anderson, Stephenson and Brown are at work just above him. Six claims in all are being worked. The great drawback there is the depth to bedrock and the numerous boulders, which necessitate the use of derricks. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 28, 1885, page 209 PLACERS.--Jacksonville Times, April 3rd: More prospecting than ever is promised this season. Some prospectors are in the Evans Creek district and speak well of a number of ledges there. Jackson County still has some of the best mines on the coast. All that is necessary to prove this is capital. Henry Klippel, J. C. McCully, Jas. Lawrence and Adam Ruhl have gone to Beaver Creek and vicinity on a prospecting tour. Simmons, Ennis & Co. of Josephine County are about putting in a huge flume, and expect to put their mammoth enterprise in working shape this year. E. J. Curtis of the Siskiyou Mountain has been to the New River Cal. mines, and returned home last week. He is not favorably impressed with them, though a great many others are. Geo. H. Chick of Portland paid the Schumpf ledge in Willow Springs precinct a visit during the week. He speaks in flattering terms of the future of that mine, and thinks it can be sold for a round sum. Enoch Gale of Grave Creek was in town the forepart of the week. He informed us that most of the miners of that section will not be able to clean up, owing to the scarcity of water, and consequently their season's work will not amount to much. Chris. Kretzer, who is mining on one of the gulches above Jackson Creek, recently found a good-sized nugget of gold and silver. Strange as it may appear, the larger percent of it is silver. A large piece of the same component parts was found in that neighborhood some time ago. Considerable excitement is raging over the discovery of a large amount of quartz, near the head of Galls Creek, which is supposed to be rich with silver. An assay of some of the ore made by J. H. Fisk of Portland shows it to be of a very promising character. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 11, 1885, page 241 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, April 10th: A great deal of prospecting is now going on. Ingram & Dean of Willow Springs are cleaning up, with fair results. Jack Layton has a good supply of water at his mines on Applegate, and is doing well. Hardman & Chamness of Gold Hill have discovered what they think is a rich vein of ore not many miles from that place. Mr. Bowman, representing San Francisco and Baltimore capitalists, is prospecting the chrome mines in the vicinity of Riddle. J. J. Brown informs us that one Otto, who has been mining some distance below Grants Pass, has done well this season. He picked up a few neat nuggets. Rube Jones has sold to Mr. Pratt of Myrtle Creek one-half of his placer mining claim near Canyonville. J. A. Harvey informs us that the discovery made by M. L. Colvig was on the left-hand fork of Foots Creek, and is thought to be a rich one. The quartz seems to be very rich in silver and assays well. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 18, 1885, page 257 WATER LOW.--Jacksonville Times, May 16: Water is getting low at the mines of Wimer & Sons and Desselles & Connell. The Enterprise Mining Co. of this place propose going down still deeper on their ledge. M. F. Knapp, an old prospector, has located the quartz ledge formerly worked by Sam Bowden and others on Jackson Creek and will thoroughly prospect that region. Keaton & Klippel, of Poormans Creek, have suspended operations, but will probably open a drift this season. They were unable to clean up, owing to the scarcity of water. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 23, 1885, page 337 DEVELOPING THE YANK LEDGE.--A force of men is already at work on the Yank ledge, in Rogue River Valley, under direction of H. P. Macnevin, the gentleman referred to in an item published a few days since as having arrived here furnished with plenty of capital for developing this mine. Mr. Macnevin is one of the best gold mining experts on this coast and is confident that a brilliant future awaits the Yank ledge. This vein of ore is one of the most extensive ever discovered, being 240 feet in width. It is cut in two by Rogue River and extends for miles on either side. It is situated in the vicinity of the Englishman claim, Galice Creek and other well-known mines. It has been known for years and ore from it has been worked in San Francisco and Nevada, but owing to its low grade it was not considered profitable to work. It is, however, considered that large returns can be had by working the ore by a lately discovered process. The ledge contains quartz of every variety and is a regular mineralogical curiosity. A cut is being opened across the entire width of the ledge which will show what it really consists of. The work is being done by private enterprise. No stock has been put on the market, and the work is not a prelude to any swindling racket. Should the development of this ledge prove a success it will be a great thing for the Rogue River country, which will then take rank with the celebrated Comstock district as a mining region. "Local and General," Oregonian, Portland, May 28, 1885, page 5 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, May 23: Geo. Stephenson, of Ashland, took a couple of mining experts from California to Applegate this week. They propose prospecting the Steamboat district thoroughly. J. D. Shearer and W. E. Finney, of Steamboat, found a nugget of gold worth over $50 not long since. The latter brought it to town last week and sold it to Bilger & Maegly. Geo. H. Chick, of Portland, the well-known mining expert, having leased the Morse & Jacobs quartz mill at Henley, Cal., is now prepared to test gold and silver ores with his process, and guarantees to work any ore in this county to 85 percent of fire assay. Miners should read his advertisement elsewhere. Considerable mining is yet going on in the Steamboat mining district. Finney & Prickett are rigging up a derrick with which to hoist the boulders out of their claim by water power. Caldwell & Son are still piping with a fair head of water. Sargent & Co. are also busily at work, as are several others. That camp promises to be one of the best in this section in the near future. Capt. Ankeny is still sojourning at the Sterling mine, and will remain some time yet. It is the intention to build an immense reservoir there, to catch the surplus water, which has heretofore gone to waste, and work will be commenced at once. Plans were received from California last week. The reservoir will, no doubt, be one of the largest on the Northwest Coast. It will enable this company to run six months in the year, and ensure profitable returns. The Sterling Mining Co. is to be complimented on its enterprise. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 30, 1885, page 353 His Opinion.
S. S. Train,
editor of the Herald-Disseminator
of
Albany, Oregon, who paid a short visit to this section a short time
since, writes his observations to his paper, from which we make the
following extract:
One of the principal interests of Jackson County is mining, and although some of the wonderfully productive localities are comparatively exhausted, there still remain good-paying "diggings," and many of the exhausted claims are being rewashed over at remunerative rates. Jackson Creek, from Jacksonville up, has been completely sluiced out, some places to the depth of nearly thirty feet. The place was pointed out to us where Mr. Shively of Astoria took out two muleloads--about four hundred pounds--of washed gold, in working out his claim. A little farther up the creek several parties, after taking out satisfactory quantities, sold their claims to Chinamen at from three to six thousand dollars each. After working as long as they saw fit to, the Chinamen engaged a teamster to haul the corpse of their "big tyee," who they said had died and whom they were going to take back to China for burial, to Coos Bay for shipment. They surrounded the coffin with burning wax tapers and guarded it carefully all the way, keeping the candles burning constantly and allowing no one but themselves to approach or handle the coffin. But after they had safely deposited their burden on shipboard at Coos Bay, they invited the American teamster to look at their dead comrade; when the lid was raised his astonished eyes viewed sixty thousand dollars worth of shining washed gold instead of the body of a dead Chinaman. Sailor's Gulch was pointed out to us, where a party of rollicking sailors drifted a shaft sixty feet down the steep hillside to bedrock and "struck it rich." An old gentleman, now partly supported by charity, and who is still digging with all the energy his failing strength with allow, mentioned localities where in '52 he had taken out $4,000, $2,000 and as high as $6,000. These old claims are now reclaimed and being worked, some of them the third time. New claims are also being opened, but the great drawback for the past three years has been the lack of water to work with. One ditch, said to be ten miles long, which must have cost a large amount of money and labor, has had no water in it for three years. Several of the mines have been accumulating the "pay dirt," waiting for the water to come to wash with. The mines that are beginning to attract attention now, however, are the quartz ledges, of which there are a great many claimed. Indeed, nearly every one of the inhabitants has a quartz claim somewhere in the mountains. The famous Gold Hill ledge, which probably yielded $200,000, set everyone searching for like rich deposits, and many fully as rich will undoubtedly yet be found, for the whole country is rich in gold-bearing quartz, and it only waits for the lucky man to discover the rich "pockets." Our furlough having expired, on Thursday, under the guidance of the miner, we explored the mountainsides, tops, ledges, deposits and all on a line from the camp to Gold Hill Station. While traveling on the highest ridge back of Jacksonville, we observed a case of wanton destruction that deserves mention. We refer to the cutting down, apparently for the seeds only, of the magnificent sugar pines. Such an act is certainly reprehensible in the extreme. A magnificent view of the Rogue River Valley is obtained from the mountaintop, including the famous Table Rock, where Gen. Lane outwitted and got away with the Indians in ye olden times. [Not true.] At the hospitable mansion of Mr. John Swinden near Gold Hill we were regaled with a splendid supper, and also with a view of some fine specimens of gold-bearing quartz. And in the night boarded the train for home, being well pleased with our hasty visit to this Switzerland of Oregon. Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, June 6, 1885, page 2 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, June 4: Considerable prospecting is going on in different portions of Southern Oregon. Jas. Lawrence has returned from a prospecting trip in the Sucker Creek district, Josephine County. A boom has started at Galice Creek, Josephine County, which promises to extend. Much prospecting is being done, and many claims are being located. The Sterling Mining Co. has quite a force of men engaged in building its huge reservoir, which will be 250 feet wide, half a mile long and 50 feet deep. Notwithstanding the unfavorable mining season a considerable quantity of gold dust has been taken out. C. C. Beekman alone has bought and shipped several thousand dollars' worth. On the 13th ult. the well-known Star Gulch mining properly will be sold at an administrator's sale. The ditches, water rights, pipe, etc., and everything appertaining to those mines will also be sold. Two tunnels are being run at the Yank ledge, under the management of N. McNair, A considerable amount of all kinds of supplies for the work were lately received direct from San Francisco. A number of men are employed there and a boarding-house has been opened. N. McNair and Henry Hutchins, of Galice Creek, were at Grants Pass last Saturday, and confirm the reports of the rich prospects at the Yank ledge. We saw some rich ore from there, which leads us to believe that Galice Creek will prove a good mining camp in the near future. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 13, 1885, page 385 A BONANZA.--Sentinel, June 10: Where the big discovery was made on the Yank ledge is the portion formerly owned by Wm. Bybee of this place. Eight men are now employed in running two tunnels, with the rock now running all the way from $8 to $400 per ton. When the size of the ledge is taken into consideration--240 feet wide and can be traced for 30 miles--it will take a better mathematician than we are to figure out what all will yield. As was at first generally supposed work has not been suspended on account of Mr. McNevin's death, and the digging of the tunnels will be continued right along. Taking in view the dimensions of the ledge, with the new cheap processes lately invented for working quartz, and then estimating the whole at the very lowest assay yet made of the rock, which is $8 per ton, it would cause the making of more millionaires and building up of a town longer lasting and much better than the palmiest days seen by Virginia City, Nevada. Leading capitalists of California have got hold of this mine and ex-Governor Chadwick will take McNevin's place in charge of the work. This discovery will also tend towards the opening out of the numerous quartz ledges in this end of the state and the prospects of Southern Oregon now look brighter than ever. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 20, 1885, page 401 MINING NEWS.
Considerable prospecting is going on in different portions of Southern
Oregon.Jas. Lawrence has returned from a prospecting trip in the Sucker Creek district, Josephine County. The American Mining Code, the best authority on this subject, for sale at the Times office, also blank notices for location of placer and quartz mines. A boom has started at Galice Creek, Josephine County, which promises to extend. Much prospecting is being done and many claims are being located. The Sterling Mining Co. has quite a force of men engaged in building the huge reservoir, which will be 250 feet wide, half a mile long and 50 feet deep. Jackson and Josephine counties are full of rich mines yet. As soon as the requisite capital can be obtained to work them this fact will become quite apparent. Notwithstanding the unfavorable mining season a considerable quantity of gold dust has been taken out. C. C. Beekman alone has bought and shipped several thousand dollars worth. On the 13th inst. the well-known Star Gulch mining property will be sold at administrator's sale. The ditches, water rights, pipe, etc., and everything appertaining to those mines will also be sold. Articles incorporating the Enterprise Mining Co. of this place have been filed in the office of the Secretary of State at Salem. The incorporators are J. Nunan, I. W. Thomas, J. A. Cardwell, W. E. Hanley, J. G. Birdsey. Two tunnels are being run at the Yank ledge, under the management of N. McNair. A considerable amount of all kinds of supplies for the work were lately received direct from San Francisco. A number of men are employed there, and a boarding house has been opened. N. McNair and Henry Hutchins of Galice Creek were at Grants Pass last Saturday and confirm the reports of the rich prospects at the Yank ledge. We saw some rich ore from there, which leads us to believe that Galice Creek will prove a good mining camp in the near future. Although the death of H. P. McNevin is a serious blow to the mining interests of Southern Oregon, we are assured by parties who seem to know that operations will proceed without interruption at the Yank ledge. San Francisco capitalists have become interested in the enterprise and seem to be satisfied that with the new process for working refractory ore remunerative results are certain. Mr. N.'s principal backer was Hall McAllister, the well-known lawyer, and some are of the opinion that the Nevada Bank ring were also interested. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, June 5, 1885, page 3 PLACERS AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, June 26: A large number of claims have been located on the Yank ledge. Green Bros., of Galice Creek, resumed work recently on their quartz ledge and have several men at work. They have one of the best ledges in the state. Excellent placer diggings on Cottonwood Creek, above Shattuck's place, just south of the Siskiyous, are reported, and quite a number of men are at work there. John McCombe, of San Francisco, representing the capitalists who have bonded the Yank ledge, has returned home. He seems to be well pleased with the prospect. A great deal of prospecting is being done in Jackson and Josephine counties, and we may expect a great mining boom as soon as capital is introduced to develop our vast resources. Chas. W. Smith informs us that considerable placer mining is going on in the Hungry Creek district, just across the Siskiyou Mountains, and that some of the mines are paying well. Griffith & Rumwalt are working a promising claim. Geo. H. Chick, of Yreka, Cal., and Mr. Ewing, said to be a California capitalist, went down to the Schumpf ledge in Willow Springs precinct yesterday. We learn that negotiations for the sale of this excellent property are likely to be commenced. We learn that a representative of a San Francisco company has lately bonded a placer mine on Wolf Creek, Josephine County, and is now testing the same. He also intends to erect a quartz mill near that place, for the purpose of working some of the numerous quartz ledges in that vicinity. Capt. Ankeny is now superintending the work of building the Sterling Co.'s reservoir, and is making excellent progress. He is running a cut with a full ditch of water, and informs us that the late rains have increased the supply so much that the mining season could have been extended several weeks. Capt. Haskell, who is said to represent Portland capital, has bonded the Rhoten ledge, in Willow Springs precinct, and we learn will also bond the Swinden ledge near the same vicinity. Both of these mines have been worked before with fair results, and are likely to prove valuable property with the improved methods of crushing refractory ore. T. F. Dugan returned from Galice Creek yesterday morning, having located several claims. He informs us that two tunnels are still being run on the Yank ledge, under the supervision of N. McNair, with favorable prospects. One tunnel has been run 120 feet and the other about 30 feet. Considerable prospecting besides this is also being done. D. Linn and John Orth, who have promised [sic] quartz ledges in this vicinity, propose subscribing liberally toward a quartz mill if the balance of our citizens will assist somewhat in the matter. There is no doubt but what the erection of even a one-stamp quartz mill would be of great benefit to this section, inasmuch as it would enable those owning quartz ledges to test their ore throughly and ascertain whether it is worth anything. THE YANK LEDGE.--Cor. Oregon Sentinel, June 27: This monster ledge, which is the occasion of so much excitement now, is on Rogue River about 27 miles from Grants Pass. The only means of transport at present is on the hurricane deck of a cayuse pony, as the last 12 miles is a rough mountain road. After traveling all day we reach the ledge. We can see for quite a distance where it ascends the mountainside, cropping out in higher pieces weighing a ton or more. The tunnel on this, the north side, has been run about 33 feet. The ore is very hard, and the entire work is done with powder. After inspecting the tunnel we follow Mr. McNair, the superintendent, up the mountain which the huge ledge traverses for a distance of 1,000 feet. About 300 feet above the river we find a second tunnel run by the Yank Gold and Silver Mining Co. of Jacksonville in 1877. This tunnel was driven about 42 feet, and the enterprise abandoned. The walls of this tunnel' are covered with a blue and white powder secreted from the ore. A taste of this reveals arsenic and sulphate of copper. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 4, 1885, page 9 CLEANUP, ETC.--Jacksonville Times, July 3: A cleanup is being made at the claims of Wimer & Sons and Desselles & Connell, near Waldo. A promising ledge has been discovered near tunnel 9, several miles north of Grants Pass, and is being prospected. Swinden & Co. are about erecting an arrastra to test the quartz now being taken from their ledge in Rock Point precinct. H. Kinney, of Medford, and others are prospecting a ledge in the Evans Creek district, the ore of which promises well in silver. Green Bros. of Galice Creek have bonded their ledge again, this time to an Oakland, Cal. Co. Will. Q. Brown represents the Californians. A. W. Sturgis, of Forest Creek, suspended operations a few days ago, after having made a good run. He was unable to finish cleaning up, for lack of water. A great deal of prospecting is going on in the Evans Creek district. Dr. Stanley, T. T. McKenzie, Blalock Bros. and others have located ledges that promise well. Neitz Bros. and Ed. Caton, who have been at the Yank ledge, returned yesterday. They report considerable prospecting being done there, but not much excitement exists. The main ledge has about all been located and a number of other claims have been taken up. So great is the extent of the original Yank that it has been traced many miles. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 11, 1885, page 25 CLEANING UP.--Jacksonville Times, July 11: Wimer & Sons have finished cleaning up at their extensive claim near Waldo and did very well. Klippel, Deneff & Co. are putting a wing dam in Applegate, with a view of mining the bed of the river. Considerable prospecting is going on in Jackson and Josephine counties. Some good will surely result from it. I. M. Dyer, inventor of what is known as the cannonball quartz mill, is in Southern Oregon for the purpose of introducing his machinery. Ed. Caton and Neitz Bros. started yesterday on their second trip to Galice Creek. They intend to locate both quartz and placer claims. Harvey Shepard has discovered a promising quartz ledge a short distance south of Ashland. Considerable work has already been done on it. Another mining expert has been examining the Schumpf quartz ledge in the Willow Springs district, which will no doubt prove valuable property some time. Geo. H. Chick received his amalgamating pan and fixtures last week for the Morse & Jacobs quartz mill at Henley, Cal. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 18, 1885, page 37 THE QUARTZ MINES.--Jacksonville Times, July 19: Prospecting continues in nearly every mining district. Ore from the quartz ledge of Grob, Braendel & Co., on Jackson Creek, is prospecting very well and the vein is increasing in size. Neitz Bros. and E. B. Caton returned a few days since from Galice Creek, where they located a number of claims. They say that the Yank ledge has been located for miles, and more means have been received from San Francisco to push work upon it. There is a probability of several quartz mills being set up in Southern Oregon the coming season. This would open a new era in this section, rich in minerals but undeveloped because of the lack of capital. BUILDING A RESERVOIR.--A few days since Captain Ankeny returned to Portland from Southern Oregon, where he has been superintending the construction of a large reservoir in connection with the Sterling mine, of which he is the principal owner. He states that the reservoir is now up 20 feet, and the water is being used to make a cut in which to lay the flume. They have 60 boxes in now, and expect to put in 120 boxes before bedrock is reached. It is expected that the work will be completed by October 1st. The reservoir, when completed, will be 50 feet high, and will furnish an adequate supply of water to run the mine. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 25, 1885, page 73 FOUND AT LAST.--Grants Pass Times [sic], July 24: Some 30-odd years ago, an eccentric old man would bring into the mining camps along Rogue River from time to time, some very rich quartz, which he would crush and extract considerable gold. Though frequently importuned, he would not disclose the whereabouts of his ledge, and not much attention was paid to him. He was finally killed by the Indians, and the location of his lead has always been shrouded in mystery. During the famous Gold Hill quartz excitement, quite a number of persons hunted for the old man's ledge, but without success. Last Sunday, John Owens, while walking across a dry gulch just above the Hayes & Magruder placer claim, was suddenly precipitated into a hole, and on investigation it proved to be a narrow cut, the top of which had been covered with timbers and dirt; from appearances work had been done long years ago. Mr. Owens soon moved the debris, and followed the cut a distance of 30 feet when he came to a magnificent quartz ledge which has been cut in two; the lead is about five feet in width; the ore contains gold in considerable quantities which can be plainly seen with the naked eye. This is doubtless the murdered man's ledge, and it will prove a bonanza. VARIOUS MINING ITEMS.--Democratic Times, July 24: Prospecting continues everywhere. About 50 men are at work on the quartz ledges in the Galice Creek district. Placer and hydraulic mining is at an end for this season in Southern Oregon. Ex-Governor Chadwick has 100 tons or ore on the dump at the Yank ledge. Geo. W. Sturgeon of Pickett Creek is putting a wing dam in Rogue River. Success to him. The south tunnel on the Yank ledge has been completed by McNair & Co., and the northern will also be rushed to completion. There is considerable excitement in the vicinity of Woodville. Quite a number of promising quartz. ledges are being prospected. Desselles & Connell, of Scotch Gulch, Josephine County, have finished cleaning up and did very well. This is one of the very best claims in the state. Mark Colvig, of Rock Point precinct, has sent to the Oregonian specimens of manganese and aluminum, both of which are valuable minerals, though how much so we are at this time unable to state. The parties who have undertaken to investigate the Yank ledge on Rogue River have been pushing matters energetically. A tunnel has been run into the ledge on both sides of the river and two shifts of eight men have been at work day and night for some time. The ledge is 250 feet in width and the shafts are being run diagonally across it. The quality of the ore is considered satisfactory, and while there is no occasion for any excitement at present, there is a prospect that the Yank ledge may prove the great bonanza mine of Oregon and excel the Comstock in its best days. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 1, 1885, page 89 MINING NEWS.--Sentinel, Aug. 1: Klippel & Co.'s wing dam on Applegate is approaching completion. Work on the Sterling Mining Co.'s reservoir is progressing steadily. John Owens, of Gold Hill, stumbled on a fine quartz ledge in that vicinity a few days since, and it is said to have been the property of a miner murdered many years ago. There is considerable excitement at Woodville, some promising quartz ledges having been discovered. A shaft 40 feet deep has been sunk on Lind, Kinney & Co.'s claim, with flattering results. The subscribers to the stock for a quartz mill in this place have formed a temporary organization and appointed a committee to select grounds for the proposed mill and obtain motive power. The certainty that we are to have a new test quartz mill at Jacksonville has given an impetus to quartz prospecting and the result is some very important developments. The parties working on the Yank ledge sent up Victor Fernbaugh, reputed to be a very capable expert, to examine the mine, who expressed himself well pleased with it. On Thursday's freight 900 pounds of ore was shipped to San Francisco for mill test. There is no occasion for any excitement, but indications are that the mine will be worked, and that means prosperity for this county. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 8, 1885, page 105 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, August 7: A large number of quartz and placer claims are being located in this and Josephine counties. Thos. Brown is prospecting a quartz ledge on Jackson Creek, the ore from which promises well. Parties have bonded Savage Bros.' placer mines on Rogue River and are now engaged in sinking a shaft. J. Griffiths, who is mining on Hungry Creek, Cal., reports good prospects both in his quartz and placer mines. Elmer Stephenson informs us that O. Collins and Chas. Williams of Big Applegate are about wing damming the river. Several parties outside of this town have taken stock in the proposed quartz mill. It will no doubt prove of great benefit. Klippel, Deneff & Co. are about commencing work on the bed of the Applegate, their wing dam being nearly completed. Mining operations are generally suspended, though considerable prospecting is going on in both Jackson and Josephine counties, J. T. Hayes, whose friends are legion in this section, is engaged in working an excellent mine on Cow Creek. We hope he will strike a bonanza. Work is being continued on Grob and Braendel's quartz ledge on Jackson Creek with excellent prospects. The rock is becoming richer and more plentiful. The American Mining Guide, the best authority on this subject, for sale at the Times office, also blank notices for location of placer and quartz mines. John Beckner, of Applegate, was in town yesterday. He informs us that Jack Layton's supply of water is failing and he is now engaged in cleaning up one of his races. Several hundred pounds of ore from the tunnel being run across the Yank ledge is sent to San Francisco every month for assay. If it comes up to the requirements after being thoroughly tested, machinery will be put there for work on an extensive scale. It is said that the ledge is improving right along and those who have the enterprise in hand are satisfied with it. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 15, 1885, page 121 AT WORK.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 12: Keaton, Klippel & Howard have completed the wing dam in Applegate and are now at work in the bed of that stream. J. T. Layton is still engaged in cleaning up at his mines on Steamboat, though water is very scarce and progress necessarily slow. Prospectors are numerous throughout this section, and no doubt the finding of some valuable mines will be the result of their labors. W. J. Stanley of Woodville came up yesterday and brought with him some quartz which is said to be rich in silver, taken from a ledge which he has recently discovered. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 22, 1885, page 137 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 20: The Sterling Co.'s reservoir is assuming proportions. Reports from the Yank ledge continue of a flattering nature. J. C. Neitz and brother are at Galice Creek prospecting their claims there. Prickett & Co., of Steamboat, are mining the Applegate with fair prospects. R. Cook was over from Steamboat yesterday. His tunnel is now 360 feet long. A great deal of prospecting is still being done in Jackson and Josephine counties. John Bolt says that a miner is engaged in crushing quartz on Applegate in a hand mortar and making $1.50 a day. Thos. Berryman & Co., having finished their wing dam in the Applegate, are working the bed of the river with good success. Mr. Sargent, while mining on Brush Creek, in the Steamboat district, picked up one piece of gold worth $25 and another worth $7 Wednesday. J. C. Ruck and Mr. Wilson, an old Nevada miner, have discovered a fine large body of quartz in Willow Springs district which promises very well. H. L. Hansen & Co. have opened a new mining claim near Waldo and will next season operate it. They think they have a small sized bonanza, and we hope they will not be disappointed. The new quartz mill will be here this fall, and will afford a good opportunity for those owning ledges to test their ore. This is an excellent inducement for a general prospecting of Jackson and Josephine counties. J. M. Walsh and H. T. Bragdon, of Ashland, have bonded and bought some quartz ledges on Wagner Creek, and will immediately begin to develop them, a force of men having gone to work upon them last week. A mining expert has pronounced the rock as being very promising. Hon. Theo. Cameron informs us that A. D. McKee & Co. have struck good pay on Elliott Creek. They recently took out one nugget of gold worth $36 and some smaller ones. That is proving an excellent summer camp, there being too much snow and water in winter for expeditious mining. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 29, 1885, page 153 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 5: J. C. Neitz and brother are at Galice Creek on a prospecting tour. Parks' mill at Sterling is engaged in sawing 30,000 feet of lumber for Ankeny & Co.'s reservoir. Wm. Bybee had a quartz mill hauled from Josephine County last week and will have it put up in this section. J. Klippel & Co. have finished wing damming the Applegate, and will soon commence mining the bed thereof. Eli Taylor is in Jacksonville again, having been on a prospecting tour in Josephine County for several weeks past. He thinks he has found a promising gravel mine. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 19, 1885, page 201 NOTES.--Jacksonville Sept. 19: Miners are again getting ready for winter. Prospecting continues at a lively rate in the Evans Creek district. M. W. Knapp has returned from a prospecting tour into Siskiyou County. W. Eldridge, a San Francisco mining expert, went down to Galice Creek a few days since. The Sterling Mining Co.'s reservoir is well along and will be completed before many weeks. Jas. Brown left this place yesterday for Josephine County, where he will take charge of one of Wm. Bybee's mines. A company, of which Tim Dugan and Jas. Herely are members, have found excellent quartz prospects on Jackson Creek. Neitz Bros., who are prospecting in the Galice Creek district, returned a few days ago and bring favorable reports from that camp. A great deal of prospecting is still being done in Jackson and Josephine counties, and several promising ledges have been discovered. Marshal Curtis and others have purchased the Excelsior quartz ledge on Jackson Creek, which was worked to good advantage in early days. It is reasonably certain that a quartz mill will be in operation in this vicinity before the end of the year. Such an enterprise would not only be remunerative, but of incalculable benefit to our county. Bragdon & Walsh, of Ashland, who are prospecting quartz ledges on Wagner Creek, are well pleased with the present developments. They have received returns from ore sent to Portland for assay, which leave no doubt in their minds but what their mines can be made remunerative with the proper apparatus. There is considerable ore of a good quality already in sight. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 26, 1885, page 217 A NEW DISCOVERY.--Grant's Pass Courier, Sept. 24: We are told of the discovery of another rich quartz ledge below the Yank on Rogue River. Our informant, Mr. Trimble, says it is quite rich in gold, and that parties who have tested it say it is better than the Yank. The ledge has been traced for several miles, and they have named it the "General Grant." The Trimble brothers have taken three claims and others are becoming interested in this new discovery. We expect to get more definite returns from the ore shortly, and hope the boys have found a bonanza. N. C. McNair, of the Yank mine, tells us he has tested the ore from this discovery, and that it gives promise of being very rich in gold. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 3, 1885, page 233 QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 2: Considerable quartz of a promising nature is being taken out of the ledges on Wagner Creek. There is considerable excitement in the vicinity of Jumpoff Joe over quartz recently discovered there. Prospectors are numerous. Geo. Howard, of Applegate, was over this week, and informs us that Keaton, Klippel & Co. are busily engaged in preparing for winter and expect to make an extensive run before next summer. S. F. Chadwick is at Galice Creek looking after his mining interests in the Yank ledge. Considerable work in the way of tunneling and prospecting is going on in that section. Fred Grob has done considerable work on his ledge on the south fork of Jackson Creek, and has taken out sufficient quartz to make a good working test as soon as the new mill arrives. He is now improving the road to his mine, so that the ore may be hauled out to the mill without difficulty. Work at the Gaylord Bell-Moody mine on the north fork of Jackson Creek is being steadily pushed and the owners have already on the dump a considerable quantity of ore which prospects very high. We have seen the assayer's certificate of two tests of this ore, and the indications are that Bell & Moody have struck it rich. