USA > California > San Bernardino County > Ingersoll's century annals of San Bernadino County, 1769-1904 : prefaced with a brief history of the state of California : supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and portraits of many of its representative people > Part 31
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The State Mineralogist furnishes this table of the mineral production of the county for the past ten years :
YEAR
Gold.
Silver.
Borax.
Cement
Lime.
Copper.
Granite.
Limestone.
Rubble.
Paving
Brick.
Salt and
Macadam
TOTAL.
1894
$130,419 $148,242 $ 726,509 $ 21,600
$32,000
# 3,000+ $1,099,643
1895
131,360
219,410
555,900
22,556
87.864
$31,622 37,672 12 376
$ 6,250 30,000 17,500 $
2,000
$14,000
1,003,889
1897
100 373
54,407
1.080,000
66,000
12,000
1,312,780
1898
261,512
32.000
1 120,000
150,000
35.000
7,630
6,600
7,410
$16,000
1,644,152
1899
164,599
125 603
1,106,000
180.000
16,100 8232,339
3,275
14,810
4,000
8.000
4,000±
1,859,351
1900
247,949
172.759
999,350
121,000
33,26]
297.600
5,600
7,067
42,657
2,500
15,000±
1,965,143
1901
399,693
57,164
898,130
159,842
43.028
7,875
4,630
76,710
151,447
7,400
15,000
33,000±
1,844,239
1902
394,936
54.972
2,198,600
65,832
41,008
57,578
167,300
19,000
15,600
3.308,200
1903
381,197
59.199
495,000
29,692
7,852
64,614
41,610
71,000±
1,576,618
+salt
įMacadam
Lead-1900, 8400; 1901, $20, included in total.
Turquoise-1900, 820,000; 1901, $20,000; 1902, $11,600; 1903, $10,000, included in total.
The lack of capital, the scarcity of water and of fuel, the great difficulty in reaching many of the desert mines, and the cost of transporting ore to mills or smelters, have all been great hindrances to the working of most of our mines. One great drawback to the erection of smelters within the county, the lack of fuel, has been largely overcome in recent years by the development of oil and the cheapness with which it can be laid down at any railroad point. The building of new lines of railway within the county is
20,101+ 15,000+
1,114,863
1896
96,722
130,714
650.500
27,00€
34,977
Blocks.
CAMP ROCHESTER. BAGDAD MINING DISTRICT
275
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
also facilitating transportation and removing many of the obstacles which have hitherto stood in the way of success.
Of quartz mines bearing gold and silver, there are now some 250 loca- tions on record, most of which have been more or less fully opened up, and which are scattered through some twenty mining districts. At present the most active operations are being carried forward in the Clark, Vanderbilt and New York districts in the northeastern corner of the county, the Oro Grande, Calico, and Black Hawk districts in the central portion of the county and in Rand district-partly located in Kern county.
There are seventy-seven copper claims, fourteen borax mines, seventeen niter deposits on which claims have been located, eleven locations of lime, four granite quarries, three marble quarries, two kaolin claims, besides loca- tions of cement, cobalt, corundum, graphite, asbestos, nickle, rubble and turquoise.
Aside from these, the following minerals, ornamental material, and gems are known to exist in the county and await development: Tin, iron, zinc, mineral paint, porphyry, sandstone, gypsum, potters' clay, fire clay, fullers' earth, bauxite, coal, oil, asbestos, mica apatite, niter, carbonate of soda, glauber salts, epsom salts, aragonite, azurite, agate, obsidian, octahedrite, and onyx.
San Bernardino leads all the other counties of the state in the production of borax, cement, turquoise and rubble and leads the world in the production of borax.
Practically, the history of mining in this county begins with the dis- covery of gold in Bear and Holcomb valleys in the fall of 1860, a full account of which is given elsewhere. About the same time the prospectors began to develop silver mines at Ivanpah and placer mining began on Lytle Creek. Placer mining was carried on quite extensively during the sixties in Bear and Holcomb valleys and along Lytle Creek, and was attempted in the Yucaipe valley and at other points, but without much success. Hydraulic mining was first employed in this county on Lytle Creek and was also used to a small extent in the mountain claims. But the mines of the county have been almost exclusively quartz formations and quartz mining has been the rule. During the seventies the gold and silver mines of the Panamint, Ivan- pah and Ord districts were opened up, and later the rich silver mines of the Calico district and of Providence Mts. were developed. During the eighties the production of silver in this county was very heavy, the Providence mines having been by far the richest silver bearing mines ever discovered in the state. The last twelve or fourteen years, the borax output has been San Bernardino's most valuable mineral resource. The extent and value of these deposits and their products is a most interesting example of the possibilities of the desert.
