Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, May 05, 1911, Image 1

Rogue River courier., May 05, 1911, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextVOL. XXVII. GRANTS PASS, JOSEPniNE COUNTV, OREGON. FRIDAV, JIAY 5, 1011 No. 5 : t 1IIGGINS MINE IS BIGGEST STRIKE BIDS FAIR TO BE GREATEST IN OREGON HISTORY ALREADY GET THOUSANDS Serpentine Overflows a Wide Area; Value Come In Quartz Porphyry Editor Courier: Your correspond ent, In company with Messrs. R. C. and P. C. Robertson, of Parish, N. left Grants Pass by private con veyance for the Higglns gold strike on Wednesday at 2 p. m., and, ar rived at Selma four hours later. Af ter spending the night at . the Jack Casey hotel we took the old Copper trail early on Thursday morning, and following the same down the north tide of Deer creek five miles ' we reached "Inspiration point" on Illin ois river In a region of rare scenic beauty. At every turn of the trail ' could be seen towering cliffs, snow capped peaks, deep gorges, greenly clad hills and -rapidly flowl?i3 streams forming a moBt wonderful panorama not soon to be forgotten. As we had learned that no feed for our horses could be had for love or money, either en route or at the mine, we left them at Selma and un dertook the trip on foot. Ten miles from Selma we left the main trail and crossed the river in a boat, tak ing a trail' on the Bouth side of the river and climbed a rugged hill two miles, reaching an altitude of 2600 feet above sea level in a two hours' walk. After we had visited some friends and looked over several mining pros pects we retraced our x steps to thi - river, where we resumed our Jour ney by taking a dim and uncertain trail. Soon we found ourselves on the top of a lofty mountain, with tht river no whore to be seen. We paused a moment to consult our compass anj take our bearings, and then discov ered that the trail was leading !r the opposite direction to the oue that we thought wo. were going. We then descended the steep hill and passed down Falls creek near the Brown & Wheeler copper mines, and n we got a glimpse through the rocky gorge we could see in the dis tance a farm house, and blooming r rhnrrtq. with sleek cows grazing lu a luxuriant pasture. Being tired,' fcotsore and hungry, the tinkling of (he bells that was heard from the lusy cows In the green field was ore fnsclnatli.g to us than any en trancing tones ever produced by Puderewskl on "keys of Ivory and strings of gold." By seven o'clock e reached the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Anderson on Illinois river r.t the mouth ol Knnchcrie creek, where we enjoyed as good accommodations as could be T' l forded by the lest hotels In Ore- Early Friday morning we took the Gold Basin trail that leads up the north bank of Raocherle and at nine o'clock the summit was reached at an elevation of 2400 feet above the river and 3E00 feet above the leve) ' of the sea. Here, at the gateway of "the garden of gold," we paused to . view one of the grandest landscape scenes that ever met the rapturous . f.sie of man. In every direction could be seen a vast 'expanse of lofty mountains, green and glorious In the morning sunlight, resembling huge piles of silken velvet garnished with whitest applique of Ivory and gold. Ten minutes walk brought us to the "Hlirelns treasure vault The geo logical conditions here are unique and most Interesting. No primary rooks nre anywhere to be found, but r?t fields of serpenMne and great demea of andeslte are In evidence everywhere end on all sides. The ser ' rentlne overflows the entire dls tr!ct In 'a confused mss, but the rrdMlte takes a true course north and south, and along Its rontnet with ih ernenttne ta where values are be in g discovered. The famous, treas- CEMENT COMPANY PUNT SOON READY FOR WORK H. H. Burns,' machinery expert for the BeBser Manufacturing company, of Alpena, Mich., arrived in this city list evening from Houston, Tex., Burns comes to Install the new ma chinery purchased from his company by the Cement Products Manufactur ing company (McKlnstry, Courtney He Evans). ' . The machinery is the most modern and efficient made for the manufac ture of cement pipe. The company has been greatly delayed in starting the operation of this department by slow delivery of machinery and fail ure of he manufacturers to send an expert promptly on Its arrival here. However, they will soon be In a posi tion to rapidly fill several large or ders already received and put in a large stock of different sizes of cement pipe, ranging In size , from four Inches to four feet. The company's building at Eighth and F streets, opposite the Southern Pacific station. Is completed and the cement brick and block machinery also will be installed there in a few days, the plant to be operated by electricity. Elmo Throckmorton came In from Applegate Wednesday to attend to business affairs. He returned In the evening. James Gibson went to Williams creek today to visit the branch store in that district. ure vault Is near the head of Slide creek, vrhlch flows from the summit westerly and which is one of the li rgeBt tributaries of Chetco river, ie strike was mad tn a decom nosed lense of quarts-porphyry that occupies a space in the contact ""be tween serpentine and andeslte. That this lense is the source of the gold there can be no doubt. At Its south end It Is narrow and widens very rap Idly as it Is traced