Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1886-12-24
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF DOUG
LAS COUNTY.
ITS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

0A0 OVON i
IT'S PAsT, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
4 Rerie,c of the Situation.
IBy win Q. Brown.l
So little is really known of the min
eral resources Of our county, and what 1t
iscapable Of producing in the way OF val
liable metals; and SO little has been done
in this regard that it may seem like
work of supererogation to enter into
resume Of the business, but when we
consider the vast expanse OF territory
embraced within our boundaries, the
indications of mineral wealth that are
occasionally brought to notice, the rich
ness cf the various placers that have
been worked at different times, and
finally the ignorance no milder term
is applicable) of the majority of our
prospectors in searching for veins, and
their lack Of knowledge regarding the
different minerals, the prospects are en-
couraging, to say the least for the dis.
coyery of mineral wealth that may ad-
vance our resources far beyond our
most sanguine expectations realiza-
ton of these hopes, however, can never
be expected until we have incorporated
in the scar rch men of experience and
energy, who understand the nature and
occurrence of metalliferous veins and the
minerals accompanying them, men who
will work to develop prospect and not
-. =. -, ,,1l>,,, ,,,;tt, 4l,o;,, haoic ON thn
stove, waiting for some one to put IN
an appearance and pay them an enor,
nous sum for mere location that per-
haps cost them a dollar for recording.
About every five years we have local
mining excitement raised by some one
bringing in rich piece of float quartz
These periodical excitements are only
appreciated by the County Clerk who
generally reaps a rich harvest from re-
cording the mining locations at one
dollar each; the locators who are gen
orally farmers in the neighborhood, sell
dom work more than a few days on
their claims, the excitement dies out,
and the county as a field for investment
in mines receives black-eye, although
some of the claims may have had merit,
that in mining camp, would encour-
age development and result in the OPEN
ing of producing mine.
The Oregonian of November l1th,
published a very truthful, though not
a fattering account of the mines and
prospects of Southern Oregon, but a
capitalist seeking investment would
never come to our county to investigate
our mines after perusing that article,
which was written by Herbert Lang
Ph. B. We do not anticipate, nor IS it
our present aim to induce capital to
come and invest, but we do want intelli-
gent, experienced prospectors to come
and deyelope our resources, and to such
we say that you will have for the most
part virgin ground to operate on, and
every indication Of paying leads to en-
courage you in your work; but the pre-
requisites Of success are indomitable en-
ergy and perseverance; possessed o.
these, backed by strong arm, you will
advance, what will ultimately become
the leading industry of the county
This is no visionary project of an opti
mist, but cold fact, based on a knowi
edge Of the country and the minerals il
contains. It is true the number oi
metals and minerals having an econom
ic value generally known to exist here
can be counted on ones fingers, but il
is our purpose to demonstrate that but
a tithe of them are so known. We
have of nickel ores, three varieties; non
meite, garnierite and nickeliferousphyr
rotite. Of iron ores, FIVE varieties
manganiferous, magnetic, limonite
hematite and chromite. Of quicksilver
two varieties; cinnabar and metacinna
barite. Of copper, four varieties; ma
tive copper, ohalcopyrite, copper glance
and blue and green carbonates, the lat
ter, however, only as incrustations
God occurs native in quartz and asso
ciated with chalcopynite, arsenopyrite
galenite and pyrite. Silver is found in
placer washing as electrum, a anative al
10y with gold, and is also found associ
ated with gold in some of the quartz
We have had samples of Chloride sill
YER ore brought US for assay, that were
said to have been found in the county
that yielded three hundred ounces sill
yer per ton, but the ore looked very
much as If it had come from some depth
and not as if had been knocked from
groupings as was claimed. Certain lime
stones here are argentiferous, but
whether they contain silver in paying
quantities has nos yet been determined
We have stibnite, (sulphide Of antimo
n.y. sphalerite, (sulphide of zinc) ga.ena.
(sulphide of lead) and magnesite, (car
Donate of magnesia.) The various 10
calities where these minerals are found
will be fully described further on, but
before proceeding with this description
it may be well to here state that the
prospector is generally man Of small
means and may require financial aid in
5he prosecution of his search, such aid
should be forthcoming and we should
take pride in helping deserving man
who gives his time and labor 20 develop
our latent resources.
DISCOVERY OF GOLD.
1t is reported that gold was first dis
covered in Douglas county about the
year 1851 by Col VIM. Martin, "a
miliarly knewn as "Uncle Billy" Mar
tin, at point on the South Umpqua
near the mouth of Cow creek, but the
first mining was done at what is known
as the Picayune Diggings' about two
miles westerly from Canyonville.
These placers were found in shallow
bed Of gravel on sloping hillside,
drained by Jordan creek. but were not
very extensive OF at least not extensive
ly worked, owing to the expense Of
bringing water on the higher portions
of the old gravel channel and the diff