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 10, 1885, page 249 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 10: Considerable prospecting is still being done in Jackson and Josephine counties. Miners are getting ready for winter, and anticipate a better mining season than usual. Mr. Elliott, of Baker County, arrived here Wednesday and will prospect for quartz in this section. Ex-Governor Chadwick has been at Galice Creek, looking after his interests in the Yank ledge. Work is progressing satisfactorily on the Sterling Co.'s huge reservoir, and it will be completed before long. Will Q. Brown and a mining expert from San Francisco, named Perkins, went down to Galice Creek last week. Reub. Jones and J. T. Hays are extensively engaged in mining on Cow Creek, Douglas County, and seem to be doing well. Eli Taylor, who returned from Josephine County last week, informs us that some parties from California are prospecting on Williams Creek. The season for prospecting is about over, and before long those who have been roaming the mountains will have to come into the camps for the winter. Work continues on the long tunnel at the Yank ledge in Josephine County. The quality of rock taken out is reported as improving as the tunnel progresses. We are informed that some very rich prospects have been struck in quartz near the old Lucky Queen mine in Josephine County. Several claims have already been taken. Jas. G. Birdsey has let a contract for manufacturing 300 feet of hydraulic pipe for his mines on Birdsey Creek. A great deal of work will be done there in case of a wet winter. It is rumored that J. Wimer & Sons and John Bolt now control the Sugar Pine quartz ledge on Galice Creek, discovered by Green Bros. This is valuable property, and if such is the case it will be thoroughly developed. Arthur Wilson has discovered a bituminous coal mine on his farm near Medford. The vein is over four feel wide and is said to be inexhaustible. It resembles the coal of Toledo, Ohio. He proposes to develop the mine at once. Geo. H. Chick and his engineer are in the valley, and submitted a scheme to the citizens of Medford to put up a quartz mill, which is now in Siskiyou County, at that place, providing they would furnish him the necessary land and also purchase the five-eighths interest in said mill owned in California. A public meeting was held Tuesday evening to consider the matter, and Mr. C. informs us that his proposition was accepted. The mill will be brought over at once. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 17, 1885, page 265 WINTER OPERATIONS.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 17: Miners are making extensive preparations for next winter's run. Jack Layton has finished cleaning up and is getting ready for winter. Robt. Morris of Louse Creek has a good mine which he will operate next season. J. W. Baker has purchased Robt. H. Dean's interest in the Willow Springs mines. A quantity of ore has been sent to Chick & Co.'s mill in Siskiyou County, Cal., for testing. J. J. Brown is engaged in getting Wm. Bybee's claim on Rogue River in shipshape for winter. A number of prospectors are out looking for quartz ledges in the mountains south and west of Ashland. Henry D. Kubli, who was over from Applegate this week, reports considerable prospecting going on in that section, Sargent Bros. are doing well on Brush Creek, in the Steamboat district. They will mine on a more extensive scale than ever next winter. A meeting was held at the town hall this week to consider Geo. H. Chick's proposition to put his mill here. No definite arrangements were made, but maybe hereafter. John O'Brien has bought several hundred feet of hydraulic pipe of Hays & Magruder, which he intends using in the Steamboat district. He has men employed in cleaning out his old ditch. Kinney & Linn have several tons of ore on their dump in the Evans Creek district which is very promising. Their claims continue to improve as work progresses. There are several other good ledges in the same region. The project of putting up a quartz mill at Medford has been abandoned, and Mr. Chick proposes putting it up in this vicinity, if he can get enough inducements. A mill would be of vast benefit to Jacksonville in more ways than one. Marshal Curtis, who went to Josephine County last week on a prospecting tour, has returned. He informs us that he located a promising placer mine on Fall Creek, a tributary of Jumpoff Joe, and has men engaged in thoroughly prospecting it. What this section needs more than anything else is a first-class quartz mill to work the ores of the ledges already discovered, many of which will pay well. Everything possible should be done to get one, for there is no calculating the benefit it will be. There is no doubt but what we have good quartz in Jackson and Josephine counties, but we must prove it before we can expect any amount of foreign capital to be invested here. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 24, 1885, page 281 WOODVILLE.--Cor. Grants Pass Courier, Oct. 24: The mining interests on Evans Creek are assuming considerable importance now. Much prospecting is being done, and from samples of ore shown us by parties interested, we are led to believe some rich discoveries will be the result of further development. Our opinion of this district is that if one-fourth of the work and capital expended in other localities was put in prospecting this vicinity--we mean both in Josephine County and that part of Jackson County contiguous--capitalists would at once take hold of and develop the discoveries into paying properties. Among the ledges developed may be mentioned as most prominent, the Oliver Boyd, in the vicinity of Woodville, which has a shaft 34 feet, cutting the ledge 20 feet from the surface, showing gold, silver, lead and copper. The vein is 3½ to 7 feet in width. The owners are talking of taking a rest for the purpose of prospecting other ground, with the best of indications. Stephen Beard has discovered a ledge which he deems a good one, from the fact that development thus far shows that the ore carries galena and sulphates. The ledge is cut by Evans Creek, fifteen miles above Woodville, and the owner has the best of encouragement in its further development. John Robinson has a very promising prospect five miles above Woodville, on the south side of Evans Creek, which indicates richness both in gold and silver. The formation is granite, and the vein is four feet in width. Messrs. Kinney & Lind have four men working on two quartz ledges near Woodville, with favorable prospects. It is only a question of time and further work, when they expect to realize a very handsome return for their expenditure of labor and money. Mr. W. Hale is working a good claim on Grave Creek, some distance above Leland, Josephine County. This is a placer, and Mr. Hale informs us that he has taken out and saved $315 with one sluice box. This shows the richness of the diggings, from the fact that he has only worked them but a very short time. Mr. John Blalock, on upper Grave Creek, is working what he claims to be a good deposit carrying silver and copper. He is also one of the first miners of this section, and will do much towards developing this industry in that part of the country. QUARTZ ON EVANS CREEK.--Several thousand dollars have been expended in the Evans Creek mining district, prospecting quartz, during the summer and fall with very favorable results. Every ledge prospected has continued to improve, and if the ore will work to within three-fourths of assays, there are a number of paying ledges in this locality, though there is more or less base mineral in nearly all of them. Among the most promising ledges are the following: The Blalock ledge on upper Grave Creek, twenty miles from Woodville; the Cooper & Gartman ledge on Evans Creek, twenty miles from Woodville. Five miles below is Burs & McKane lode and one mile below is another owned by Neathammer and others. Robinson & Rush have brought in some good-looking ore from a ledge some three miles up Evans Creek, where there are five other claims within one and one-half miles from the railroad depot. The most of those who have claims have more muscle than money, and they have been at work with energy and determination, and we have no doubt but what some of them, as they well deserve, will meet with success. Nearly all of the ledges mentioned have this year's assessment work done, and some of the boys will try their luck in placers during the winter, and resume work on quartz again in the spring. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, October 31, 1885, page 297 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 30: Ingram & Baker are getting ready for an extensive run in their Willow Springs diggings. The Sterling Co.'s reservoir is nearing completion and will be utilized early next winter. Carter Bros., of Pleasant Creek, have found good prospects on the home place and are getting ready for the winter's run. Dr. Colvig and others of Rock Point precinct are engaged in prospecting and think they have found some excellent ore. G. B. Dyer, the Portland mining expert, is visiting several ledges in this vicinity, with several of which he seems to be favorably impressed. Wimer & Sons and Desselles & Connell of Waldo precinct, Josephine County, are about ready for extended operations, which will soon be commenced. The miners, having been disappointed for the past three seasons, anticipate better luck this time. It is to be hoped that they will have all the water they wish. Ex-Governor Chadwick inspected his ledge in the Fort Lane district while in the valley this week, and is well pleased with it. He intends to have it thoroughly prospected before long. Moody & Bell undoubtedly have one of the best ledges thus far discovered in this section. They already have quite a quantity of ore on the dump, with several hundred tons more in sight. Work continues on the Yank ledge at Galice Creek. It will be thoroughly prospected, and a gentleman who claims to know says that there is no doubt but what it will prove a paying mine. Work is still progressing on Swinden's ledge near Rock Point and better prospects than ever are in sight. We were shown some of the ore, in which considerable gold can be seen with the naked eye. The mining interests of Evans and Pleasant creeks are coming to the front again. Several promising ledges and placers are being thoroughly prospected. S. Beers, Jas. Evans, John Blalock, John Robinson and others are among those prospecting new ledges. G. B. Dyer, representing L. D. Brown and others of Portland, is now in Jacksonville for the purpose of getting our citizens interested in a quartz mill that his company propose putting here in case some inducements are given. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 7, 1885, page 313 COMMENCING WORK.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 7: The rains of the past week have enabled some of the miners of Josephine County to commence work. Many of those in Jackson County expect to be busily engaged soon. The ground is so very dry that it will take a great deal of rain to soak it well. As the miners have been disappointed during the past few years, everybody seems anxious that they should have a benefit this winter. Whenever there is a good mining season, money is much more plentiful than otherwise. A quantity of rock from the Pilgrim ledge of Walsh & Bragdon, on Wagner Creek, was submitted to the assay of Thos. Price, a well-known assayer of San Francisco, recently, with gratifying results to the owners of the mine. The report returned is: Gold, $332.82; silver, $15.30 total, $348.21 to the ton. Alex. Watts is opening his mines in Josephine, and expects them to show up well this season. Riley Congle is in charge of them. Wimer & Sons, of Waldo, have started work at their hydraulic mines, and are making the gravel fly. This is one of the best mines in the state, and always pays well. "New Mexico," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 14, 1885, page 329 MINING SEASON.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 13: A good mining season is predicted and hoped for. James Bums has returned from Portland and will resume mining operations on Applegate. The Wagner Creek placer mines are in readiness and a good report is expected from them. Much more rain fell in Josephine County than in this and many of the miners there are at work. Bybee & Hall have done some piping on their mines on Canyon Creek, Josephine County, and with a favorable season will take out considerable dust. J. N. Casteel was down from Big Applegate this week and reports his company and miners in that section generally as ready for an extended run. We are informed that the California capitalists who intend to run a ditch between Sucker Creek and Illinois River, a distance of about 12 miles, have arrived at Kerbyville. They propose inaugurating a big mining enterprise and intend buying the claims of A. Brown and others. The Sterling Mining Company's huge new reservoir is completed and being used with success. There is considerable water in the ditch and piping is going on, though more rain and snow is necessary to set everything going at full speed. Captain Ankeny is acting as superintendent, Frank Ennis still being unable to resume his duties. Piping was commenced last week at several of the mining claims in this country, but as the weather has turned off pleasant, not much is being done in most cases. The same may be said of other placers that are worked in the old-fashioned way. It will not take a great deal more rain to set the miners busily at work, and all of them are anxiously awaiting it. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 21, 1885, page 345 QUARTZ.--Grants Pass Courier, Nov. 20: Messrs. McCallister & Stanley are now down on their ledge on Rogue River 40 feet and have a well-defined vein some eight feet wide, with a gouge of 10 to 18 inches. Some of the assays run as high as $300 per ton, The vein now appears to be turning and dipping into the hill. The sinking of the next 10 feet will be watched with great interest, as the vein will then in all probability have its true pitch and a very fine body of ore may be looked for. The Stanley mine on Evans Creek is one of the best prospects in this section. It is down about 10 feet with well-defined walls and carries a large amount of copper, with gold through the whole vein. We are in hopes that work will be prosecuted on this vein. The Eastman ledge situated a mile below this town is down about 12 feet. It shows some copper-stained ore. Some rich float has been found on the other side of the river near the Jewett ledge, and parties are in hope that they will shortly strike the vein. Messrs. Brown & Walker are now engaged in opening up their claim at the mouth of Green Creek. Their ground prospects most favorably, and they will shortly put on a hydraulic and work it on a large scale. DRY DIGGINGS.--Several miners are now engaged in drifting with very fair returns. This is a never-failing source when men wish to make a small raise, the ground paying uniformly small wages. THE GRAVE CREEK.--The Steam Beer Gravel Claim Company have made a large reservoir and have lowered the flume, and with the present prospects for water will no doubt make a better showing than they have for years. BRIMSTONE.--This old and well-known claim now leased to Mr. Davis is now in better condition for a good winter's tun. Much ground has been burned and cleared, and we shall be surprised if it does not this year yield as it has of yore. The Goff gravel claim has enlarged its ditches, built a reservoir, and it is now in very interesting ground--very heavy gold having been struck just prior to their closing down last year for want of water; we may look for very valuable developments. The Maloney Bros. are mining to some extent. If capitalists would only extend a ditch to this, there are 200 acres of ground that every foot will pay with a pipe, and ample fall. LOUSE CREEK.--The Van Peer ledge is down some 15 feet. The mine has never been prospected as it should be, the ore running high in fine gold. MILL.--Oregon Sentinel, Nov. 20: A quartz mill in Jacksonville is now an assured fact as nearly the full amount asked for as a bonus has been raised. The terms of contract call for an $8000 mill, and Mr. L. D. Brown expects to start below tomorrow night to order it. AT WORK.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 20: Dan Hunt informs us that many of the miners of Josephine County are at work. Wimer & Sons' mines near Waldo, as also Desselles & Connell's, are running on full time. The Medford reduction works are now in running order and are testing ore from different mines. At Wm. Clark & Co.'s claim in Althouse, Josephine County, a $50 slug was picked up not long since. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s huge enterprise is not moving at present, though active operations will no doubt be begun soon. Thos. Berryman, who has been drifting for several years on Applegate, has struck another good pay streak and is doing well. Very few of the miners in Jackson County are at work yet, owing to the scarcity of water. A few days' rain would set all of them going, however. Boyd & Johnson are now prospecting a quartz ledge in the Blackwell district, which prospects well in silver. They sent some of the ore East for assay, and the returns are quite flattering. C. W. Triplett recently finished a large reservoir on the Steam Beer claim on Grave Creek, owned by Rast, Criteser & Fullerton, which will enable them to make a much more extended run than usual. Considerable prospecting is still being done in different portions of Jackson and Josephine counties. When the quartz mills at Jacksonville and Medford are in operation, there will be much more inducement to prospect for quartz. H. E. Ankeny went down to Galice Creek recently with a representative of a Chinese firm, who are negotiating for the Ankeny hydraulic claim in that section. This is an extensive mine, but has not been worked profitably for some years past. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 28, 1885, page 361 Southern Oregon Mines.
Jacksonville will have a fine quartz mill soon.Jacksonville Times. The Medford reduction works are in operation. Several ledges in Josephine County are attracting considerable attention. J. J. Brown has the Bybee claim on Rogue River in good shape and is making the gravel fly. Dick Cook, of Steamboat, has run his tunnel over 400 feet and is taking out some excellent ore. The miners of Steamboat and Brush Creek districts have plenty of water and are making the most of it. The recent storms raised the water in Rogue River so much as to wash out all the wing dams in that stream. The Shooting Star, on the west of the Bonanza, is a good prospect, with a small quantity of high-grade ore. The Sterling mines are being operated day and night, there being plenty of water. Capt. Ankeny is still there. D. L. Curtis purchased Mr. Moody's interest in some mines on Jackson Creek, and has since leased them to Chinese. The late rains have put some of the miners to work. Not a great deal more is necessary to set all of them agoing. A considerable quantity of snow has already piled up in the mountains for the benefit of the miners later in the season. Nearly all the miners of Josephine County are busy, and will no doubt make a much better report than for a few years past. R. Eastman and J. F. Woodward have a promising quartz ledge not far from Grants Pass. They are now prospecting it. Goff & Co., of Grave Creek, have built a reservoir, enlarged their ditch and made other improvements. They are in excellent ground. L. L. Oden, of Pleasant Creek, informs us that Carter Bros. have struck a rich channel that was lost several years ago and are likely to do very well. It is reported that so much is thought of the Gibbs ledge, near Lucky Queen, Josephine County, that a five-stamp mill will soon be put up there. Frank Davis, who has leased the Brimstone mine in Josephine County, has cleared a large area of ground and will mine on a more extensive scale than ever. The Silver Rose adjoins the Bonanza on the south, but no work has been done. This claim shows bold croppings, with seams of very rich ore, assaying from $98 to nearly $200 per ton in silver. Robert Elliott, who has been developing the quartz ledge on Applegate owned by Messrs. Orth and Linn, is in town. He reports excellent prospects, and brought some fine-looking specimens of ore with him. The Silent Friend lies north of and adjoining the Bonanza. Here a five-foot hole has been sunk, showing the vein sixteen and eighteen inches wide in the bottom, while at the surface it cropped as a mere seam three to six inches wide. ON
WAGNER CREEK.
Messrs. Walsh & Bragdon recently sent to the Medford quartz
mill a quantity of rock from their mines on Wagner Creek, from which
they have received returns as follows: The tailings from the old quartz
mill, operated a number of years ago, yielded at the rate of about $170
to the ton, and a lot of inferior rock from the croppings of the large
ledge, the "Pilgrim," went $62 to the ton. The "Pilgrim" is an
unusually large lead (7 feet) and promises exceedingly well. They are
now at work upon it and have gone in some ten or fifteen feet, where
they are taking out rock which shows much more gold than did the
croppings of which a report is given above. The proprietors believe it
will go not less than $100 to the ton, perhaps more. They have sent a
ton to Medford, to be run through the mill, and will have the returns
in a short time. Their water power arrastra will be ready for operation
soon, if the weather does not interfere with work upon it.--Ashland Tidings.Morning Oregonian, Portland, December 3, 1885, page 3 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.--Very flattering prospects are reported from the Southern Oregon mines, by the Jacksonville Times. There appears to be an abundance of water, and much work is being done in all the placers. A new quartz mill and reduction works are to be constructed at Jacksonville or Medford soon. Oregon Statesman, Salem, December 6, 1885, page 3 DEVELOPMENTS.--Grants Pass Courier, Dec. 4: Some very good developments are now being made on Foots Creek, seven miles above Grants Pass, among them a prospect owned by Mr. Cliff Smith, of this place. Mr. Snelson, on Grave Creek, near the mouth of Wolf Creek has a good paying claim, for the amount of work done. He commenced on this property last fall, and developments thus far are very encouraging. Charles and Joseph Neitz are working a claim on the Jones Creek ditch below Mr. Todd, which they purchased from him. They are well fitted up for ground sluicing this winter, and as the formation of the ground and character of the gold is about the same as above, we doubt not they will take out considerable money this winter. From a gentleman who came up from down Rogue River a few days since, we learn that all the placers are in full blast in that vicinity. Mr. Jack Layton, one of the energetic men interested in mining in Josephine County, has a claim he has been working for years on Farris Gulch, a tributary of Williams Creek. The gold taken from these diggings is coarse, but of a very fine quality. Walter Simmons on Rogue River has one of the best fitted up claims in the county for sluicing. This mine is supplied with an abundance of water, and the manager will this season clean up a large area of ground, some of which would have been worked last year, but for the scarcity of water. The gold found in these diggings is of a very fine quality, and it is considered one of the best in this county. All the mines in the vicinity of Waldo are now in full running order. On Saturday last it was our pleasure to visit the mine of Mr. Geo. L. Todd three miles north of Grants Pass. This mine was formerly the property of Campbell and Todd, before Mr. Campbell's retirement. Mr. Todd assumed the management and has been successfully working it since. The mine usually runs seven months in the year, but last season not being a good one the bedrock was not cleaned. Mr. Todd is now ground sluicing, and the formation being of a loamy nature is easily got away with. There are now about ten miles of ditches on these diggings taken out of Jones Creek, and three miles out of Bloody Run. Generally considered, this is a handsome property. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 12, 1885, page 393 PLACERS.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 10: Placer miners want more water at once. Gin Lin has had a full head of water for the past month at his Uniontown diggings and is making the most of it. Messrs. Willis and Gregory, two experienced miners, propose commencing mining operations on Forest Creek soon. Supt. Ennis was over to the Sterling mines this week and reports operations progressing finely, with plenty of water. John Miller of Farmers Flat and Logg & McDonnell of Forest Creek have already done some piping, but have not enough water to work continuously. Both have first-class mines. Chas. Kearns has been awarded the contract for hauling 300 tons of quartz from Geo. Schumpf's ledge in Willow Springs precinct to this place. The hauling will be commenced soon. Tim Smith was up from Galice Creek a few days ago. He informs us that quartz mining is about suspended in that camp, but that work on the Yank ledge will probably be resumed in the near future. Since it has become a settled fact that a fine quartz mill will be put up in this place, a great deal more prospecting is being done. Work has been commenced on a number of ledges which have been lying dormant for many years. A Foots Creek correspondent writes the Times as follows under a late date: All the miners here are ready for water, and the new prospectors of the middle fork of Foots Creek have their cabins built, races dug and reservoirs made, and by the gold they pick up once in a while they feel quite hopeful. Thos. Mee is taking up his flume and relaying another one with better grade. Duffield, Lance & Co. have remodeled their reservoir, with hopes of doing better work this winter. We are informed that Brown & Co. have given orders for the construction of the quartz mill to be put up at this place, and the machinery will be on the ground at the earliest possible moment. It will be a first-class mill in every particular, having all the latest improvements and capable of dealing with our rebellious ores in a rapid and efficient manner. RICH STRIKE.--Oregon Sentinel, Dec. 12: Dick Cook, the well-known, experienced quartz miner of this section, was sent to Galice Creek last week by California capitalists to investigate that region in regard to quartz. On his return he informed us that the Yank ledge was not being worked at present, but tunneling would be resumed before long. While he was there a new strike of immense richness was made in Green Bros.' ledge that will surely prove a bonanza to the owners if the new vein holds out as it now shows. This mine has been successfully worked for many years, but not having the late improvements for saving sulphurets probably not one-half of the gold was saved. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 26, 1885, page 424 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
Jacksonville Times
Prospecting is still going on in nearly every portion of the country.
H. G. Fitch is engaged in placer mining on Jackson Creek and has a good supply of water. W. J. Mills and Joe Epperson are at work on Thompson Creek and have a good supply of water. The Sterling mining company's reservoir, having been repaired, will soon be used to good advantage again. The miners on Cow Creek are generally jubilant, having plenty of water and obtaining some gold. Ten tons of ore from the Wagner Creek quartz mines were shipped to Medford yesterday for reduction. J. Winningham brought down a piece of ore from Elk Creek this week which looks as [if] it is quite rich in silver. J. N. Casteel was down from Big Applegate a few days since and reports all the miners of that section as busily engaged. Our county clerk is busy recording locations of mines. On Tuesday he received five locations in the Blackwell district. Money has been raised to purchase stamps for the Medford reduction works, and it is expected to have a capacity of ten tons every twenty-four hours. The miners of Josephine County are generally busy, and with few exceptions have considerable water. A good report may be expected from them this season. Wm. Patton, who lives on the road between Wagner Creek and Ashland, is ground sluicing on his farm, having already taken out some gold there. We are informed by interested parties but the new quartz mill for this place will arrive at Central Point this week and will be in running order in a short time. There are fifty miners at work on Rogue River and its tributaries between the Big Bend and Mule Creek, in Curry County. The indications are favorable for a prosperous season. D. L. Green informs us that there is a prospect of work being resumed on the Yank ledge. Parties are expected to arrive from San Francisco soon to look after affairs there. J. W. Ingram, of Willow Springs, informs us that a great deal of prospecting is going on in that and Blackwell districts. The woods are full of prospectors everywhere in Southern Oregon. G. B. and B. D. Caldwell have settled their differences, the former having purchased the latter's mining interests on Steamboat, and will operate on a more extensive scale than ever. J. A. Wilson, Tim Dugan, James Herely and others are interested in a quartz ledge on one of the hills west of town that prospects very well and promises to be one of the best yet discovered. Messrs. Prickett, Finney, Caldwell, Price, Beckner, Bingaman and other miners in the Steamboat district were here the forepart of the week, and report plenty of water and good prospects there. A quartz ledge of considerable proportions, and said to prospect very well in free gold, has been discovered under P. Ritchards' house in this place. It has been located by Messrs. [illegible], Evans and Ritchards. Stimulated by the prospects of a good quartz mill being erected in this place, a great deal of prospecting is being done in this vicinity, and we will not be surprised if something rich and lasting is struck before long. Fourteen hundred pounds of ore from the Wagner Creek quartz mines were tested at the Medford reduction works last week, and a gold brick worth over $60 was the result, we are informed. Considerable excitement exists in that section in consequence. A very rich spur of quartz was discovered by Barkdull, Cunnyngham & Co. in the Blackwell district last week, from a pan of which several dollars in gold was extracted. The main ledge was found a few days afterward, which also prospects well. M. E. Beatty and others have located extensions. It is announced that Sol. Abraham & Co. have sold what is known as the Applegate Gravel Mining Company's claim to a Chinese company in Portland for $15,000. Twenty-six Chinese arrived Sunday morning and were hauled to their destination by W. J. Plymale and his assistants. At last accounts the Mongolians had not been given possession, owing to some misunderstanding among the partners in the mine. Morning Oregonian, Portland, December 27, 1885, page 9 RICH STRIKE.--Col. Cunningham and his brother struck a rich lead of gold-bearing quartz in the vicinity of Gold Hill last week. The vein is about four inches wide, and contains free gold in abundance. The specimens brought to Medford would assay over $70,000 to the ton.--[Monitor. Oregon Statesman, Salem, December 29, 1885, page 3 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 26: Prospecting is still going on in nearly every portion of the county. H. G. Fitch is engaged m placer mining on Jackson Creek and has a good supply of water. Prof. Cailey reports an abundance of water in the districts of Evans and Pleasant creeks. W. J. Mills and Joe Epperson are at work on Thompson Creek and have a good supply of water. The Sterling Mining Co.'s reservoir, having been repaired, will soon be used to good advantage again. Gin Lin of Uniontown precinct received a new giant from California recently and is piping day and night. Ten tons of ore from the Wagner Creek quartz mines were shipped to Medford yesterday for reduction. J. N. Casteel was down from Big Applegate a few days since and reports all the miners of that section as busily engaged. All the miners, excepting those who depend on gulches and short streams for water, are able to do considerable work now. Money has been raised to purchase stamps for the Medford reduction works, and it is expected to have a capacity of ten tons every 24 hours. The miners of Josephine County are generally busy, and with few exceptions have considerable water. A good report may be expected from them this season. Wm. Patton, who lives on the road between Wagner Creek and Ashland, is ground sluicing on his farm, having already taken out some gold there. Zach. Cameron of Uniontown was in town Monday and reported that the miners of that section all have more or less water, and some of them are quite busy. D. L. Green informs us that there is a prospect of work being resumed on the Yank ledge. J. W. Ingram of Willow Springs informs us that a great deal of prospecting is going on in that and Blackwell districts. The woods are full of prospectors everywhere in Southern Oregon.… Messrs, Prickett, Finney, Caldwell, Price. Beckner, Bingaman and other miners in the Steamboat district were here the forepart of the week, and report plenty of water and good prospects there. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 2, 1886, page 13 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 2: Many of the miners have a good supply of water and are making the most of it. John Miller has his mines on Farmers Flat in full blast, having a full head of water. The water supply has been replenished by this week's rains, which were quite timely. Prospectors may be seen everywhere nowadays, some of whom will surely make a rich strike. Messrs. Orth and Linn are prospecting their quartz ledge on Applegate on an extensive scale. Miners are generally busy. This promises to be the best mining season we have had for many years. Cal. Cunnyngham and John Barkdull struck a fine ledge of quartz on Dan Fisher's homestead recently. J. R. Bailey of Applegate informs us that Jack Layton intended commencing operations with his lower ditch this week. A. Chale, R. N. Baker and others have a quartz ledge on Jackson Creek which prospects well and promises to be extensive. The miners of Josephine County have more water than they have had in several years and they are making the most of it. All are busy. John C. Ruck of the Willow Springs district informs us that several important quartz discoveries have been made recently in that section. Keaton & Klippel of Poormans Creek have an abundant supply of water and commenced working day and night this week. The Chinese have taken possession of the mines sold them by the Applegate Gravel Co. Boyd & Johnson are sinking a new shaft on their claim in Blackwell district. Chas. Nail and J. N. Casteel have located some very promising ground on Applegate and will soon commence digging a ditch that will furnish them a good supply of water. A number of the citizens of Jacksonville have formed a company and set some men to thoroughly prospect the old Bowden ledge on Jackson Creek. This mine was worked at a considerable profit many years ago, but petered out after a time. There are a large number of ledges in the vicinity of Jacksonville, and in other places in Southern Oregon, that were long ago abandoned as unprofitable property, which will loom up now that the improved processes of crushing ore have revolutionized everything. We may therefore look for good reports as soon as the mill is able to test the quartz. A portion of the large, new quartz mill Brown & Co. intend putting up at this place arrived at Central Point the forepart of the week and will be hauled up at once. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 9, 1886, page 29 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
A Rich Silver Find Reported--Reduction Works at Medford Started--News from Various Claims.
