The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1914-07-31
A PRODUCING MINE
The Old Caaba Turning Out Pay Ore
In Large Quantities


SMALL cubical oratory within. ador-
ed by Mohammedans, as containing the
black stone said to have been given by
an angel to Abraham" Mecca is the
shrine toward which the devout Mo-
hammed turns his footsteps, and Ca
aba" the holy of holy of that shrine.
In the very early days of the first
discovery Of mineral in this part of
the northwest Okanogan Smith, the
pioneer white resident of this part of
the Okauogan valley, located manv
Nighthawk, and among them the pres
ent day Caaba. and that name he prob
ably gave to the location as it has
never been known by any other. The
very surface indications, indications
in the nature of an enormous cropping
ledge standing out in plain sight at
the foot of claw of Little Chopaka
mountain, that extends down almost
to the shore of the Similkameen river.
no passerby could possibly overlook,
and in his surprise at the discovery
Smith must have been struck by an
impression that in years to come here
would be mine, a miners shrine, to
attract the attention of the mining
world, hence christcned it the "Caaba," ="
and more appropriate name could
not have been selected
From the days of Smith down to the
present time the Caaba has had quite
"a history, although an unexciting one.
1t has been prize that many have
ccntended for. 1t was relocated sew
eral times. The clash of ownership
carried the Caaba into court for ad-
judication of claims. Yet in all these
years little was accomplished in the
way of ascertaining whether the claim
was really worth fighting over. Work
Of opening up the gigantic lead was
carried on in a perfunctory manner
from time to time extending over three
decades, applied as a beggerly show
ing of annual assessment work per-
formed that is required by law. That
the ledge continued in place for a long
distance, and held remarkable width,
was established beyond question, but
so far as giving the property an act
ual value through the medium of devel-
opment what had been accomplished
in the wdy of exploration might as
we'll been left undone. Not until very
recently has work that counts for any
thing progressed far enough to make
a showing upon which an idea could
be formed of the value of the Caaba,
and at this early stage of the first at
tempt at real mining no one would
hazard a guess in the matter of value
for from the extraordinary exposure
Of ore no one would be bold enough to
utter in dollars what he really believes
this mine to be worth, as the figures
would be startling and unbelievable.
When J. l.. Harper turned his atten-
ton to this mining district he made a
very thorough examination of the var
ious claims in the surrounding coun-
try, as he did not come here to make
b mistake, and, indeed, like many an
other mining man unfamiliar with the
Okanogan mineral situation, was rath-
er inclined to be sceptical. He saw
and was convinced that the opportun-
ity existed hereabouts to make paying
mines from some of the indifferently
prospected claims. lie was favorably
impressed with the outward appear
ance of the Caaba, and made deal
with p. S. Harris, of Loomis, who has
held the claim in recent years, Dy
which he could take hold and develop
the property. When Mr.. Harper starts
in prospecting a claim he considers
has merit there is no dilly dallying ana
surface scraping His aim is to get
under ground, open up the ledge OF
ore bodies, and if satisfied the show
ing justifies the expense, trouble ana
labor proceeds to develop the claim
in such manner as to speedily dis
cover its true merit. Until Mr.. Harpe:
took hold of it the Caaba was merely
prospect During the few weeks
that he has been operating he has fui-
ly demonstrated that it is the making
of one of the greatest mines IN the
northwest. If he is fortunate enough
to carry out his plans the time IS not
far distant when the Caaba Will RANK
with and be as familiar as the lie Roi
the Bunker Hill, the Mob Hill, or the
scores of valuable mines that nave
made the operators rich, and stlnuial'
cd mining men to extend researches
in an effort to discover other bon
anzas.
The Caaba is situated on the wes
side of the Similkameen river, apou'
mile south of Nighthawk. AS stateo
above the exposed ledge that first at
tracted- the attention of Okanogai
Smith crops out for long distance
along the foot of the hill, its whlt'
surface standing out conspicuous
against the background of the darheI
formation. There are open cuts IL
this ledge at intervals ror distance
OF several hundred feet showing th'
lead to be continuous, of great widtl
with a slight dip into the hill. Ih
enormous size of this remarkable ven
was never realized until Mr.. Harpe
sunk shaft ON the ore, and drilte'