northerly, till it reaches a width of 20 feet, at a point 150 feet from its discovery it turns sharply east and still grows wider for a distance of 200 feet, where it merges Into the andeslte and loses Its Identity. The strike and course of the lense describes a semi circle and measures a total length of 360 feet, every Inch of which pro duces metallic gold ranging from pannlngs worth only a few cents up to one hundred dollars each. Na ture's ponderous muller has beaten and crushed the top of the lense to a pulp ready for a concentrating plant, thus making It an easy task to recover the gold by ground sluicing and similar methods employed In placer mining. No powder and drills are used. Long sluice boxes with Hungarian riffles and undercurrents are employed with great success. About eleven tons of gold concen trates are now stored In the bins on the mine and are xstlmated to carry ten thousand dollars per ton. The top of the lense Is exposed by being mined to a depth of 20 feet, and with depth It holds Its values steadily, and If the cross-cut tunnel now being driven to strike the rich pay shoot 200 feet below Its out crop proves up the continuity of the values found In the present work lugs, then the Higglns strike at ence becomes the greatest gold find of the century. No living mnn can prophesy with anv degree of certainty as to the re suits of deeper exploration, but the iM'onle of Oregon may yet have the pleasure of claiming that this state Is the home of the greatest gold mine In the world. Many prospectors are coming in, and beyond any kind of question other Important strikes will be made In the Higglns district. Both Kerby and Selma are towns from which the district Is easily reached by half a day's walk, but people going In had better take with them all necessary fiiipplles, as there are none for sale In the district. The mine is shut down at present, pending a sale of the property to people who hold Bn option on It till May 12. Murh gold la In sight and a strong guard, armed with Win chesters and Colts revolvers, Is on duty night and day. Ten hours travel from the mine brought us back to Orsnt Pans at 1 o'clock Saturday nluht. C. L. MA NO I'M. Grants Tass, Ore.. May 2, 1911. ALMEDA SMELTER BL01 N TUESDAY HUNDRED TON PLANT IS NOW IN OPERATION ; HAUL COKE FROM MERLIN Crowning Event of Tea Years of Development Work in Ga lice District Tuesday was a gala day at Almeda mine from early In the morning, and everybody was up to take part in tn cne great event in the history of mln ing in the Gallce district, which was tho blowlng-in of the 100-ton smel ter at 7 o'clock. There was much en- thuslasm and abundant loud cheer lng. At 9 o'clock the first tap was made and the molten liquid was an encouraging evidence that the work of reduction and transformation of the rich ore into bright shining mettl was a practical operation. The dem onatratlon was made before the eyes of a large gathering of the neighbor lng miners and visitors, as well as the employes of the company. The smelter was built last year and It is so constructed that with lit tle difficulty It can be increased from 100 tons capacity to 400 tons, and this will be done as soon as the auto truck road, now under construction trom Leland to the mine, can De com pleted. The necessary coke and oth er material needed has, with con siderable trouble and great expense, been hauled In by wagon from Mer lin, but when the Leland road Is fin ished and the auto-trucks put on there will be no trouble In transport ing supplies as fast as they are need ed at less than one-half the present expense. , ' The successful laauguratlon of this smelter plant Is the crowning event of more than ten years of develop ment work and the expenditure of more that $250,000. SCHOOL OPERETTA WELL RENDERED TO BIG HOUSE The opera house was packed to the doors Monday to hear the school operetta, which was most pleasingly rendered. Rounds of applause greeted the young hopefuls as, bedecked In all the flowery embellishments of spring, or in winter's garb of snow and frost, they proclaimed In harmoni ous chorus, solo or duet the claims of the four seasons of the year, the cantata being named "The Whole Year Round," given under the direc tion of Miss Ethel Chapman, musical Instructor of the schools. The performance showed Miss Chapman's ability as a painstaking and able director. , The children, always popular, ap peared unusually attractive In gar lands of 'roses, autumn leaves, etc., while a dozen or more chubby utile ones In red and brown, picturing Jack Frost, entered into the antics of "leap frog" and pelted the audience with cotton snow balls, having more fun than anybody though everyone was having lots of amusement. Altogether .the operetta was a big success and proved the latent musical ability of the pupils. The first annearanee of the high school glee club and orchestra did the school much credit. All seats were sold thirty minutes before the program began and It Is estimated that the gross receipts will reach around $2Z5. REMODELING OF FIRST NATIONAL TO COST $13,000 The First National bank has filed with Judge Opdyrke, as city recorder, facts and figures -regarding the re modeling of the bank building, and the plans call for an expenditure of $15,000. When finished this bank building will be modern and attractive and win add much to the architectural features on tho north side. JACKSON