The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-11-11
BEST MARBLE IN UNITED STATES
Found in IneKhaustibe Quantities rs Miles
Distant from LeaVenwOrth and Near
WenatChee Valley Railroad


Hon. John D. Atkinson, formerly
citizen of this county and for severa
years attorney general Of Washington
connected with the Alaska Marble
Mountain Company Of Seattle, 0
which he he is the president, was il
The Echo Office one day last week anc
left some excellent samples Of marble
that were obtained about twenty-eight
miles from this place and within 27a
miles of the Red Mountain state road,
on Chickamin creek. Mr.. Atkinson
has spent considerable time and money
in this portion Of Chelan county pros
pecting for mineral in the past ten
years, always with Indifferent success.
For some time he has been interested
in Alaska marble property; but about
two months since his attention was
directed to the marble mountain on
Chikamin creek.
A short time ago Mr.. Atkinson took
a crew of men up and made thorough
examination Of the find, with the result
that he confidently believes within two
years he will have a half-million dollar
plant located on the property, and ex-
poets to ship marble next summer.
Samples of the marble has been sub
mitted to experts, and has been pro-
nounced unquestionably the finest
grained and purest marble yet discov-
cred in the United States. An analysis
made by Professor c, R. Corey Of the
Washington state university shows 1t
to be almost pure lime with only a
trace OF iron oxide.
B. J. Barrett, sculptor with SO years
of experience, has been employed to
expert marble in England, France,
Italy and America, says it is very fine.
The pure white onyx marble and the
cream colored onyx is the best yet
found in America, says Mr.. Barrett,
and equals the best grades Of Carrara,
which sells for from SIS to $l8 per
cubic foot in the rough. He also says
he has had some of it polished, and it
is capable of the very best effects.
Mr.. Atkinson says his company will
endeavor to arrange with the owners Of
the Wenatchee Valley and Northern
Railway Company TO extend its line to
the marble company's quarries from a
point on the Chewawa river some IA
miles. Failing in this the marble peo-
pie will themselves build the road.
Considerable work has been done in
opening up the quarry. The ledge
shows a face over 5000 feet long and
from 100 to over 700 feet in height,
covering over 400 acres. 1t may be
larger in extent, but this much is
known.
Mr.. Atkinson says his company has
an offer for all the marble it can pro-
duce at a price that will be profitable
to the company. The supply is practi-
cally inexhaustible. 1t is believed to
be one of the biggest things that has
vet been discovered in Chelan county,
and that it will in a few years add mil
lions of dollars to the taxable values Of
property in the county and give en-
ployment to hundreds of men.
Mr.. Atkinson came down from Chick
amin creek Monday morning and de-
parted for Seattle on the afternoon
train. He had a ton and half of the
marble hauled TO Leavenworth, which
he shipped to Seattle for the purpose
of making further tests. Some of the
slabs were large and handsome.
The following statement from Minor
Rooerts, dean OF the mining and metal
lurgy department of the University OF
Washington, confirms former favorable
reports on the Chelan county marble:
University Station,
Seattle, Wash, Oct. Is, 1910.
Hon. John D. Atkinson,
Alaska Marble Mountain Co.
Seattle, Wash.
Dear Sir: A specimen Of the marble
that you submitted to US for analysis
and tests was tested for crushing
strength in the testing machine Of the
United States Forestry Department at
the university,
The maximum load sustained was