Medford,
Jan. 1.
The Medford
reduction works started their stamps today. These works can
treat ten tons per day, and have had an offer to contract one year's
work ahead from one mine, but refuse to contract, as it would go
against the development of other mines.There was a rich vein of quartz, carrying grey copper and sulphurets, discovered on Applegate Creek last week which promises to develop into something good. Anderson and Walker are the discoverers, and several parties have gone to get the extensions. Prospectors are working on Applegate and Jackson creeks, and although quartz mining here is in its infancy, the quartz compares favorably with that of Nevada and Colorado. The Starr mines, in the Blackwell district, owned by Slagle & McAndrews, shows a large body of good ores; mill run $40 to $50. These parties are pushing work and will commence shipping ore in a few days. The Black Hawk mine, in the Willow Springs district, owned by Cowles, King & Slagle, have eighty tons of ore ready for shipment. Bose mine No. 1 and No. 2, Henry Baker, Scott & Deulson, owners, are pushing work by tunnel, and show a good grade of ore. Kenton mine, owned by Seeleg & Jenkins, shows from eight to ten feet of ore which develops into gray sulphurets. The Florence mine, owned by Chick, Pain & Co., shows a well-defined vein of high-grade ore. The developments are light, but they still continue to prospect the vein. New locations are made daily, and prospectors coming in from different parts of the mountains with quartz and minerals show that the country is being thoroughly prospected, and if one in every one hundred locations proves good and paying, Southern Oregon will develop into another Helena or Leadville. In the Gold Hill district the Lucky Strike ledge has been traced to 6000 feet, on which was located yesterday the Queen of the West, owners Howard & Bever. This claim shows the same ore as the Lucky Strike, indicating the vein to be a true and regular fissure vein. The Koehler mine in the Blackwell district, owners R. Koehler and J. Brandt, was located yesterday; no developments as yet. Our town was thrown into excitement today over a new discovery of rich native silver. The owner and discoverer, Mr. Johnson, from Carson City, Nev., says he was attracted by the looks of ore, similar to that of the Gould & Curry, of Nevada, mine. Mr. Johnson is on his way to Jacksonville to record his rich strike and refused $5000 for his find. What Southern Oregon needs is men who thoroughly understand prospecting for quartz ledges. Many other new discoveries have been made, but none that shows up with the new silver find. From what Mr. Johnson tells us, this is the first silver discovery made in Southern Oregon. Oregonian, Portland, January 14, 1886, page 5 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 8: Less frosty weather and more rain is earnestly hoped for by placer miners. Prospecting continues unabated and several promising discoveries are reported. There is still considerable excitement on Wagner Creek, where much prospecting is being done. Walsh & Bragdon have had 26 tons of tailings from their claim on Wagner Creek shipped to Medford for reduction. Oliver Boyd was over from Blackwell, and reports that district full of prospectors, some of whom report promising discoveries. Considerable snow lies on the higher hills surrounding the county, which will be quite acceptable to the miners later in the season. Most of the miners now use reservoirs, and with good effect. Much mining is done in this manner that would otherwise be impossible. It is said that the machinery necessary to make the Medford quartz mill a ten-stamp one has been shipped from San Francisco, and will soon arrive. W. A. Cook was up from Foots Creek this week, from whom we learned that more mining is going on in that district than for several years past, and with good prospects. A partial cleanup was made at William Bybee's diggings, near Waldo, formerly in dispute with Wm. Newman, and about $500 realized. Good reports are expected from these mines this season. A portion of the quartz mill for this place was hauled to town since our last report and the balance is expected here at once. The machinery will be put in position as soon as possible, and it will not be many weeks before quartz will be crushed. Our town is to be congratulated thereon. The company spoken of in the last issue of the Times as intending to prospect the old Bowden ledge on Jackson Creek has been organized, and will commence operations at once. The company will be fully organized soon, and proposes to thoroughly prospect the above ledge, which was a paying one in early days. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 16, 1886, page 45 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
Encouraging Reports from Several Districts--Reduction Works Started Up. MEDFORD,
Or., Jan. 18.
The Medford reduction works started up in full blast at 12 o'clock last
night, and has run smooth and nice. The superintendent informed us that
they could run twelve tons of ore into bullion every twenty-four hours.
This is the only works in Oregon taking the bullion from the rebellious
ores. The rich strike made by Johnson & Grisley on Rogue River
gives returns of $540 per ton. Your correspondent has visited the
following mines: Black Jack mine, owned by Ragsdale & Co.,
developments, 12-foot shaft and 50-foot tunnel, showing from five to
eight feet of ore, 25 tons on the dump.
Taylor mine, owned by Taylor & Co., developments, shaft No. 1 20 feet, No. 2 28 feet, showing five feet of ores milling from $15 to $90, about 10 tons on the dump. This is a very valuable mine, showing galena and sulphurets and copper. Iowa mine, owned by Boyd & Johnson, developed by shaft No. 1 and 2, showing about the same grade of ore in each shaft. Sulphurets sent to Helena give returns, $119 silver, $19 gold. Little Galena mine, Anderson & Stanley owners, development, 25-foot shaft. Shows very fine gray copper and sulphurets in bottom of shaft. Old Wallula ledge, E. Penningburns, shows a large body of paying ores, mostly free-milling. Bunker Hill mine, E. B. Whitney owner, shaft 22 feet, shows large body of gray sulphurets. Boes No.1 and No. 2, Baker, Kenny & Co. owners, shows 3 to 3½ feet of ores, mostly sulphurets. They intend pushing work forward to get their ores to the works. Gilt Edge mine, Beatty & Howard owners, developed by 20-foot shaft, shows five feet of copper and sulphurets ores. Turner & Johnson are shipping ores to the Medford reduction works. This claim has only been located a few days, and after having a mill test they go to work in a way that means business. Prospectors are going into the Willow Springs district and some favorable prospects are reported there, also on Applegate and Sterling, where good discoveries have been made. The hills are being thoroughly prospected, and we expect more rich discoveries ere long. It is reported that Henry Klippel and Cavanaugh are figuring on putting in a mill at Gold Hill, to work 800 tons of tailings from the old Gold Hill mine. They have also been to investigate the richness and extent of the old Jewett ledge, and we hear they are very favorably encouraged with the ores. Up to this time the placer mining has been good and all have been doing well, but the weather being colder it will check it for a few days. Oregonian, Portland, January 20, 1886, page 3 BUSY.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 16: Miners are busy again, and most of them have considerable water, notwithstanding the late cold weather interfered with the supply. The change in the weather is appreciated by the miner more than anyone else, as the cold snap interfered with mining operations for several days. As much mining has already been done this season as last, and winter has not more than begun; we consequently predict that the miners will do well this time. A portion of the timbers for the quartz mill in this place have been sawed out by Parks & Son of the Sterling and hauled here. The machinery will be put in position before long. The mining interests of Wagner Creek are developing so rapidly that the O.&C.R.R. Co. talks seriously of putting in a switch at Talent to facilitate the shipment of ore. Many prospectors are in that region. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 23, 1886, page 56 All the miners in the Big Applegate section are busy. There are 50 miners at work on Rogue river and its tributaries between the Big Bend and Mule Creek, in Curry County. The indications are favorable for a prosperous season. In Steamboat district there is plenty of water this season, and the prospects are good. In Willow Springs and Blackwell districts a good deal of prospecting is going on. All over Southern Oregon there are hundreds of prospectors at work. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 23, 1886, page 64 THE MILL.--Oregon Sentinel, Jan. 20: Mr. L. D. Brown, of Portland, arrived here Thursday, to select a site for the new quartz mill to be erected here. Some of the mill has arrived, and a portion of the timbers have also been furnished. Mr. Brown thinks our roads are so bad at the present time that not enough quartz could be hauled to the mill if it were in operation now, and this has been the main cause of not shipping the mill. It will be run as a custom mill, for a time at least, and Mr. Brown says as wind [i.e., talk] alone will not run it he must watch every turn to make it a success. QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 22nd: Wagner Creek expects to have a quartz mill in the near future. The miners have considerable water now, and are making the most of it. Some excellent quartz is being taken out of several ledges in Southern Oregon. The disagreeable weather of the past week has temporarily checked prospectors. The rains of the past week have afforded a large amount of water, over which the miners rejoice greatly. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s huge mining enterprise, near Waldo, is moving ahead in fine style, and the great cut is steadily growing larger. Ragsdale & Co., of the Fort Lane district have been working steadily, and have a considerable amount of quartz on the dump, which prospects well. This general prospecting of Jackson and Josephine counties is certain to result in much good, as several parties will no doubt strike very rich quartz ledges. The Wagner Creek region is said to be plastered over with location notices, so busy have the prospectors been. Some good quartz lines exist there. Reports reach us that some very rich rock is being taken out in the Blackwell district, some of which is being pounded up in a mortar and yields extraordinarily well. Josephine County miners are generally busy, having plenty of water. That section is one of the best mining camps on the coast and only lacks development to prove its great richness. The Jacksonville Mining Company have three men at work running a tunnel to strike the old Bowden ledge at a favorable place. The reduction works at Medford have been started up again, after a suspension of some time to permit the putting in of five stamps, a new concentrator and other machinery. Supt. Chick assures us that the best of work will be done henceforth. D. P. Thompson and other Portland capitalists are about starting reduction works at the metropolis on a large scale. Messrs. Kahler and Brandt of the O.&.C.R.R., who paid this section a visit recently, seem to be satisfied that Southern Oregon will prove one of its very best customers. The Sterling mine has been running continuously for some time past and an eight months' season seems well nigh assured, as a great deal of snow has already fallen at the head of the ditch. Operations are kept up day and night, excepting that no work was done after dark during the cold spell. We are informed that Henry Klippel and Thos. Chavner will build a mill in the vicinity of Gold Hill for the purpose of working over the tailings coming from their ledge in early days. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 30, 1886, page 86 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
(Extracted from the local papers.)
Jerry
Tuller is working a hydraulic on his mine near
Glendale.
A contract has been let for a 200-foot tunnel on the Jewett ledge near Grants Pass. J. Wimer & Sons are running two huge giants on their famous diggings night and day. Desselles & Connell on Scott's Gulch, near Waldo, are pushing things lively with a giant. The Medford quartz mill is now running on full time and is crushing ten tons of ore per day. Negotiations are pending for the transfer of several mines in the vicinity of Jacksonville to Portland capitalists. What Josephine County now wants is about four feet of solid snow on her mountains for mining in the spring. Mr. Haverlin on Canyon Creek is also tearing away dirt at a rapid rate with a giant. We are informed this is a splendid claim. Wm. Bybee's famous claim, producing a fine character of gold, on the head of Allen Gulch, near Waldo, is running one giant. J. K. Casteel has secured the contract for running a tunnel for the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Company, at $4.50 per foot. Marrian & Sands have a well-developed claim on Cow Creek, near Glendale. They are running a hydraulic and taking out good pay. Mr. Henry Smith and E. F. Everitt of this place have a claim on Foots Creek on which they are ground sluicing with good prospects. John Hall is superintending Hall & Bybee's placer on Canyon Creek. He is running one giant and making the best of the season so far. All the mines on Althouse and its tributaries are running--some of them night and day. This will be a glorious season for Josephine miners. Simmons & Ennis, near Waldo, are running a cut from the Illinois River, intended for the purpose of developing their ground and getting into Shelly Gulch. The Sardine Creek mines, owned by R. F. Miller, were this week sold to parties from Medford at a good figure. A hydraulic pipe will be put in at once. John Catching and sons, we are informed by a gentleman from that section, are working their claim near Riddle, and up to this time have taken out over $600. Messrs. Mulkey & Guyer have leased Garven's placer mining claim on Wagner Creek below the Walsh & Bragdon quartz mines, and are preparing to work it extensively. A San Francisco company have about concluded to take out a ditch from Sugar Creek, leading to a good-paying bar on the Illinois, at the foot of Eight Dollar Mountain. The hydraulic miners are all well supplied with water now, and are taking advantage of it. At John Miller's mine on Jackson Creek a force has been working night and day since the rain. Negotiations are pending for the purchase of J. T. Layton's placer claim on Applegate by a Chinese company of Portland. Sixty-five thousand dollars is the amount asked by Mr. Layton, and the mines are well worth it. Last week Joe Scott, who is interested with N. McNair in the gravel claim on Rogue River near the Big Yank, showed us two ounces of excellent fine gold from that bar, which indicates that if it was worked with a hydraulic it would pay handsomely. Messrs. Knapp, Brown and Hopwood are now employed on the tunnel in Timber Gulch. It will be 200 feet in length when the old ledge is struck, and a weekly assessment of 1½ percent on the capital stock of the company carries on the work. Twenty-three Jacksonville men are interested. A Mr. Carter informs us that he has made a good discovery in quartz on Jumpoff Joe. The formation is decomposed rock, and as much as twenty-five cents in gold to the plan has been obtained. This find is in the vicinity of the Lucky Queen discovery, and may prove to be very valuable. Report says that a company of men from Ashland have "jumped" what is known as the Holman ledge, on Jackson Creek, owned by C. C. Beekman, who holds a title on the ground from the government as school land. This is considered one of the most valuable pieces of mining property in the state and we would like to see it worked by someone.--Sentinel. The Times says a Davis Valley correspondent to the Times writes: The Rogue River Canal Company is organized, and the officers elected are: A. C. Stanley, president; H. W. Shipley, vice-president; F. A. English, secretary; who together with A. S. Moore are the incorporators. The capital stock has been placed at $100,000 in $50 shares. The company propose constructing a canal and ditches for irrigating, milling, mining and manufacturing purposes. The different streams have been higher and their currents swifter the past week than for several years, but no cases of drowning have been reported yet. Morning Oregonian, Portland, February 3, 1886, page 4 JOSEPHINE CO.--Courier, Jan. 29: Desselles & Connell on Scott's Gulch, near Waldo, are pushing things lively with a giant. Mr. Havelin on Canyon Creek is also tearing away dirt at a rapid rate with a giant. We are informed this is a splendid claim. All the mines on Althouse and its tributaries are running--some of them night and day. This will be a glorious season for Josephine miners. During this winter and last fall, prospecting for both placer and quartz mines in the county has been carried on more extensively than for some years past. We expect to hear a good report from Mr. Cliff. Smith of this place, who is working a claim on Foots Creek. Cliff is full of energy and deserving of success. A contract has been let for a 200-foot tunnel on the Jewett ledge near Grants Pass. As development proceeds on the old standby, it becomes more evident that the owners have a good property. Wm. Bybee's famous claim, producing a fine character of gold, on the head of Allen Gulch near Waldo, is running one giant with every indication of a very profitable cleanup at the end of the season. Negotiations are pending for the purchase of J. T. Layton's claim on Applegate by a Chinese company of Portland. $65,000 is the amount asked by Mr. Layton, and the mines are well worth it. John Hall is superintending Hall & Bybee's placer on Canyon Creek. He is running one giant, and making the best of the season so far. They have [an] abundance of water, and the promise of a grand cleanup when the streams run dry. Last week Joe Scott, who is interested with B. McNair in the gravel claim on Rogue River near the Big Yank, showed us two ounces of excellent fine gold from that bar which indicates that if it was worked with a hydraulic, it would pay handsomely. Simmons & Ennis, near Waldo, are running a cut from the Illinois River, intended for the purpose of developing their ground and getting into Shelly Gulch. Next year these gentlemen will, no doubt, make some startling discoveries, as the dirt gives every indication of being rich. Mr. Henry Smith and E. F. Everitt of this place have a claim on Foots Creek on which they are ground sluicing with good prospects. J. Wimer & Sons are running two huge giants on their famous diggings--night and day. Mr. Geo. W. Wimer, the energetic superintendent, is vigorously pushing the work with eight men, and a very large yield of the "precious" will undoubtedly be the result of this season's work. The Dry Diggings northeast of Grants Pass are no longer "dry," but every little gully is overflowing with water, and several parties are ground sluicing with good pay. These diggings can always be relied on for a "stake" when the season is propitious. The present is one of them, hence all the boys in that section are happy. On Myrtle Creek some work is being done. This district, we are told, is termed as being "spotted," but when the boys do get "on to it" they "strike it rich." All the miners on Cow Creek are getting down to business in earnest. Some of the mines which have not been worked for some years are now producing well. John Catching and sons, we are informed by a gentleman from that section, are working their claim near Riddle, and up to this time have taken out over $600. The Courier has information to the effect that the owners of the several mines on Coffee Creek are working the ground with better indications of a profitable season's run than for some time heretofore. Marrian & Sands have a well-developed claim on Cow Creek, near Glendale. They are running a hydraulic and taking out good pay. These gentlemen, we are told, have every indication of a large profit over all expenses this season. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 6, 1886, page 101 SOUTHERN OREGON MINING NOTES.
S.
McConnell and T. J. Neff have
purchased Neil Bros.'
mining claim on Wagner Creek.Jacksonville Times. H. Klock, of Gold Hill district, has a promising quartz mine which he expects to sell soon. Portland capitalists are talking of buying several pieces of mining property on Southern Oregon. Messrs. Cowles, Kenney and Slagle have located the ledge in Willow Springs precinct, formerly worked by Benner & Co. Now that the quartz mill at Jacksonville is an assured fact, prospecting has been renewed in this vicinity with renewed energy. Work is progressing favorably at the hydraulic claims of Wimer & Sons, Bybee & Hall, John Haviland and others in Josephine County. The Dry Diggings, near Grants Pass, are being worked by different parties this season, water being plentiful there as well as elsewhere. The contract for running a long tunnel, to tap the Jewett ledge near Grants Pass, has been let. It has always been considered one of the best ledges in this section. Several claims have been located on the extension of the ledge recently discovered by Col. Johnson in Table Rock precinct. An assay of some of the ore showed $550 to the ton, mostly in silver, it is said. Kenion & Klippel, McKee & Co. and several other hydraulic miners in the Poormans and Forest Creek districts are working day and night with full heads of water and good prospects. All the others are also busy. A. Alford and L. F. Willits have located the old Rockafellow ledge on Wagner Creek, and the ledge taken up several years ago by M. Mickelson, in the same district, has been located by a company composed of Messrs. Lyttleton, Powell, Moon and Greene. W. H. Swinden, who is mining near the summit of Blackwell Mountain, informs us that he has picked up a large number of very rich quartz specimens in his ground sluice, worth probably $500. He has unearthed a well-defined and very rich ledge, although it is not very large as yet. J. N. Casteel, who has the contract for running the tunnel for the Jacksonville Milling and Mining co. to tap the Bowden ledge on Timber Gulch, is making excellent progress, having already run twenty-five feet with the aid of only one man. As soon as his tools arrive he will put on a larger force and rush matters rapidly forward. Oregonian, Portland, February 11, 1886, page 8 QUARTZ AND GRAVEL.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 6: Jack Layton is making the gravel fly at his mines on Farris Gulch. Miners are happy at last, for there is plenty of water everywhere. S. McConnell and T. J. Neff have purchased Neil Bros. mining claim on Wagner Creek. E. Manville has better prospects than ever in his claim on Forest Creek and is sanguine of a big run. Many locations are still being made, and our county clerk has recorded quite a number of them during the week. Messrs. Cowles, Kenner and Slagle have located the ledge in Willow Springs precinct formerly worked by Benner & Co. Al. Sturgis has quite a force at work in his diggings on Jackass Creek, Fred. Miller and S. L. Fielder among the number. There is not a great deal of snow, at least not as much as the miners would like to see on the mountains later in the season. Now that the quartz mill at this place is an assured fact prospecting has been renewed in this vicinity with renewed energy. The Dry Diggings near Grants Pass are being worked by different parties this season, water being plentiful there as well as elsewhere. Ragsdale & Co.'s ledge near Fort Lane promises better results than ever, and they will soon have a large quantity of ore on the dump. Work is progressing favorably at the hydraulic claim of Wimer & Sons, Bybee & Hall, John Haviland and others in Josephine County. An extended run is assured the miners of Jackson and Josephine counties, which means plenty of gold dust when the cleanup is made in the late spring. The recent wet weather is not favorable for quartz mining and prospecting, but it suits the placer miners exactly. All will have their time, however. Several claims have been located on the extension of the ledge recently discovered by Col. Johnson, in Table Rock precinct. An assay of some of the ore showed $550 to the ton, mostly in silver, it is said. The placers in Josephine County are among the best in the state, and some promising quartz ledges are also being prospected. The capital which ought to be expended in that section would be well rewarded. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 13, 1886, page 113 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Feb, 12: Although none of the miners have cleaned up, considerable gold-dust is finding its way to Beekman's banking house already. The rains of the past week have been very acceptable to the miners, as the water supply had commenced to diminish a [bit] in some districts. Geo. Cardwell has located [a] quartz mine in the Sterling district that seems in be quite extensive, and the ore from which assays well. Work on the site of the proposed quartz mill in this place is progressing rapidly, and the building will be ready for the machinery before long. Turner & Johnson have run a crosscut to tap the Rising Sun ledge, and a large body of ore has been exposed, a test of which is being made. John Blalock and Geo. Owings of Evans Creek are prospecting at the head of Jackson Creek, and have found some promising quartz and placer prospects. When good weather comes much prospecting will be done. The mineral resources of this country have never received half the attention they merit. The machinery for the quartz mill at this place has been shipped and will soon arrive. The crushing of quartz will no doubt commence in the near future. Frank Logg and John McDonnell are very busy at their hydraulic claim on Jackass Creek and have every prospect of a profitable run. They have one of the richest claims in Jackson County. Quite a number of prospectors are at work in the Applegate district, some of whom report excellent prospects. Anderson & Walker have a presumably extensive ledge, which assays as high as $90 to the ton. Capt. Saltmarsh was in town this week, from whom we learned that his company has plenty of water once more and is making the most of it. They have rich diggings, but have not had enough water for several seasons past to work them. M. D. Hopkins of Grave Creek, who is in town, informs us that the miners of that section have an abundance of water and the prospects are favorable for the best cleanup in several years. Considerable prospecting is also being done there. Jas. McDonough is mining at his placer diggings, near Fort Lane, and has already picked up several fine specimens of quartz, which are full of gold. Evidently, a very rich ledge exists in the immediate vicinity. Desselles & Connell, of Scotch Gulch, Josephine County, who own one of the best and most regularly paying mines in the state, will, no doubt, do better than ever, as a much more extended season is assured. Keaton & Klippel, McKee & Co., and several other hydraulic miners in the Poormans and Forest Creek districts are working day and night, with full heads of water and good prospects. All the others are also busy. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 20, 1886, page 133 QUARTZ AND GRAVEL.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 19: Five men are at work on the quartz mill building in this place. Walker & Anderson are taking some rich ore out of their ledge on Applegate. Jas. B. Ivory and several others are now engaged in placer mining on Elliot Creek. Higinbotham Bros. have discovered a very promising ledge in the Gold Hill district. Wm. Ruble of Coyote Creek has two giants in full blast and is stripping off a large area of ground. Walsh & Bragdon are taking considerable ore of an excellent quality from their mines on Wagner Creek. Walter Simmons has a large supply of water at his hydraulic mines in the Galice district and is making the most of it. Dugan & Herely, who have a quartz ledge west of town, have struck some very rich ore, and there seems to be plenty of it. R. B. Bannister of Uniontown precinct, who has been ground sluicing on his place, picked up a $28 nugget a few days since. Lewis Hays and son are working A. H. Carson's mines in Josephine County and have stripped a large amount of bedrock with presumably good results. Most of the placer miners have already done more work this season than for the past two or three, which will ensure a good cleanup in case no timely rains fall. The discovery of a rich quartz ledge on M. Bickenbach's place near Woodville, is reported. The ore shows an abundance of free gold. Considerable excitement exists there in consequence. The pleasant weather has diminished the water in some instances, but most of the placer miners still have an ample supply. More rain may be expected in the near future, however. This is unquestionably the best season the placer miners have had for years, and we expect them to make a good cleanup in most instances, which will ensure the circulation of a considerable amount of ready cash at the end of the season. Henry Wines of Jumpoff Joe district, Josephine County, made a partial cleanup a few days since, which yielded nearly $400. One nugget was worth $45, and there were a few which weighed between $20 and $30 each. Mr. W. has a very rich claim. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 27, 1886, page 149 GOLD HILL.--Grants Pass Courier, Feb. 24: Among the discoveries on this hill is that of Morrison & Co. on the northeast. These gentlemen are starting a tunnel on their claim known as the "Buckeye." We like the prospect very well, and believe it is the intention of the company to do considerable work. It will probably develop into a good property. The Black Republican, of which one location has been made by Scranton & Ray, looks as though it might develop into something good. Marion Taylor owns the extension on this ledge and has done work sufficient to disclose a well-defined vein--the only one we saw on the hill--which is from 12 to 15 inches thick, with well-defined walls, which indeed gives it a look of a genuine mine, Mr. J. W. Scranton also has a crosslead running northwest and southeast on the S.E. extension of this ledge. Douden & Co., a short distance to the southeast from Ray & O'Donnell, have made a rich discovery from which they have taken out some $300.00. We examined the formation and find it very similar to that of the "Struck it at Last." Mr. Scranton's prospects--of which he has a number--are all in this immediate vicinity, and no doubt he will yet be one of the lucky ones. Fisher & Stewart have a rich discovery, about one mile from the old Gold Hill discovery, but as we did not see it or any of the rock from it, we are unable to say anything definite concerning its future prospects. One mile from the "Struck it at Last," and to the northwest is the famous iron mine, the product of which yields 90 percent magnetic iron. This iron is being used in Portland in the manufacture of Bessemer steel, and no doubt will be worked sometime very extensively. Magruder Bros. & Hayes are tearing the ground away at a lively rate with a giant in one of the gulches immediately below the discovery made by Ray & O'Donnell. As quartz is the mother of gold, and as it certainly exists above, these gentlemen will certainly catch their share this season. The Magruders & Hayes have a splendid digging; their water supply is abundant, coming out of Sams Creek, and they will probably run until June or July. THE BLACKWELL DISTRICT.--About three miles southeast of Gold Hill--we mean the town--is what is known as the Blackwell district, which is now receiving attention both as to placer and quartz mining. It is in this county that W. H. Swinden has recently made some startling developments. From Mr. John Swinden we learn that they were working their placer when they found the float which led to their rich quartz discovery. The rock shown us was fully as rich as that of the old Gold Hill "pocket." Mr. W. H. Swinden claims the discovery is no "pocket" but a genuine ledge. The Iowa, Illinois and Little Galena discoveries are also in the Blackwell district. Both gold and silver is found there and all the claims are showing up well for the amount of work done. D. B. Martin on Kanes Creek, 2½ miles from Gold Hill, is working a placer with the best of prospects. He is taking out a very fine character of gold, has plenty of water, and deserves prosperity. Oliver Bird and other Woodville parties are also interested in the Blackwell district and are well pleased with their prospects. Mr. Boyd showed us a very nice specimen of galena from one of the claims they are working. There are many other claims over there worthy [of] attention, but as our time was limited we did not get to see them. The one thing needful is a mill at some point near Gold Hill for the treatment of the ores now being discovered. The investment of capital in this direction would no doubt be a good thing for those investing in it, as there will undoubtedly be a great deal of paying quartz taken out this year. The advantages of a mill there are plainly visible, from the fact that there is a splendid water power, and lots of fuel, etc., which is largely in favor of such an institution. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 6, 1886, page 165 SOUTHERN OREGON MINES.
