Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-08-01
MINING INDUSTRY IN ITS
INFANCY


boarding disposition However, a no
tableevent was about to happen In the
progress of things terrestrial. Man
was soon to appear on the scene OF
action, and nature, anticipating the
necessities and desires of this animal
made preparations for bringing up a
portion of the auriferous metal from
the molten interior of the earth and
placing It within his reach. To this
end she managed little before his
advent, geologically speaking, to in
iect mot the states and scists, already
tilted up, numerous gold-bearing
quartz veins, impregnating them more
or less with the royal metal from the
hydrothermal rocks.
The Neoeene Rivers Of oregon.
The geological observer cannot fail
to notice that the boldbearing gravel
of the Neocene rivers of Oregon,
Washington. and Idaho, with their
watersheds, formed a mountain range
as distinct as those of today, and that
its first summit in general coincided
with the corresponding modern divide,
which observation proves that the
grade OF the remaining Neocene grav-
ell channels are, TO a certain extent,
determined by the direction in which
they flowed. The slopes of the Cas-
cades, as well as the Blue mountains,
have been considerably increased
since the time when the Neocene
rivers flowed over the surface. It
seems probable, from the study of the
grade curves and the remains OF the
channels, that the surface of the
mountains has been deformed during
the uplifts. the most notable deforma-
tlons having been caused by the sub
sldence of portions of the great val.
leys adjacent to the olumbia and Will
lamette rivers,
These ancient gold-bearlng river
channels, which are mostly buried in
a mass of debris of volcanic mate
rial are not only peculiar to Oregon,
but to allfornia as well. A large part
OF the Blue mountains and the east.
ern slope of the ascades are capped
with masses Of volcanic material un.
der which are buried these old chan.
nels. The experienced miner can de.
termfne at once channelwashed gold
OF these rivers from that which has
been much later eroded from the
quartx veins and porphyry rocks. The
gold Is rough and craggy, and bears
no resemblance to the smooth and
haky appearance of the former. and
as the topography OF Oregon has been
nearly In It's present form for the last
two geological periods. what we call
the buried are dead rivers. are the
gulches and canyons OF the present
Cascade mountains which we're sealed
up about the close of the PHocene
epoch of the Tertiary period. This is
notably the case east of the Cascale
mountains, and laong the John Day
and Des Chutes rivers. which have
been much distorted. and during the
uplifts left many OF these buried
branches on the summit of the Blue
mountains. The rivers, when once
changed, had to gather their waters
together again, and In the hundreds
OF thousands OF years that have
elapsed these streams have eroded
their new channels some places to
the extent OF thousands OF feet.
Gold Mining.
Following the discovery Of gold ON
the Pacific coast, and the immlgra.
tion of lSt9 and 1850 to California
led TO the early advent OF placer min.
INK ON klamath and Rogue rivers in
southern Oregon.
II was prosecuted with great energy
and vigor for many years or as late
as 1860, when subsequent prospecting
OF The more northern part OF Oregon
aud Idaho, then Washington terri.
tory, led TO many discoveries of placer
gold watch was mined in the well.
known camps OF oro Fino Florence
and Elk City. In Washington territory
and In Baker and Grant counties in
Eastern Oregon All OF this has since
passed into history. As these camps
became almost exhausted. the want Of
transportation caused the mining in.
dns'ry to lag for a number OF years
ont since the advent OF the raihoa 4
srea' attention has been paid 10
quartz mining working over the
ground whence these camps drew their
supply OF gold HUT tue purpose of
this pamphlet is to car the attention
to the minlng industry as Il exists to
day.
II Is a welknown fact that the city
of Portland which has a population
Of 10000, owes its origin and prosper
iV TO the early mining In the state I