10
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, MAY 10, 1908.
COPPER MINES
HEAR PORTLAND
Valuable Property on Upper
Washougal River Is Be
ing Developed.
FIND BIG ORE BODIES
Continuous Work for Past Seven
Years Shows Up Mammoth Cop
per Proposition That May
Rival Greatest Producers.'
Some maintain that the farthest frontier
has vanished; that the romance of the
West has grone with the cowboy and the
buffalo and that since the days of '49, the
glamor of American mining camps has
vanisnea. But they are wrong. Portland
people do not generally know that within
J5 miles of the city, as the crow files,
there Is a real mining camp in operation.
About the camp there is the glamor of
romance that clung to the California
mines in the days of Bret Harte. In this
camp is one place, outside of melodrama,
where people wear blue flannel shirts.
This property, so close to Portland and
so little known, is a real mining camp.
One miner died there and a child was
born In those hills. Two women live there
In rude log cabins. At the bottom of the
gulch, along whose sides are perched the
cabins, Shirt Creek dashes noisily. The
baby that had such a rouEh birthnlace
has been named Shirt Creek Belle Master-
son, and is the daughter of the master
mechanic at the mine. The miners are
planning for a christening soon, when a
padre will be brought into the camp over
the mountain roads and the miners will
gather from the camps for miles around
to give this child, the first born in the
district, an appropriate start In life.
Mystery hung over the man who died
at the camp. He was an unknown, one
of those men who never tell their past
for reasons perhaps best known to them
selves. He died of heart disease, sud
denly, and nobody in the camp ever knew
his name.' But the miners gave him a
Christian burial and he sleeps peacefully
In the mountains, far from the busy out
side world.
On the headwaters of the Washougal
River, in Skamania County, Washington,
this mining camp is located. The Wash
ougal Gold & Copper Mining Company is
developing a property there that is prov
ing a surprise to people who are allowed
to go through the drifts and see the rich
quality of the ore and the large quantity
In sight. Few Portland people have ever
been through the tunnels on the property
but those who have seen the mine in
operation have expressed wonder that
such an extensive property should be
developed within such a short distance
of Portland and so little be known
about It.
. Vast Ore Bodies in Sight.
The management of the company has
preferred to do sufficient work to show
the extent of the ore bodies before saying
anything about the mine or making pre
dictions of what It will produce. This
development work has been accomplished.
Not only does the ore assay high but
there is a wide ledge that has been traced
for over a mile on the surface of the
ground, while two tunnels that cross cut
the vein at different levels, show that the
ledge widens and Increases In value as
lower levels are reached.
Vast quantities of ore of very high
grade are in sight now. None can predict
what the property will produce In copper
and gold. But many believe it will rival
If not outdo some of the most famous
copper mining camps in the country.
Very extensive development work has
been done. During the past seven years,
about $300,000 has been expended in this
way. The property covers 1400 acres in
the Lower St. Helens district. In the
neighborhood of Bald Mountain. To carry
supplies and machinery to the mines,
which are located 16 miles from Cape
Horn, It was necessary to construct a
wagon Toad four miles from the crossing
of Silver Creek, a task that would have
daunted any less hardy than the owners
of the property. But they set to work
and laid out and built a road through
what was formerly an almost Impassable
mountain country. Besides, they Im
proved the main road from the Columbia
River to Silver Creek and are still doing
considerable work to keep the thorough
fare In good condition. Now the road is
In such good shape that the company's
teams travel over it daily in bringing- in
supplies and .In transporting the smelter
and reduction plant that the company is
taking In to set up and operate at the
wines.
The properties of the Washougal Com
pany were located in November 25, 1900,
by F. A. Mabee. its president. This was
Jio smiling country, waiting to be wooed,
but a forbidding, inaccessible mountain
district that had to be won, and had the
locator of the property been any less
indomitable and courageous than he is,
the rich copper ledges would still be
lying there, awaiting development. Even
after cabins had been built and work
Btarted In tunneling to crosscut the ledge,
a forest fire swept the mountains five
years ago and wiped out all the improve
ments that had been made. Not to be
discouraged, however, work was resumed.