Jacksonville Times.
Some
excellent quartz ledges have been discovered in
the vicinity of Ashland.
Hon. S. F. Chadwick has been in Southern Oregon, looking after his varied mining interests. Prospecting continues at a lively rate in every portion of Jackson County, and many promising discoveries are reported. Cunnyngham & Co., of Blackwell district, are making preparations to ship ten tons of ore to the Medford reduction works. It is estimated that several hundred thousand dollars will be taken out of the mines of Jackson and Josephine counties this season. The miners of Grave Creek, Josephine County, are generally doing well. Goff & Co. have lately picked up some good-sized nuggets. Water is falling fast, and many of the placer miners are cleaning up. They will, nevertheless, make a much better run than for several years past. Brown, Simpson & Co. are prospecting a large and promising ledge of quartz, in which gold can be plainly seen. It is situated in the Jackson Creek district. Thomas Mee was up from Foots Creek a few days since, and informs us the miners of that section are doing well. Some excellent discoveries have been made in the new diggings found last summer. There is a large scope of country between Thompson Creek and Steamboat, which is, as yet, comparatively unprospected. Some very rich pockets of quartz have been found in that region in early days, and it offers good inducements to prospectors. A large quantity of ore is being hauled to the quartz mill at this place from different ledges, and no doubt the supply will be kept up steadily. Grob & Braendel have about thirty tons on the dump at the mill, and will have more crushed as soon as they can build a road to their mine. Jack Layton of Applegate was in Jacksonville the forepart of the week, from whom we learned that work is progressing at his mines. He says that considerable quartz will soon be taken out of the Horsehead ledge, in which he is interested with John Bolt. Messrs. W. J. Messenger and R. J. Shaw, two Ashland boys, have discovered and located a quartz ledge about three miles west of Phoenix, which is found to contain gold and silver in what may prove to be paying quantities. They have recorded their claim under the name of "Little Daisy." T. T. McKenzie, Thomas Brown and others have located a ledge on Armstrong Gulch, which was formerly prospected to some extent, but subsequently abandoned. Recent developments show it to be well defined and tolerably rich. Several tons will be tested in the quartz mill at this place soon. The quartz mill at this place was started up in earnest the forepart of this week and is running day and night, with two sets of hands. The machinery is of the best and latest patterns and runs very well. The mill naturally attracts much attention, as it is one of the most complete ever put up in the state. J. M. Walsh, of the firm of Walsh & Bragdon, who are extensively interested in quartz mine on Wagner Creek, made our town a visit Saturday. From him we learned the welcome news that both he and his partner had lately returned from Portland, and they had succeeded in making arrangements with R. Koehler and J. Brandt (who have become interested with them in the above mines) for putting in a Huntington quartz mill, having a capacity of twelve tons per day, at an early date. As this machinery will cost upwards of $5,000, this above-named gentlemen no doubt have great faith in the outcome of those mines. They have already sent J. A. Hurlburt, the well-known civil engineer, forward to make the necessary surveys. Oregonian, Portland, March 18, 1886, page 3 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, March 4: Considerable prospecting is going on in the vicinity of Phoenix. John Haviland is working his hydraulic mine near Kerbyville, and doing very well. Another vein of iron has recently been discovered on Burrage & Pomeroy's land in Rock Point precinct. A carload of ore from the Great Republic mine near Woodville is expected at Medford on the next freight train. Mage Carter of Ashland, who has found a ledge near that place, exhibited some fine-looking ore while here this week. B. F. Miller has leased his mines on Sardine Creek to E. G. Hurt and the Messrs. Redden of Medford, who have commenced to develop them. C. C. Beekman, upon whose land on Jackson Creek some good quartz mines are located, will probably have some of the ore tested before long. Wm. Swinden is still taking some rich quartz out of his ledge on Blackwell, which pays well. Hodge Bros. have an extension that is quite promising. Wimer & Sons and Desselles and Connell of Josephine County have a fine supply of water, and a very good report may be expected from them at the end of the season. L. D. Brown & Co. have purchased the interest of Chas. Kearns in a promising ledge on Jackson Creek. They have purchased interests in several other mining properties. M. L. Pellett and J. Garvin of Wagner Creek have one of the largest and best-defined ledges yet discovered. They have prospected it considerably and report much ore in sight. A considerable amount of work has been done at Hays & Magruder's mines near the junction of Rogue River and Sams Creek, and cleaning up will soon be commenced there. The machinery of the new quartz mill at this place is being put in position as rapidly as possible, and will soon be in running order. Much benefit is anticipated from this enterprise. Water has been failing in many of the gulch claims of this and Josephine counties and a heavy rain alone will extend the season's run there; cleaning up is in progress in such places. Messrs. McClendon, Douden and Roberts have a very promising ledge on Gold Hill. They have taken out about $300, and the ore they are now mining seems to have considerable free gold in it. The County Clerk is kept busy recording notices of locations, which shows that prospectors are active and many claims are being taken up. Fred Otten was up from Foots Creek this week, and reports the miners still busy, and some quartz excitement there also. He says that Messrs. Whitney, Cook and others have made some promising discoveries in that vicinity. D. M. Marden, who is mining on Kane Creek, found a nugget of quartz in his placer diggings containing several dollars in gold not long since, which is evidence that a rich quartz ledge exists somewhere in that vicinity. Three tons of quartz from Walker & Anderson's ledge on Applegate was reduced at the Medford works a short time since, and it is said the result is quite satisfactory. We are informed that some of the ore went as high as $90 to the ton. E. W. Jones of Portland has been engaged in superintending the putting together of the quartz [mill] at this place, and expects that it will be ready to commence running this week. Considerable ore is being hauled there already. Several nice pieces of gold have been picked up in Bybee & Hall's hydraulic mine near Kerbyville. They will not make as extensive a run as expected this time, but will dig a ditch next season to furnish the requisite amount of water. The pleasant weather and cold nights are reducing the water supply perceptibly, and some of the placer miners have commenced cleaning up. The hydraulic claims all have plenty of water as yet, although a heavy rain would be very acceptable just now. O'Donnell & Ray, who are interested in the rich pocket found on Gold Hill a few weeks ago, still have the quartz they took out sacked up, so that none can tell how much they have actually found. They have sent for a small machine, costing about $25, with which they will crush their own rock. Sol Lingle returned from the Gold Hill district this week, and reports a great deal of bustle still in that camp. He says some rich discoveries have been made, but whether they will prove of any permanence remains to be seen. Some of the quartz prospects exceedingly well, in a few instances going as high as $1 to the pan. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 20, 1886, page 197 QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, March 19: Granville Sears and John Robinson have discovered a promising quartz ledge in the hills west of the latter's place. The County Clerk is kept busy recording locations of quartz mines, which shows that much prospecting is still being done. The quartz mill at this place continues to do good work and is run day and night. Work was commenced Wednesday on 30 tons of quartz belonging to McKenzie, Brown & Co. W. V. Jones, the Foots Creek merchant, informs us that the miners of that district are doing well and that several fine pieces of gold have been picked up lately. The storms of the past week have been quite beneficial to the placer miners, whose water supply was generally beginning to fail. They will have the effect of prolonging the mining season considerably. Tim Dugan is now engaged in sinking a shaft on the silver-bearing ledge in Jackson Creek district he is interested in with Dr. Lempert and others. He has gone down 30 feet and the prospect is favorable. Brown & Co. have bought a half interest in Grob & Braendel's quartz ledge, paying $10,000 for it we learn; $1000 will be paid down at once and the balance in 90 days. No doubt we will hear of more mining property being sold at good figures. Another promising quartz ledge was struck this week in the tunnel now being run by the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co. Gold can plainly be seen in the ore. About 50 feet of the tunnel remains uncompleted, which will be finished in the next few weeks. The Jacksonville quartz mill finished 30 tons of ore from Grob & Braendel's mine on Jackson Creek. A cleanup was made Wednesday which showed that the experiment was quite successful. As the amalgam had not been retorted as yet we are unable to give the result in dollars and cents. J. Garvin, of Wagner Creek, was here this week, who informed us that E. Ray and himself had found a quartz ledge in the Gold Hill district which he thought the richest and most permanent yet discovered. Considerable gold has already been pounded out of specimens. The ore will soon be thoroughly tested at Brown & Co.'s mill in Jacksonville. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 27, 1886, page 213 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, March 26: Water is failing fast and most of the placer miners have commenced to clean up. Redden & Hurt are busily engaged in opening the Miller placer mines on Sardine Creek. About one-half million dollars will be taken out of the mines in Jackson and Josephine counties this season. Many claims have been located in the Wagner Creek district, and everybody there is waiting for the arrival of the mill, which is expected soon. A large amount of quartz is being hauled to the mill at this place from Geo. Schumpf's ledge in Willow Springs precinct. It is now being crushed. Messrs. Ingram, Dean, Baker and Farra of the Willow Springs district have made a partial cleanup, and brought a respectable amount of gold dust to town this week. Jas. McDonough & Co. are engaged in running a tunnel to tap their quartz ledge, better known as the old Dunham mine, and have some promising quartz already in sight. Grob & Braendel, being satisfied with the result of the cleanup made at the quartz mill here, after running several days on ore from their mine, are continuing work. As the quartz which was crushed was principally from near the surface, they expect to make a much better report next time. McKenzie, Brown & Co. had nearly twenty tons of ore from their ledge on Jackson Creek crushed at the Jacksonville quartz mill last week, which paid them between $7 and $8 per ton in free gold, besides which there was a considerable quantity of sulphurets, which no doubt contained some gold also. As the rock was not considered choice, by any means, they feel quite hopeful of making a better showing next time, Jumpoff JOE.--Grants Pass Courier, March 26: We learn that the miners on Jumpoff Joe are working steadily, and have plenty of water. The season has been unusually favorable in that respect, and there is every indication of a good cleanup when the water fails. ALTHOUSE.--March 19: The Guirdaldia Bros. are steadily at work ground sluicing, and will not commence to clean up until sometime in June. Henry Drew on lower Grass Flat has got his new drift now open, and has favorable prospects for a good summer's work before him. McLaughlin is still ground sluicing on the east side of the creek opposite Grass Flat. Joseph Trimbey is piping away a large amount of ground on the left-hand fork. This ground has paid very rich in times past, and there is considerable ground yet left. James Turnbull, after nearly three months blasting through hard bedrock, has again struck the pay gravel in his tunnel on the upper end of Grass Flat. Antone Miller on the head of Althouse is taking out some very pretty gold. He got one piece the other day valued at about twenty-three dollars. The water season is very short on this claim, were it otherwise a large amount of dust would be taken out every season. Hansen & Co. are preparing to bring their claim into shape for cleaning up. Water for the past two weeks has not been plentiful with them for piping, and the drip, drip, from the clouds does not give promise of a much longer water season. April will, for the most part, let out the piping operations on this creek. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 3, 1886, page 229 ROGUE RIVER MINES.
Oregonian,
Portland, April 5, 1886, page 1 Continued below.Special Correspondence from the Southern Oregon Quartz Field. Brief History of a Former Quartz Excitement--Location of the Veins-- The Fowler, Gold Hill and Other Celebrated Mines. JACKSONVILLE,
April 2.
Quartz mining in the Rogue River country is not a new thing, the first
claims having been worked as long ago as 1860, but last fall a revival
of interest took place and it looks at present as if that quiet
agricultural region was likely to become an important mining district.
The veins thus far prospected mostly lie in the range of hills which
separates Applegate Creek from Bear (Stuart) Creek and Rogue River. The
hills are perhaps 2000 feet high, and a number of creeks arise among
them and flow into the streams named. The more important tributaries
are Mill, Wagner, Jackson, Kane and Foots creeks on the north slope and
Sterling and Jackass creeks on the south. People familiar with the
history of that country will remember that it was upon these streams
that the most of the placer mining of former days was done, and so will
not be surprised to hear that gold-bearing quartz lodes exist near
their headwaters.GENERAL
APPEARANCE OF THE DISTRICT.
An old prospector will be struck with the similarity of the country to
the mining regions of Central and Northern California. He will notice
the same clay slates, well known as auriferous--there are the
porphyries, schists, serpentines, limestones, granites and all the
other formations about which the quartz men are so fond of mystifying
themselves--there are "sulphurets" of the usual description and
finally, best of all, gold of the well-known complexion. It is like a
chunk of Amador or Nevada County dropped down north of the forty-second
parallel but miraculously and singularly free from the banging of stamp
mills, and the stench of sulphuret works. It is like a mining country
without its business and bustle and noise. But time may change all that
and cause the Rogue River country (in the customary slang of mining
reporters) to take its place as a great bullion producer.
PROSPECTING
VERY ACTIVE.
Prospecting is now going on with
ardor all over Jackson and Josephine counties, or at least in such
localities as certain mineral veins. The greatest attention is
concentrated on the hills between Applegate and Rogue River Valley, but
the country north of the river and west of Evans Creek is also being
attended to as far west as Galice Creek. There is also a great deal of
quartz in the mountainous region drained by Illinois River,
particularly on Althouse Creek. South of the Applegate and near the
California line some developments have been made, and the most
productive mine in Oregon, the Fowler, or Steamboat, lead was worked
there in 1860 and thereabouts.
FORMER
DISCOVERIES.
The first quartz discoveries were made in 1860,
when the Hicks vein on the left-hand fork of Jackson Creek [was]
opened. It yielded about $2000, which was contained in a very small
space. Men instantly set about prospecting for quartz mines, and in a
short time made some dozen or more rich finds. The first was the famous
lead found by Emigrant Graham on Gold Hill, which stands upon the
southern bank of Rogue River, near the railroad crossing and about a
dozen miles from Jacksonville. The greater part of the gold was found
upon the surface of the hill near the summit, the vein having been
broken and weathered down and exposing an enormous pocket from which
over $100,000 was taken. The total product was $150,000, including what
was taken from a mineralized chute adjoining the pocket. Part of the
quartz went through an arrastra and part was worked in the first stamp
mill ever erected in Oregon. Henry Klippel, still living in
Jacksonville, with two partners, built this mill but lost money on the
venture. The principal owners of the lead were Henry Klippel, Col. John
Ross and Thomas Chavner. Active operations lasted but a few months when
the rich rock was exhausted and since then but little has been done,
although the owners retain possession of the mine and keep up their
joint stock organiation. Mr. Klippel is president.
FURTHER
DETAILS.
There were a number of discoveries made in the vicinity of Gold Hill,
the Blackwell and Swinden ledges being the principal. On Foots Creek a
number of claims were opened, and the Jewett mine, not far from Grants
Pass but on the south side of the river, was located. The principal
prospecting, however, was done on the headwaters of Jackson Creek,
especially on the right-hand fork. The Holman ledge on Shively Gulch,
about three miles from Jacksonville, was worked at that time, and the
Davenport claim nearby revealed a rich pocket. From the Johnson and
Elder claim fifty ounces of gold is said to have been taken in one day.
The Bowden lead also yielded well, and was worked to a depth of eighty
feet, the greatest achieved in any vein in Jackson County excepting a
prospecting shaft in the Gold Hill lead, which I am told penetrates to
a
depth of 140 feet. To the experienced it is not necessary to say that
this is not mining; it is only scratching. Another fine mine was found
on Carberry fork of Steamboat Creek in 1860, the Fowler, from which
several men made their fortunes. This claim produced more gold-bearing
rock than the others, and its yield was the greatest of all. The rock,
worked by the arrastra process, yielded as high as $2500 per ton--a
yield far beyond that of any milling vein elsewhere reported. The
theory that this was strictly a pocket vein is disproved by the amount
of gold-bearing rock, which must have been several hundred tons,
whereas
true pocket veins are not found to contain more than a very few tons of
very rich rock, this small deposit being surrounded with a limited belt
of rock,which gets poorer as it recedes from the central pocket
until in a few feet it becomes entirely barren. I have prepared this
imperfect table of the gross yield of Jackson County quartz mines,
mainly from oral evidence. It is doubtless very inaccurate in most
respects.
LONG PERIOD OF
INACTIVITY.
I have estimated that the total product of the above claims, together
with perhaps a dozen others less noted, has been about $750,000, of
which
all save a few thousand was taken out in 1860 and the two following
years. There has been nothing of importance done on the ledges since
until last winter, when work was resumed on several of them after a
resting
spell of twenty-five years. I must, however, except the Jewett ledge on
which work was done in 1874 or thereabouts, which resulted in
developing
a large body of sulphuretted ores, requiring concentration and
roasting. There have been a few minor "finds" in the interim, these
being pockets which were blundered upon. About 1866 a so-called silver
deposit was discovered near Willow Springs and occasioned some
excitement, but proved unfounded.
MORE
ANON.
I set out with the intention of giving a little piece of the
history
of the quartz discoveries in Jackson County, wishing for the sake of
clearness to divide the story into an account of what has been done,
what is being done and what may be done, but in order to avoid an
unwieldy length, I will close for the present, having touched only the
first consideration, and that but very imperfectly. I will endeavor to
complete the subject in a day or two.H.O.L.
PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Apr. 2: Quartz is being hauled steadily to the mill here, which is kept busily at work. The showers of the past week have a tendency to keep up the water supply somewhat. Prospecting continues everywhere and excellent prospects are reported in many places. Wm. Wade, who is mining near Grants Pass, picked up a nugget worth $50 in his claim not long since. Messrs. Craft and Witt are prospecting some placer mines in the Blackwell district, with excellent results. The placer miners have well nigh given up all hopes of a spring run, and most of them are cleaning up. Prospecting continues unabated in the Blackwell and Gold Hill districts, where some fine quartz ledges exist, A quartz nugget, containing about $20 in gold, was picked up in Dean & Co.'s diggings in the Willow Springs district recently. R. J. Orme informs us that considerable prospecting is being done in the Foots Creek district and that some good ore has been struck. B. A. Knott, of Blackwell district, has discovered a promising quartz ledge, and is building an arrastra with which to work the ore. A rich strike has been made in Granville Sears & Co.'s quartz ledge about four miles from Jacksonville, and considerable excitement has been raised in consequence of it. Brown & Co. intend adding more improved machinery to their quartz mill in this place, and a machinist from Portland is here seeing what is wanted. There is no better mill in the state than this one. Placer miners in Josephine County are also complaining that the water supply is getting light, and many of them are preparing to wind up the season's work. A better run than for several years past has been had and good results may be expected. C. H. Burton, of Grave Creek, writes us that the miners are busy cleaning up, and that water holds out well. He says there will be more gold taken out there this spring than for four or five years past. They never had a better run of water. A correspondent of the Times writes from Evans Creek: Boyd & Johnson are again making Woodville headquarters. They are interested in four ledges here that run $10 and over. Some of the best ore runs $400. Mr. Wilcox has struck an extensive gravel deposit one mile back from Evans Creek that prospects well. The Carter Bros. were in on Saturday and disposed of $125 worth of dust from their claim on Saxe's Creek. Hannum & Co. on upper Grave Creek are still piping. There are several other good paying claims in that locality. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 10, 1886, page 245 ROGUE RIVER MINES.
Oregonian,
Portland, April 11, 1886, page 1 Continued below.Special Correspondence from the Quartz Field of Jackson County. Description of the Veins--Prospecting--Mines that Are Being Worked-- The Brown, the Johnson, the Davenport and Other Claims. JACKSONVILLE,
April 4.
The character of the veins here is precisely similar to that of the
free gold mines of California. The gold is mostly free, there being no
base metals excepting a variable proportion of "sulphurets"--the
ordinary iron pyrites (sulphide of iron) which invariably accompanies
gold quartz, and all other free-milling ores. These sulphurets
themselves usually contain gold, sometimes in notable quantities, and
whenever rich and abundant enough are frequently washed out of the
tailings from gold mills and put through another process, roasting and
amalgamation, or chlorination, by which the gold is extracted. I saw at
Jacksonville specimens of quartz which appeared to carry as much as 20
percent of sulphurets, sometimes the plain sulphide of iron, sometimes
the sulpharsenide or arsenical pyrites, and again copper pyrites, the
double sulphide of copper and iron. Sulphurets found in such abundance
are not so apt to be rich in gold as are those of which only 4 to 5
percent by weight are contained in the vein matter. Still there are
some heavily sulphuretted veins which form the most valuable of gold
mines and are worked for the sulphurets alone. Whenever a body of
sulphuretted gold ore occurs within easy access of a reduction works it
is apt to prove a bonanza, for ores of this sort are much sought as
fluxes in the reduction of lead-silver ores in the blast furnaces.The veins of Josephine County are said to be more heavily charged with sulphurets than those near Jacksonville, and it is highly possible that a good reliable source of pyrites useful to the proposed Portland reduction works may be found there when the country is thoroughly prospected. It has been said that the Lucky Queen mine on Grave Creek, Josephine County, contained one of a pyritous character which was too "rebellious" to be worked by mill process; but at present, when the business of ore reduction is well understood, the old-fashioned term "rebellious" has gone out of date, it being a complete misnomer--and very possibly the experience and science of today may show how to make even the Lucky Queen a paying mine. I must apologize for not presenting any facts concerning this mine, and those of Josephine County generally, but not having visited them I am of necessity compelled to postpone their description. THE
PRINCIPAL MINES.
A great amount of prospecting has been and is being done in Jackson
County, and 800 locations have been filed upon quartz claims within six
months. The most activity has been displayed in the hills about
Jacksonville, where the mining interest has its headquarters. Every
outcropping of quartz has been located upon, and notices setting forth
claims to quartz are visible on every hillside and in every canyon. It
seems as if the larger portion of Jacksonville's population must have
entered upon the business of filing claims. Everybody owns at least one
claim, and particularly impecunious individuals have more. I judge that
at least fifty claims are being worked, the most of them constantly.
Those on which the most work is being expended lie upon the creek above
Jacksonville, and particularly upon the right-hand fork, from two to
four miles from town. Some of them have been worked in past years. The
principal mines in the neighborhood are the Holman, the Davenport, the
Bowden, the Johnson & Elder, the New Eldorado or Brown lead,
the
Grob & Braendel, the Bell & Moody, the Moonlight, etc.The Bowden ledge, called also the Bullion, was worked some fifteen years since by Charles Drew and Sam Bowden, who stoped out a quantity of rock amounting probably to several hundred tons, and crushed it in a ten-stamp mill, which they built nearby, upon the right-hand fork. Whether it paid or not I do not know, but work was eventually stopped and the mill was dismantled. The excavations in this vein have gone to the almost unprecedented (for Southern Oregon) depth of eighty feet. The lode dips some 70 or 80 degrees and crops out upon a hillside at a height of several hundred feet. A tunnel 200 feet long is now being run into the mountain so as to intersect the vein about 150 feet below the croppings. The work is being done by contract, at a cost of $4.50 per foot, the ground being a tough slate. The two miners employed make from twelve to eighteen feet per week. The work is done at the expense of a joint stock company entitled the Jacksonville Mining and Milling Company, of which Henry Pape is president, S. J. Day secretary, and T. J. Kenney treasurer. There are 2000 shares, at $1 per share. The work is looked upon as a crucial test of the veins--the idea being that if pay rock is struck by the tunnel it will be a good indication that other veins are also mineralized "away down." The work going on has more the appearance of systematic and scientific mining than any heretofore done; it looks as if somebody was determined to develop a mine. The Brown, or El Dorado vein, has a strike to the northwest and southeast. It is about three feet thick, and is being worked by a company of four men, who have run upon cuts on the surface for quite a distance. A tunnel 200 feet long was, in times past, run upon this vein, and some quartz was extracted, but whether it paid for working I do not know. A small lot of rock from this ledge was recently worked in the mill at Jacksonville, the results being unsatisfactory. The Johnson & Elder mine lies above the Brown lode, and is of the same character as the two just described. It has yielded considerable gold in past times, but has not been prospected to any depth. It is owned by C. C. Beekman, Esq., and is now idle. The vein averages over a yard thick. The Grob-Braendel ledge, on Bartlett Gulch, about three miles from town, is regarded as very promising. It has not been worked previously, excepting that a shaft some thirty-five feet deep has been sunk on the vein, where the quartz appeared to contain gold. Nearby, an open cut has been made, and a lot of rock, about twenty-five tons in all, was extracted lately and milled at the quartz mills in Jacksonville. About $5 per ton was realized. The partners talk of running in upon the vein, and have started a tunnel for that purpose. The quartz is a yard thick, of a very soft nature and near the surface--so soft, in fact, that it can be crushed in the hand. The walls are clay shale, parallel with the vein, and there is a soft, sticky "gouge," polished like a looking-glass. The thickness of the vein, its vertical position, the softness of the vein matter and its easy separation from the walls all tend to make tunneling wonderfully easy. One man ought to run a yard per day in such ground, because no timbering is necessary. The Davenport claim is situated upon the right-hand fork of Jackson Creek, which flows at right angles across it, cutting a deep canyon through the vein, which crops out at surface points upon the hillsides above the stream. It can be traced from the creek to a vertical height of, say, 800 feet. Considerable work was done upon it in 1860 and thereafter, and a rich deposit was worked, yielding a large sum, variously stated at $8000, $13,000 and $25,000--the reader can take his choice. It is a tradition that the lucky finders drank no cheaper drink than champagne while engaged upon this lead. Three tunnels have been run in the vein, all close together and down close in the creek. The claim has been relocated by Messrs. Reeves and Hatch, and the latter is faithfully and industriously working it. There still remains considerable to be said of the mines, which I shall postpone for a day or so, expecting then to include a full description of the milling facilities now at hand in Jackson County. H.O.L.
Medford Monitor: What promises to be one of the richest and most extensive strikes that has ever been made in Jackson County was made by John Robinson and John Slagle on the hills in the front of Granville Sears' ranch some two miles distant in the hills. The find is rich decomposed rose quartz, bearing free gold in abundance. The ledge has been traced on the surface for a distance of over 700 feet and at a depth of six feet is five feet wide. In every piece of quartz can be found a prospect of free gold. We visited the ledge Wednesday, and found Messrs. Robinson and Slagle at work taking and sacking the quartz--the ledge laying in such a position that one man can take out several tons in a day. Several parties are interested in extensions on the same ledge, which has been traced for some distance. On the location notices we noticed the names of D. Miller, Wm. Robinson, F. Barneburg and J. B. Griffin, the above parties being also interested in the first strike. Oregonian, Portland, April 15, 1886, page 2 THE ROGUE RIVER MINES.
Oregonian,
Portland, April 19, 1886, page 4Milling Facilities of Jackson County--Some Valuable Statistics Expected.
JACKSONVILLE,
April 16.--There are at present two quartz mills in Jackson County, to
which will soon be added a third, and probably a fourth. One of the two
projected is to be erected by the proprietors of the Wagner Creek mine,
between Jacksonville and Ashland. Free
milling
processes only are in use. The Jacksonville quartz mill, L. I. Brown,
proprietor, Sherman Brown, manager, was completed less than two months
since, and has proved a practical success. The machine employed
consists of a rock-breaker, a rotary pulverizer, and a Frue vanner,
the whole driven by a twelve-horsepower engine and boiler. The full
capacity of the mill reaches twelve tons per day. It is necessarily
limited by the inability of the concentrator to handle all the pulp
which is supplied.
The rock-breaker is a well-tried design known as the Jones patent, and has been worked up to a capacity of six tons per hour, which is an ample supply for thirty stamps. The pulverizer takes the broken rock and reduces it to a fineness such that all the particles pass a screen of forty holes per linear inch, or 1600 to the square inch. Amalgamation takes place in the machine, it crushing wet, and a quicksilver apron and sluice-plates catch the gold amalgam, which is collected and retorted at pleasure. The pulverizer is known as the Salmon machine, and works beautifully, far surpassing any other machine which ever came under my observation. As before stated, its capacity is about twelve tons per day, and the power necessary to drive it is about six-horse. The machine, weighing two tons or so, is portable--an advantage over the ordinary stamp mill. It can furnish enough pulp to keep three Frue machines busy concentrating sulphurets and discharging worthless tailings. The Brown mill is improving its practice, and is now in condition to systematically and economically work free gold ores, and should furnish some valuable statistics relating to the worth of the quartz in the Jackson County mines, the percentage saved, the proportion of sulphurets and their value per ton, the absolute amount of power required to run the Salmon machine, the amount crushed daily per one horsepower, and all other facts which would throw light upon the subject of mining and milling in the Rogue River country. The Jacksonville quartz mill is one of the important institutions of the country, and prevents a bona fide investment of capital, Mr. Brown being the first stranger to prove his belief in the Rogue River mines by putting money into an industry depending upon them. The Medford Reduction Works are run by steam and have a battery of five light stamps--300-pound, I believe--with a concentrating machine and an amalgamating pan. This is said to be quite an efficient test mill. The new mill to be built on Wagner Creek for the Anderson-Welsh-Braydon mine, will soon be in running order. It will contain, instead of a stamp battery, the centrifugal pulverizer invented by Huntington. A machine of this sort was in use for some time at the Blackwell mine, near Gold Hill. Mr. Klippel, of Jacksonville, proposes to set up a ten-stamp mill on the Jewett ledge, near Grants Pass. He has purchased the battery formerly in use in the Drew & Bowden mill on Jackson Creek, about 1870. There are ten stamps, two high mortars, cam shaft, etc., Mr. Klippel's plan is to crush, wet, amalgamate in battery, catch the gold on plates and concentrate the sulphurets, which are said to be rich. The owner says that his rock paid $11 by arrastra process, the sulphurets going to waste. H.O.L.
