Image provided by: North Santiam Historic Society; Gates, OR
About The Mill City enterprise. (Mill City, Or.) 1949-1998 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1967)
4—The Mill City Enterprise, Thursday, July 20, 1967 and running parallel to the Little North Fork. This road was built years ago when the only tools were shovels, picks and wheelbarrows. In many spots It was carved around the face of the mountain with a sheer drop to the river road and crossed the creeks about 2000 feet below. Uy Jean Roberts on rotten timbers, to reach At one time Jim Hewitt had MEHAMA — Another two the camp. 80 men working on this road. miles of a national forest road Formerly called the “Amal Now the National Forest Ser will soon be completed in the Elkhorn area. The fact that gamated Mines,” the camp vice is using cats, carryalls, a two-mile stretch of road was a flourishing community and heavy equipment to com has been completed means earlier in the century, and is plete the road into this inac- very little to the average citi still a surprisingly well-kept cessable area. Even with huge trucks, cranes, and cats only zen who has never surveyed little village. Electricity spills down the a two-mile contract is let the steep slopes, rock slides and solid rock faces of the mountain in the form of a each year, and it runs into mountainous area in the Elk huge flume that generates a thousands of dollars. turbine, and years ago oper There are many mines in horn region. The road follows an old ated a huge separation plant this area. Perhaps one of the freight wagon road to the which has collapsed under the best known is the old Black mines, which was used years heavy weight of snow in re Eagle. It is by-passed on the way to Pacific Mining and ago; first by a human freight cent years. Smelting. Once a flourishing Cabins, neat and well-kept, line and later by horses. The National Forest road will soon and supplied with electricity camp, all that remains is an be completed to Gold Creek and running water, are ready old wooden building, remen- which is the entrance to min for miners when the road is iscent of the labor and money ing claims held by Jim Hewitt completed and a new plant spent on the shaft trying to find that elusive lode. can be built. for 40 years. Many people financed the Mining, an off and on oc What was the commissary cupation In the Little North years ago, is now the living Black Eagle. The drilling was Fork area, ceased for the win quarters for Jim Hewitt and governed by a medium, whose ter months at Pacific Mining his wife. Owner and resident trances revealed the direction and Smelting. Until bad wea of the camp for 40 years, Jim of the vein. In each trance, ther and construction halted Hewitt lives in luxury up she would call upon an old access to the mining camp, where very few people would Indian chief, Black Eagle, work was progressing on the have the nerve to travel. A and his direction to the gold fifth level of “Ruth” by a grand piano unexpectedly was transmitted through her Canadian Mining company. graces the living room, and seances. An Elkhorn resident, “Ruth” is only one of the Oriental rugs add a homey Walt Abbot, invested at least mining claims in the region atmosphere to this home lo $10,000 in this mining ven patented by Jim Hewitt and cated up where the Little ture. Many experienced min ers, however, claim that the assessed high in zinc content. North Fork begins. Almost regarded as a leg Just behind the house Bat “Black Eagle” is just a hole. A more recent miner in the end, “the mines” have actual tleaxe creek and Opal creek ly been in existence since the join to form the head of the area was Gus, and his cabin still stands and perhaps will early 1900’s. Many people Little North Fork. have heard of this inaccess- For years the only access withstand the weather for able camp but only a few have to this site was a narrow many years as it is sturdily braved the narrow, twisting road chiseled from solid rock built of poles and shakes. Poles are caulked with small er poles and the shake roof is lapped sufficiently to with stand many a storm. Gus, however, lived alone too long, and in his last days became obsessed with the idea Flowers for all Occasions that someone was after his ore. He refused to have a ra Corsages—Cut Flowers—Plants dio to hear of the outside Shrubs—Bedding Plants world, and he refused to read FLOWERS by WIRE SERVICE anything. With no outside 230 N.E. 4th Street communication, he soon was Phone 897-2452 Mül City convinced that everyone was after his mine and conse- Road Opening Up To Mining Area In The North Fork Country Brunner's Flowers and Gifts Get Packed To Go! Don’t Start Your Vacation Trip Unless Your Car Is Safety Checked You can be assured of carefree driving when you let our skilled mechanics service your car. Faulty Wheel Alignment Makes For Unsafe Driving. It Also Causes Unnecessary Tire Wear. An Engine Tuneup May Save Time on A Leaky Muffler May Take Your the Road. Life. Check it! At GENE TEAGUE CHEVROLET our Mechanics Have the Know-How to get Your Car in Top Shape for that Vacation Trip. Drive Carefully, We Want You to Get There and Back Safely. LOCK-UP — Service Up Today BUCKLE-UP Keep Your Chevy GENE TEAGUE CHEVROLET. STAYTON OREGON the Cheviest No Damage Done By Fire At New Detroit Gym DETROIT — A fire of un determined origin occured at the rear of Detroit’s new high school and gym building in a pile of “sanding dust” late Wednesday night. The 11:00 p.m. fire was noted by a workman in the gym who was keeping a watchful eye on the blaze when an alarm was turned into the Idanha rural fire department. Dave Roberts, fire chief, said “the blaze was pretty well out when they arrived with the fire trucks. He add ed the fire may have occurred from a cigarette tossed on the highly inflammable sanding dust. School Supt. Francis Dum mers said some kids had been chased away from the vicinity earlier. No damage resulted from the burning pile. The new high school and gym is progressing nicely and is scheduled for completion be fore the fall school term opens in September. Log Catches Fire at Fishermens Bend Park Idanha Rural Fire Dept. Quells Brush Fire Near Highway IDANHA — The Idanha Rural fire department