Other discouragements followed but Mr.
Mabee swept them aside and kept up
work when others would have despaired.
Now he may well be proud of what has
been accomplished for a mammoth copper
property has rewarded his patience and
courage.
Tunnels Open Up Ledges.
Mr. Mabee found the outcropplngs of
the copper ledges on the Washougal com
pany's properties and commenced work on
the Nellie and Twin Baby properties,
where, the principal development has been
done. 'A shaft was sunk on the ledge 60
feet. The ore increased In value with
dopth, and then a tunnel was commenced
T feet down the mountain side. This
was driven in 390 feet, with 150 feet open
ing on the ledge, the tunnel being In the
form of a "T." Three hundred feet fur
ther down the mountain the main working
tunnel was driven 650 feet lonr with 1000
feet of ore exposed. This tunnel shows a
ledge 17 feet wide and proves the exist
ence of a true fissure vein that widens
and grows richer with depth.
The driving of these tunnels was a work
of years. They are both blasted through
solid granite, and dynamite and supplies
for the workmen had to be carried in on
the backs of men and horses, for a large
part of the work, over the steepest and
most dangerous of mountain trails. The
tipper tunnel is all hand work. For the
lower tunnel a compressed-air drill out
fit was Installed.
A sawmill has been built on the prop
erty, run by a gasoline engine of 25 horse
power, which also runs the air com
pressor. Sullivan drills are used and the
tunnel has been laid with track and piped.
Ore cars are used to bring out the rock,
and several hundred thousand tons of ore
has been taken out and is piled up await
ing the starting of the smelter.
The smelting plant is now on its way In
to the mines. Part of the machinery la
already on the ground, and the remainder
Is at Cape Horn awaiting transportation
In, Teams are at work carrying this ma-
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;- T.jif" &K&yf ' "iff' Sit;) MT-graz,
terlal to the mine, and the smelter will be
set up and in operation before Fall.
An ore crusher is also being taken In,
and a 100-ton concentrating plant will be
operated. Machinery has also been pur
chased and has arrived at Cape Horn on
Its way to the mine for a complete electric
water-power plant, to be operated by a
Pelton wheel. This will light, the camp.
run the machinery, operate ore elevators
and ore belts, besides furnishing all the
power needed around the mine.
With the installation of the electric
power plant an electric sinking outfit will
bo put In with a pumping power of not
less than 200 gallons per minute.. Black
smith shops and all the tools and appa
ratus needed to carry on the work at the
present stage of development are on the
ground, and the property is fortunate in'
having thoroughly practical mining men
in control, for all, from President Mabee
down, are familiar with ores and - the
workings of a mine.
Assayer on the Property.
An assay office has Just been completed
and Frank W.- Harper, an assayer for
merly with the Green Consolidated, who
is a graduate of the School of Mines,
Raleigh, Mo., has been employed and is
on the ground. '
Buildings are substantial at the mine,
and the new structures are being built of
lumber from the company mill, instead of
logs, as the first cabins were constructed.
One splendid feature of the property is
the large amount of available timber on
the land held by the Washougal Gold &
Copper Mining Company. All the tim
ber that may be needed for the develop
ment of the mines Is there handy to the
workings. Donkey engines snake' the
timber up to the sawmill, where it is
converted into lumber. A fortunate fea
ture of the development is the accessi
bility of the material for timbering the
tunnels. If this timber had to be hauled
from a distance it would prove very ex
pensive on account of the character of
the country, but as it is on the com
pany's own land, there Is no difficulty
In securing all that is needed without
cost.' The tunnels so far run, however,
require very little timbering, owing . to
the solid granite walls that have to be
cut through to reach the ore veins. But
some timbering at the mouths of tunnels
Is necessary.
The same can be said of water, for
never was there a better supply for a
mine than at the Washougal properties.
f'';-'1 - i-- ; l Whs
-ysi
s4JY 0&rjDlST7
There are numerous streams of the
purest water for all sorts of purposes
and so swift Is Short Creek that a flume
is now being built by the men at the
camp for divertingvthe water from this
stream and operating the power plant
with it. A flume 1700 feet long has been
run along the side of the gulch, taking
water from the creek above the mill,
which will be dropped down the side of
the mountain : several hundred feet to
operate- the electric power plant. -.