Southern Oregon Mines.
EDITORS PRESS:--Southern
Oregon is enjoying a small boom in mining. We have a large number of
veins which are known to carry gold, a great deal of quartz mining
having been done in an early day. The principal mines now worked are on
Wagner and Jackson creeks, not far from here. There has been one claim
sold (reported) for $10,000. This is on Jackson Creek. The Walsh
&
Bragdon mine, on Wagner Creek, is being worked, Messrs. Koehler
&
Brandt, of the O.&C.R.R. being interested. They are putting in
a
new mill for working the quartz, which is said to run high. Mr. L. D. Brown, a Portland capitalist, has built a steam mill at Jacksonville, which is steadily crushing quartz. It has a rock-breaker of the Jones patent--a first-class machine whose capacity is 70 tons per day. There are no stamps, but in place of them a pulverizer called the Salmon machine, which works easily 10 tons of rock per day, crushing wet and amalgamating in battery. The principle of the machine is hard to describe, although the apparatus is very simple. It cannot get out of order, it amalgamates well and crushes twice as much as the same amount of power applied to stamps. It is also much cheaper than stamps. The mill has a Frue vanner, which saves the sulphurets. The power is supplied by a portable steam engine. The capacity of the mill is 10 tons per 24 hours. There is a small prospecting mill at the Blackwell mine which has been running at intervals for two years; also one at Medford of limited capacity. These are not now running. A great deal of work is being done in prospecting and mining upon veins. I will keep you posted. Ashland, Oregon. X. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 24, 1886, page 274 GOLD HILL.--Cor. Granite Pass Courier, April 16: Boyd & Johnson, our persevering prospectors, are developing a valuable piece of mining property three miles south of here, in the Blackwell Hills. G. F. Dyar, the mining expert, has gone to Portland for the purpose of purchasing a quartz mill, which he intends to have running in a short time. Thos. Chavner has agreed to donate land for a mill site and water privilege free. John Swinden has the best quartz ledge in Jackson County. The rock will speak for itself; there is gold in all of it, and in places it will yield from two to three hundred dollars to the ton. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 24, 1886, page 281 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, April 24: Miners have again been made happy. The Jacksonville quartz mill is again at work. Considerable prospecting is still going on everywhere. The miners of Josephine County are busier than ever. The snow now lying on the high hills will keep up the water for some time yet. J. N. Casteel has the Jacksonville Mining and Milling Co.'s tunnel in Timber Gulch nearly finished, and the prospects for plenty of good ore are favorable. Geo. Schumpf had several tons of quartz from his ledge in Willow Springs precinct tested at the Medford reduction works, and it milled from $8 to $12 a ton. John Miller, who has extensive mining property on Farmers Flat, finished cleaning up a few days since, and is well satisfied with the past season's work. As he has much rich ground, the yield of gold was considerable. A 16-ounce slug was recently picked up in Feldt & Co.'s claim on Althouse where so many big nuggets were found in former days. Wm. Fehely, who is mining in the Red Dog district, Josephine County, is doing well, having already cleaned up several hundred dollars. The gold is mostly coarse, one piece weighing $42. The quartz mill at this place has been thoroughly overhauled, a larger engine procured to propel it, and crushing of ore from several ledges was resumed this week. We are quite certain that it will prove a success, if experienced mining men manage it. The heavy rains last week furnished the miners with a great amount of water, most of whom have as much as they had any time during the winter. Unfortunately a number of them were so far along with their work that they are unable to make the most of it. The others have resumed piping and ground sluicing, however. Bybee & Hall have struck the pay channel in their mine on Canyon Creek, and are taking out considerable dust. While in Grants Pass, last week, Mr. Hall showed us about $600 of as pretty gold as we ever saw, being nothing but smooth, bright pieces, ranging from 50 cents up to $25. This claim promises to be one of the best in that county. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 1, 1886, page 297 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, May 3: Prospecting continues everywhere. N. Cooke informs us that the miners of Willow Springs district are cleaning up and generally doing well. Nothing new has transpired in this line since our last report, and mining items are consequently scarce. Placer miners are cleaning up, though some of them have enough water with which to ground sluice and pipe. R. Cook has commenced a new tunnel in the Steamboat district, as his old one has become so long that he cannot work to advantage in it. Swinden & Sons of Rock Point Precinct and Bell & Moody of Jackson Creek are having several tons of quartz tested at the Jacksonville quartz mill. Messrs. Casteel and Huggins have almost completed the tunnel in Timber Gulch for the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co. It will be 160 feet long. Frank Logg offers his half-interest in first-class placer mines on Jackass Creek for sale, together with all the appurtenances belonging thereto. Here is a golden opportunity for the right man. J. Blalock and Geo. Owings have struck excellent placer diggings at the head of Jackson Creek, and are making good wages with a limited supply of water. Geo. Blalock, who has been prospecting on Grave Creek for some time, has struck what he considers the best placer diggings in the state. They prospect exceedingly well. W. Coker, one of the California company who propose to inaugurate a big mining enterprise in the vicinity of Kerbyville, arrived there last week, Walsh & Bragdon are still pushing work on their quartz ledges on Wagner Creek, where a tunnel and shaft are being run. A mess house is being completed and timber for the mill building is on the ground. The machinery Messrs. Brandt, Kahler and others propose putting in there is expected to arrive soon. The outlook for this district seems to be favorable. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 8, 1886, page 313 GOLD HILL MINES.--The Medford Monitor says: There is not so much excitement among the miners here at present as there was during the winter, but there are several men who have good ledges who are quietly developing them. John Swinden is having ten tons of ore from his famous ledge crushed at Jacksonville. Those who are acquainted with the ore predict better returns from it than any yet tested. Rey & O'Donnell will receive a small test mill by the freight train this week, with which they will work rock from their ledge; if it proves as good as they have reason to believe it will, a quartz mill of large capacity will be erected just below the mine, on Rogue River. Dan Fisher shipped last Thursday 300 pounds of ore from the Chadwick mine to parties in San Francisco. Your correspondent sampled the ore carefully and tested it by the ordinary process. The rock all showed gold in paying quantities. Oregon Statesman, Salem, May 14, 1886, page 6 The Jacksonville Times says that considerable prospecting is still going on everywhere.----The miners of Josephine County are busier than ever.----Dan Fisher is engaged in taking quartz out of the ledge he is interested in with Gov. Chadwick, which will soon be practically tested.----J. N. Casteel has the Jacksonville Mining and Milling Co.'s tunnel in Timber Gulch nearly finished and the prospects for plenty of good ore are favorable.----Geo. Schumpf has several tons of quartz from his ledge in Willow Springs precinct tested at the Medford Reduction Works, and informs us that it milled from $8 to $12 a ton.----A 16-ounce slug was recently picked up in Feldt & Co.'s claim on Althouse, where so many big nuggets were found in former days. We expect to hear a still better report from there soon.----Wm. Fehely, who is mining in the Red Dog district, Josephine County, is doing well, having already cleaned up several hundred dollars. The gold is mostly coarse, one piece weighing $42.----The quartz mill at this place has been thoroughly overhauled, a larger engine procured to propel it, and crushing of ore from several ledges was resumed this week. We are quite certain that it will prove a success, if experienced mining men manage it.----Bybee & Hall have struck the pay channel in their mine on Canyon Creek, and are taking out considerable dust. While in Grants Pass last week Mr. Hall showed us about $600 of as pretty gold as we ever saw, being nothing but smooth, bright pieces, ranging from 50 cents up to $25. This claim promises to be one of the best in that county. "Mining News," The Eye, Snohomish City, Washington, May 15, 1886, page 2 QUARTZ MINES OF WESTERN OREGON.
The quartz mining industry of Southern and Western Oregon, although a
matter of twenty-five years standing, has of late begun to attain a
prominence which stamps it as almost a new industry. At various times
within that period discoveries of greater or less importance have
brought the subject prominently before the people, but the interest
thus awakened invariably proved ephemeral, and in no case has the
community at large received permanent benefits from such discoveries,
and the individuals who have benefited by them have been few.The stagnation and depression prevailing in other lines of business has of late caused the diversion of considerable wealth into mining pursuits, and to a large extent those principles which prevail in ordinary business have been transplanted into the new pursuit of gold and silver mining, thereby placing it on a plane of responsibility and straightforwardness. Men who desire to invest in mines now demand to know plainly the chances of loss or gain, and the facts embraced in this article were gathered with the view of disseminating such information as may serve to assist investors and prospectors in a choice of location in which to conduct their operations. Without further preface, we will proceed to consider the different quartz mining districts of the state. There is no doubt but that metamorphic vein-bearing rocks of the same description as those which prevail in the mineral regions of California exist in great thickness on the western slope of the Cascades; but unfortunately denudation by glaciers and mountain streams has failed to remove the lava, sandstone and other late formations which lie upon and conceal them and their mineral wealth. It is only about the headwaters of such powerful streams as the Umpqua, the McKenzie, the Santiam and the Molalla that the erosion has gone deep enough to expose mineral veins of magnitude. On the former stream some promising quartz leads are now being prospected; on the Santiam several mines have at times been worked, and indications are very favorable for the finding of additional extensive and rich veins in the lower exposed strata all along the western slope of the range. It is almost unnecessary to add that the alluvium of nearly all the mountain streams flowing from this region contains gold, sometimes constituting workable placers. The principal mines of Southern Oregon are not situated in the Cascade Range, but in the transverse chains which connect that range with the coast mountains. The formations are like those of Northern California, the same description of slates predominating, and quartz veins are large and numerous. The most important lodes lie in the hills which separate the Rogue, Applegate, Illinois and South Umpqua rivers. JACKSON CREEK DISTRICT.
The Jackson Creek quartz veins belong to a strongly developed system
which permeates the steep hills which lie about the headwaters of that
stream, and are characterized by parallelism and uniformity of dip.
They contain little base metal, and their content of gold is found in
small, but often very rich chutes-in short, they are "pocket" veins.
The principal mines thus far worked are the Hicks ledge, the first
quartz vein worked in Oregon; the Davenport, Bowden, Holman, Johnson
and Elder and New El Dorado, all of which have produced considerable
gold, their estimated production being as follows:
APPLEGATE DISTRICT.
This district includes but one mine that has yet produced gold, but
that one is the renowned "Steamboat" mine--the most productive claim
ever worked in Oregon. It was discovered in 1860, and within two years
produced $315,000--almost as much as all the other quartz mines in
Southern and Western Oregon. Several partners owned it, but abandoning
the claim after it was in their opinion thoroughly worked out, it lay
for many years idle, but eventually fell into the hands of Richard
Cook, who is now engaged in prospecting for further deposits.GOLD HILL DISTRICT.
Gold Hill, a noted landmark in the Rogue River Valley, has a wonderful
history, the most of which is due to the finding of the celebrated
quartz mine in 1860, which has ever since been known by the name of the
Gold Hill mine. It was an immense "pocket" of very rich quartz nuggets,
which gave out after a few weeks' work, but in that short space
produced $150,000. The rock was worked at first by arrastra, but during
the year of its discovery a steam mill of twelve stamps, the first
built in Oregon, was brought from San Francisco and set up at the
Dardanelles, the present crossing place of the railroad bridge over the
Rogue River. Nothing of moment has been done on the mine since 1861,
but the organization which owns it is still kept up.In the neighborhood of Gold Hill are several other important claims, the Blackwell, Swinden, McDonough, Schumpf, and others. The Blackwell is said to have yielded $10,000, and the Swinden a less sum. The latter claim is now being worked, and free-milling ore which pays seventeen dollars per ton is being extracted. A fine stamp mill, formerly the property of the Oregon Mining and Milling Company of Althouse Creek, has been purchased and is being set up on the Swinden ledge by L. D. Brown, Esq. On the north side of the Rogue, opposite Gold Hill, Messrs. Ray and O'Donnell's quartz mine yielded a pocket of several thousand dollars some few months since. SOUTHERN JOSEPHINE DISTRICT.
In 1860 a mine called the Enterprise was located on Althouse Creek near
Browntown, and was worked with profit for some time. The rock paid
twenty-six dollars per ton at first. In 1867 it was abandoned, but
relocated in 1875 by the Oregon Mining and Milling Company, who took up
several other quartz leads near by and built a very expensive mill, the
same which is now owned by Mr. Brown and is employed at Gold Hill. Some
prospecting is now going on in this district, and quartz carrying a
fair amount of gold has been lately found.NORTHERN JOSEPHINE DISTRICT.
Quartz veins are numerous in the mountain region of northern Josephine.
The country rock is highly metamorphic and exceedingly favorable to the
existence of veins. On Galice Creek are the celebrated Yank and Mammoth
ledges, each over two hundred feet thick and traceable for miles. They
were the scene of a great quartz excitement in 1874, when every foot of
these giant veins was located. Nothing came of it, however, and they
still await the day of exploration. The Green ledge, called also the
Sugar Pine, has produced twenty-eight thousand dollars in bullion, and
has but lately ceased working. The quartz pays from thirty to eighty
dollars per ton.The Lucky Queen mine, on Jump-off Joe Creek, has a history which is too familiar to Oregonians to require a repetition. Its total product of bullion was about $20,000, and the working expenses about $30,000. There are fairly extensive works upon this vein, and a costly mill was once in existence. The Esther or Browning mine, on Grave Creek, was worked for some ten years and was well esteemed. Its production is set down at $9,000; expenses, $12,000. The rock averages eight dollars per ton in gold. There is a five-stamp mill, driven by water. Work upon this claim ceased about five years ago. One of the tunnels is about five hundred feet long--the longest in Southern Oregon. On Cow Creek and its tributaries are a great many ledges which have been prospected with encouraging results. The Tellurium and Umpqua mines, near Canyonville, are the most noted. No bullion output is recorded in any case. "Prospects" are tolerably numerous on all the streams of the eastern part of Douglas County, but no ledges of proved value have been found south of the Calapooia Mountains. BOHEMIA DISTRICT.
This district is the most elevated mineral region in the whole
Northwest, lying as it does on the very summit of that high spur of the
Cascade Range which separates the waters of the North Umpqua from those
of the main Willamette, and not less than five thousand feet above the
sea level The country rock of these veins is said to be porphyry; and
it is doubtful whether the formation is not more recent than the latest
of the Jurassic strata. Some very fine specimens of gold quartz have
been found in Bohemia, and prospecting is still going on. It is said
that the veins are very narrow, and are subject to ramifications, and
however assiduously they are traced they fail to solidify into a
compact and definite lode. The principal improvements were introduced
by Joseph Knott and son, of East Portland, who spent about ten thousand
dollars in setting up a five-stamp steam mill at the Excelsior mine,
and a large additional sum in operating that and other claims. Rock
that went two thousand dollars per ton was found, and the first run of
one hundred tons milled forty-five dollars per ton. The gold was free,
and no base metals existed to render amalgamation difficult. A streak
of chloride ore, worth two hundred dollars per ton, was found in one of
the veins.The McKenzie River quartz leads are numerous, but have not been much prospected, nor has there been any production of gold to chronicle. None of the claims are of particular moment. SANTIAM DISTRICT.
The first discoveries in the Santiam region were made in 1862, when the
celebrated White Bull mine was located. Perhaps no vein in the world
has ever produced more beautiful and unique specimens of native gold
than this claim. The wire and crystallized metal have become celebrated
among curiosity collectors the world over. A joint stock company,
whereof W. S. Ladd was president, held possession of this claim until
1865, performing meanwhile considerable work. In connection with four
other associations they built a five-stamp mill costing in all twenty
thousand dollars. The total product of the Santiam mines to date is
estimated at ten thousand dollars; total expenses fifty thousand
dollars.This brief account necessarily omits details of several localities in which gold and silver has been found, such as Sixes River, in Curry County; Molalla River, Clackamas County; Wagner Creek, in Jackson County, etc. STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION.
The West Shore, Portland, June 1886, pages 170-171
PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, May 28: Considerable work is going on in the Gold Hill district. Prospecting continues in many places, and some excellent discoveries are reported. D. King & Co. have struck excellent drifting diggings on Jackson Creek, which are said to pay $4 per hand daily. The Medford Reduction Works are making a run on ore from the New Discovery mine, which promises well. Bedrock was struck in the Sterling mine a short time since, and everything is progressing satisfactorily there. L. D. Brown has put a quartz mill in the vicinity of Swinden & Co.'s ledge in Rock Point precinct, which will soon be running in good style. Jas. Herd's quartz mill has been moved to the head of Jackson Creek, where it is engaged in crushing cement for Blalock, Owings & Co., with excellent results. S. McConnell has sold his placer diggings on Wagner Creek to Capt. Thos. Smith and Geo. H. Lynch for $1100. The purchasers secured a bargain in our estimation. The hydraulic mines of Jackson and Josephine counties are still running, and have enough water for present purposes, though the supply will commence to fail before long. Messrs. Klippel, Howard and Keaton are engaged in cutting a ditch of considerable length to their mines on Applegate, from which they expect excellent returns in the future. Sampson McConnell has been doing very well at his placer diggings on Wagner Creek. He found a fine nugget of gold worth $281 a few days since, and has taken out several hundred dollars worth of coarse gold besides this season. The quartz mill on Wagner Creek will soon be in running order. It is a large and first-class one and is expected to work wonders in that mining camp. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 5, 1886, page 373 Jacksonville Times: A considerable amount of gold dust is being disposed of at Beekman's banking house.…J. N. Casteel has taken the contract to run the Jacksonville Mining and Milling company's tunnel 80 feet further at $6 per foot. He will be assisted by William Nelson.…C. C. Beekman, upon whose land on Jackson Creek some promising quartz ledges are located, is about to let a contract for the running of a tunnel to tap one of them.…T. D. Jewett, of Sauvie's Island, a resident of Jackson County in early days, and who owns a promising quartz ledge not far from Grants Pass, had some of the ore tested at the Medford Reduction Works, with favorable results.…C. C. Beekman has on exhibition at his office in this place a beautiful nugget of gold containing about $300. It was brought down from Wagner Creek by & Mr. McDonald and taken from a mine in which he is interested located in that vicinity. The Eye, Snohomish City, Washington, June 12, 1886, page 2 Southern Oregon Mines.
A letter
from Althouse gives the
following items:Rogue River Courier. Kline & Thompson are still working their old claim in the left-hand fork. James Turnbull has struck some good paying gravel in his tunnel, after a year's hard driving through bedrock. Hansen & Ehman are hard at work cleaning up, with favorable prospects for a good return for their winter's labor. German, of Walker Gulch, has struck some new diggings on the upper waters, and is taking out some very pretty gold. Doyle & Crosby, of California Bar, Sucker Creek, have got their claim in first-rate condition for a long summer's work. Water drying up fast and most of us miners are laying plans for the summer's work. Some of us are going to prospect for new fields of operations, the old ground being pretty well worked out. Joseph Trimbey [sic] has, I am told, sold out his claim to a China company for $3000. I hope the report is true. Friend Trimbley [sic] is well advanced in years, has been mining for a long time, and should lay down the pick and take his rest for the remainder of his days in this world. Your correspondent has just returned from a prospecting trip through Josephine and Canyon creeks. He found that there was some new ground being opened on the south fork of Canyon Creek, also that there is some excitement about the mines on Chetco and its tributaries. Stewart & Co. are on one of the southern prongs, and have struck a fair prospect. They have built for themselves a cabin and got out lumber for sluices, and will be all ready to commence washing this week. John Hale, with a company of three others, will soon go over and commence operations at the same point. This gulch lies in the Coast Range, and about twenty-four miles southwesterly of Kerby. The trail runs up Canyon Creek to Lightning Gulch, and crosses the mountain down to the waters of Chetco. I was told that some coarse gold had been found in the Tin Cup Creek. This is another tributary of the Chetco River, but lies much further west and is situated in a much rougher country. The best and most direct route to the Tin Cup Creek is by the Illinois River, thence up Rancherie Creek across the mountain on the trail to the springs. Here you will have to leave your horses, for you will not find any grass after you leave this point. If anyone is seeking for a rough and rugged road, with mountains of rocks and canyons of darkness, this is the country that will suit them. Yet, there is plenty of game, such as deer, elk, bear and cougar seem to abound, though many of them are not companions of my taste. I therefore leave them for hunters of the wilderness. GOLD HILL.
Oregonian, Portland,
June 15, 1886, page 2
The quartz mill belonging to L. D. Brown & Co. has commenced
crushing rock.
Work is going on at the lime quarry of Burrage & Pomeroy. These gentlemen are also developing their iron ledge. NOTES.
Ashland Tidings.
The
machinery of the new quartz mill works
satisfactorily, and it will be set at work upon a regular run of ore
today.
The owners of the quartz ledge on Wagner Creek discovered by Bragdon and Roach have refused an offer of $20,000 for the property, it is reported. Strangers are coming to Jackson County to investigate the quartz mining prospects here, and mining capital will undoubtedly be attracted in this direction more strongly this year than ever before. ALTHOUSE.--Cor. Rogue River Courier, June 11: Water drying up fast, and most of us miners are laying plans for the summer's work. Some of us are going to prospect for new fields of operations, the old ground being pretty well worked out. Hansen & Ehman are hard at work cleaning up, with favorable prospects for a good return for their winter's labor. James Turnbull has struck some good-paying gravel in his tunnel, after a year's hard driving through bedrock. Kline & Thompson are still working their old claim in the left-hand fork. Joseph Trimbey has, I am told, sold out his claim to a China company for $3000. All the miners on the upper waters of the creek are busy cleaning up, but I have not been advised as to the results. German, of Walker Gulch, has struck some new diggings on the upper waters, and is taking out some very pretty gold. Doyle & Crosby, of California Bar, Sucker Creek, have got their claim in first-rate condition for a long summer's work. The old man has just returned from a prospecting trip through Josephine and Canyon creeks. He found that there was some new ground being opened on the south fork of Canyon Creek, also that there is some excitement about the mines on Chetco and its tributaries. Stewart & Co. are on one of the southern prongs, and have struck a fair prospect. They have built for themselves a cabin and got out lumber for sluices, and will be all ready to commence washing this week. John Hale, with a company of three others, will soon go over and commence operations at the same point. This gulch lies in the Coast Range, and about 24 miles southwesterly of Kerby. The trail runs up Canyon Creek to Lightning Gulch, and crosses the mountain down to the waters of Chetco. I was told that some coarse gold had been found in the Tin Cup Creek. This is another tributary of the Chetco River, but lies much farther west and is situated in a much rougher country. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 19, 1886, page 413 MINING NEWS.
A new era in quartz mining dawned upon Southern Oregon when Messrs.
Walsh and Bragdon bonded the Pilgrim ledge on Wagner Creek, five miles
northwest of Ashland, some six months ago. Twelve years ago a small
quartz ledge near the Pilgrim was worked upon a small scale by its
owners, old residents of Jackson County. They put up a small stamp mill
and operated it for some time, but found it a losing business, not
being able to save the free gold with the imperfect apparatus employed.
The mill suspends operations, and has been standing idle and deserted
ever since.After Walsh and Bragdon bonded the mine they did considerable prospect work, and made so favorable a showing that two of the most conservative and careful business men of Oregon--Messrs. Koehler, vice-president and manager, and J. Brandt, superintendent, of the O.&C.R.R., were induced to take an interest in the enterprise. They incorporated under the style of The Wagner Creek Mining Company, with a capital stock of $25,000 paid up. Following is a list of the officers: President, R. Koehler, Portland; Vice-President, H. T. Bragdon, Ashland; Secretary, Geo. H. Andrews, Portland; Directors, R. Koehler, Portland; Vice President, H. T. Bragdon, Ashland; Secretary, Geo. H. Andrews, Portland; Directors, R. Koehler, H. T. Bragdon, J. Brandt, J. W. Walsh and Geo. H. Andrews. On Sunday morning last Messrs. Walsh and Bragdon returned from Portland, accompanied by the superintendent of mines, V. B. Allen, an experienced mining engineer, mineralogist and practical mill man, who has for a long time been in the employ of J. B. Haggin, of California; also the foreman, Mr. Geo. Green, familiarly known among mining men of this coast as "Baldy" Green. A complete quartz mill has been erected at a cost of some $4000 to $5000, and is now in operation upon its first run of ore from the Pilgrim ledge. 1t will be several weeks before a cleanup is made and the result of the run ascertained; but the prospects indicate a most satisfactory result, and there is little doubt that the Wagner Creek Mining Company has a valuable property that will yield large returns in free gold. The Eye, Snohomish City, Washington, July 10, 1886, page 2 SOUTHERN OREGON MINING NOTES.
Jacksonville Times.
Considerable
prospecting is going on in Josephine
County, and several good placer mines will be opened there in the near
future.
J. C. Ruck is still engaged in rocking at his diggings in Willow Springs precinct. He has abandoned his quartz mines for the present. Chris. Kretzer, who has a good mine on Shively Gulch, recently found a nugget, containing gold and silver, worth about $60. B. F. Miller, who owns excellent placer mines on Sardine Creek, has been written to by Portland parties, who talk of purchasing them of him. John Haviland, who has a hydraulic claim near Kerbyville, is crushing the cement which is abundant there, with good results. He has done well during the past season. The California company which proposes running a ditch from Sucker Creek to the Illinois River, with the intention of working some rich mines, commenced operations a short time ago. B. A. Knott, of Willow Springs precinct, has about 200 tons of ore from his mine on the dump near L. D. Brown's mill, which is now being crushed. It is much harder than that obtained from Swinden's ledge, but is said to prospect fully as well. L. D. Brown is now in Portland for the purpose of purchasing a five-stamp mill, which will be put alongside the one at present working at the Swinden ledge, in Rock Point precinct. The ore is so rich and easily obtained that the full capacity of both mills can be taxed. A company, composed of William Naucke, William Bybee, John Hall and A. Brown, have inaugurated a new enterprise and will engage in mining on Canyon Creek on a large scale. A ditch will be dug, hydraulic pipe and a giant purchased, and nothing left undone to make their diggings pay. C. C. Beekman is having his quartz mines on Jackson Creek surveyed, and will probably have tunnels run and shafts sunk on them before long. We believe that good ore exists there in paying quantities and hope to see the matter thoroughly tested soon. B. B. Beekman and Frank Huffer are engaged in making the survey. Oregonian, Portland, July 15, 1886, page 2 L. D. Brown will, on the 10th inst., ship a five-stamp quartz mill from Portland to his ledge near Gold Hill. Let the noble work go on. Mr. Brown's enterprise is commendable. "Local and Personal," Rogue River Courier, Grants Pass, September 3, 1886, page 3 Jacksonville Times: Prof. J. E. Clayton, of Multnomah County, has been examining mining properties in Josephine County for Portland capitalists.…A considerable force is at work cleaning out the ditch, repairing flumes and getting ready for next season's run at the Sterling Co.'s mines.…There is quite a quartz excitement in Ashland precinct, nearly everybody there having one or more specimens in their possession.…Considerable work is being done in the quartz mines on Wagner Creek. Two mills are crushing ore at a lively rate, with good prospects.…More solid work in the quartz mines is now being done than at any other time during the history of Jackson County; and not without good results, either.…Work continues steadily on Baumle, Klippel & Co.'s quartz mill, which will be in running order before many months. The machinery for it will soon arrive. It will be a first-class one.…The quartz mill which has been crushing ore from the Swinden ledge in Rock Point precinct is lying idle. It now seems doubtful whether L. D. Brown will put up the new mill talked about some time since. "Mining News," The Eye, Snohomish City, Washington, September 4, 1886, page 2 Mines and Mining.