was called recently to put out a small brush fire near Hank Heibert’s shop east of Detroit, adjacent to the North San- tiam highway. Roberts said beer cans and a half package of cigarettes were found near the scene of the fire. He added, the fire burned to the edge of green timber but was quickly brought under control before any damage resulted. U.S. and State Forestry of ficials said Monday fire dan ger is high throughout the state, and asks that the pub lic be careful of fire. Otto Oja Resigns As Detroit Mayor; Has New Job DETROIT — Otto Oja left Saturday for Grays River, Wash., where he will be em ployed as a bucker and faller for Weyerhauser’s Logging Company. Oja resigned as Detroit ma yor at the regular meeting of the council this month. His resignation will go into ef fect as soon as the city’s new water system is completed which tentatively is scheduled for around the 1st of August. A new mayor will be elected by the council from the coun cil to fill the un-expired term which will terminate Jan. 1, 1968. The Mill City firemen as well as the fire patrol truck from the Mehama Guard sta tion were called out Saturday night about 10 o’clock to put out a fire in a log at Fisher men’s Bend park. It is believ ed the blaze may have start ed from a cigarette carelessly dropped. The blaze was in the camp ing area and could h ve be come serious in the wooded spot. About one o’clock Tuesday afternoon residents were alerted by a long blowing of the fire siren. No one seems to know just what caused the siren to blow but Eldon Hutchinson fire chief said it was probably a “wire cross, ed” by crews working on tele We would like to take this phone lines in the vicinity of opportunity of thanking Young & Morgan Timber 4th street. Company for the logs they do quently he became pretty can nated for our 4th of July log tankerous. His cabin shows bucking contest. We would particularly like that he was a very short man. The doorway is low and so is to thank Vern Morgan for his the ceiling. Cupboards and efforts in obtaining these for work bench are built to ac us. The Mill City Jaycees commodate a five-foot resi 29 dent. Gus passed away a few years ago in a Gresham nurs ing home. The new road will open up an area rich in legend and unbelievable in beauty. Few tourists driving over the new modern road will understand how unattainable these moun tains were when traveled years ago by the lonely pros pector trying to stake out a claim. Most of the old miners are gone and very few of their descendants remember the time when McCallister fell from a swinging ladder over a rock face and broke his neck; why Waldo Zimmer man was blown up in the Black Eagle; how a man froze to death in the middle of the road; how Jim Church lost both of his feet; the tale of old man Evans’ lost gold mine; and what was the dis covery Cap Smith made. Gone too, is Paul Smith of Mill City, the last of the human freight line that carried provisions to the mines. Very few tourists will real ize that secrets as well as gold still remain hidden in the solid rock tunnels or ‘dozed over the side of the road by the modern road building machines. Very few old timers re main. Greg Pearce Home On Leave from Hosp. Greg Pearce, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pearce, is home from the Naval hospital in San Diego, on a 15-day leave. Greg has been undergoing therapy treatments since he was wounded last year in a gunshot accident in Vietnam. He arrived in Portland by plane Saturday where he was met by his parents. He is presently confined to a wheel chair but he is in good spirits and says he hopes to be walk ing soon. He was paralyzed from the waist down follow- ing the gun wound. All Smiles After Getting Safety Award Pictured are Harry Spencer, plant manager at Simpson’s Veneer at Idanha and B. L. Cole, business representative for local 2896. The veneer plant recently received another safety award and among other recognitions they were given a picture of the plant by the State Compensation department. ___ _____ Simpson Idanha Veneer Plant Wins Best Safety Record Award This, of course, is July, but at Simpson Timber Com pany’s Idanha veneer plant they’re all thinking Novem ber That’s the month the 50- member plant expects to ach ieve 750,000 safe working hours—and a dinner, with champagne, for employees and wives. Simpson’s head quarters has issued the chal lenge and will gladly under write the reward. Employees and manage ment celebrated the best safe ty record in the country for veneer plants last Thursday, seven years (170,000 hours) without a lost-time injury. Both the first and second shifts were on hand to re ceive a unique award from the State Compensation De partment: A framed painting of the plant and grounds. Eight trophies and plaques received in the past year also were on display for the cere mony. Howard Curtis, Oregon- Washington safety director for Simpson, told workers the record is the “ . . . best in the country. No plant has come near it. You have the top plant of all veneer plants . . . the secret is spirit of cooperation . . .” Charles B. Gill, Jr., general manager of the State Com pensation Department, pre sented the painting to Harry Spencer, long-time plant man ager, and told the crew it had accomplished the best record ever in Oregon by a veneer plant. Spencer said the crew should hit 750,000 safe work ing hours by late November. If it does, he added, it will have won the champagne din ner challenge issued by Mel Munsen, Simpson vice presi dent at Shelton, Wash. The outstanding record at Simpson Idanha actually goes back 12 years. In the entire period, the plant has logged only four lost-time accidents. Spencer has been plant safety supervisor and, since 1956, plant manager. Such incentive awards as “Safety Dollars” and good prizes, such as outdoor stoves, fishing gear, etc., are won by conscientious workers. Safe ty dollars were handed out at the ceremony to each work er for the latest safe quarter year; Pat Worley, Mill City, and Tom Leggett, Gates, won drawings for safety cakes. Spencer, proud of his work ers and their record, waved at the plant and said, “Look at it, the plant is spotless— that’s no accident.” Why Don’t You Subscribe to The Mill City Enterprise