AND JOSEPHINE HORSESHoERS ASSEMBLE The District Master Horseshoers' National Protective association met in convention here today in the Com mercial, club rooms with 45 dele gates present from thj local organiz ation at Central Point. Ashland, Jacksonville, Talent, Phoenix, Eagle Point, Merlin, Provolt, Medford and Kerby. The convention was full of life and Interest to the members of the horse shoeing craft, as . well as outsiders. National President William E. Murphy, of Philadelphia, the guest of honor at the convention, is a genial gentleman and a fluent speaker, well verBed In mattera that interest black smiths. In an interview he said: "I want to take my hat off to Grants Pass. It Is an up-to-date little city. The local conditions are bet ter than In a great many parts of this state. You are progressive. 1 can understand now how you are able tc Induce eastern money and labor to come weBt. I believe that through publicity you could Illustrate that this Is a city of bright future and fortune for the progressive laborer or business man. In his address before the conven tlon Mr. Murphy first laid stress upon the fact that the association was not a union, being purely a business man's assocatlon. He said his trip through the northwest was for the ouroose of conferring with the horse shoers and blacksmiths In order that they might get closer together on conditions that affect their business rfiont the country. He con- tinned: "The most essential thing to be considered here in Oregon and In Grants Pass Is the cost of material and other commodities used in our business. The National Horseshoers association Is established In 627 cities over the country. This naturally brines the association in direct con tact with manufacturers and heavy hardware men who act as the middle men between the manufacturer and the horseshoers and blacksmiths, it being essential that we have the eo- ooeratlon of the hardware men. "We ask our members to recipro cate in a material way for the pro tectlon that is accorded them by hav ing the hardware men distribute the material used in our shops to only such Dersons as are recognized as leg lllmate members of the trade. We find that In rural portions of the state of Oregon that hardware men are selling horseshoes and other supplies to farmers afld others, which Is against the Interests and progress of our people In these rural communi ties, and that even reaches further. "It Is well known that In order to become proficient In horseshoeing and blacksmith work a man must spend from four to five years of the best part of his life In order to qualify an a legitimate mechanic. We feel that It la not any fairer to suggest to our people that they invest their profit elsewhere than to ask hardware men not sell horseshoeing supplies to outsider. "We at all times exert every effort to educate the horsohoer and black smith to work for the advancement and welfare of his particular com munity, and In return ask that he bo given en opportunity to earn a I veil hood. In this state there are six cities lhat are working for the ele vation of our craft, Imbued with the Justice which recognizes that we give to our trade value for value re ceived." Do you know the city Is laying water mains In Lawnrldge Heights- natter look around. P. I. C. Phone 347. V. Moore, of Selma, was visiting Grants Pass friends and looking af ter buslnefs matters Wednesday. F. O. Taylor, of' Kerby, was here Wednesday to look after business. Opon Factory June 1 I. A. Roble, manager of the Cali fornia Mne Door ft Lumber company In the western part of town, expects to open tip the factory for the sum- ner's run about the first of June. Tro large sheds are now In course of construction, which are being built to store the building lumber from the rain storms. The sheds are expected to be completed In about ten days. iIOUNTAINS RIBBED WITH GOLD LEDGES 11IGGINS STRIKE WILL MEAN GREAT DEVELOPMENT TO ATTRACT PROSPECTORS Wide and Rich Mineral Region in Josephine County Awaits the Pick M. J. Anderson, former supervisor of the Siskiyou forest reserve. Is one of the best posted men regarding the cohBt range and that locality near the Higglns mine. He talked interesting ly this morning of that country and The Courier reproduces in part the story as he related it regarding that region and its great wealth in min eral. Mr. Anderson say's the recent strike by Higglns and other rich discoveries between the Illinois and Chetco rivers in southwestern Joseph'lne county have at last excited more than passing notice to the mineral wealth of that region. He says it will be well to remove the impression that these deposits are simply rich Bpots or pockets that have been overlook ed by prospectors in an old, worked out mining region, and continued: 'It is true that this last extraor dinary find would be, If surveyed, In the same township as the discoveries of May, 1852, which, with the 'Sailor Dlgglns at Waldo, first brought a swarm of miners into Oregon; and It Is also true that the placers of the Illinois and along all the little creeks and gulches heading on the east slope of this range have been profitably worked for over half a century. , It Is ionly within two or three years, however, that any real attention has been given to the quartz veins, and what work has been done in this line has been richly rewarded, for eeveral valuable properties have been opened on