It now seems likely that there will be a revival of mining interests in
this state during the approaching winter and next spring. For many
years it has been known that vast amounts of low-grade ore existed in
Douglas, Jackson and Josephine counties, but as large capital was
required to work the rock and make it pay, nothing has been done in
that direction. Men of means have recently turned their attention to
these mines, and there is no doubt but that within the next twelve
months there will be as many as five ten-stamp mills in operation in
Jackson County alone. In Douglas County, on the waters of South Umpqua,
rich veins are known to exist, and which promise to develop into vast
deposits of untold richness. The mines in Baker County are attracting
more attention than ever before. It is one of the most promising gold
and silver fields on the Coast. There are several mills in course of
construction on Pine Creek, chief among which is that of Judge J. C.
Tolman, who is on the ground superintending the work in person. The
signs of the times are hopeful for a wholesome change in the business
interests of the state in the near future.Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, October 2, 1886, page 1 SOUTHERN OREGON MINING NOTES.
Jacksonville Times.
Considerable
prospecting is still going on in Southern
Oregon.
Most of the miners of Southern Oregon are now ready for the winter's run. It is not likely that work will be resumed at the Blue Gravel mines on Galice Creek this season. A great deal of placer mining will be carried on during the coming season, if it is at all favorable. It seems as if the cold snap will this time precede the rains that the miners are so anxiously looking for. Illinois River has raised enough to enable Wimer & Sons to resume piping at their hydraulic mines near Waldo. Brown Bros. have again rented Wm. Bybee's placer mines on Rogue River, and are engaged in rigging them up. Work is still progressing on the tunnels which will tap Green Bros.' ledge on Galice Creek, and it will be two months before it is completed. There is every probability that good results will ensue. Brown & Co.'s mill in Rock Point precinct, on the site of the Swinden ledge, which has lately been enlarged and improved, was started this week and is said to work well. The crushing of a large amount of excellent quartz is next in order. E. S. Smith & Co. have commenced running a tunnel to tap their quartz mine on Grave Creek, which will probably be 500 feet in length. The ledge is already defined and the ore of a promising character. It is believed that it will prove both extensive and remunerative. Oregonian, Portland, November 9, 1886, page 3 SOUTHERN OREGON.
Jacksonville Times, Dec. 10.
Ingram
& Baker of Willow Springs are busily at
work and have a fair supply of water.
Baumle, Klippel & Co.'s mill on Shively Gulch is still busily at work and making good reports. Most of the miners of Josephine County have plenty of water now and are making the most of it. Nearly all of the hydraulic mines are being worked, and some ground sluicing is also going on. Wm. Huggins and Phil. Miller will operate John Miller's extensive diggings on Farmers Flat during the present season. John O'Brien has rigged up his mines in the Steamboat district in first-class shape and will operate them on an extensive scale. Ennis & Cameron have rented one of their gulches on Galice Creek to Chinese, who will work it the coming year. It is supposed to be rich. The past week has been a very favorable one for the miners. A great deal of rain has fallen, as also a considerable amount of snow on the mountains. The Sterling company has been doing some piping each week for a short time past, but now has an ample supply of water and is running two pipes on full time. M. Eggleston has bonded J. K. Patton's ledge at the head of Wright's Creek, Ashland precinct, and Hopkins & Moon will prospect the northern extension, located by Wm. Patton. Brown & Co.'s mill at the Swinden ledge in Rock Point precinct has not been running much of the time, owing to repairs being made and for lack of harmony among the managers. Several parties in this vicinity are about letting contracts to take large quantities of quartz from different ledges and thoroughly prospect the same, which is the best method possible for ascertaining the value of those lodes. If the present weather should continue much longer, the miners will be able to make an extended run, and money will consequently be more plentiful next spring than for some time past. We hope that Jupiter Pluvius will continue hostilities. Burrage & Pomeroy, who are engaged in prospecting their iron mines near Rock Point, are now cutting through a large vein of what appears to be stratified diorite, and which is thought to carry a considerable amount of silver. Ben Haymond has favored us with a specimen of the ore, which can be seen at the Times office. Medford Monitor: Caldwell & Son have their mine on the head of the Applegate ready for operations. If we have a good mining year there will be more gold dust taken out than for any corresponding year in twenty, for the reason that all the mines are in good shape for work, and many new giants have been added to the different camps. Ashland Tidings: Mr. O. Ganiard reports that a large ledge of excellent coal has been discovered at Daniel Runnel's place on "the meadows." The ledge is located some twelve or fourteen miles from the railroad, but on or near a good wagon road. It is reported to be eleven feet wide and to give evidence of being an unbroken vein of large extent. The locators have gone down upon it some thirty feet in the prospecting already done. Oregonian, Portland, December 14, 1886, page 8 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 31: Much placer mining is going on in Josephine County at the present time. Logg & McDonald, of Forest Creek, have no full supply of water, but have done some work already. A correspondent says that the miners in the vicinity of Woodville have an abundance of water and are busy. Ingram & Baker, of Willow Springs, have enough water to finish cleaning up some ground left over from last season. The Sterling Mining Co. has been operating one pipe for several days past and will soon have enough water to start the other. Owing to the bad condition of the roads no quartz can be hauled to Klippel, Baumle & Co.'s mill, and it is therefore lying idle. J. S. Grigsby and others, who discovered a promising placer mine in the vicinity of Table Rock, are preparing to work it this season. Smith & Lynch are operating their placer mines in the Wagner Creek district and making good progress with a fair supply of water. There has been considerable rain during the week, but not quite enough yet for mining purposes. Some work is being done in many places, however. Hatch & Rieve are still prospecting their ledge in Jackson Creek district, from which very promising quartz is being taken. It is reported that the mine is bonded. A. W. Sturgis is having a large quantity of pipe made at K. Kubli's hardware store, which will enable him to make a big showing at his mine on Forest Creek this season. Several new hydraulic mines will be operated this season, the old method of ground sluicing being found too slow for expeditious mining for our short winter season. Dean & Huston have put a long string of new hydraulic pipe and a giant on their mines in Willow Springs district, and will make a more extensive run than ever before. Grob & Braendel are engaged in taking quartz out of their mine on Jackson Creek. They were well pleased with the result of the run made on their ore by Klippel, Baumle & Co.'s mill. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s mammoth placer mine in Waldo district, Josephine County, is being opened at a rapid rate at present and will be ready for scientific mining operations next season. MINERS HAPPY.--Oregon Sentinel, Jan. 1: Rain has been falling off and on during the past week, which has so increased the water as to allow the Ankeny, Gin Lin and other hydraulic mines to be worked with a full head of water. The large amount of snow on the mountains is believed to be sufficient to ensure plenty of water during the mining season. On Tuesday last, Applegate River was so high that it could not be forded. MINING COMPANY DISSOLVED.--Courier, Jan. 1: The company consisting of Gen. J. C. Tolman, E. P. Torrey, E. C. McKercher and others, who put up a quartz mill in the Pine Creek district, has been dissolved. It appears that the machinery put in would not save the gold, and Mr. Tolman became discouraged and withdrew to his farm in Southern Oregon. The whole concern has now passed into the hands of McKercher. Mr. Torrey feels confident that with the addition of some pans he has procured from Rye Valley he can save the gold, and he has leased the mill for six months and will give the work another trial. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 8, 1887, page 25 SCANT WATER.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 7: There is not enough water yet to give all the placer miners a fair show. G. C. Culy is opening some promising mining claims at the mouth of Brush Creek. The miners of Steamboat and Brush Creek districts have an abundance of water and will make a good run. Ennis & Cameron are putting a new flume in the old English diggings at Galice Creek, which they now own. Austin Sargent struck excellent prospects in his diggings in Brush Creek district. He has since sold out to Russell & Co. Considerable ground which was left over from last season is now being cleaned up, and more or less gold dust is already finding its way to this place. Quite a force of men were engaged in prospecting the Gold Hill Mining Co.'s claims last week and found some nice specimens of ore. They have finished their work and returned home. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 15, 1887, page 41 NUGGET.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 14: Ingram & Baker, of Willow Springs, picked up a nice nugget of gold worth nearly $30 a few days since. Klippel, Baumle & Co. will soon commence crushing quartz from their own ledge. There is already considerable of it on the dump. A. W. Sturgis, of Forest Creek, has recently bought 2000 feet of hydraulic pipe, manufactured at K. Kubli's establishment, which is now being put in position. At a meeting of the Jacksonville Mining and Milling Co., held at the office of S. J. Day, in this place, yesterday, the following officers were elected: Directors, T. T. McKenzie, J. G. Birdsey, J. T. Roloson, D. L. Curtis and David Cronemiller; secretary, S. J. Day; treasurer, T. J. Kenney. It was decided to continue work on their tunnel. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 22, 1887, page 57 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 21: Smith & Lynch are doing good work at their mine on Wagner Creek. All the miners have plenty of water and are correspondingly happy. Good work is now going on at John Miller's hydraulic mine on Farmers Flat. Considerable prospecting is progressing, notwithstanding the stormy weather. The Sterling Mining Co. have an abundance of water and are now operating two pipes. If there is no more frosty weather and a fair amount of rain, a good season is assured the miners. A gold nugget worth $62 was dug up the other day in the abandoned channel of a creek in Pennsylvania. R. Morat's claim on Foots Creek has been put in excellent condition, and much work is now being done there. O. H. Blount, of Ashland, has shipped his hydraulic pipe and little giant to his mines on Cottonwood Creek, Cal. Work continues steadily on the extension of the tunnels of C. C. Beekman and the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co. Considerable snow has fallen in the mountains during the past week, which will be quite available when spring comes. A. W. Sturgis, of Jackass Creek, has his new hydraulic pipe in operation and will make a big showing at the end of the season. Klippel, Howard & Co., of Applegate, have had their ditch full for the past few weeks and have already done considerable ground sluicing. Logg & McDonnell, of Jackass Creek, have a good supply of water and yesterday increased their force. Wm. Smith, of Sams Valley, informs us that Jas. McDougall, while ground sluicing in [the] Blackwell district, picked up a nugget of gold worth $150 this week. Chas. W. Cornelius, having purchased L. D. Brown's interest in the quartz mill at work on ore from the Swinden ledge, is now on the scene and assisting to put everything in shipshape. Paul Cirac is taking a lot of quartz from an extension on Grob and Braendel's mine on Jackson Creek which will be crushed at Klippel, Baumle & Co.'s mill as soon as the road in course of construction is finished. Geo. M. Willard and H. T. Bragdon, of Ashland, have bonded the hydraulic mines of Patterson Bros., on Grouse Creek, in the Siskiyou Mountains, and started this week with two men to begin work with the little giant. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 29, 1887, page 69 GLENDALE.--Cor. Jacksonville Times, Jan. 29: The surrounding country, which is conceded to be one of the finest mineral districts of the Pacific Coast, is attracting widespread attention by the recent rich quartz discoveries, the most notable of which is the Green Mountain ledge, owned at present by Messrs. Jones & Wilson, who have lately bought out the other partners. Large quantities of quartz have already been taken out of this ledge, which shows plenty of gold and several other minerals as well. The owners will erect a mill near the ledge shortly. They employ a force of men tunneling and getting ready for mill work. The next in importance is the Mount Pisgah ledge, which is owned by Keenan & Ingleman of Grants Pass, and which prospects finely and promises to rival the Green Mountain. Another is the Bonanza, owned by Levens & Hays, who are having it thoroughly prospected, and which is presumed to be of fabulous richness. There are numerous other ledges, of which we will speak anon. Of placer mines the Whiskey Creek mines are the richest, They are owned by Sherer & Judson, of Grants Pass, and located on Whiskey Creek, which has its source in the mountains northwest of this place, and which is a tributary of Rogue River. Mr. Norris, the manager of these mines, came out a week since, bringing with him $500 in beautiful pieces of gold, the largest of which weighed $47. Another placer mine of importance is the Canyon Creek mines, owned by Chas. O. Walker, of Portland, who is personally managing the same. These mines are operated by hydraulics, and piping is carried on day and night. All expect to hear of splendid results from these mines when they clean up, which will be soon. There are several other mines of minor importance, and Glendale is the shipping point for all. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 5, 1887, page 97 CANYON CREEK.--Cor. Rogue River Courier, Feb. 14: Everything seems to be running lively in the various mining claims of this section. Brown, Naucke & Co. are running their pipe a good portion of the time, and shoving off the gravel at a lively rate; but the increase of water in their diggings will be a big thing for them. Russ and Brown are piping all the time with a good prospect of making it "pan out" this season. Naucke, Brown, Hall, Bybee & Co. are making the gravel fly lively with a big head of water. I understand through Mr. Brockram, the foreman, that they have struck it very rich. They did well last year, but will do a great deal better this year. John Havelin is piping, when he has water, but has been short of water a part of the season. Oscar Green is doing good work in his claim with a large self-shooter. Hamilton works his mine when he feels like it; as he has plenty of money, he can take it easy. Butler did not get his ditch completed last summer, hence is not doing much in his claim. He is working on his quartz in Lightning Gulch, which has indications of being very rich. Harry Stone's valuable placer mines are lying idle, because he is not able to superintend them. Alex. Watts has his pipe in full motion, with the best of prospects, in his claim in Day's Gulch. It is thought he will make a large cleanup. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 26, 1887, page 156 GALICE CREEK.--Oregon Sentinel, Feb. 20: Chas. Saunders and Geo. Sturgeon came out from Galice Creek last week. They report deep snow in that section and the miners jubilant. Mr. Saunders says there are extensive mines of both quartz and placer in that section, which, up to this time, have not been explored. He predicts a bright future for that section, because, he says, the mines are rich and time will bring capital which is alone necessary to make Galice Creek one of the most important mining camps on the coast. NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 26: Extensive mining operations will probably be resumed in Wagner Creek district before long. The snow which lies in the mountains in great heaps will serve to extend the mining season a considerable period. Considerable work is being done at Hays & Magruder's diggings on Rogue River. C. O. Bigelow, of Williamsburg, is operating his hydraulic mines on an extensive scale this season, and will make a good showing. Another ledge of quartz has been struck in the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Company's tunnel on Timber Gulch. F. Houatt and others are taking 150 tons of quartz out of the El Dorado ledge, owned by McKenzie & Co., which will be crushed by Klippel & Baumle's mill as soon as the roads are in condition. A great many placers that have never been worked before will be mined this season. There is plenty of good ground in this region which is yet unworked, because enough water for that purpose is not available. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 5, 1887, page 161 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, March 11: Quartz miners are getting ready for this season's campaign, having been interfered with by stormy weather. Dean & Huston, of Willow Springs precinct, have piped off a large piece of ground already and are doing quite effective work. J. M. Walsh and others are making preparations to resume quartz mining in Wagner Creek district on a large scale. Miller & Huggins, of Farmers Flat, are running their giant day and night. J. T. Layton, of Applegate, is busily engaged in piping and making excellent progress. Smith & Lynch are making good headway at their placer mines on Wagner Creek, having piped off a good-sized piece of ground already. Miners are favored with an abundance of water, with every prospect of its continuance. This will be the best season that they have had for years. The well-known diggings of Saltmarsh & Co., in Sterlingville precinct, are not being worked this season, having recently been purchased by the Sterling Co. Work is going on at the Sterling mine with two pipes and a full head of water. A large amount of snow lies at the head of the ditch and the prospects are favorable for an extended run. The miners of Josephine County are all busily at work, having an abundant supply of water. They will no doubt make a favorable showing--much more so than they have for several years past. The machinery for the Whitman mine, at Pine Creek, consists of a 20-stamp mill, 200-horsepower engine, eight Frue vanners, sawmill outfit, wire-rope tramway, incandescent electric light and complete sampling machinery. The entire plant is expected to be in operation by July 1st. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 19, 1887, page 193 MINERS BUSY.--Jacksonville Times, March 19: Miners are still busy making the best of the abundant supply of water. Work has been resumed on the Swinden ledge in Rock Point precinct, and better quartz than ever has been struck. Torrey & Morrison, of Anderson Creek district, turned the water into their ditch this week and are ground sluicing with excellent results. The warm weather of the past fortnight has had some effect on the water supply, but the spring rains will no doubt make up the deficiency. Wm. Deneff had a lot of new hydraulic pipe made in this place last week, which is already in position and doing good work. A. H. Maegly this week manufactured quite a string of hydraulic pipe for C. O. Bigelow, of Williamsburg district, who is mining on an extensive scale. Klippel & Baumle's mill on Shively Gulch will commence crushing quartz next week. A considerable quantity of ore has been taken out of the El Dorado ledge, which will probably be crushed first. The Sterling M. Co. has failed to assume possession of Saltmarsh Bros.' placer mines in Sterlingville precinct, for which they bargained some time since. The original proprietors are again at work, having commenced operations this week. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 26, 1887, page 209 AT WORK.--Jacksonville Times, March 20: Some prospectors from Colorado are at work in the southern portion of Josephine County. A 10-dollar nugget was recently picked up in the claim of Birdsey & Mathis in the Foots Creek district. Charles W. Cornelius, one of the owners of the quartz mill which has been crushing ore at the Swinden ledge, has returned from a trip to Portland. The warm weather has had the effect of decreasing the supply of water perceptibly, and some of the miners will soon be compelled to clean up if timely rains do not intervene. Klippel & Baumle have a force of men at work repairing the road to their mill and will soon commence crushing a large amount of quartz from the mines in Jackson Creek district. Reduction works will be put up at East Portland at once and will be ready for business about the first of May. The delay was occasioned by the difficulty of securing ores in the winter. We are glad to see Portland capitalists awakening to the necessities of the hour at last. ALL AT WORK.--Oregon Sentinel, March 19: Henry Ankeny, of Sterling, came to town last Tuesday. He reports the Sterling miners all at work, and an abundance of water. In the Ankeny mines two giants are at work day and night and are removing an immense amount of gravel. They expect a late run, as there is more snow in the mountains than there has been for years. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 2, 1887, page 225 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, April 2: Much prospecting will be done this season. Prospectors are beginning to arrive from other sections. Thos. Lawrence is prospecting a promising quartz ledge near Gold Hill. H. D. Russell is working his diggings in Forest Creek district and doing well. The prospects at Bybee & Hall's claim on Canyon Creek, Josephine County, are very good. A wing dam will be put in Rogue River, below Rock Point, by W. L. McClure, Wm. Stuart and others. Cornelius & Co.'s mill will soon be started up again and a new set of amalgamators will then be put in. Operations at Naucke, Bybee & Co.'s hydraulic mine near Kerbyville are progressing smoothly, and a good result is promised. The continued warm weather has caused water to become scarce in placers, and some miners have already commenced cleaning up. Sherer & Judson, of Grants Pass, who are interested in placer mines in the southern portion of Douglas County, lately added a giant and 400 feet of pipe. A Mr. Gamble, of San Francisco, has bonded the Hope mine on Wagner Creek of J. W. Walsh, for a limited period, and it is understood that operations at the mine will be resumed within a short time. Henry Knutzen, Henry Gregg, and Wm. Hinkle, who have been mining on Thompson Creek, made good wages while water lasted, finding one piece worth $14. The miners of Josephine County are promised an extended season, as snow fell to a great depth on the mountains in which the various streams of that section head. The road to Klippel & Baumle's mill is finished, and a large amount of excellent quartz which has been taken out of the mines in Jackson Creek district will be hauled there and crushed. Al. Sturgis, of Forest Creek, has made a partial cleanup at his hydraulic mines on Jackass Creek and took out nearly $500. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 9, 1887, page 241 CLEANING UP.--Jacksonville Times, April 8: A few of the miners of Josephine County have commenced cleaning up. Haskins, Long & Co., of Star Gulch, have finished cleaning up and made good wages while at work. The Sterling Co. is running two pipes day and night, and disposing of a large area of ground. Many of the mines are cleaning up, the continued warm weather having made the water light in many places. Simmons, Decker & Co. and Wimer & Sons, of Waldo district, still have plenty of water, and are making the most of it. Thos. H. Berryman, of Applegate, who has one of the best drifting claims in Southern Oregon, continues to do good work there. Smith & Lynch, of Wagner Creek, will no doubt make a good season's run. They recently picked up a piece of gold worth $128. J. Klippel, of Poormans Creek, has washed off a large piece of ground this season, and will not finish cleaning up before the middle of June. D. W. Marsh and J. Baker, two experienced California miners, are prospecting in the Applegate country. They speak favorably of this section. E. Rhoten has discovered a new ledge in Willow Springs precinct, which shows considerable free gold. There is said to be plenty of this ore in sight. Klippel & Baumle's mill, on Shively Gulch, is not making a steady run as yet, owing to the scarcity of quartz on the dump. This deficiency will probably be supplied soon. Miller & Huggins, of Farmers Flat, are engaged in cleaning up, and will be done about the middle of the month. They have picked up several pieces, one of them weighing $10. Simmons, Ennis & Co., who are opening a large placer claim in Waldo mining district, Josephine County, are making excellent headway, and by next season will no doubt have their huge cut finished and everything ready for piping on an extensive scale. Cornelius & Co.'s mill in Rock Point precinct will commence crushing quartz from the Swinden ledge in a few days. It has been improved and put in good order, and will no doubt do much better work than formerly. A large force is engaged in taking quartz from the ledge, which looks better than ever. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 16, 1887, page 257 CLEANUP.--Jacksonville Times, April 16: Another cleanup was made at Wm. Bybee's claim near Waldo recently, which realized a few hundred dollars. The rains of the past ten days have increased the water supply considerably, which will prolong the mining season. Brown Bros., who are engaged in mining in Wm. Bybee's claim on Rogue River, have done good work this season. Wm. Coker of the California M. Co. has returned to Kerbyville, and work will be renewed with vigor on the ditch between Sucker Creek and Illinois River. Mr. Sterling, of Polk County, is in the vicinity of Rogue River, searching for what is popularly known as the Boulder ledge. Some excitement exists in the Briggs Creek mining district, Josephine County, a large portion of which has been taken up again. Good prospects have been struck. John Chambers and Miller Maury, who have been mining on Louse Creek, Josephine County, finished a good run not long since. They have since sold out at a fair figure. Wm. Hamlin has struck excellent prospects on the mining ground he purchased of C. C. Beekman, near Grants Pass, some time since. Jas. Ferren and son and N. Thoss are engaged in mining some first-class ground in the Silver Creek section. Mr. Reeve, who is engaged in mining on the Klamath River near Happy Camp, made a cleanup of $28,000 after a 14 days' run, besides cleaning up $3500 a short time before. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 23, 1887, page 273 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, April 22: Arnett Bros. have struck very rich diggings on Briggs Creek, Josephine County. The recent rains have done much to keep up the water supply, which was failing fast. Cornelius & Co.'s quartz mill started up not long since, but the pump broke this week, causing more delay. The gulch in Galice Creek mining district which Ennis & Cameron have rented to Chinese is turning out very rich. We learn that some very rich pockets of gold-bearing quartz have been found in McDonough & Kahler's ledge near Fort Lane. A test of some ore from the Green Mountain ledge was made recently, and the result proved highly satisfactory. E. K. Anderson is making a big run at the '49 Diggings in Eden precinct. There has been a large supply of water and prospects are good. A correspondent of the Times writes that most of the miners of Evans and Pleasant creeks are cleaning up. They had a good run and have done pretty well. Wm. Bleckert, of Galls Creek, is doing well this season. He lately picked up some handsome pieces of gold, one of which weighed $7 and the other $14. H. C. Martin, of Galesville, has taken another contract of delivering ten tons of quartz from the Green Mountain ledge at the depot at Glendale. which will be shipped to East Portland for reduction at once. The Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co. held a meeting last Monday evening, and concluded to continue prospecting their claims on Timber Gulch. There is much activity in Grave Creek mining district, Josephine County, where some quartz ledges are being prospected by the St. Peter's Mining Co., for which E. S. Smith is expert. The results so far have been quite promising. It is said that the company that has been prospecting Green Bros.' ledge in Galice Creek district intends resuming work in the near future. Another tunnel will be run, as the ledge was not reached by that dug last year. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 30, 1887, page 289 Correspondence to the Courier: Wandering Miner.
Rogue
River Courier, Grants Pass, May 13, 1887, page 1
Gold Hill will be the Denver of Oregon. It has never had what may
properly be called a "boom," and the people do not seem to know the
usual tricks of puffing up and advertising the untold wealth lying in
the hills surrounding this beautifully located great city of the
future. In this respect they are provokingly slow. Facts and figures
are difficult to obtain in any sort of form. The residents of Gold Hill
are an easy-going sort of people. There appears to be no desire to
attract attention and yet everyone is an ardent admirer of Gold Hill,
and draws charming pictures of the importance and size it will have in
the near future. As no one can go into San Francisco without becoming
imbued with some of its restlessness and energy, so he can never visit
this place without having his pulse quickened and his whole nervous
system soothed. It may be that the pure mountain air and the splendid
water has something to do with bracing up the system; but an inspection
of Mr. Hardman's mineral cabinet of specimens found principally in the
immediate vicinity has made my blood bound more freely than it has done
during the last year. There are bonanzas lying near here richer than
any as yet discovered in Oregon. The view in any direction is grand.
For during certain hours sitting near Chavner's bridge or the railroad
bridge, with the Rogue River chanting its ever-musical refrain, the
surrounding hills are highly colored; their wooded slopes are
rose-colored or purple, almost indescribably lovely in the eyes of
those who have never imagined that such a place could be so glorified.
All your readers are better acquainted with the early history of Gold Hill than I am; how the place first became known as a mining region; how gold was found by the merest chance in the world. If anyone wishes for more minute particulars, Col. Chavner, or his old partner Col. Ross, whose party, I have heard, cleared over a quarter of a million out of a "pocket" twenty-eight feet by four. Either of these two gentlemen will give them fuller information. But the Rogue River region is remarkable for its fertility, beauty, and mineral wealth. I regret now that I did not, years ago, when I first saw it, pitch my "tent" and take up a piece of land along the banks of this stream. The dullest instinct can see and realize and understand the grand future before this section of country. The general "lay" of the country reminds me of some of the richest mining claims I have seen in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The "layout" of the country and the contour of scenery are almost a facsimile one of the other. There is a place not many miles from Gold Hill that you would think was carried by some fairies from Montana, it so closely resembles the celebrated Drumlummon mine near Helena, in magnificent Montana. That mine was discovered, held for years and worked by Tommy Cruise, a genuine Galway man, and the people imagined he was insane because he worked so long at a mine that did not "pan out" a cent's worth of "bullion." But he stuck to it and an English syndicate gladly paid him one million and a half "spot" cash down, he retaining a sixth interest in it still. The stock sells for more than four times its par value, and it is one of the richest mines in the world. Here, the same opportunities are presented as were to Tom Cruise in Montana, or to Tom Chavner on the Rogue River. The former went to Montana when it was a wilderness, about the same time as the latter came to Oregon. Who can tell when a richer Drumlummon may be struck within a mile of where I now write? I can see when Gold Hill will be a city of many thousands; when the music of its stampers and the result of such music will be known all over the world, and in those years I will then wonder what strange fate of destiny drove me away, to seek new fields and leave golden opportunities neglected that would in a few years make me probably wealthier than Cruise and Chavner combined. Some would be jealous of the good luck of the two Tommies, but I can never be that, nor can I wish them aught but joy and continued prosperity, for they deserve all they have got. QUARTZ MILL.--Jacksonville Times, May 5: The quartz mill is again in operation at the Hope mine on Wagner Creek, having been bonded by San Francisco parties. Ingram, Biker & Dean, Houston & Co., of Willow Springs precinct, are engaged in cleaning up, with excellent prospects. The loss of Klippel & Baumle's quartz mill is a serious one to our mining interests, and it is to be hoped that it will be rebuilt at an early date. A ledge five feet wide has been exposed in the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co.'s tunnel, and it may turn out to be still more extensive. The ore seems to be of an excellent quality, and several tests of it have been made, all of which show the existence of valuable minerals in paying quantities. So great is the body of quartz that even if it pays only $6 a ton, there is a fortune in it. A correspondent says: Good diggings are being struck on Briggs Creek now, Arnett Brothers' claim paying big. Dr. J. T. Ireland, who is working Harry Oviatt's claim, is doing well; also H. Powelson, at the mouth of Onion Creek, and Brower & Crockett, at the mouth of Swede Gulch, have flattering results. Miners on Galice Creek are doing quite well this winter. Excellent prospects, and lots of dirt has been sluiced off. Chinamen on Rich Gulch (Ennis & Cameron's claim) are doing well and will make a good cleanup at the end of the season. Walter Simmons surprises himself with a big sack of dust every month or so. Nothing doing in quartz yet; everything quiet. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 14, 1887, page 321 MINING NEWS.