JOHN W. SEARLES
277
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
HOLCOMB AND BEAR VALLEYS.
. In 1859, prospecting for gold began in Bear Valley, high in the San Ber- nardino mountains. A company of miners prospected for some time with poor results. The first "pay dirt" was struck by Jack Martin and W. F. Holcomb, two well known pioneers. When it was known that gold had been found here a rush followed and soon a large number of men were panning dirt in the valley. May 5th, 1860, W. F. Holcomb and Ben Ware located the first claims in Holcomb Valley, five miles beyond Bear Valley. For two or three years these two valleys formed a typical mining camp. Men came in from all parts of the country, considerable settlements were tor med and stores, hotels and restaurants flourished.
Large amounts of gold were taken out-the diggings were shallow and easily worked. Then for a few years the diggings seemed to be worked out and were practically deserted. About 1870 a forty stamp mill was erected at Gold Mountain in Bear Valley, but was soon afterward burned. Some time later a five stamp mill was set up on a hill near the former location, but was never used and was finally removed. In 1876 a ten stamp mill was erected in Bear Valley, but this, too, proved a disastrous investment. "Lucky" Baldwin was one of the owners of this Gold Mountain property, but he cer- tainly never won his title here. About 1887 an English company was formed by Alex Del Mar to work in Holcomb Valley. Extensive plans were made and a large amount of money expended. The difficulty of obtaining water and fuel has always been a great drawback to successful operation here.
LYTLE CREEK MINING DISTRICT.
Early in the sixties placer gold was found in Lytle Creek cañon, and a considerable excitement followed its discovery. In 1867 the Harpending Company, of New York, acquired property there and installed a hydraulic outfit under the management of Captain Winder, of San Diego. A flume five miles long and carrying 600 inches of water was constructed. Forty men were employed and the returns are reported by the newspapers of the day as running up to $2000.00 per week. This was the first successful hy- draulic mining in Southern California, and was at the time the most im- portant mining enterprise in the county. The New York company sold out to a party of Frenchmen, of whom Mr. Louis Abadie was one, which con- tinned hydraulic mining for a time. The placer mining was also rich in this valley ; it is claimed that men sometimes picked up $40.00 per day at it.
More or less placer mining has been carried on in Lytle Creek cañon ever since the early discoveries. In 1890, 100 men are reported as working
278
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
these placers and clearing on an average $4.00 per day. Operations are stil. carried on here and gold is taken out in paying quantities.
BORAX.
In 1861, John W. Searles, a noted pioneer and hunter of early days, was prospecting in company with his brother Dennis, in the Slate Range, in the extreme northern edge of San Bernardino county. Their camp looked down on a wide marsh that gleamed in the hot sun like molten silver. It was sup- posed to be a vast bed of salt and carbonate of lime. The carbonate of lime was used in working their ores and their engineer complained that the stuff had borax in it which interfered with its proper influence on the ore. About 1863, borax was discovered at Clear Lake, the first discovery of borax in America, and a San Francisco company began exploiting it. About 1872 there came the news of the borax finds of F. M. Smith and others in Nevada, which made a furore. Soon afterward a sample of the Nevada borax was brought into California and Searles had a chance to examine it. He immed- iately packed an outfit, and with his brother, Dennis, E. W. Skilling and J. D. Creigh, went to the marsh west of Slate Range. There the party pre- empted claims of 160 acres each. The news of the borax find spread and soon other prospectors appeared. It was learned that the land must be taken up as placer claims of 20 acres each, and in a short time the entire marsh was covered with claims and a large number of men were in the field. Most of these were unsuccessful and soon left the district. Searles · and his company began taking out borax, however. During 1873 more than one million pounds of borax, worth nearly $200,000, was taken from the marshes of San Bernardino county. Searles' Marsh, as it was known, was a basin-like depression, or dry lake, ten miles long and five miles wide, con- taining an almost unlimited quantity of the material. The Searles company erected an extensive plant with a capacity of 100 tons per month of refined borax. Situated as it was, far from railroads or markets, the transportation of their product was one of the most important features. For this purpose, specially constructed wagons, carrying immense loads and drawn by twelve, eighteen, or twenty mules were used. Stations along the route were estab- lished by placing water in tanks at various points along the road and cache- ing supplies of horse feed and provisions.
