Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-08-22
Waldo Copper Mines.

Grants Pass, Or, Aug. 9.-Late de-
yelopments prove that as rich copper
ore is contained in the ledges OF the
Waldo copper belt Of Southern Oregon
as is found in the copper regions Of any
country in the world. The Waldo cop
per fields, situated in Southwestern
Josephine County. cover an area 20
miles vide by over 30 in length, ext end
ing from the Illinois River, near the lit
tie mining town OF Kerby, to the Cali
fornia line. The large ledges Of copper
Of the district have been known 10 exist
since the pioneer days Of SO years a. o,
but in the mad rush for the more pre-
cious yellow metal, the less valuable
copper veins OF the mountains were
practically ignored until four years ago.
At the present time there are dozen
mines in the Waldo copper district being
worked or developed, while over score
more Of claims have been recently
staked, and new discoveries are being
continually made. The smelter, situa-
ted at the. Strong mines, near the center
Of the district, is being run at full blast,
treating the ore Of the surrounding
mines. Other smelters are being talked
Of for the district, as the ore being re.
moved would keep dozen in operation.
The first discovery Of copper in Oregon
was made in 1860 by two prospector'
who were searching for gold. The dis
covery was made in Southwestern Jos
ephine County. No steps towards re-
moving the copper ore Of the discovery
were made till many years later, al
thought from similar claim, discovered
at the same time, just across the line in
California. considerable development
work was done and many tons Of ore
were shipped across the sea to Europe
TO be smelted.
The real discovery OF copper in South
ern Oregon dates back to 1888. W. j.
Strong, who is at present an Illinois
Valley farmer and miner, was out hunt.
ing in the mountains when he discover
ed large ledge Of copper, which devel'
oped into what is now the Cowboy cop.
per mine. In short time, Strong and
a partner had located six claims in the
immediate district, which at present
comprises the Strong group Of mines, on
which the smelter is located. In 1894
Brown and Wheeler. two capitalists Of
Baltimore, Md, became interested in
the Waldo copper fields, and purchased
the Strong mines and erected the smell
ter. The mines were later purchased
and are at present owned by Morgan
Draper, OF San Francisco. To Brown
and Wheeler is due much Of the credit
OF opening up the riches of the Waldo
copper fields to the world. 1t was they
who expended the first money in build
ing roads, bridges and buildings at the
mines.
Professor G. W. Lehmen, who was
for 20 years the chemist OF the Balti'
more Copper Works, and who is con-
ceded to be one of the greatest author
tiles on copper, said, after. an examina-
ton Of the copper mines of the Waldo
belt, that they were the most extensive
and the richest body OF copper ledges SC
far known to exist in the world.
A detriment to the copper mines oI
Waldo is their distance from the rail
road. Much expense is entailed in haul
ing the ore or matte to Grants Pass OF
Crescent City, from which points it is
shipped to the markets or smelter. The
present method OF hauling the ore out
by wagon is far too inadequate for the
immense ore bodies that this copper dis
trict contains.
The most extensive OF the Waldo
mines is the Strong group, owned by
Morgan Draper. A 30-ton smelter is
situated on these mines, and is kept in
operation, nearly 100 men being EN-
ployed. The quantity of ore in sight at
this mine is extensive. About half way
up the mountain-side ON which the main
working is situated ledge lSO feet in
width is exposed. In this ledge are
numerous veins OF copper, varying be-
tween four and five feet in width and
separated by deposits of serpentine
these deposits being highly mineralized
Higher up TIE mountain is a 300.foot
tunnel, which passes from one side OF
the mountain TO the other, following q
four-foot copper vein. Shafts and drifts
have been cut through all parts OF this
mountain. Lodges and veins OF copper
are encountered at every point and at
all depths through the mountains in.
terror.
On the range adjoining the Strong
group are found the Whippe group OF
mines. Samples of ore brought into
Grants Pass few days ago from these
mines gave assay returns OF is and %
per cent copper, with also fair showing
of gold. The tunnel tapping the Whip
pie mine reaches a depth of 1926 feet,
The ledge is 22 feet in width, One hun.
dred and fifty tons of ore lie ON the
dump outside the Whipple, awaiting
transportation to the smelter.
In the immediate district OF the