Rogue
River Courier, Grants Pass, May 27, 1887, page 2
On last Monday morning we boarded the southbound passenger train on our
way to Gold Hill for the purpose of making a personal examination of
the quartz mines of the Gold Hill Mining and Milling Company. Starting
at 7 o'clock a.m., we were at the mines by half past nine. They are
situated from a mile to a mile and a half south of Gold Hill, upon a
good wagon road leading directly to them. They consist of three
well-defined ledges, all of which have been sufficiently prospected by
shafts and cuts to leave no doubt as to their extent and uniform paying
qualities. The first ledge we approached was the North and South, which
lies principally, as far as developed, in the grain field of Mr. John
Swinden. Upon this ledge three main holes or shafts have been sunken
and one drift 160 feet long has been run. In all the shafts the richest
of rock was found in large quantities, the walling perfect and well
defined. Before going further we will say that Mr. Charles W.
Cornelius, one of the proprietors, met us at the depot and directed us
over the property. From the North and South we went to the mill, which
we found in full blast. Ten stamps weighing 900 lbs. each were whacking
away, shaking the earth a hundred yards away, making a fearful noise--a
fine place for the mute language, we thought.
The mills are situated about a half mile from the East and West ledge, upon which they are now working. Two four-horse teams haul 36 tons of ore a day to the mill, which is worked through in 24 hours, and which yields five dollars per ton, the milling expenses being about one dollar per ton, as wood is convenient and cheap. Greatly to our surprise, we found the teamsters unloading what at first sight we called red dirt; and which we noticed was the so-called ore which was paying from $100 to $150 per day over and above running expenses. It flashed across our mind that no unexperienced person would call this gold-bearing ore. It is genuine carbonate ore--a conglomeration of decomposed quartz. At the mill, Mr. John Swinden, a venerable pioneer of 1851, joins us, and we all get aboard of one of the wagons and go to the mines. We next visit the Dardanelles ledge which runs east and west, which was discovered by the blowing over of a tree which exposed the ledge to view, upon the dump of which we saw much red rock, the gold particles being plainly seen by the naked eye. This ledge is not an active operation. From here we go to the East and West, where there are mountains of the above-described carbonate ore which the men are digging from the earth in underground chambers, much the same as common dirt that is handled. The wall rock in all these mines is a lifeless-appearing rock, almost bordering upon a sandstone, but which is found with all good ledges. This mine is full of quartz seams and detached pieces of rich quartz which bears a large percent of galena. Here a crosscut tunnel has been run through the hill 150 feet in length, all of which is in the midst of the best of ore, with several side chambers of considerable extent diverging from the main tunnel showing the same body of ore. The East and West and the Dardanelles lie on a steep sidehill, about 400 feet above the valley, and extend from the bottom to the top of the hill, a distance of about a mile, giving out rich croppings and showing plenty of free gold wherever prospected. In fact, the whole mountain seems to be a rich body of ore. In conclusion, we would say, we saw a 19-hour run on unselected ore cleaned up which yielded $160. The bullion contains about $15 per ton in silver. It is not found necessary to use the rock-breaker nor the concentrator upon the ores being milled. Situated as this mine is in a climate so mild that it can be worked all the year, in the midst of an abundance of wood, and in the heart of a fine agricultural valley, there can be no doubting its immense value. Nor is this all: the Rogue River, which flows through Gold Hill, affords a magnificent water power, which if utilized would render the expense of milling these ores still less. Our readers will hear more from this camp in the future. ALTHOUSE MINES.--Rogue River Courier, May 20: Richardson & Gilmore have cleaned up and ceased operations for the year. Barnett & Dickey cleaned up their winter's run and went over to their summer diggings on Indian Creek, where they will work during the dry season. Jas. Turnbull has struck good pay in his tunnel on Althouse. He was running a drift to strike an old channel, and after a long time has succeeded, and is well rewarded for his expense and delay. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 28, 1887, page 353 GOLD HILL.--Rogue River Courier, May 29: The quartz mines of the Gold Hill Mining and Milling Company are a mile south of Gold Hill. They consist of three well-defined ledges, all of which have been sufficiently prospected by shafts and cuts to leave no doubt as to their extent and uniform paying qualities. On the North and South ledge three shafts have been sunk, and one drift 160 feet long has been run. In all the shafts rich rock was found. From the North and South we went to the 10-stamp mill, which we found in full blast. The mills are about half a mile from the East and West ledge, upon which they are now working. Two four-horse teams haul 36 tons of ore a day to the mill, which is worked through in 24 hours, and which yields $5 per ton, the milling expenses being about $1 per ton, as wood is convenient and cheap. We found the teamsters unloading what at first sight we called red dirt, and which was the so-called ore which was paying from $100 to $150 per day over and above running expenses. The Dardanelles ledge runs east and west, and was discovered by the blowing over of a tree which exposed the ledge to view, upon the dump of which we saw much red rock, the gold particles being plainly seen by the naked eye. From here we go to the East and West, where there are mountains of the above-described carbonate ore. This mine is full of quartz seams and detached pieces of rich quartz which bears a large percent of galena. We saw a 19-hour run on unselected ore clean up $160. The bullion contains about $15 per ton in silver. It is not found necessary to use the rock-breaker nor the concentrator upon the ores being milled. The Rogue River, which flows through Gold Hill, affords a magnificent water power which, if utilized, would render the expense of milling these ores still less. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 4, 1887, page 369 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, June 3: Operations continue at Cornelius & Co.'s quartz mill and the Swinden ledge with the best results. Smith & Lynch, of the Wagner Creek placer mines, have ceased piping for the season. They will be engaged in cleaning up for several months. August Brentano has purchased the Hope ledge on Wagner Creek of J. W. Walsh and Geo. M. Willard, and will commence prospecting it on an extensive scale before long. The price paid was $1250. Piping is now going on at Ennis & Cameron's diggings in Galice Creek district, with excellent results. These gentlemen are well pleased with the work which has been done there this season, which speaks well for their mines. Parke & Lacy, of Portland, the leading dealers in mining machinery of all kinds on the coast, will soon open a branch depot at Spokane Falls, W.T. Theo. Cameron and Frank Ennis, who are interested with Geo. Simmons in a gigantic mining enterprise near Waldo, Josephine County, paid that section a visit last week. They speak well of their investment, but say that it will be some time yet before it will yield returns, as they may not be ready even next season to commence active operations in paying ground. NEW DISCOVERY.--Rogue River Courier, June 3: The quartz ledge discovered on the hills southeast of town a few days ago by Messrs. Sterling (a mining expert) and Strickler has turned out to be immensely rich. Mr. Sterling had some of the ore assayed by Mr. Keenan, who informs us that it went over $60 to the ton. Mr. Keenan says the rock is the best he has ever seen around Grants Pass. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 11, 1887, page 385 Medford Courier: Horace Woodcock has discovered a very rich quartz ledge on Lightning Gulch near Kerbyville, so ex-County Clerk Nickerson informs us. He says the rock is full of free gold and that the ledge is very rich. Says the Jacksonville Times: David Cronemiller and E. D. Brown, a mining expert, returned from the old cinnabar mines in the Siskiyou Mountains yesterday, where they have been for the past two weeks. They re-located the claims that were opened several years ago and will do considerable work on them again this summer. Oregon Statesman, Salem, June 22, 1887, page 1 GOLD BARS.--Oregonian, June 17: Eight small gold bars, worth about $2000, were displayed in the window of Gove's jewelry store yesterday. They came from Charles Cornelius's Gold Hill mine, and are the first gold bars displayed here for some time. FROM CINNABAR.--Jacksonville Times, June 17: David Cronemiller and E. D. Brown, a mining expert, returned from the old cinnabar mines in the Siskiyou Mountains yesterday, where they have been for the past two weeks. They relocated their claims that were opened several years ago and will do considerable work on them again this summer. They also report good weather in that section and grass growing finely, though everything is quite late this year. STEAMBOAT ITEMS.--Miners are cleaning up. John O'Brien has most of the old dump worked off, which is paying well. Mennis Caldwell is making a good cleanup, and will mine Bear Gulch next winter. A. H. Sargent will resume work on Brush Creek mines. Prickett & Co. are putting up several hundred feet of hydraulic pipe and will mine on a large scale next season. B. S. Baker of this place has invented a new device for saving gold which he claims will excel any yet made. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 25, 1887, page 417 The Emmeline Cinnabar Company have again commenced work on their mines in Southern Oregon. The company put men to work this week getting out ore, and are making preparations for a big run of quicksilver. "News of the Northwest," Oregonian, Portland, July 12, 1887, page 6 SPRING MOUNTAIN LEDGE.
The editor of the Grants Pass Courier
has recently paid a visit to the Spring Mountain
silver ledge in Josephine County. Amongst other things he says:
From eight inches on top of the ground it now measures twenty-two inches of a well-defined ledge, having, as a well-known mining expert says, every indication of a permanent and a rich ledge. It assays as high as $75 per ton silver from some of the average rock. The ledge rock is very much honeycombed by decomposition. There are frequent cavities in it which are filled with a solution as black as ink, in the sediment of which glittering particles of silver are plainly visible to the naked eye. The workmen are now about twelve feet underground with an open cut. Another prominent feature of this ledge is that for a mile large springs rise out of it at frequent intervals. The largest one is at the time and is pretty strongly charged with arsenic, which is said to be a favorable indication of silver. Messrs. Keenan and Strickler have taken some of the rock to Portland for another test. Oregonian, Portland, July 12, 1887, page 6 Struck at Last.
Rogue
River Courier, Grants Pass, August 5, 1887, page 1
In December, 1885, twenty citizens of Jacksonville organized a company
for the purpose of prospecting some of the quartz ledges west of
Jacksonville. The company began operation by beginning a tunnel on
Timber Gulch, two and a half miles west of Jacksonville, with the
object of striking the ledge that was struck and worked by Louis Ballou
about twenty years ago, and afterwards worked by Sam Bowden. The ledge
had been worked by a shaft which had been sunk about eighty feet; the
last rock that was worked from the shaft paid eleven dollars per ton.
The company have run their tunnel a distance of 340 feet and have
struck the ledge 200 feet below the surface. When it was first struck,
there did not appear to be sufficient gold in the rock to pay for
working, yet the ledge had good indications, which encouraged the
company to let a contract for a tunnel to be run fifty feet on the
ledge. After the tunnel had been run a distance of thirty feet on the
ledge, the rock increased in richness, and on last Saturday there was
some rich rock on exhibition. On Monday there was more rock that was
exceedingly rich. This strike has exploded the theory that all the pay
in quartz in this mining district is on the surface, as this strike is
two hundred feet from the surface, and the quartz is free-milling ore.
This is the greatest depth that has ever been reached in Jackson County
on a quartz ledge. The company who have persevered in this prospecting
work are entitled to a great deal of consideration, and we hope the
prospect may continue as good as it is at present.--[Sentinel.
MINING NEWS.
Messrs.
Jensen and Allison are still running a tunnel for C. C. Beekman, to tap
the old Holman ledge, and are hopeful of excellent results. Good
prospects have recently been found.
Miners are praying for more rain.
The best and cheapest mining blanks for sale at the Times office. The Squaw Lake Mining Co. will make application for a patent to their extensive mines at once. The quartz mill near Gold Hill is running day and night and crushing a large amount of good quartz. A fresh supply of the American Mining Code, standard authority on the subject, for sale at the Times office. John Miller, who owns a large and first-class placer mine on Farmers Flat, has everything in readiness for a big run. A week's rain storm would set every miner in Southern Oregon at work and enable many to do considerable mining. The sale of delinquent stock of the Gold Hill Mining Co. took place on the 3rd inst., and the shares were all bid in for the company. Martin Laist and Chris. Kreitzer will work a piece of new ground in Jackson Creek district this season, which prospects extremely well. John O'Brien and T. H. Berryman of Applegate are completing arrangements to put in a lot of hydraulic pipe and operate on an extensive scale this season. They have plenty of good ground that will pay well. The members of the Jacksonville Milling and Mining Co. will hold a meeting on January 7, 1888, for the purpose of electing five directors and transacting such other business as may properly come up at the meeting. Frank Oggier, manager of the Steam Beer mine on Grave Creek, is making preparations to do big work during the coming season. He has put in a new ditch and flume and has everything in apple-pie order for the first water. Will Bigelow has disposed of his third interest in the Dutch mine on Powell Creek to Innis & Gray, of Eugene City, for $3000. The latter gentlemen are making preparations to commence milling operations at once. They have now in sight a valuable lead of ore-bearing free gold in considerable quantities, and have made arrangements to have it milled at the Kiessling mine, on Applegate, where the new Payne mill has lately been put up. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, December 16, 1887, page 2 AT WORK.--Jacksonville Times, Jan. 13: Desselles & Connell, Simmons, Ennis & Co. and Wimer & Sons of Waldo precinct, Josephine County, are busily at work and will no doubt make a good showing this season. The miners are anxiously awaiting the end of the cold snap, as all are ready for an extended run. Should there be plenty of water this season the gold product will be large. The cold weather has suspended mining operations, but there is every probability that the frosty snap is at an end and there will be plenty of water when the first rain falls, as the ground was well soaked before the snow fell. A correspondent of the Times, under a late date, writes that W. J. Stanley of Woodville has started his arrastra near that place and feels quite hopeful for the future of his ledge, as the quartz prospects well. It is said that parties from Portland are negotiating for the purchase of the property, and will probably put up a large mill on Evans Creek, near Woodville. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 21, 1888, page 41 PLENTY TO DO.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 3: Water is quite plentiful and all of the miners have plenty to do. Logg & McDonnell of Forest Creek are running on full time and will do well. The mining population of Southern Oregon are quite busy and make the most of their opportunity. John Miller is operating his mines on Farmers Flat, which are rich, on a larger scale than ever. Saltmarsh Bros. of Sterlingville precinct have plenty of the aqueous fluid and will make the most of it. The Sterling Mining Co. has two giants at work and is making the gravel fly. A good season is prospective there. A. W. Sturgis of Forest Creek has increased his supply of hydraulic pipe, and will make a better showing than ever. O'Brien & Berryman have started work at their new mines on Applegate and expect to make their first run profitable. The Jacksonville Milling & Mining Co. has suspended operations for the present, but will resume prospecting at an early date. It has expended over $3000 during the past two years. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 11, 1888, page 93 PLACER AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Feb. 11: Some gold- dust is being brought to town. Miners are still very busy, but are not at all pleased with the present beautiful weather. O'Brien & Berryman of Applegate have their hydraulic in operation, and will make a good run. The miners of Josephine County have an abundant supply of water, and most of them will do well this season. John Atteberry and J. D. Matney of Forest Creek are moving considerable ground, and have good prospects. J. T. Layton of Applegate is getting ready for the season's run, and will commence operations in a few days. Some of the miners are ready for more rain, as the warm weather during the day, and the heavy frost at night, have already lessened the supply of water. A shaft 75 feet deep has already been sunk on the Eureka mine, owned by J. S. Urquhart of Gold Hill. Coulter & Son are also forwarding work on their tunnels. Although the season for such things is rather early, much prospecting is going on in the vicinity of Gold Hill. This is destined to be an important mining camp in the near future. Saltmarsh, Yaudes & Co. have sold their mines in Sterlingville precinct, which are known to be rich, to Henry E. Ankeny of Marion County, son of Capt. A. P. Ankeny. Consideration, $10,000. Coulter & Son's quartz mill, which laid idle during the cold spell of weather, has been running on full time during the past fortnight and doing good work. There is a large amount of good quartz still on the dump. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, February 18, 1888, page 109 MINING NEWS.
Democratic Times, Jacksonville,
March 2, 1888, page 2
The best and cheapest mining blanks for sale at the Times office.
The miners of Steamboat have aplenty of water and are making excellent progress. J. T. Layton has had his mining claim surveyed and will apply for a patent at once. Water is getting scarce in many places, and some of the miners are already cleaning up. A fresh supply of the American Mining Code, standard authority on the subject, for sale at the Times office. There is much activity in the mining regions about Gold Hill, where a great deal of prospecting is being done. Work is progressing at a lively rate at J. T. Layton's extensive mines on Applegate, where a good cleanup is always made. The sale of the Swinden mining property and quartz mill to California parties for a large sum is rumored, but we cannot hear of any further particulars. From Louis Pfeil, who was in town Wednesday, we learn that the miners of Galls Creek have a good supply of water and are doing much work. Pankey Bros. and Thos. Wright of Willow Springs precinct, who own the quartz ledge recently discovered on Mr. W.'s land, are taking out some very rich rock, of which there seems to be an abundance. There is no trouble in obtaining several dollars daily by crushing the quartz in a hand mortar. The Salmon River Milling and Mining Company has awarded the contract to Parke & Lacy of Portland to furnish the machinery for a fifty-ton concentrator, to be erected at Salmon City, W.T., and which is expected to be ready for work by May 15th. This is the leading firm of the Pacific Coast when it comes to machinery, and those wishing anything in their line will do well to give them their orders. PROSPECTIVE.--Rogue River Courier, Feb. 23: Tunneling is being carried on at a lively rate in the Hutch & Drew gold mine at Gold Hill, an output from which is realized about $40 per ton in near the average work. This is decidedly encouraging to Messrs. Hutch & Drew, who feel quite elated over their good fortune. It is expected another quartz mill will be put in some other mine in their neighborhood soon which will afford the opportunity of having the gold separated from the rock with greater facility. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 3, 1888, page 141 QUICKSILVER.--Jacksonville Times, March 10: James Chenoweth, who has been operating a quicksilver mine in Douglas County for some time, using three retorts with very good success, has ordered three new retorts here of the capacity of a ton of ore each. Mr. Chenoweth has a whole mountain of cinnabar, and as mercury is in good demand and brings a remunerative price, there is a good prospect of a further increase in the plant and output before long. WAGNER CREEK.--Cor. Jacksonville Times, March 10: Mr. James Briner has completed a roasting furnace on the creek. It is built on a small scale, merely as an experiment. Mr. Casteel of your city is one of the solid miners here; also W. F. Shaffer, lately of Gold Hill, as well as several others, among whom is Mr. Pittner of Phoenix, an experienced miner from the Empire mine of California. Mr. Philip Mullen is the amalgamator; C. Frank Lewis, engineer. GOOD PROSPECTS.--Rogue River Courier, March 8: James Ferren and N. Thoss are prosecuting work in their Silver Creek placer mine with a vigor. Sluicing was carried on all winter and now prospects are glittering. This mine extends along Silver Creek for a distance of two miles, and Mr. Thoss thinks [it] will eventually prove one of the best paying mines in the county. MILL.--H. H. Keisling, who has control of the old Knox mine by bond, on Applegate, has put in a quartz mill, which is about ready for use. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 17, 1888, page 173 WATER SCARCE.--Jacksonville Times, March 16: Miners have had a fair run, but in many places water is light. Mr. Keisling has put up a mill at the quartz ledge in Murphy district, which he has bonded. The prospecting of the Mountain King mine on Powells Creek, Josephine County, has been resumed. Sherer & Judson of Grants Pass, who are interested in the Whiskey Creek mines, have some fine specimens of gold, taken from them, at their store. They have their property thoroughly opened now and expect to do well in a short time. Green Bros. are still prospecting their quartz mine in Galice Creek district with excellent prospects. They have had some of their tailings assayed and received favorable returns and an offer to purchase them recently. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 24, 1888, page 189 ALTHOUSE.--Cor. Rogue River Courier, March 23: The cold weather tries the tempers of the miners of this district. Water is scarce and the snow melts but slowly, although the days are, as a rule, pleasant after the sun gets above the treetops. Few of our miners are doing much in the way of work, and there is little of interest to report. James Turnbull, one of the old-time miners of the creek, through sickness, had to sell out his claim at upper Grass Flat and quit mining for a time, at least. The Doney Bros. of California were the purchasers. PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, March 23: Considerable prospecting is now being done in Jackson and Josephine counties. The miners of Galice Creek are busy and expect to make a good showing this season. Water is failing fast in many places and quite a number of the miners are engaged in cleaning up. The mines of Wimer Bros., Desselles & Connell, in Waldo Creek, Josephine County, are being operated on a large scale. At the Sterling mine two giants are being operated day and night and much ground is being moved. Good results are promised. Good work is being done at Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s mines near Waldo, which will soon be thoroughly opened. The big ditch has gradually washed out a huge cut, which will greatly facilitate operations. The Swinden mine and the quartz mill near Gold Hill still lie idle. It was bonded to California parties for a large sum of money, but it is said that the time has expired and no one has appeared to pay the money and take the property. M. A. Brentano of Wagner Creek brought down some bullion from the Golden Spike Co.'s mines last Saturday. Much good is now being done in that district, and we may expect to see some of the best quartz ledges on the North Pacific Coast opened there. R. A. Jones and Stilly Riddle of Canyonville have purchased the tailings of the Sugar Pine ledge, Galice Creek district, owned by Green Bros., and will immediately take steps to reduce them. They have been assayed, and it has been found that they contain a considerable percentage of gold. Messrs. Jones & Riddle are looking after certain ledges in Josephine County. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 31, 1888, page 205 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, April 27: Much prospecting is going on. Most of the miners are cleaning up. Considerable gold dust is now being brought to town. Prickett, Finney & Shearer, and John O'Brien of Steamboat district, are piping steadily and making good progress. Chas. Bailey of Foots Creek was in town and showed us some very rich quartz taken from a ledge he is interested in with Alex. Orme. One small piece was nearly solid with gold and worth $30. John O'Brien of Applegate a short time since exhibited a 50-dollar slug of gold, taken from the placer mines he is interested in with Thos. Berryman. J. S. March this week showed us some fine specimens of quartz taken from the ledge he recently discovered in Table Rock precinct. They are full of free gold. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 5, 1888, page 285 QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, May 25: Much more prospecting than has been done for years past is now in progress. Recent discoveries have occasioned it. The mineral resources of Southern Oregon are attracting more attention than ever. There is no doubt but what they are extensive and valuable and only await development to prove their richness. Excellent prospects for permanent beds of excellent coal have been discovered in different portions of Table Rock precinct. There seems to be every probability that first-class deposits will be struck in the near future. Wright & Pankey are still crushing quartz from their ledge in Willow Springs precinct in an arrastra with excellent results. From five tons of ore $159 were obtained, or nearly $32 a ton. This promises to be a first-class ledge. The Sterling Co., which had a large portion of its ditch and flumes destroyed by the recent cloudburst, has rebuilt the same and operations are again in progress there. It took a large force of men to repair the damage done. Al. Hatch, who has been prospecting in Jackson Creek district for over two years, has struck very good prospects in his mine. He brought some fine ore that abounds in free gold and seems to be heavy with silver to town last Saturday, which occasioned considerable excitement. Henry Klippel purchased J. S. Morris' interest in the rich quartz ledge in Blackwell district this week and immediately took charge of it. Operations are now in progress there on a larger scale than ever. The ore is very rich and if there is only a fair quantity of it will make the owners wealthy. Several excellent discoveries have been made in Jackson County during the past few months and quartz mining has been resumed with vigor. Some permanent first-class ledges will be found in Southern Oregon, as they certainly exist here. J. S. March of Table Rock precinct has struck another vein of very rich quartz, which is not large at present but promises very well. The ore abounds in free gold, which can readily be seen with the naked eye. Mr. March has crushed a quantity in a hand mortar, from which he obtained nearly $500. It has been a long time since so much gold was taken from quartz in Southern Oregon as at the present time. From several different ledges in Jackson County is a considerable quantity of dust being obtained weekly. The company which purchased the Steamboat quartz mines of the late Richard Cook, have struck some very rich ore both in the old ledge and in another one near the tunnel upon which so much time and labor has been spent. One man has been making double wages each day by crushing quartz in a mortar. They have many tons of ore on the dump, which will pay handsomely whether crushed in an arrastra or by a mill. Rhoten & Morris, who discovered an enormously rich deposit of ore in Blackwell district, have brought about $3000 worth of gold dust to town, all of which they crushed out of a small quantity of quartz in a hand mortar. The ledge is limited and is supposed to be only a pocket. Others are of the same opinion that it may prove of permanence, however, in which event it will prove a second Gold Hill. This is the richest quartz discovery made on this coast in a long time. It has occasioned considerable excitement, and prospecting has been renewed with vigor. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 2, 1888, page 345 GRAVEL AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, June 1: The Sterling Mining Co. has a good supply of water again and is moving heaps of gravel. W. G. Kenney has purchased a fourth interest in Klippel & Rhoten's ledge in Willow Springs precinct. The late rains have increased the water supply somewhat, which will enable many of the miners to clean up the last season's work. Granville Sears & Co., who have an excellent quartz ledge in Willow Springs precinct, are running a tunnel to tip it lower down. The ore prospects well. Klippel & Co. have several men engaged in taking out and assorting quartz. Their ledge has increased in size and the ore looks very well. They crushed some of the richest in hand mortars during a portion of two days this week and got $320. A. Hatch sent 15 ounces of ore from his ledge on Jackson Creek to J. H. Fisk of Portland, assayer, and received a very favorable report, the assay showing about a dollar per ounce in gold and silver. The quartz is principally silver-bearing and very rich. E. Sanderson Smith has a large force of men at work on the Gold Hill Mining Co.'s mill, which was started up yesterday. It has a capacity of 15 tons a day and is expected to do good work. A large amount of excellent ore is already on the dump and much more in sight. It is to be hoped that this enterprise will prove remunerative, as the projectors deserve the fullest measure of success. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, June 9, 1888, page 369 NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, July 26: Considerable mining is now being done in Silver Creek district. The Sterling Co. is still piping, but will commence cleaning up before long. Geo. Jensen and Jacob Klippel are now prospecting the Col. Ish ledge, from which such rich ore was recently obtained. Desselles & Connell, proprietors of the Scotch gulch mines, near Waldo, made their final cleanup recently and did well. Chas. Agee, who has a claim not far from Kerbyville, took out several hundred dollars, notwithstanding the unfavorable winter. Henry Klippel, Thos. T. McKenzie, Jesse Simpson and others are prospecting on Applegate, and think they have struck a big thing. Thibeau Bros. of Ashland precinct have returned from a prospecting trip to the vicinity of the Three Sisters, where they obtained some excellent ore. Less than 1000 pounds of quartz from the Col. Ish ledge in Willow Springs precinct was crushed in Sanderson Smith's mill near Gold Hill last week, from which $116 was obtained. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 4, 1888, page 73 Clarence Coulter returned from Sitka during the week, and made so favorable a report of the Takou mine that his father, Samuel Coulter, purchased it for $45,000, George Harris of Seattle taking one-third. The owners propose stocking the mine and erecting a ten-stamp mill. Clarence and his family leave immediately for Juneau, Alaska. These gentlemen are interested in the Swinden mine near Gold Hill.--Jacksonville (Oregon) Times. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 11, 1888, page 93 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 2: Considerable prospecting is going on in Jackson and Josephine counties. Carpentier & Co. have taken possession of P. H. Oviatt's placer mines in Josephine County. Rev. J. R. Kennedy has struck some excellent quartz in Steamboat district. Piping is still progressing at J. T. Layton's mines in Farris Gulch, with excellent prospects. The Sterling Co. is still piping, having a good supply of water. They will commence cleaning up soon, however. J. W. Adams & Co., who have been engaged in placer mining in Eden precinct during the past season, are cleaning up with good prospects. Shearer & Finney of Steamboat are engaged in cleaning up. They found two good-sized nuggets recently, one of which weighed $40 and the other $60. Geo Jensen and Jacob Klippel are now engaged in prospecting the Col. Ish ledge in Willow Springs precinct, from which such rich ore was recently obtained. G. C. Culy of Steamboat district was in Jacksonville yesterday for the purpose of obtaining hardware for an arrastra. Abbott & Griffith, who purchased the old Fowler ledge of Richard Cook, are building. They have struck some very good quartz. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 11, 1888, page 97 QUARTZ AND PLACER.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 9: Work has been suspended at the Col. Ish ledge for the present. Green Bros. of Galice Creek are running a 150-foot tunnel to tap their ledge lower down, and are well along with their work. E. Sanderson Smith has several men at work on Gold Hill and is making good progress. Anton Rose, who rented Ennis & Cameron's placer claims in Galice Creek district last season, recently cleaned up with good results. Henry Ankeny, who has been working the Saltmarsh diggings on a large scale during the past season, will commence cleaning up soon. Wright & Pankey, of Willow Springs precinct, have struck another pocket of exceedingly rich quartz and have one of the best ledges in Southern Oregon. Mr. McIntosh, who claims to represent California capitalists, is in Josephine County for the purpose of bonding a large area of placer mines in Grave Creek district. Messrs. Goff, Davis and other miners from that section were at Grants Pass the forepart of the week for the purpose of arranging the preliminaries. Reub. Jones and Johnny Coyle, who purchased a large quantity of tailings from Green Bros. some time since, sold them in Portland, after concentrating them. They paid about $600 and sold them for over $4000. This is more evidence that the quartz from that ledge is quite rich in sulphurets as well as in free gold. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 18, 1888, page 113 BAD SEASON.--Jacksonville Times, April 11: The mining season is a comparative failure. Thomas Cook of Foots Creek district has struck some very rich quartz, and recorded his notices last Friday. From E. Manville we learn that Messrs. Harvey & Hart have struck an old channel on Jackass Creek which prospects as high as 25 cents to the pan. G. W. Bailey and son of Applegate precinct are prospecting a very promising quartz ledge, the ore from which is full of free gold and assays high. They are running two tunnels. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 20, 1889, page 279 STARTED UP.--Jacksonville Times, May 16: Stanley & Howell of the Homestake mine in Woodville precinct have started up their arrastra, with good prospects. The Waldo hydraulic company has invested in a drifting machine, which arrived recently. It is said to work well. The rains of the past month have afforded enough water to enable the placer miners to do some work. Those who have good water privileges will be able to make a short run. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 25, 1889, page 377 GOLD.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 28: About 20 men are engaged in the Steamboat mines, and if there is a good season next winter more than the usual amount of gold will be taken out. Reuben Creek prospectors report the finding of diggings on the higher bars along the stream that will pay eight to ten dollars per day to the man. Considerable gold will be taken out there the coming winter. The Warren quartz mill on Yreka Flats will be started up again soon, to crush quartz taken out at the Witherell ledge on the head of Spring Gulch, near the summit of Humbug. Well diggers at Manistee have discovered blue channel gravel under a stratum of sandstone 42 feet below the surface, and miners will prospect it extensively within the next few months. D. J. M. McCoy and others have about completed the building of a wing dam in front of the town of Gold Hill, and are ready to begin work on the gravel in the river bed that has never been mined in that quarter. The low water materially aids the enterprise. The river miners on the Klamath are commencing to hoist pay gravel again, their wing dams and machinery having been repaired and rebuilt since the terrific cloudburst of July 25, which caused such great damage along the river from Cottonwood Creek all the way down to Happy Camp. The Portland company, as the Portland Ditch and Hydraulic Gold Mining Company is called, now has about 40 men employed in their mining operations on Grave Creek. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 7, 1889, page 185 BORING.--Several residents of Ashland, Or., who have located mining ground in Cottonwood district, near Klamath River in this county, are now boring with an artesian well apparatus to tap the blue lead, or an ancient surface ground, and expect to strike it within 300 or 400 feet, which is supposed to contain gold in rich paying quantity. The tertiary strata of the Eocene, Miocene and Pliocene periods, in all the country along the Klamath River and its tributaries, have shown very rich prospects of gold, and in most places where fossil remains exist gold has been found, especially in the districts known to possess gold. The Hegler Bros. and Bruce Aldrich are running their steam quartz-mill on Humbug Creek, about 18 hours each day, not having water enough yet to supply the batteries for keeping the mill constantly in operation, Spencer & Co., on Humbug, are busily engaged in erecting their pumping and hoisting machinery received from below, and will soon be prepared to open their ledge on a more extensive and successful scale. Mr. J. F. Boyle is now at S.F., superintending the construction of a first-class and extensive quartz mill, for his mine at head of north fork at Humbug, and will soon have it shipped. The 25-horsepower engine to run it has already been hauled to the claim. "Siskiyou," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 9, 1889, page 358 PROSPECTS.--Jacksonville Times, Oct. 31: The prospects for a good mining winter are very fair. Mathis & Birdsey of Foots Creek precinct have everything in shipshape for a big run. Davis Bros., on Missouri Flat, are working five men and report excellent prospects. They show some very fine specimens of dust. Should there be a wet winter a large amount of gold dust will be extracted, for the miners are better prepared than ever for a good run; besides, most of them are now in their best paying ground. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 9, 1889, page 359 GRAVEL AND QUARTZ.--Jacksonville Times, Nov. 29: Some mining is being done in the bed of Jackson Creek, near town. Considerable prospecting is going on in Jackson and Josephine counties. Ennis and Cameron have everything in full blast at their Galice Creek mine. Considerable prospecting and locating is again being done on Briggs Creek, Josephine County. Piping has been going on at Henry Ankeny's mine in Sterlingville precinct for the past few weeks. A continuation of the rainstorm, which has been raging for the past few weeks, will start operations in all the mines. A 60-foot tunnel in the Ridgway & Ewing mine on Grave Creek gives indications of good returns in the near future. E. Band, who is now in the employ of the Sterling Mining Co., informs us that piping commenced at their mines last week. Kiesling Bros. of Williams Creek are down 75 feet on their main shaft, and show some splendid specimens of high-grade ore taken therefrom. Green Bros. are making good headway on their shaft on Galice Creek, and their ledge improves in both quality and quantity as they go down. J. T. Layton has everything in readiness for a big run at his mine on Farris Gulch. This is one of the most uniformly paying mines in the county. The Josephine County mines are attracting much attention from capitalists in all parts of the coast. Since the rains seem to have begun in earnest the mining population feel encouraged. A wet winter would put many thousands of dollars in circulation, for the miners were never better prepared to do good work. John B. Irwin has discovered one of the richest free-gold properties ever found in the state, in Union County. The quantity is large, and the best judges say it is a free-milling composition of at least $100 to the ton in gold. Good prospects are reported from the vicinity of the Holman ledge, in Jackson Creek district. Work is still progressing there, a fine vein of ore having been struck by the tunnel run by J. H. Huffer and others. Crow & Thorndike are now sole proprietors of the promising quartz ledge discovered near Galice Creek district some time since, having purchased the interest of their partners. They are working the ore in an arrastra. Samuel Sterling, an old and well-known miner in Southern Oregon, has struck rich placer mines on the headwaters of Coquille. He reports having also found a very rich quartz ledge in the same vicinity. The new discoveries lately made by Mr. Sterling are near the old "Johnson Diggings," located near the adjoining corners of Coos, Curry, Douglas, and Josephine counties. The rich pay gravel which is now being worked out in the Wadleigh mine on Illinois River, is directly underneath the rich diggings worked over by Wimer and others in early days, a substratum of pipe clay intervening between the two gravel beds. At the time of the cave-in recently, the Wadleigh mine had already paid a handsome dividend over and above the expense of running 30 men, not to speak of hoisting machinery lately purchased, costing nearly $1000. A person going into the drift with a candle can see the specks of yellow metal in the gravel on either side. The cave was caused by water percolating through the bed of pipe clay that now forms the bed of the river. The water can be turned out above, and the mine will soon be in operation again. The discovery of the lower deposit of gravel was a fortunate circumstance for the proprietors, especially as the claim is on school land, to which they hold title, and the sub-deposit seems to be of unlimited extent. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 7, 1889, page 433 GRAVEL.--A correspondent of the Ashland Record says W. H. Smith at Cottonwood Creek in this county is at present piping off about 40 feet of pipe clay and adobe mud. He has uncovered from four to five feet of fine blue gravel, and it prospects splendidly. He is undoubtedly located on the old blue lead that traverses this county from north to south, and he is working on the east rim. "Siskiyou," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 21, 1889, page 468 Oregon Quartz and Placer Mines.