From 1873 to 1881 the principal borax production of the state, and of the United States as well, was from the borax marshes of San Bernardino county.
In 1882 borax was discovered in the Calico district by W. T. Coleman and F. M. Smith. These deposits were very rich, but were in a different form from the marshes and not so easily worked. This property passed into the hands of the Pacific Borax Company, which had its reduction works at
279
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Alameda. From 1888 to 1893, Calico furnished most of the borax mined in the county.
In 1898 work was begun on the erection of a 100 ton borax plant at Borax Lake, but it was not completed before it was sold to a syndicate, which was organized that year with a capital of seven million dollars to control all borax output. The same year the branch railroad from Daggett to Calico was completed, thus facilitating the shipment of borax from this point. In 1899, the borax syndicate secured control of all of the California works and the different refineries were all shut down, the crude borax being now shipped to Bayonne, New Jersey for refinement. The profits of the borax trust are stated by the state mineralogist to have equalled $1.363.705 for the years 1899 to 1901.
Most of the borax now being taken out in the county is at the works of the Pacific Borax Company, near Ivanpah, in the northeastern corner of the county, and at Calico. The average annual value of their produce in this county is placed at $500,000, and their annual expenditure, $250,000.
Borax deposits are found in San Bernardino county on the Armagosa river, at Searles' Lake, at Calico and Daggett, and in the Clark district.
The Calico borax district, lying north and northeast of Daggett, has become famous both at home and abroad for its borate deposits. Soon after the biborate of common borax had been found there, a new mineral was dis- covered among the brightly colored strata that have given name to the dis- trict. This mineral was snowy white and composed of radiating crystals of singular beauty .. To the surprise of those who analyzed it, the mineral proved to be a compound of boric acid and lime. It was named "Coleman- ite," after W. T. Coleman, who was associated with F. M. Smith in the borax industry at the time of the discovery. Later the Pacific Coast Borax Com- pany built a crushing and drying plant at Marion, about four miles north of Daggett, and a railroad about ten miles long, connecting Daggett, Marion and its Colemanite beds at Calico. This property belongs now to the Borax Consolidated Limited, which has absorbed most of the properties in this district, and which ships the crude ores, after crushing and drying, to its large reduction works at Bayonne, N. J.
The Western Mineral Company, W. T. Bartlett, manager, and the Columbia Mining and Chemical Company are also located in the Calico dis- trict and put out a considerable produce, particularly of boric acid.
IVANPAH.
Ivanpah is located in the Clark district, in the northeastern corner of the county. In 1872, Mat Palen re-located a silver mine, one of the first to be discovered in the county, which had been worked at some previous time by unknown miners. A shaft fifty feet deep, filled with debris was
280
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
uncovered, but no traces of machinery or tools were found. Since that time, it is claimed that stone hammers, and evidences of pre-historic occupation have been found in the turquoise mines in the same vicinity. Mr. Palen opened up a rich prospect, and a stamp mill, probably the first one in the county, was erected. About 1870, the McFarlane brothers located the Lizzie Bullock mine, which proved exceedingly rich in silver. For a number of years, large quantities of ore were taken from this and neighboring mines. During the seventies Ivanpah was the chief silver producing district of the county, and it is said the amount of bullion produced ran up into the mil- lions in value. In the eighties, Tom McFarlan and J. S. Alley located the Alley mines, which were also very profitable. But the silver was mostly in stringers, and, for many years, the silver mines have been deserted. In re- cent years copper and turquoise mines have been worked, and a number of promising gold claims have been located. One turquoise mine is being developed and, for a number of years, has made considerable shipments.
THE NEEDLES SMELTER
THE PROVIDENCE MOUNTAINS.
The Providence Range, which is located in the eastern part of the county, near the Colorado, extends northeast and southwest for eighty miles, and reaches an elevation of 6,350 feet in its highest peak, Mt. Edgar.