Curing the first season that Mr. Mabee
was in the Bald Mountain district he located-
about ' 15 properties. Since that
time these claims have been constantly
added to, until a great tract of country,
all traversed by similar ledges of rich
copper ore, has been secured. Work
has been done on these other ledges to
show they will' some day, when devel
oped, rival the Nellie and Twin Baby
mines, upon - which the most work is
being done. '..
Near the junction of Shirt and Blue
Bird creeks, below the Washougal Com
pany's camp, but on Its land, several
rich : ledges ' have beer uncovered and
men are blasting tunnels to discover the
extent of the ore bodies. Further down
Blue Bird Creek are other ledges, where
work is being carried on regularly.
Above the. main camp are the Golden
Bow, Copper King and other ledges. The
Golden Bow has a 30-foot ledge that Is
rich - In copper, silver and free milling
gold.
Ore Will Last for Years.
These properties will be developed
later, but with the ledge already opened
In the Nellie and Twin Baby claims,
there Is ore enough In sight to take a
lifetime In working it. By sinking and
drifting on the ledges cross-cut by the
tunnels, it will take many years to get
out the ore and mill It.
During the past week an Oregonlan
representative visited the properties of
the Washougal Gold & - Copper Mining
Company, reports of whose big ore ledges
had come to this paper. Unlike many
mines managed principally ' for the sale
of stock to an unsuspecting public, the
Washougal Company was very willing to
have its properties investigated and fur
nished every facility for a -careful exam
ination of the mine.
The upper tunnel was - gone through
and the ledge examined where it was
cut. The vein of ore stands nearly ver
tical and outcrops for several hundred
feet on the surface. Lying some 70 feet
back and at a little higher elevation Is
another outcrop of quartz, which Indi
cates a parallel vein that is a much larger
and more extensive ore body than that
now being developed.
The vein filling is quartz and is much
oxidized down to the upper adit or tun
nel, although bunches of erubescite or
variegated copper ore . are frequently
found in the enclosed quartz still un
oxidized and carrying high values. Much
of this oxidized ore Is a blue and green
carbonate of malachite and azurite.
'. Where the upper tunnel strikes the
vein Is a distance of 300 feet vertically
from the surface outcropplngs. The en
closing rock of the vein Is hard and good
holding ground and needs no timbering,
either In the country rock or in the vein.
In fact, both are so tight that only a
few drops of water seep through. The
vein is a true fissure vein, as mining
experts have proved.
.The lower tunnel. 300 feet down the
mountain, which crosscuts the ledge,
proves that the vein increases In width
and richness the further down It 'goes.
While the vein was about six feet wide
In the upper tunnel. If. spreads out to
17 feet in the lower adit. The ore Is
much - richer and it is believed it in
creases In value further down. A hoist
will be put in and drifts will be run on
the ledge from the T In the lower tunnel.
: But the ore already uncovered and
blocked out. is rich enough to satisfy
anyone. Ore taken from anywhere on
the vein' runs from $25 to 200 in cop
per, silver and gold values, the bulk
of the metal being copper.
Will Stope Out Ore.
An upraise is now being made from
where the lower tunnel crosscuts the
vein - to the upper tunnel, giving a
ventilating shaft that will clear the
smoke away after blasting and the
ore will then be stoped out between
the two levels. Work has already
started- on -this upraise.
President Mabee was asked to have
a good-sized shot put in that would
bring down a quantity of the ore for
the inspection of The Oregonlan man
to see the character of the rock the
upraise will bring out. He very oblig
ingly gave orders to that effect and a
shot brougm down about 70 tons. The
first three carloads, of a ton each, were
brought out and dumped at tha mouth
of the tunnel, where a good look could
be given It.
The ore was not selected or picked
over, but was run out just as it fell,
and.it contained a quantity of the
granite wall rock that was shattered
and came down with the pre. The ore
was all rich, some of it. exceedingly so.
