The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-12

ConconuIiy. Wash, June u--Four years
txo the names Of ConconuiIy and Ruby
i rere on the tongue OF every man, at least
81 every man interested in mining. for
4 those towns were the centers OF activity
Il b the mining Industry IN Washington.
i and were typical Western mining towns.
where new discoveries and new deals
xere the talk Of each day. and a spscI-
nsn would infanibly draw curious
Eerowd They are now suffering the de-
I'll preston which haa fallen on the silver
mining industry since the panic OF 1853.
1.-THE effects OF which were aggravated Ia
Ifhls cass by the hiunders OF the frat In
Isastera conconully las been swept first
#Iby Ere and then by food. until il II hard
zIly recognizable as the thriving town. the
3beauty Of whose location was remarked
III BIZ every stranger. Ruby, being a crea-
Ton OF the mines, went down when oper-
alton ceased. and Is now almost a modern
Example OF the deserted village. The
Hpresence Of It's few remaining inhabitants
A0nly emphasize the solitude OF It's single
Hong street. But the mines are still here,
4 the wealth Is la the ground beyond
2Qnestion. and so much capital has been
4slready invested that with changed con-
Editions and improved means OF Transport
htlon, Il VIII doubtless be extracted
Then Euby's tsnantless houses will be
q again Inhabited. the silent wheels OF It's
machinery viii move again and concon-
i ally win clear away the mass OF rocks
i sand and driftwood which diafgures its
fair site and occupy its place with pretty
homes.
81 The First Discoveries.
The FIRST mineral discoveries OF this dis
y tfict were made after tho opening Of the
hoses reservation, In the fail OF 1856, In
Ruby hiil. steep mountain. rising in a
succession es grassy. pine-ciad knobs to
height OF s.soo feet above the town.
which stretches along the narrow canyon
ef the bfawling Salmon river. IN coun-
my rock OF graphite and gneizs. were
were found lodges of quartz. carrying sill
var In almost all It's forms, with q small
Quantity OF gold. the Groupings being
stained With iron and copper. The lodges
run q little west OF north and east OF
f0ath. and pitch about 1zis degrees east,
and are on the summit Of the hill. and
nnga In width from ak feet up TO
great size The ore Is principally sui
II rhGrets carrying from ten TO 100 ounces
silver. with rich pockets OF native,
wire and ruby silver running much high
sr and an average OF about 50 gold. Tho
fFst discovery was made by Jack cfonan
a Billy Miiligan. Tom DOMAIN and Thomas
Futtsr. who were led by good float rock
/ 70 prospect the hillside until they struck
IL ledge about eighteen feet wide. which
ran uniformly from wall 10 wall about
- gold and silver. They located the
Ruby on u. and this proved 10 be tho
lowest grade mine on tho hiii FOR I'm tho
course Of tho vigorous prospecting which
ialcwed, Dick Isifderhack and his father.
fat NcGreei and VIII ChiiSen, located
ne First Thought on a parallel ledge fur
iasr east. which WAS thirty TO forty feet
vide on the surface. and which ran
IsnoHt s1s gold and silver for It's whole
sidth, The discovery OF the Fourth Of
snly. showing the richest ledge on the
hal, and the Arlington, both by the same
Party came next. and IN the course OF
few months the hill WAS studded with
@ration stakes, and a booming catnp was
hlFiy started. The discovery of the Pea
rock by John Pecar and the f.enora by
l.kmes Robinson ana james Gilmore on
IfeAeock hin, 20 the northeast OF Ruby
a'i. then diverted attention ia that d.
IFsction.
/ About the same time that the dlscov-
Itries were made on Ruby Hill. the same
iz'ineral belt IN the same country fcrfna-
IHon was found 20 extend northwura be-
Ifcnd Conconully 20 Mineral hill which
an extension OF the same ridge shut
Ieng IN the salmon river canyon on the
west. and IA about two miles northwest
IL Conconully. Equally valuable diseov-
1tries were made on the opposite side Of
ne canyon and through the lime beit,
(Which runs north OF Johnson creek and
sAsi Of Tosd's couiee up 20 Wagon Road
seaice. east OF Loomlston The ore IN
re lime belt Is all high grade carrying
shck sulphurets OF silver and showing
copper stains.
| Portland BECOMES Interested.
After sinking n nfty-foot shaft and
running lee-foot tunnel. both on the
sdEe, and discovering a small strlnger
faansng into the main ledge. with n rich
/ f9eksi at the junction. from which 81 30
sas taken. the dfacoverers e. the Ruby
so'a Y 10 Jonathan Bourne. 1r, or part-
Aad, who had nFst bought Clonan's one
perrin Interest for 3l0.0oa This was the
sgsnning 81 a heavy Investment by
Aske company or Portland people. head
- o9 Mr.. Bourne and by others who fol-
soNed his lead. Tho First Thought vas
ssh1ed to @. y. Peek for ttaeo0 before tha
/ ~.~teh notice Was even recorded but
@.sx be bad begun work he failed 10
| .sAe The second payment and save IN
| s1seF eeinE little work on Il, the owners
soaaed Il again for the Same sum 10
s9ten Harlow. 81 Tacoma. re sank an
| ,a.k1sS-feos shaft. showing SIS ere. bat
| -sFe WAS go much water that he needed
II sNer appliances 30 Eot rid CT IL, and he
~sed not put them in unless he was
ssa an extension Of tlfne on the bend.
| 49,. Was refused, an2 the claim was
sassfward Sold 20 Jonathan Bourne. r.
- rs associates fer SsaeAa cash On.
- arlington the iecafogs sank a fevty-
i 49, shatt, showing a ssx~foos vein which
1 - ahoat SO geld ana silver, and "a fSSx
II - Ter siA8N cash 70 the Arlington Min
L. 1eainany. IS whieh Ar. Bourne vas
s's.Ns'esnt, Snd which also bought Ire
..sa'efoy. era TIE north extension q ire
ssHssten lodge. Mg. Bourne gneornoyates
- Ruby and First T@eagAt. each sof,ar-
10y Organised the Washington Rs.ltse-
80 Ncnpacy % put IN s. caace ntrtffrx
- te tFe&t the ores. and acquired other
i ..S - tAat BE ard the corpora tsaDs
/ slee ne controls now eWD twenty-sevea
isse'is eiatg3s On Ruey hnl.
fao st. Mining Boom.
ahen the boom began n dead earnest
L. hasFne companies and ether Port.
n - investors brEah &c pour ia money
- water. ana Ruby becarne 4 s,As.ss,
Il @Alsa weaia compare with ths ii4esf.st
n = S~lScralA, Colorado. Nevada Mon.
n -shS, idaho Eaa the Giaek hinS IN thasr
y 's'sst says. STAGE nnes ran n ever
Il ttens ntns salooos were epea dav ana
sShi three hatsla, age stores. I've rvakau.
Ia and tive livery stables &s8 3 shrsv-
= n,S12csS. and IRE town ereW an a
49, - NeSSlasd grew more raosetty.
Il tsN Eore@s Of nea were eepl0yea IL
,sssnenf, eFeeting rvdaetsea plants
g.. R-ts3fnss ard haa3tnE supnlies from
$3.50. iaa mites distant. ard Tor = few /
y seemed "a iAougA he EAsagS !