Canyon creek, Fiddlers gulch, Days gulch and other small streams which head on the opposite side of the range from the Higglns property, which lays on the Chetco slope. "The Illinois slope of this great mineral region Is much the easiest of access; but even this territory shows little evidence of the pros pector except on the gulches named, while on the west side one may travel for days In a highly mineralized form- etlon showing old placer workings on the streams (reported to have been rich, and undoubtedly were bo) with out the slightest sign of any prospect ing for the source of the gold de posits. ' Of course there have been pros ectors through this region, but It is bo large a territory that their marks are not easily found. The wild, rough, uninhabited region along this range and in the Chetco basin Include about 17 townships, or over 600 square miles, whtlo the portion worked on tho small streams men tioned are all practically within one township. The higher elevations are about 400 feet and standing on some of these high points one can see In all directions the same deep red mineral Boll that marks the Im mediate vicinity of the Higglns strike, and also marks most, If not all, the great mining camps of the west. "This Is a hard country to trnvel In. Forest fires have long ago d Htroycd most of the valuable timber, brush has taken Its place and Is al most Impassable In many plnces. There Is only one passable trail through the country, and this In some llnces extremely uninviting to the mounted tenderfoot. "Whll", as I have fH. this vnst nrn In nrn-tlinlly unprotected, rl'-h dcposlti of copper and coarse gold I (.yp lipi'n found In various places throughout the whole territory, and Inst season a rich discovery of coarse gold was made high on Mount Emah, bit ween the Chetco and Wlnchuck rivers on the gouthwest edge of this region, Mineral hill, between the WORK ON GAS PLANT BEGINS THIS WEEK In lesa than 90 days, if all goes well, Grants Pass will be able to boast of one of the most modern gat plants in the west. Actual construc tion will begin this week. By a deal closed yesterday, A. W. Butler, who Becured a gas franchise here some weeks ago, purchased for spot cash from C. E. Phillips and George Barrows a site for the plant, paying at the rate of $1700 an acre for ground that the owners bought one year ago at the rate of $300 an acre, making this the record advanct for Grants Pass realty. The sit ts located in the southeast nortlon of the city at the east end of J street. ana lying on the Grants Pass and Rogue River railroad. A side track to the site la already under construe tlon and about half finished. The gas holder to be constructed will have a capacity of 60,000 cubto feet, sufficient for a population ol 30,000. The. generators will havo a capacity of 2J0.000 cubic feet dally. Crude oil will he the material from which' gas will be generated, and Mr. Butler states that the plant will bo odorless and that the grounds will be parked and otherwise made at tractive. Sixteen carloads of material 'are now en route to Grants Pass for the plant, Including 16 miles of pipe, both main and lateral, and a car load of .cement is already, on the ground. The plant and other property will cost $60,000 and its construction will give employment to many men dur ing the Bummer, both at the plant and In placing pipe over the city . Mr. Butler states that he hopes to have the plant in running; order la 90 days or less, the time depending on arrival of material. The material , was ordered from the east three weeks ago and the first Instalment la on the way. Mr. Butler will probably have charge of the construction of the plant. COLONIAL WILL BE MADE TRUE TO ITS NAMB Mr. and Mrs. Ed Lister have the plans drawn and perfected for the remodeling of their property, known as the Colonial, on E street and work will be begun immediately. The building Is to be made Into an up-to-date rooming house, and when completed as planned It will be one of the most modern In the city, The building Is to be remodeled to con form to Its name, "Colonial," and will be fitted with a handsome new front of the colonial Btyle, besides various other additions which will make It about 28 by 60 .feet, two stories. Every room will he fitted with bath and other modern conven iences, and Mr. and Mrs. Lister hope to have the house ready for occu pancy by the first of July. HANKER COMES WITH FAMILY TO LIVE HERB Mr. and Mrs. Weston Arnold and son, Charles, and daughter, Miss Florence, arrived here Wednesday from Peoria, 111., and will make Grants Pass their home. Mr. Arnold spent three weeks In southern Oregon last November and at that time made a completo tour of Investigation of the towns and lo calities between Ashland and Grants Pass and decided on this city as the Ideal spot for his residence. Mr. Arnold ts a retired bankor, he having spent many years tn that business In his old home town. He has purchased three acres of land and a residence on East A street from Ed Van DykeV II hopes that the mild climate of southern Oregon will be beneficial to Mrs. Arnold. Chetco and Tlstol rivers, so far as formation goes, Is Identical with the red mountain, about and south of the Higglns deposits, though twenty miles west. "This Is not a patch of worked oer ground, but a vast virgin field that will attract fortune hunters from Nevada and other western states and from Alaska."