The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-07
sEEswAx MINING IN OREGON.
Controversy Over Origin of Deposits.
 Interesting Indian Legends

From the Los Angeles Times.
 Mining of beeswax is an industry con- fined to small stretch of the Pacinc coast and it exists nowhere else as far as can be ascertained About thirty miles south of the mouth of the Columbia river is Nehalem Bay and beach, ana here is where the beeswax mines are found It is hardly proper to call the oe- posits mines, for they are scattered along the beach in an uncertain fashion, ana are probably not of natures production' The deposits are mined, however put lh a manner unlike any other kind of min ing. They resemble placer diggings more than any other.
 The beeswax miner uses a blow and team of horses to work the alluvial de- posits at the mouth oe the bay. and some times goes at 1t with pick and shovel. Occasionally some fine specimens Of the wax are found floating, or cast upon the sands of the beach.
 How did the beeswax get there? Au- thorities differ as to this. Samples have been sent to men who claim to be mineral experts, and they say that it is probably ozocerite, otherwise known as mineral wax or natural paraffine. The paraffine made from petroleum products is not much different from that produced from beeswax, gives a similar odor when melt ing and 1t is easy to see that a mistake might be made. On the other hand, bees wax experts insist that 1t Is the product of the bee, the characteristic odor disap- bearing somewhat from long exposure to the elements. When found, the pieces have a corroded appearance, like mineral ore, and the discoloration extends through the substance to some extent. This might be expected, for much of 1t has been tossed about by the waves or has been buried in the beach sand for two or three centuries.
 The alluvial or made lands near the en- trance to the bay have trees standing thereon which must be more than a hum dred years old, some being three feet in diameter, and deposits of the wax are found beneath the roots of these trees In many instances. At present the sea Is making inroads on the land and is cut ting away the support from quite a tract of lowland covered with forest, and large quantities of the wax are brought to view. The Nehadem river Is large stream carrying an immense amount Of water in the winter season, and Is con- stantly changing the country in the re- zion of the delta. Some times the chan mel is shut up and new one Is made into the sea. The large bar at the mouth or the bay Is shifting, and as the changes take place more of the wax Is unearthed. so that miners are not always oDngeu 10 depend upon the shovel or blow.
 The settlers in the vicinity have mined and gathered the wax since 1865, and are doing 1t yet to some extent. They have found a ready market, selling it for bees wax. It Is carried to Astoria in boats or overland on back animals. and one man who took over half ton to market at one time received IS cents per pound for his cargo.
 The theory that the wax came from wrecked ship is quite generally accepted, but if this Is there must have been a large cargo. for many tons have been saved and marketed-besides the supply seems no nearer being exhausted than It was twenty years ago. Small bits of the wax have been picked up at various places along the oregon coast, and as far south as Santa Barbara, in California, so say the scientists. who have generally re- garded 1t as mineral wax