The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-12-08
A Visit to the Iron Mines.

Some four years since. in an explor-
ing expedition, Il mountain of rich ore
was discovered about three miles west
of the summit of the SnOQualmie Pass
by Hon. A. A. Denny, Professor Hall,
J. Borst and DR.. Wheeler. AS several
persons were desirOus of examining
the same, party was formed recently,
consisting of A. n. Denny, A Tread
we'll of San Francisco, James S. Kelly,
Assayer and Mineralogist, Capt. John
Suffern, II. Butler and Master Charles
Denny, who left here on the 18th inst.
to prospect that region. On arriving
at Snoqualmie prairie, the party laid
over for two days on account of rain,
and to give Messrs. Treadwell and
Kelly an opportunity to visit the Falls,
a trip with which they were highly
pleased, Mr.. Kelly declaring that the
Falls of the Snoqualmie surpass in
grandeur those of the Yosemite. On
the morning of the 10th, despite the
rain and almost impossible condition
of the roads, the party proceeded on
their way, and camped for the night
by the roadside, about three miles
this side of the mine. Next morning
leaving camp, they struck off from
the road to the left, through the rain
and wet under-brush, over fallen tim
ber, and Il rough, wild region, stop
ping to prospect on the way. Their
route lay across the Snoqualmie river
and up narrow gorge, the bed of a
creek, which they partially examined
as they proceeded, finding clusters of
garnet, streaks of honrblende, and
Indications of copper-reaching with
in 50 yards of the ledge of iron, whose
massive sides, broken by the canyon,
showed them wall of iron rising
perpendicular and laid bare for more
than 60 feet in width and over 100 feet
in height, and of the purest quality.
AS night was approaching the party
started to return to camp, hoping
that the storm might cease and enable
them to spend two or three days in
prospecting the region. They had
proceeded but Il short distance, how
ever, when Mr.. Denny. slipping down
steep declivity of some 10 or II feet,
unfortunately fell, and dislocating his
right shoulder, which the party man
aged to get into its place on their
return to camp. The next day still
proving rainy and Mr.. Denny's
shoulder being somewhat troublesome,
they concluded to retrace their steps,
which they did, arriving here on the
evening of the 18th, bringing with
them some very fine specimens. Mr..
Denny lost some of his specimens af-
ter his accident, he being unable to
look after them. These immense de-
posits are only about 90 miles from
Seattle, and less than two miles from
the line of the Seattle, and Walla
Walla Railroad, and will form source
of immense wealth to our city and
county. Silver, lead and traces of
gold have been found in the same 10
cality. Next summer, it is to he
hoped that thorough prospecting OF
of the mountain will be made.
The above article was published in
the Seattle Hteitigencer of Sept. 10Th
1874, and was given us by Hon. a. A.
Denny. He also gave us Il specimen
of the iron from the above mine,
which assays about 50 per cent or 80
per cent; it makes the needle of the
compass move very lively.
We were told by other parties that
the deposit of iron is more extensive
than it was first thought to be; and
besides the mountain of almost pure
iron, there is in the same locality i'm
mense deposits of marble, sand stone,
coal, copper, and lead, and the mount
aims are covered with timber of the
very best quality.
We might add that King Co. is al
most one body of mineral lands. One
can hardly go into the mountains in
any direction, but what he find either
anthracite, bituminOus or Ignite coal;
copper, lead; bog or magnetic iron,
ma rhle sand and limestoup granite