The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-08
HAS A BIG VEIN OF REALGAR
Great Quantities Of the Ore Lo-
Gated on Mineral Creek.
LARGEST ONE EVER FOUND.
Only . Few Deposits I'm the world
Property II Situated ON the Vest
ern slope of the Cascades, in
Lewis County-GoId, silver, Cop
per, Lead and Ferro-Manganess
Also Discovered in the Camp.

The Mineral mining region lies on the
west side Of the Cascades in the north
eastern part Of Lewis county, and about
fifty-five miles southeast from Tacoma. on
Mineral creek, eight miles from its juno
ton with the Nesqually river The or
iginai discovery was made in 1891. by John
s. Davis. At the time, considerable ex-
element was produced by the strike, but
the difficult transportation, and then the
financial crisis which came In 1893, pre-
vented much development work being
done, although several thousand dollars
were spent in exploring claims, building
trails. etc.
In 1899 the greater part OF the claims
OF real value, fifteen In all. came into
the possession of men who determined to
push the development Of the camp In
July. 1889, the Mineral Creek Mining &
Smelling Company was organized, with
A. F.. Kirkpatrick as president, Dr. Henry
Wells Dewey. vice president, and G. H.
Little. secretary and treasurer. The COM
pany Immediately proceeded to thorough
ly explore the property with view Of
determining what they had and what
could be worked to the best advantage.
During the entire year they have been
pushing the work steadily. To facilitate
operations. they built a fine dam across
Mineral creek. capable Of supplying at
least 1000 horse power, and installed for
ing, etc. 2-horse power electric plant.
by which all the heavier work Is now ac-
complished. The men in the cabins en-
Joy in the evenings a light that compares
with the electric lights OF Seattle and
Tacoma. Every facility for the comfort
of the men In the mines Is provided. and
IL IL the purpose Of the present manage
ment 10 have an ideal mining camp where
the best men will be glad to work.
The location Of this camp Is ideal.
Abundance Of timber and water r. at
hand. While the country round about IL
hiiy. the camp itself Is situated on q
level plateau. The land IL owned in fee
BY the company. and on It town can
readily be built
The section shows that II has been the
center Of vast geyser basin, while the
rocks give indications OF terrific convui-'
sions OF nature In prehistoric times. The
country rock IL porphyritic granite and
magnetism limestone. The walls of most
veins have on one side a black slate and
in others talco-siate. The gangue 10
calcite. containing from 10 10 % per cent.
OF carbonate and sulphide OF iron, fur
nishing a splendid nux for the minerals.
The Misunderstanding veins are quite
varied. In the camp are found nne gal
ena ore. carrying high percentage OF
lead and silver. In other veins are found
ores containing gold, lend. silver and
and q shaft OF 100 feet deep. average as
says give over 10 per ton for this ore.
The slight development work on this
claim has put at least 600 tons of pay
ore In sight. In another part Of the prop
erty. the company has opened up large
vein of ferro-manganese Of good quality.
the thing which gives largest present
value to this property. Ia vein OF real
gar tsulphide of arssnic). The vein has
been cross-cut and Is found to be twenty
n
10 IS per cent. pure realgar. This mineral
is employed very largely In the manufac-
ese Nearly al Of ,ss rsasar ., usea *
the United States Is imported. and most
OF II IL produced like the white arsenic.
from arsenides---metals eontaining, arse.
when the ore IL being roasted before
smelling. There are only a few deposits
of realsar known in the world. Spain
produces small quantity. IT Is found
also In Bohemia and Japan. but nowhere
has such large vein been discovered
as this on Mineral creek The ore. when
II comes from the mine, Is quite soft OF
brilliant red hue and very attractive.
Some idea OF the value OF this md TO
the company and 20 Washington may DO
OF reslgar is from rs to siss per ton.
The process OF treatment Is very simple
and inexpensive. With the completion OF
the Tacoma q Eastern Railroad, which
viii run within a few miles OF the mines,
the company will be able 10 mine. treat
and market their product at a profit OF
sI& 20 tl& per ton.
The company IL now arranging to build
a tramway from near Elba to the mines
and VIII put IN q plant for treating the
arsenic " Is the purpose also TO de-
Neiop. In the near future, the lead and
gold properties. SIS well ras the iron-man-
Eanesc. Every Indication points 10 the
conclusion that Mineral creek will Justify
the expectation OF its discoveries and
prove a source OF wealth 10 the men who
operate Il. Already several fiaHerlng Of
fers have been made for the purchase OF
the rcalgars mines. hut the mana gers be-
heve that IL IA good enough 10 hold
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