In these mountains was located the richest body of silver ever un-
281
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
covered in the state. The Bonanza King, the principal mine of the group, was located in the later seventies. About 1880, a ten stamp, dry crushing mill was erected by the Bonanza Consolidated Company. In 1881, the offi- cial returns from this mine, as reported in the papers, were $251,604.15, for a run of 115 days. In 1884, Thomas Ewing, the superintendent, reports : "The Bonanza King is better opened up, better worked, and we have ob- tained better results from the ore than any other mine in this great mineral desert. Nearly one million dollars has been taken from the mine in eighteen months and ten days."
But these mines, like others, proved to be veins, or the ore became too low grade to pay for working, after the drop in silver came. For many years work has ceased. Some locations for gold have been made in this district, known as the Trojan, and also some copper locations. But no ac- tive operations are being carried on at present.
CALICO DISTRICT.
This district received its name on account of the many colored rocks and hills that mark it. It first came into prominence in the early eighties, al- though silver had been discovered prior to that time. The first location in Calico mountains was made by Lowery Silver, an old miner. Several hun- dred locations were made through this district about 1880. In 1881, Tom Warden, Hues Thomas and others located the Silver King mine, which was a very rich silver producer. In 1884, the output of the Silver King, Bis- marck, Cuba and other Calico mines exceeded $642,000, the greater part of which came from the Silver King. In 1888, the state mineralogist reports that 70 per cent of the silver produced in the state was the product of San Bernardino county, and the greater part of this amount came from the Calico mines. These were the days when Calico district was a full-fledged mining "bonanza." 170 stamps were then in operation. The Waterloo mine alone employed from 100 to 150 men and kept a sixty stamp mill constantly at work. This mine was one of the best in the district, and yielded an im- mense amount of ore. In 1892, the low price of silver and the low grade of the ore then taken out, made it unprofitable to operate the mine, and it was shut down. The Silver King was operated for a year or two longer, but the continued depression of prices and the working out of veins caused this also to be abandoned. The silver mines of Calico have now been idle for several years. The discovery of borax and the large operations carried on in handling this product are spoken of under the head of Borax.
GRAPEVINE DISTRICT.
North of Barstow, which was originally Waterman, lies the Grapevine mining district, organized in the seventies. A man named Lee, who was afterwards lost in the desert, or killed by Indians, made the first location, a
282
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
silver mine, here. Later this mine was re-located by Messrs. Waterman and Porter. It proved rich and a ten-stamp mill was put up and a good deal of silver taken out for a time. A large number of other locations were made in the district and mining prospects were good for a flourishing district and a good deal of work was done. Some mines are still located in this section but little work is being done at present.
ORO GRANDE DISTRICT.
This district, one of the largest and richest in the county, lies just across the San Bernardino Range and has three towns, Hesperia, Victor and Oro Grande, located on the railroad, within its boundaries. The district is rich in minerals; gold, silver and marble, limestone, gem stones, etc., having been located. Gold bearing claims were located about 1880 and the Oro Grande Mill and Mining Co. was organized to develop them and at once put up a ten- stamp mill. Some seventy locations of gold claims have been made and con- siderable is still being done. About 1890 the Embody and the Carbonate (silver) mines were located and produced another mining excitement. A ten- stamp mill and a smelter were put up at Victor in the later eighties to handle the ore from the various mines. Marble of a superior grade was discovered about 1886 and large quantities have since been shipped. Smelters are estab- lished at Victor and Oro Grande and a number of stamp mills are crushing ore. Lime is burned and shipped in large quantities and granite and marble for building purposes are being sent out extensively.
VANDERBILT DISTRICT.
Forty-five miles from Fenner on the line of the A. & P. railway, in the eastern part of the county, lies Vanderbilt district, formerly one of the rich silver bearing regions, but now the claims are nearly all for gold. Consid- erable work has been done on some of the gold bearing claims. A ten-stamp mill and also an air compressing plant are located in the district.
VIRGINIA DALE DISTRICT.
This district is located in the southern part of the county and on account of its distance from the railroad, lack of water, and refractory ores, has had many difficulties to contend with. A large number of claims have been located, and considerable ore taken out. A stamp mill is located at Dale.
283
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
BAGDAD-AMBOY MINING DISTRICTS.
