Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-11-21
FIRST QUARTZ MILL.
Erected at Gold Hill on a
Pocket" by the late Henry
klippel and Others.

The Ashland Tidings has the following
story Of the first quartz mill erected in
the state. 1t was one Of the lessons to
be learned in the quartz education
OF this country that q mine should be
prospected frs. and equipped alter
wards. Failure to observe this rule in a
number OF instances gave the quartz
mining industry setback in Southern
Oregon. The Jewett mine is not ex-
hausted as the article intima,es, but
was only surface worked as many other
good properties have been and is still
live mine.
The story Of the first quartz mill
erected in Southern Oregon is recalled by
the passing away Of the pioneer miner
Henry Klippel, who is fully entitled to
the name Of the father Of quartz mining
in Oregon, through his connection with
the industry at the famous Gold Hill
lode in 1860. 1t was in early January Of
1860 that pioneer named Graham, who
was better known by the sobriquet
"Emigrant," located what proved to be
the astonshingly rich pocket ledge Of
Gold Hill. Not being able to locate the
whole ledge himself, the "Emigrant, /"
| took in the proposition with him John
Long. George Ish, Thomas Chsvner and
James Hayes, who each stsked claims.
They found an abundance Of fiat rock on
the surface Of the ground which was
rich in free gold, and the news Of their
strike spread over Jackson county like
wild fire on q western prairie, Pros
pectors and miners flocked to the hill
from all quarters Of Southern Oregon
and northern California, and hundreds
OF claims were staked and marked out
with no other boundary lines than ropes
stretched along them. Among other
locators was Henry Klippel who picked
up piece Of quartz rock on his claim
weighing IS ounces that yielded 8 ounces
in gold. The quartz was worked with
mortRrs and never before or since was
money so plentiful in Jackson county AZ
during those early days. The dull old
county-seat OF Jacksonville at once
assumed metropolitan airs and was the
headquarters for the miners OF the whole
section. Hotels, restaurants and stores
multiplied aud an era Of great pros
perity was inaugurated. A daily stage
line was put on the route from Jackson
Vile to the new mines, and the buses
were crowded with prospectors and sight.
seers bound for the Eldorado OF Gold
Hill. The gold fever seized on the
whole country; farms we're abandoned
for the mines and as long as the extra
ordinary output continued there was
prosperity galore for everyone.
After taking out large amount Of the
precious metal from their claims, a diss-
greement arose among the original locat-
ors, and Graham, sold his interest to
Henry Klippel and John Ross for S. 900,
while James Hayes disposed of his for a
like amount to Klippel, John McLough-
ten and Charles Williams. The new
owners Immediately began to develop
the claims with lvigor. Two arrastras
were erected to reduce the rich rock and
we're operated with mules as motive
power. At the weekly cleanups for
some time one thousand ounces Of gold
was the rule. Such was the accum ula-
tion Of ore that the srrastres were not
equal to the work, SO Mr.. Klippel re-
solved on putting up a 20.stamp quartz
mill TO be run with steam power at a
cost OF $4,000. In company with Nc
LaugLlin and Williams, a quartz mill
was purchased in San Francisco, and
a contract entered into with the mining
company to reduce their ore at So
per ton. The mill arrived in the spring
OF 1860 having come by water TO Coos
Bay and then by road via Scottsburg
Very much difficulty was experienced IN
hauling the heavy freight over the
rough roads. The freight bill alone is
said to have been 1900.
After short time the mill was sue
cesslully erected and the machinery in.
stalled. Dsrdanelles was selected as a
site for the pioneer quartz mill and it
began work on a run OF 100 tonsof refuse
quartz that had been thrown aside as
having been too poor TO run through the
arrsstre. The rock yielded 800 to the
ton and prospects were ROSY indeed,