The record-union., 1897-06-10
STORY OF SOME MINES
In and About Washington, on the
South Yuba.
Decadence and Revival of Mining
California - St. Patrick - The
Spanish Immense Ledge.

Especial Correspondence of Record-Uniono
WASHINGTON, June S.-The town of
Washington is situated on the South
Yuba River in Washington Township,
twenty-five miles from Nevada city
1t is an old town, having been settled
by miners in the early sos. 1t has
two grocery stores, a clothing store,
two hotels, and other business houses.
There is a daily line of stages, and one
line which runs on alternate days.
In early days drift and hydraulic
mining was the principal industry, but
later on many Of the numerous quartz
veins were worked with varying sue
cess, but for the past three or four
years the mills have mostly been idle,
and the camp has been very dull. This
cessation of work was not because of
the mines ''petering'' out, but because
the paying mines We're either badly
managed, or when dividends once got
into the pockets of owners they were
10th to give up any portion of them
to do the necessary dead work to keep
the mines on a paying basis.
1t is a popularity of mining men
to become "enthused" when other
mines in the district are doing well,
and to become discouraged if any ad-
jacent mines close down 1t is the case
in every mining camp 1 ever saw.
Washington has been suffering from
that cause the past few years. The
Eagle Bird mine-the one highest up
the Yuba-has a record of producing
100000 The Yuba mine, mile be-
low, has produced $2,000000. The
Washington mine was productive and
all three had complete plants for min
ing and milling ore, yet all three were
closed down while the bottom levels
showed as good ore and as large sized
lodges as ever. All three are run by
water power, which costs nothing, ex-
cept to keep the fumes in repair.
All three lodges in these mines vary
in width from five to fifteen feet. The
rock yields so and S12 per ton, all
free milling, and no sulphurets. There
are numerous Lodges in the district par
TALLY prospected, which, with develop
ment, would without doubt become div
idend payers. The Governor Morton
mine is near the Yuba mine, and has
been kept running through the de-
preston. The Blue Jay mine, near by,
has been worked, off and on. during the
time The Lindsey, which was once a
great producer, has laid idle like the
rest There is now considerable activ-
ity, and residents believe there viii
soon be a revival. The depression was
but little worse than has been seen in
the past in the most prosperous dis
tricts in the county.
Probably the Washington District Of
fers as good a field at the present time
for the investment of capital, if judi
ciously expended, as any section |
know of. The ore is low grade, but the
lodges are large, water and timber is
abundant, and the means of access are
first class.
As an evidence of returning pros
perity the following notice of develop
ment work is given:
THE CALIFORNIA MINE.
This is a mine that was operated for
years, but was closed several times.
1t is located on CASTOR Ridge, about
six miles from Washington. 1t was
first opened by tunnels in 1865. The
altitude is about 5000 feet. From
1887 to 1891 it was owned and worked
by P. Foley. 1t has produced between
100000 and 100000.
1t is a contact vein, lying between
slate and syenite, and averages in
width from seven to twenty feet. The
rock is called low grade ore, but the
average of all workings has gone about
SD per ton.
About eighteen months ago a COM
pany was organized in New York by
Dana Harmon, present manager, TO
work this and several other claims in
this district and in Shasta County.
Their operations have been principally
confined to the California mine. The
manager at once decided to run a tun-
mel when he took charge, which will