The richest district now located in this county is known as the Bagdad- Amboy districts and contains the rich gold mines that are now being worked by the Bagdad Mining and Milling Co., Benjamin E. Chase Gold Mining Co., Ludlow Belle M. & M. Co., and numerous others.
"When John Suter five years ago, then in the employ of the Santa Fe as road master, invaded the red looking hills that lie eight miles south of Ludlow, in San Bernardino county, for the purpose of discovering springs or any source of water, which was urgently needed by that corporation, he found ledges and croppings of ores that were not of the ordinary variety, but proved many feet in width and that prospected in gold in the horn. Even his dis- covery at that time, owing to the inaccessibility of the country, into which every cupful of water had to be carried on the backs of burros, and where provisions cost their weight in silver dollars, was nursed with that care that is born of every prospector who makes a rich find.
"John Suter located his claims and named the leading properties the Bagdad, protecting his lines by taking in a group. Today this property is regarded as one of the wonders of the mining world, and is surrounded by scores of properties that bear every evidence of value.
"Across the valley, passing an ancient river bed, filled deep with the matter eroded from surrounding hills, have valuable discoveries been made, and ledges traced ; and have hundreds of discovery monuments been erected, and evidence, by constant prospecting, seems to accumulate that the Bagdad section is so thoroughly mineralized that it is popularly described as "a poor man's mining camp." This very fact enabled John Suter, the original dis- coverer, to employ his spare moments to use his wages as a railroad man, to sink his shafts and open his ledges until capital was induced to step in and create a mine that has proved a revelation to mining men. Other mines and other properties in the same district with well directed energy soon will be placed in the profit column, as the opportunity is not lacking.
Riches of the Bagdad.
"The Bagdad mine is known as the mine owned by millionaires who knew nothing of mining, who were typical tenderfeet, and who took a 'flyer' in mines for the fun of the venture, playing on 'velvet' and declaring they would not 'go the limit.'
"The Bagdad mine is also known as the one that was under bond to a Los Angeles promoter, who failed to sell the property at $1.500,000, thinking that a profit of $400,000 was the least he could take, and who at the last stroke
284
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
of 12 o'clock on the day the bond expired discovered that his principals would not give one second in an extension of his bond. Pending the sale develop- ment was continued, and the camp report goes that a rich discovery prompted the owners to quake in fear, thinking the purchasers would materialize with their coin. With the contract abrogated, all attempts to renew negotiations for a sale have been declined, and the Bagdad mine is not on the market.
"The Bagdad mine is owned by the Bagdad Mining and Milling Com- pany, capitalized for $300,000, divided into 3,000 shares. Of this corporation J. N. Beckley, of Rochester, New York, is president ; E. Van Etten, of Boston, vice-president ; Benjamin E. Chase, of Rochester, treasurer ; J. H. Stedman, of Rochester, secretary, and Gertrude Watkeys, assistant secretary. The di- rectors are Chauncey M. Depew and the principal officers named. The company owns six patented claims and four unpatented claims that were purchased from the discoverer. John Suter, for a sum that doubtless proved satisfactory, but the amount does not touch $100,000, as commonly reported. Mr. Suter. it can be stated, does not own any interest in the Bagdad mines group, but by location is still interested in a large number of properties in the district.
Work of Development.
"Since the expiration of the bond, the development work on the Bagdad mines has been persistent, and at this time it is estimated that over $2,500,000 of ore is blocked out in the mine ready to be stoped and turned into bullion, as soon as the corporation completes plans for handling the output.
"During the past eighteen months the company has expended $200,000 in improvements in the mine and the mill at Barstow, and during that time the income has been more than sufficient to pay for this work and leave a com- fortable balance. The property is opened with eight shafts, of which three are equipped with hoists. On the dip of the vein the Bagdad is down 550 feet from the apex. This depth will indicate the permanency of the vein with depth, and as the ore body is from forty to fifty feet in width below ground, the prodigality of mother nature can be understood by the layman. At present the company is shipping one hundred tons of ore each day by rail to Barstow, where the reduction works of the company are located. This mill is equipped with fifty stamps, each weighing 1,000 pounds, with five Huntington mills of five and one-half feet each, to regrind the ore and free the gold that is encased in iron. In connection with the works is a cyanide plant having a daily capacity of 200 tons. October 1, 1903, shipments from the Bagdad mines were increased to 200 tons daily, this being about four tons to each stamp."-L. A. Herald.
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