The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1915-04-24

of the Old Dominion Silver Lead Mines
Company, was in Colville for more
than week engaged in experimenting
the activities of reopening the Old Do
minion mine, famous in the history of
this part of the state.
The boarding house has been opened,
and men have been put to work clearing
out the lower levels and tunnel, and re-
timbering. 1t is planned to retimber
about $500 feet of the lower tunnel as
the first work, but the work is of such
character that not many men can be
utilized at the start. The timbers are
in bad shape in many places, and care
must be taken in the work of cleaning
and retimbering.
Mr.. Linney is giving his personal at
tention to the work. He has had much
thoroughly familiar with this character
of mine work. Before the summer
closes, large force of men is expected
to be active, and preparations are being
made to speed the work as fast as pos
sible, in order that actual work may be
started in the ore.
The following interesting details are
from the pen of John B. Slater, pioneer
of the Colville country, and historian of
the Stevens County Pioneer Association:
The story of the Old Dominion mine
has been large and interesting chapter
in the history of the Colville country, for
it not only set Colville permanently
upon the map of prosperous cities of
the Inland Empire, but it took Spokane
out of the list of struggling country
towns and established it as great
commercial center-a city of the en-
during class.
1t was on the afternoon of stormy
day-the 18th of April, 1885-that A.
E. Benoist and w. H. Kearney closed
the day of toll in prospecting a lime
and granite contact across the country,
having followed it from near Addy.
Heavy slate dykes occasionally inter-
cepted the continuity of the vein, and
the travel over rugged country was
fraught with innumerable hardships.
The trend of the formation seemed to
reach the Old Dominion mountain.
which was then unnamed. Benoist was an
experienced prospector, and although
not much over 80 years of age, had
covered most of the mineral fields of
the Pacific slope. Kearney, aged
about 21, was a dry goods clerk who
had come to Spokane from his boyhood
home In Montreal, seeking employ
ment with his brother, Patrick D.
Kearney, but upon his arrival in the
new metropolis, the brother Pat could
find nothing for the boy to do. Having
already staked Benoist for the Colville
prospecting trip, he shifted his brother
Billy upon new mission. Billy scarce
ly knew rock f ON salt, but he seized
upon the opportunity like a veteran.
During the day E. E. Alexander,
another prospector, fell in with them.
They had stopped to rest on the high
bluff overlooking the valley. While
Benoist went higher up to make some
superficial observations of the country,
Kearney with his small prospecting
pick made cursory examination around
where he was sitting. All were ex-
pecting to get to Colville that night for
a square meal.
When Benoist returned he observed
the cleavage caused by Billy's pick, and
being of an excitable disposition, fell
npon his hands and knees and began
to trail the ledge matter which Kear-
ney had exposed. Benoist's excitement
put the breath of life into the hopes
of his two companions and they stayed
on the ground until the next day when
they posted their notices. Here was
the rub. Benoist and Kearney were
partners grubstaked by Pat, and all
three were to share in all discov-
cries. Alexander was only with the
expedition by accident, but was claim
ing under right of discovery. There
was no argument against the fact that
IL WAS TlCn Ilnu. DeDOlSL ndu ueCldTcu
that it would be world beater and it
must be so. After a long drawn out
controversy, it was decided between
the three that Alexander could inscribe
his name on the location notice for
one-eiehth interest and Benoist and the
wo Kearneys would divide the balance
equally between them, so the notice
was posted and recorded with the names
of A. E. Benoist and w. Kearney
representing seven-eights jointly and
E. E. Alexander, one-eighth.
The notice was filed with County
Auditor j. r. Kingsley on April 13.
Kingsley soon after died, and W. H.
Bishop, now of Spokane, was appointed
auditor to succeed him. A search was
made for the record of the instrument,
but no trace of it could be found.
Kingsley was carpenter and spent
most of his time at the building trade,
and in the absence of court house or