Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-01
MOUNTAIN OF ROCK.
A visit to the Ledge soon to be Devel.
oped BY tho Lewiston Magnesia
Stone Company.

- vAsAs w SAO 00U60 OVV0 w U0 O0v0Ae
oped by the Lewiston Magnesia
Stone Company.
So much has been written about the
find of magnesia stone near this place,
and so much inquiry Is icing made
concerning the nature of the rock and
the extent and possible worth of the
mine that the writer took occasion dur
ing late holiday to make personal
visit to the ledge in question. In COM
pany with George Morrison, one of the
original discoveries of the ledge and
present secretary of the new company,
we left Lewiston Friday morning last
for the mine. A ride of few minutes
brought us to Asotin. Here the road
turns up the Asotin creek whose waters
turn the mills and irrigate the orchards,
yards and gardens of that thriving lit
tie city.
For miles the road leads along this
creek, crossing and recrossing it, and
winding in and out, past dozen of fine
fruit ranches. The creek bottom Wild
ems In many places to nearly a quarter
of a mile in width and the finest of
meadows and fruit lands are found To-
Gated along these fats. The soil Is ex-
ceedingly rich, the position sheltered
and irrigation cheap and utilized at q
slight cost.
We reached Mr.. Jones' ranch about
half past one and after putting up the
team and enjoying warm lunch we
proceeded to the ledge, a distance of
perhaps mile. On dry gulch lead
ing off from the main creek the hill,
containing the rock, is located. The
hill comes down to the gulch in a point
or ridge and in appearance it is not diff
ferent from the thousand and one 9TH
ers that lie about it, but strange to say
careful prospecting fails to discover the
rock In any of the others. Up along
the backbone Of the ridge at an eleva-
ton of about one hundred feet above
the level of the gulch is the opening Of
the quarry. Here for years the farmers
have been quarrying the rock rudely
and in small quantities for chimneys,
fire places and door steps. A hole per-
haps in all, twenty feet square, has
been opened into the side hill. 1t tshows
the rock broken and shattered and in
irregular cubes, some Of which however,
will measure three feet. The work
done was in the rudest possible manner,
heavy blasts stuck in at random, shat.
tered and scanned the soft and fine
grained rock in every direction. Snow
and ice drifting into the opening pene
trated and further extended tho seams
Then, too, the quarry is too little de-
veloped to show the solid face Of the
rock. The work that has been done Il
merely surface exposure.
As to the probable extent Of the ledge
every indication points to an inexhaus
tible supply. Down and up the hill 9
hundred feet on either side you can
with hoe, uncover the rock, anG
around the sides of the hill for thou
sand feet or more the same discoveries
have been made. The rock lies beneath
q light covering Of soil over which Il
scattered rough and broken boulders o
basalt. It Is highly probable from tn,
outlook that the entire hill is composet
largely Of the magnesia rick, making ,
mountain Of the precious material O
valuable a. any quartz mine In tn
world. Work will begin at once on tn
quarry. The loose earth and rocks vii
be removed and face Of one hundre,
feet square will be exposed. No ston
, quarry In the world can be more easi!,
! worked. On either side the hill slope
away into sharp ravine making . nat
ural dump for the dirt and refuse Of th
, quarry.
| For the removal Of the stone to th
/ river two routes arc practical, one owe
, the hill by tramway to point opposit
: Lewiston and the other down Asotil
creek to Its mouth. The latter IL pei
haps the better route. The grades Al
, easy and the right Of way and much {
D the work Of construction will be give
, by the farmers along the creek, I
z whom it will furnish q very desirabl
! outlet to market their produce. It wi
. not take much time or capital to put
I face on the rock when, according to .
i present indications, the rock will ri
= rapidly in value and prove . rich II
vestment for all lucky purchasers.
a Senator Shoup sworn In.
n A Washington special to the Spoke
man bearing date Of Dec. %, says: tt
senate met at poon and the vice-prea
dent laid before the senate . commun
= cation from the governor Of Idah
. transmitting the credentials Of senate
- elect from that State. GeorRo l.. ShOu