The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-28


sketch % the Mines and District.
TIE practical abandonment OF the fine
concentration and collateral property 1t
Monte Crisso has crystalli1ed In q suit for
the appointment of receiver and the sale
OF tho property. The SUIT was fled yes
terday in the Federal court in this city.
with the titia Of George D. Rogers VS..
che United Concentration Company.
The complaint sets forth tina, Mr.. Rog-
err y citisen Of Newark. N. J.. and that
the company is Incorporated under the
laws of West Virginia. doing business In
the state Of Washington. that 1t originally
issued bonds to the amount of Ss.eGo, each
Of the denomination Of $1.0N, ana that on
January Y, 1855. tbs issue was supple
fnensed by fifty additional bonds Of like
amount, bringing the total bonded in
debteainesS up 10 $125, go. To secure these
bonds mortgage was given on the entire
property. including four acres Of ground,
al coneentraiors. crusners, bu.idinxS,
boilers. fixtures. furniture. machinery. inn
psemsntA framways, trestles. supports,
tracks. riparian rights. water rights and
franchise a. company. The bonds bear
pr cent. interest.
Interest on the bonds has been long de-
fau.ted, and the complainant now asks
that the Federal court ascertain the rights
or all parties at interest, appoint Q re-
ceiver. with authority TO manage and OPP
crate the property or to sell II if necessary,
turning the money into the court, sub
ject u it, order.
The suit has presumably been precipi-
lated BY the disastrous washouts of the
Everett & Monte Crfsto road and the sub
sequent suspension OF operations at the
big concentration at Monte. Cristo. which
mad total capacity OF handling 1000 tons
OF ore day.
The Monte CristO District.
Monte Cristo was the scene of the first
mining operations on a large scale by men
having ample icaptal to develop a mine
to paying basis. These mines and the
affiiated investments represented an in
vestment of about 100000, which John
ID. Rockefeller and his business associates
had staked on their faith in the mining
possibilities OF the Cascades They had
done so in the face OF adverse opinion
from many experts as to the character of
the formation and the permanence of the
ore bodies. They had found gold and sill
ver-bearing minerals Of such q refractory
nature that they incurred heavy penalties
at the smelter, and one man described a
particularly troublesome combination of
mineral as concentrated essence OF the
inferno" But the Monte Cristo and its
aii-ed companies persisted In the face of
many dincuities- BY tapping at depth
or s0 feet one Of the ore chutes which
cropped on the surface they proved that
tne ore bodies are continuous for a great
depth and maintain their size and value
Iney proved that. n spite Of It's refrac-
tory character, the ore can b. mined
concentrated and smelted at a profit. when
handaed on large scale. They proved
these valuable facts as pioneers in a new
mining neld. where new conditions had
TO be met and new problems solved, and
they persegersd In spite OF many ohsta-
cles and much detraction from pess, mis.s.
until they found the answer no. only for
themselves. but for all others who enter
the same field.
Monte Crfsto lies In a basin In which the
south fork OF the Sank river rises. Two
glaciers form It's source one slopine from
Cadet peak and pouring its dripp!ngs In
a cascade down Glacier guleh to form
Glacier creek. the other scoring the side
OF the lofty ridge south of wiinans peak
and sending Sevenfy-sax creek down a
gulch to Join Glacier creel0 in the town Of
Monte Cristo. Wilmans peak Is a bold.
Glacier and Seventy guiches which the
Ice has carved out to right and left OF II.
The united stream flows northwest from
beneath these peaks TO receive the north
fork. which rises ON the other side Of the
ridge. and then enters the Skag.t. fifty
rrilea north
Mystery Hill Tunnel.
The Monte Cristo mines are one of a
number OF properties which were acquired
by the Rockefeller syndicate and operated
in conjunction. The Monte cris.o Mining
Company has twenty~lght claims. inci,ld-
ing nMilsite and p,aeers In the canyon, the
mineral locations being divided among
Glacier. Seventy-sdx and West Seattle
guiehes. Extensive work was done on
most of these.
The longest and deepest tunnel runs
through Mystery hill for l. 600 feet and cuts
the same ore chute as the two upper ones,
100 feet below the summit OF the hill.
thus defining the chute for this depth
This TUNE, then turns southwark ard
runs for seventy-fiye feet as croSs-cus
until 1t intersects a parallel ledge, which
it then follows through the Pride OF the
Mountains ground for 200 feet. II runs for
80 feet through an ore chute three feet
wide. carrying galena and little chaico-
ryrite In addition TO other minerals.
The ore was transported from the Mys-
terry Hill and Pride % the Mountains
mines by two cable buckle. tTanways, run
ming 10 the same discharge terminal One
runs from the lower tunnel of the Pride
Of the Mountains ard over Mystery Hiil
and In about 500 feet long. making a de-
scent Of about ] $50 feet IL has span
of s. feet across Glacier galch. with a
central drop of $50 feet. and its capacity
Is 80 tone I'm twenty-feur hours. The other
tramwsy IL S.sso feet long and. leads from
the long tunnel In Mystery I'm. q vertical