EDITORS PRESS:
Your correspondent met Mr. Gordon, well known in Healdsburg, Cal., who
reports some valuable discoveries on the headwaters of the Sixes and
its tributaries in the northern part of Curry County, Oregon. Mr.
Gordon shows rich specimens of gold-bearing quartz from Sucker and
Johnsons creeks in Coos County, where he and his partner, Mr. Hayes,
have staked out claims that they intend to work as soon as the weather
permits. Mr. Gordon also showed me a specimen of native copper, samples
of which have been assayed two or three times, proving to be 95 percent
copper.The Devilbiss brothers, the discoverers of quartz mines on Johnsons Creek, are working their mine and are very much encouraged at their prospects, getting free gold and rich quartz. There are a number of good placer mines being worked lower down on Johnsons Creek, and on Sucker Creek also. Mr. More is working a hydraulic mine on Salmon Creek, also a tributary of the South Fork of the Coquille River in Coos County. Others, who have prospected on the south side of Johnsons Mountain, report good prospects and have found gold in paying quantities. There has also been considerable placer mining along the west fork of Cow Creek, in Douglas County. Prospectors who have been through that section declare that valuable mines are quite likely to be developed along that creek. Another Californian, who has traveled the past two summers over Douglas and Coos counties, claims to have discovered a coal mine and a petroleum spring in Camas Valley, near the divide between Coos and Douglas counties. Mr. Gorsline, of Roseburg, has opened a coal mine, located fourteen miles west of this place, that yields a good quality of coal for fuel, and the vein is four feet or more in thickness. Not far from this mine is a spring having indications of petroleum. The Roseburg papers publish the news of a preliminary survey that has been made to see if water can be brought from the East Umpqua into the Myrtle Creek placer mines. The survey proves the scheme to be a feasible one. The proposed ditch will be about twenty miles long, or by making two tunnels the distance can be shortened four or five miles. The canal or ditch will be eight feet wide on top, five on the bottom and carry two and a half feet of water. These placer mines were formerly worked and were remunerative when plenty of water could be obtained, but should the mining fail the water can be used for power and for transporting lumber made from the timber growing near, to Myrtle Creek, a station on the O.&C.R.R. I was shown several rich specimens of gold quartz found near the head of the East Umpqua by an old miner, who also showed a rich specimen of native copper found in the same section. I hear that the quicksilver mines above Oakland have been shut down, owing to the low price of that metal. Croppings of chrome ore and other metals suitable for paint have been found in several places. It is claimed by those who have traveled over the different ranges that the mineral belt extends for two hundred miles along Rogue River range, continuing northward in the Cascades. There is no doubt that enterprise and capital will reap rich rewards if they will develop and thoroughly work the mineral resources of the county, proving that these ranges and their spurs were not made in vain or merely as obstructions to travel and settlement of the county. E. E. DEMING.
"Oregon,"
Mining
and Scientific Press, San Francisco, January 4,
1890, page 2MINING NEWS.
The miners are happy at last.
Notices for the location of placer and quartz mines, etc., for sale at the Times office. The American Mining Code, standard authority on all subjects pertaining to all mining, water rights, etc., is kept for sale at the Times office. Snow still lies several feet deep in the higher hills, which ensures several months' run for all the miners. No doubt more gold dust will be extracted from the placers of Southern Oregon this season than during many of those past put together. Alex. Orme has sold his placer mines on Foots Creek to John Bailey and his son Charley for $1000, and will hereafter pay exclusive attention to quartz mining. He has a very rich and well-defined ledge, from which he has extracted several thousand dollars. Al. Sturgis, who is running a big placer mine on Jackass Creek, was in Jacksonville Tuesday, from whom we learned that he has already moved more dirt than he did during the two years past. He expects to be able to pipe into midsummer, when he will no doubt make a big cleanup. Great damage was done by the February freshet to mining interests in the southern part of Josephine County. Desselles & Connell's ditch was obliterated in some places and badly hurt throughout, and it will take several months of labor to right matters. Simmons, Ennis & Co.'s big dam in Illinois River was also swept away and more or less damage done to their ditch. Wadleigh & Co. were injured the least, and they have already finished repairs and are piping. Wm. Bybee's ditches were damaged so much that he does not deem it advisable to fix them. Nearly all of the other miners in Josephine County were injured more or less. Democratic Times, Jacksonville, February 27, 1890, page 3 GRANTS PASS.--Cor. Rogue River Courier, Feb. 20: There are several discoveries of croppings of galena and galena sulphurets that are very promising; and I have examined several specimens of silver ores, carrying chlorides and copper stain that were very rich. From reliable reports there are some large lodes of these ores, prospected and partly developed. I have also noticed that nearly all of the gold-bearing quartz carries a large percentage of sulphurets carrying gold. Now all these facts, if generally known to the mining world, should interest capital in erecting a plant for sampling, milling and smelting works, more profitable than at any other point in Oregon. It is well known that in many parts of California there are many mines rich in chlorides that would be of immense value if the galena mines or the fluxes were at hand necessary to work them. Many miles of the mountain ranges in Shasta County, Cal., are of iron formation, carrying a low grade of silver ores, especially those of Iron Mountain mine, that would be very valuable if there were galena mines nearby so that ores could be mixed and smelted. Now you have here, around and near Grants Pass, the mines, the smelting ores and all the fluxes necessary to work them, and a company should be formed to start milling and sampling works to develop these vast deposits of wealth. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, March 1, 1890, page 149 GOLD DUST.--Jacksonville Times, March 29: Considerable gold dust has already been taken out here and there, and the amount will increase as the season progresses. Repairs have been completed at the Sterling M. Co.'s mines, and piping was begun a few days ago. A big run will no doubt be made there. There is still plenty of water and miners are making the most of it. A vast amount of gold dust will no doubt be taken from the placers this season. Breeden & Schumpf struck a pocket in their ledge on Applegate last week, from which they took over $280. This is the same mine which John Swinden is now interested in. J. O. McGee of Williams Creek, who was in Jacksonville yesterday, informed us that J. T. Layton had nearly completed repairing his ditches, and would probably commence piping in a short time. John Swinden has bought a half interest in the Adelphi mine on Applegate, formerly owned by Breeden & Schumpf, and will continue to work the same in partnership with Mr. B. The consideration was $1000. E. Sanderson Smith is looking after Griffith & Co.'s quartz mine in the Steamboat district, and will prospect the same thoroughly in the interests of outside capitalists. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 5, 1890, page 233 PIPING.--Jacksonville Times, April 6: Piping is progressing at the Sterling mines at a lively rate. A big cleanup will no doubt be made there. Lansing & Drake of Brush Creek have been cleaning up some ground stripped by the February flood and did well, picking up some nice pieces of gold. E. Sanderson Smith is in Steamboat district, engaged in prospecting Griffith & Co.'s quartz ledge for capitalists abroad. He has two shifts of men at work. John T. Layton of Applegate precinct has finished repairing his ditch and will commence piping at once. John Miller's extensive mines on Farmers Flat were so badly damaged by the February flood that he found it impossible to operate them this year. He may abandon them altogether if the cost of putting them into good shape again will cost as much as he thinks it will. Mr. Miller has expended several thousand dollars there, and we are sorry to learn that his loss has been so great. A choice specimen of ore from the ledge of G. A. Tyler, near Grants Pass, was laid on our table this week. It is said to assay almost 70 percent of tin, and as the ledge is 12 feet wide and has been traced for a distance of three miles or over, the discovery of its value naturally caused considerable excitement in the vicinity of Grants Pass. Dr. E. B. Stone of this place is now engaged in analyzing the ore to verify the assay made at San Francisco. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 12, 1890, page 251 PIPING.--Jacksonville Times, May 10: The Wadleigh mine near Waldo is operating four pipes and uncovering lots of ground. J. Dysert of Wolf Creek is employing three men at piping in his mine. The rain this week increased the water supply and will prolong mining operations somewhat. A number of the miners are engaged in cleaning up and considerable gold dust is being taken out. M. Mansfield, W. R. Mansfield and P. R. Wallis each located claims in the Applegate district last week. Cameron & Ennis have suspended piping at their Galice Creek mines for the present, and will repair the ditch damaged by last winter's storms, expecting to be able to pipe several weeks longer thereby. The famous old Fowler ledge in Steamboat district is liable to be heard from in loud tones again in a short time, as most favorable reports come from there of rich prospects. It has always been a mystery how the ledge ran out so suddenly after turning out so many thousands of dollars in gold, and expert miners have long been of the opinion that the pay streak would be found again. E. S. Smith has been superintending a force of men there for the past few months, who are now well into the mountain, in the interest of the new owners. Jonathan Bourne and J. B. Hammond, who have bought out Griffith & Co.'s interest in the mine. A big strike in that section would do much to revive confidence in the quartz ledges of Southern Oregon, and we trust their best hopes may be realized. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, May 24, 1890, page 349 HYDRAULIC COMPANIES.--Grants Pass Courier, April 10: The four hydraulic mining companies on Williams Creek, viz: Elick Watts, Bigham & Co., Sparlin & Co. and J. T. Layton & Co., are all running with plenty of water in pay dirt. The Pacific Hydraulic & Gold Mining Co., on Grave Creek, are working two pipes night and day. The high water damaged their mine considerably by washing out two bridges, otherwise they would have had six pipes playing on pay dirt. The Grants Pass Mining & Lime Co. are operating on their lime claim, three miles east of Woodville on Wards Creek. They have burnt one kiln of 850 bushels, and from this time on will burn six kilns every four weeks. They expect in the near future to construct a pot kiln with which they will burn 100 barrels of lime per day; this will require an expenditure of over $3000. This is one of the best lime quarries on the coast. Long years ago a couple of miners struck quartz on Horseheaven Creek, a tributary of Williams Creek. Patiently they toiled in developing their ledge; and after working down on the ledge, to further demonstrate the richness of their find, they started a tunnel from the face of the hill many feet below. With common black powder and drill they penetrated the hill some 60 feet, but failed to find their ledge which gave such rich promise higher up. Vainly they run side drifts, no ledge could be found, and after years of toil and the utter depletion of their money they abandoned the mine. A third of a century rolled away. Rubbish and a tangled growth of wild weeds and underbrush had obliterated all signs of the work these men had done. The mine was forgotten, and even tradition failed to note its locality. The flood of 1890 came; the saturated hillside lost its hold on the long-hidden bedrock, and with a roar and a crash it came down. But there was no one near to hear the uproar made by the falling mountainside, for it was far out in the peopleless mountains. Recently Mr. S. Messenger happened in the vicinity of the old forgotten mine, and going to it, found that the landslide had completely denuded the face of the hill, revealing a well-defined ledge, and also how near, how very near, the disheartened miners had come of striking the sought-for ledge. By a strange freak the ledge had veered from its indicated course, and by a very few feet the miners of long ago missed it. Mr. Messenger is an experienced quartz miner, and after fully testing the rock is satisfied it is good. He is now preparing to work it. It is free gold, and one or more arrastras will be put to work on it right away, the machinery for which is now ordered. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, April 19, 1890, page 267 ASSESSMENT NOTICE.
The Umpire Gold and Silver Mining and
Milling Company. Location of principal place of business, San
Francisco, California. Location of works, Wagner Creek mining district,
Jackson County, Oregon.Notice is hereby given that at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors, held on Friday, the 27th day of June, 1890, an assessment (No. l), of one and one-half (1½) cents per share was levied upon the capital stock of the corporation, payable immediately, in United States gold coin, to the Secretary, at the office of the Company, No. 105 Stockton Street, Room 77, San Francisco, Californi.a Any stock upon which this assessment shall remain unpaid on the 6th day of August, 1890, will be delinquent and advertised for sale at public auction, and unless payment is made before, will be sold on Wednesday, the 27th day of August, 1890, to pay the delinquent assessment, together with costs of advertising and expenses of sale. By order of the Board of Directors. F. A. DAVIS,
Secretary.
Office--No. 105 Stockton Street, Room
77, San Francisco, California.Golden Gate, San Francisco, July 5, 1890, page 5 A CLEANUP.--Grants Pass Courier, July 16: Mr. H. B. Whiting has cleaned up in his mine near Kerbyville, and intends this fall to bring in a ditch from Sucker Creek so he can work his claim the entire year. Nick Thoss and James Ferren are engaged in mining on Silver Creek above the falls. They will endeavor to break the falls so they can mine the ground above which is known to be very rich, but not having sufficient fall has not been worked. Frank Dessenger, while in the city this week, kindly showed us a nugget taken from the hydraulic mine owned by John S. Haverly on Canyon Creek, which weighed $20.10. Messrs. Frank Norris, John F. Ryan and E. Baldwin were in the city from their Reuben Creek mines Saturday, reporting the diggings to be paying well, and that they had taken out 24 ounces in two weeks and three days, numerous nuggets weighing from $1 to $30, and that their claims were paying $10 per day to the man. PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, July 19: The Illinois River district will be thoroughly prospected this summer. A cleanup was made al John Goff's hydraulic mine near Leland recently, with the best of results. Lance & Duffield have done well al their mines in Foots Creek district, cleaning up over $3000 this season. One of the best cleanups in southern Oregon was made at the placer mines of Hosmer & Anderson in Foots Creek district. It is stated that they took out $5000 in gold dust. Norris, Ryan & Baldwin report having taken out 24 ounces of dust in 16 days recently, including nuggets ranging from $1 up to $30, from the Reuben Creek mines. The ground above the falls in Silver Creek will be worked by Nick Thoss and James Ferren this season. They will have to break the falls in order to reach the richer diggings. A local exchange says that the Brookfield & Griffiths quartz ledge near Tolo will be worked by a company, and a 10-stamp mill erected this summer. Eight men are now at work in the mine. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, July 26, 1890, page 53 PLACER NOTES.--Jacksonville Times, Aug. 4: The Sterling Mining Co. is about ready to commence cleaning up, having had a good supply of water for several months past. Work is still being prosecuted by the Jacksonville M. & M. Co. on its quartz ledge in Jackson Creek district. J. M. Mansfield, R. Moulton and Geo. R. Strickler are reported to have struck rich pay gravel on Jacks Creek, a branch of Jumpoff Joe. Eight ounces of dust in 15 days is the showing that Ab Giddings is reported to have made in his mine on Hungry Creek a short time since. The season just ending has been a propitious one for most of the miners of Jackson and Josephine counties, who have generally made good cleanups. Jack Curtis is doing well at his claim on Beaver Creek, having abundance of water and fine prospects. He made a showing of $22.50 in two and a half days' work recently. Adams & Wyant, who are working the placer mines east of Talent, unearthed what seems to be a superior cinnabar deposit. It is being thoroughly prospected at present. S. C. Stockton and Jas. Hopkins have struck the old channel gravel, rich in coarse gold, at the head of Wolf Creek, alter two seasons' search, and are correspondingly happy. Ennis & Cameron have finished cleaning out their Galice Creek ditch, which was seriously damaged by last winter's storms, and will soon commence preparations for next season. Among Louse Creek miners who have done well this season are Messrs. Rowe, Beck, Pelton and Hull, who have taken $1200 out of the old Maury claim in two months' time. Messrs. Litton, Pankey, Barnett and Hallock have all done well. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, August 16, 1890, page 107 PROSPECTING.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 6: Considerable prospecting is now going on in Southern Oregon. Thirty tons of quartz from the Spence mine near Yreka recently yielded $3230 in gold. Reuben Creek miners have all done well this season and made big wages, says a correspondent. The ore now being taken out at the old Swinden mine promises so well that the parties who are working it are having it sacked. Work is still being continued at the old Gold Hill mine under the supervision of E. Sanderson Smith, the mining expert, and it is reported that the prospects for a rich strike are much better than ever. The Goff & Chapin hydraulic mine in Josephine County has been bonded by the owners to Portland parties for $10,000. The same parties expect to secure options on several other mines in that section. Philip Mullen of Steamboat was here on Wednesday, from whom we learned that work is progressing on the shaft of the mine controlled by E. S. Smith as rapidly as possible, and that the prospects are good. San Francisco capitalists and mining experts have bonded the group of copper mines near Waldo, with the intention of soon developing some, and possibly constructing a railroad to the main line to transport the ore, which is very rich, assays showing 40½ percent of copper. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 13, 1890, page 171 CINNABAR.--Jacksonville Times, Sept. 20: The work of reopening the cinnabar mines on Wagner Creek goes on gradually but surely. Philip Mullen, who is prospecting a promising ledge on the Siskiyou side of the mountains, is making a favorable showing. Root & Boswell, who bonded Dr. Braden's mines near Gold Hill, have a large force of men at work and are realizing five ounces and upward a day. From the Mountain Lion mine in Josephine County a good quality of ore has been taken for some time past, and a quartz mill will soon prove its richness. Lack of water has compelled Henry & Messenger on Horse Creek to suspend their arrastra for a time, and they are now at work on their shaft and tunnels. Logg, McDonnell & Attenberry of Forest Creek have finished a ditch that covers some excellent mining ground, and will furnish them a liberal supply of water. Ennis & Cameron are building a large reservoir at their Galice Creek mines and making general preparations for the winter. They will be able to commence piping as soon as the reservoir is finished. The Waldo copper mines in Josephine County have been bonded by a party of San Francisco capitalists. The assays on this mine from four different samples average 40½ percent. Some work has already been done, consisting of one tunnel 70 feet in length and a shaft of 50 feet, which shows a large amount of rich-looking ore. THE CINNABAR MINES.--Ashland Tidings, Sept. 13: Large bodies of rich cinnabar ore in the Siskiyou Mountains southwest of Ashland and Wagner buttes attracted the attention of prospectors years ago, and considerable quicksilver has been taken out of mines there. Messrs. Henry Klippel and M. Caton, of Jacksonville, operated the Emmeline cinnabar mine there some years ago, and took out some ten tons, but having no facilities for working the ore to good advantage, they suspended operations. Recently Mr. McGee went out to examine the property of the Emmeline Cinnabar Mining Co., and was so much pleased with the character of the ore and the good prospects generally that he and Francis Fitch, of Medford, have bonded the mines for a year, and are now employing a number of men in running tunnels, sinking a shaft, ground sluicing and other prospect work. The prospects are reported to be satisfactory, and it is believed that the work of obtaining the quicksilver from the ore will be commenced before winter with such means as may be possible for temporary operations. The operations of these mines upon a large scale would be of vast benefit to Jackson. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, September 27, 1890, page 203 MINERAL WEALTH OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY.--Courier, Oct. 25: Col. A. J. Straight expresses the opinion that there is enough ore in sight in Josephine County to justify the building of a road to Grants Pass; and further than that, he considers this county one of the most promising fields on the Pacific Coast for experienced mineralogists, for he believes that not only gold and copper mines will be found in Josephine in abundance, but nearly all the other metals--silver, tin and nickel. He has also found excellent limestone, fine gravel and sandstone for building purposes. He added that if Colorado or Montana contained such unexplored fields of wealth they would make more noise about it than Chicago is doing over the World's Fair, and would get men of experience, men from all parts of the world. Thousands of dollars have been taken out of this county, but in the next 25 years there will be dollars where there have been cents. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, November 1, 1890, page 285 Mines of Southern Oregon.
Ashland Tidings
The rock taken out of the Bill Willis claim down near Merlin took the
eye of P. Lyttleton, who is an old miner, and is familiar with the
character of the rock which has yielded the big returns in the Nevada
mines, and he declares that it is the first rock he has seen from any
ledge yet discovered in this part of the country which has excited him
and led him to expect large developments. Consequently Mr. L. sent a
sample of the rock to Portland by C. W. Ayers, and on his return Mr.
Ayers made a report so encouraging that the two gentlemen went down to
Merlin last Monday and each located an extension upon the claim of
Willis, Martin and Miller. This makes five extensions already located.
Not satisfied with their locations, Mr. Ayers has bonded the half
interest of Mr. Willis in the original claim. He has gone to Albany and
Portland, and expected to interest parties there in the enterprise
within ten days. The ledge located appears to be a continuation of the
old Lucky Queen ledge, which is well known in the mining history of
Southern Oregon.
A renewal of beach mining may be looked for shortly. A company is now being formed in San Francisco to work this beach with a patent invention of their own.--Crescent City Record. The Medford Mail reports that Francis Fitch and the mining man who joined him in bonding the Emmeline cinnabar mine in the Siskiyous have made about $30,000 in the transaction, having sold the property to a new company for $35,000. They bonded the mine for a year at $2500, it is said. Oregonian, Portland, December 4, 1890, page 9 MINING ITEMS.--Jacksonville Times, Dec. 12: Dr. J. M. Taylor, late of Ashland, who has been dealing in mines for some time past, has bonded the Dysert gravel mine in Josephine County for $15,000. John Huffer, assisted by John Jenson, succeeded in opening a way through the caved-in debris into the long-abandoned Holman tunnel No. 1, up Jackson Creek, this week. In the mud on the inside of the tunnel were plainly visible the footprints of the last man who visited it some years ago, he having gained access to it through a side drift connecting with the second Holman tunnel. The black sulphurets, which have been attracting so much attention recently, are not as plentiful as anticipated in either tunnel; but a thorough investigation will be made with a view to further development of the ledges. In the main tunnel opened this week, after passing the debris, the timbers are as sound as the day they were put in. Messrs. Miller, Martin & Beswick of Ashland have been making a careful investigation of their mine near Merlin with the intention of putting in reduction machinery. "Oregon," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 20, 1890, page 397 Last revised October 26, 2024 |
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