The rich black sulphurets were per
haps the most valuable part of the ore
and under a glass this showed up in
a splendid manner. This part of the
ore was so soft that It broke Into small
pieces from the force of the explosion,
but . after, the .coarse !ore was thrown
on the dump, awaiting reduction, the
fine stuff wasshoveled up In ore sacks
and piled.
Some of the chunks of ore that came
out in' these three cars would assay 30
per cent copper. The green .malachite
that appears to be barren has fairly
good value. The rock as a whole In
this- lot was very rich and fully justi
fies President Mabee's faith in the
property that has kept him steadily at
work In Its development despite many
discouragements.
The ore will be crushed by the ma
chinery now being taken Into the mine
and run through the smelter that will
be put up during the coming Summer.
A contract for the brick for the chim
ney of the smelter was let during the
past week. Then , the ore will be run
Into a matte and this hauled out to
Cape Horn and shipped -away to mar
RENTjiTcE horn A kSSal Ln j-J U
ket. Some of the ore, notably the
black sulphurets, is so rich that it will
be hauled out In sacks, as the per cent
of copper Is as high -as it would be
after smelting.
J. H. Flsk, the well-known mining ex
pert, who died last year in Naples, while
on a tdur of the world, made an exam
ination of the Washougal properties in
June, 1905, and reported very favorably
upon them. At that time only the upper
tunnel had been run but he advised
driving a second on the lower level,
which was done later and fully justified
Mr. Flak's prediction as to the extent
and value of the ore ledges. Had Mr.
Fisk lived, he would have seen his
fondest hopes for the property realized.
Mr. Flsk's report, which contained the
results of careful assays of the ore. Is
now in the possession of President Mabee.
Capitalized at Million.
The .Washougal Gold & Copper Mining
Company Is capitalized at $1,000,000, which
seems very low considering the value
of the property and the extent of the ore
bodies In sight. However, the company
was not formed to sell stock, as the
stock is closely held and the capitaliza
tion is fully paid up.
Much credit should be given Mr. Ma
bee for his courage In the development
of the mine, for he spent money and
energy from the time the property was
only a prospect. He has prospected In
the best-known mining districts of the
country, however, and his Judgment in
locating ore bodies has proved to be
excellent.
He is fortunate in having a capable
corps of assistants. There are over 40
men employed at the mine. George
Kramer, one of the directors of the com
pany. Is paymaster and general outside
manager, and his work in keeping the
mine going is to be commended. He has
done great work in building and lmpro--ing
the roads leading to the mine from
Cape Horn. Miller Masterson, the mas
ter mechanic at the mine, is an excep
tionally capable man. The men all rec
ognize his skill in keeping the machinery
in good running order.
But the man who keeps close super
vision of the entire property all the
time is President Mabee himself. He has
a splendid home In St. "Louis but every
little while he makes a trip out to the
mine to see that everything is in good
order. He purchased the machinery and
has directed the development of the mine
ever since he located it. Mr. Mabee
brought a box of samples of the ore
taken out of the tunnel at-the mlpe at
the request of The Oregonlan man back
'to Portland with him, and has it at his
rooms at the Portland Hotel, where It
may be seen by anyone who cares to
look it over.
The big sums disbursed by the v ash
ougal Gold & Copper Mining Company are
of great bsnefit to Portland, for this
money is spent here. Local wholesale
houses furnish supplies for the mines and
the company outfits here exclusively."
Yesterday the payroll for the month was
met here and amounted to $6300. The
Wells-Fargo Express Company states
that since the mining company has been
engaged in the development of its prop
erty, about $300,000 has been transmitted
by telegraph from the East through the
local office to carry on the work. Every
cent of this money was spent in Portland,
with the exception of that used to buy a
quantity of mining machinery, that was
bought In the East.
EXCURSION TO DONALD.
Excursion on the new electric road to
Donald to attend the auction sale of town
lots Tuesday, May 12. One lot given away
free. Music and free lunch on grounds at
noon. Round-trip rate from Portland,
$1.05. Train leaves foot of Jefferson street
at 8:25 A. M.
Eight-car trains are to ie run on the
Boston elevated line lun the endeavor to
enje with the traffic offered.
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