Snohomish County, Washington - Chapter 4: Mines and Mining, 1926

Gold, silver, precious metals and stones! The lure that drives or calls men - and has so driven and controlled men for centuries upon centuries - through deserts, through places of wilderness uninhabited except by savages and enemies, and leads even nigh unto death - yes, even unto death - this lure that is irresistible has played its part in the history of many countries and many climes. This lure that forces one to risk all, to suffer poverty, wretchedness, and hardships; the lure with an occasional brighter fortune smiling, played its full share in the history and development of Snohomish County.

Much of the early mining history of the county must be hazy and indefinite as to exact details. This has always been true of a new country where few reside. It has been made more so by the fact that local customs and laws governed the mining industry. Wherever a few miners or prospectors staked out claims they could make their own mining laws and rules, elect their own recorder to keep the records and were, for the most part, sole governors of their own rights. Many of these records of early claims kept by these local recorders have been lost to posterity. It was not until 1888 that the Territorial Legislature enacted a law that compelled all mining locations to be recorded with the county auditor.

However, out of the haze of the past some things are certain. As early as January, 1864, there is a record that J. H. Palmer and wife, Elizabeth, sold a half interest of all coal and coal mines they owned for the sum of $2,500, to Paul K. Hubbs. The land in question was on the Snohomish River, and opposite the property owned by Hy McClurg, above Snohomish. The following month Palmer sold one-fourth of one-half of his claim for $500 to Condon and Collins. During the first part of October, 1864, James A. Gilliland is said to have discovered coal on unsurveyed lands along the Snohomish River, below the junction with the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers.

Just when the first quartz claims were filed upon in the county cannot be stated with absolute certainty. The first locations may have been filed with a local recorder, and these records were handed down from successor to successor; perhaps lost or destroyed. But the first claim recorded with the county auditor was filed by George White on August 24, 1871, covering a discovery on Lost Creek. M. W. Packard was county auditor at the time. On the same day five other claims were filed by White, and Nile Taylor, all on Lost Creek. They also filed claim to water rights on the creek.

In 1874 a large number of claims were filed on mineral lands on the south branch of Silver Creek, on the north branch of the same creek and in Blue Gulch. L. T. Ireland filed the first claim. Others to file on claims were L. T. Flanagan, A. C. Folsom, Geo. Plum, James Masterson, C. B. Shattuck, J. Preuett, John Cochran, John Richards, J. F. Verner, Samuel S. Hassard, B. F. Stafford, M. W. Packard, Geo. Rose, Alonzo Low, James McGuire, James Tye, E. C. Ferguson,

Eldridge Morse, Hugh Ross, John Ross, James McFarlane, Isaac Cathcart, John D. Morgan, Benj. Stretch, Wm. Catching, Theron Ferguson, Frank Matthews, Hans S. Hanson, M. Glore, Al. Gifford, and A. J. Porter. About fifty claims were recorded during the summer and fall months of 1874 in this district, all being quartz claims.

On October 15, 1874, at Silver Creek a meeting of miners was held by James N. McFarlane, P. A. McCabe, 1. Hanson, James Masterson, H. 5S. Hanson, Jay G. Kelley and Harvey L. Pike, and the following laws were drawn up for the government of the district:

Law I. The name of this mining district shall hereafter be known as the Skykomish Mining District and shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at the junction of the Skykomish and Sultan rivers, thence in an easterly direction along the Cady trail, to the summit of the Cascade range of mountains, thence north along the summit of said range to the headwaters of the middle fork of the Sultan River, thence down the Sultan River to the place of beginning.

Law III. The posting of notices for claiming mineral ground will be deemed sufficient for holding said claims for twenty days without recording, providing that the parties posting such notices shall not be entitled to a renewal of said notice.

Law V. For the purpose of changing or remodeling the laws of the district two-thirds of the mine owners of the district may notify the Recorder in writing that a meeting for that purpose will be called, upon which notice the Recorder will post notices in at least three conspicuous places in Snohomish County giving thirty days' notice of said meeting.

Law VIII. The fees of the Recorder shall be as follows: for each 100 feet on a quartz claim 50 cents; for every placer claim located $2.50; for the recording of deeds or transfers $5.00.

Law IX. A copy of the above laws and all laws made in the district must be placed upon record in the office of the County -\uditor of Snohomish County.

There seems to have been little filing or transfers of record in this district from 1874 until 1880. On October 4, 1880, the Silver City Townsite and Mining Company acquired claims in the district by purchase. The old Silver City and AMLineral City booms played an important part in the early history of the county; but during the decade of the eighties were not very active, except for relocations and minor transfers.

It was at the beginning of September, 1878, that placer nuning on the Sultan River was given new life. A meeting of owners was held at that time, about eight miles from the mouth of the Sultan River, with fifteen miners present. They drew up a code of laws to govern the district. This was really a rediscovery, for there are records to show that gold was known in this section as early as 1870, and possibly earlier. But in 1878 a new rush of probably fifty miners took place into the district. During this summer there were twenty-five or thirty men also working placer claims on the Skykomish River. About half of these were Chinese. The distance from Seattle was sixty-five miles and it took three days to make the trip. About fifteen Chinese and five white men were working that summer about sixteen miles above the present site of Snohomish.

On April 9, 1884 a new impetus was given to the placer mines on the Sultan River by the location of the Horse Shoe Bend Placer claim by Sutcliffe Baxter, M. S. Booth, A. L. Beach, J. H. McGraw, Eugene Canfield, B. F. Day, Jesse W. George, Thos. L. Minor, J. B. Crozier, John Nailor, Wm. H. Whittlesey, C. H. Munday, J. Moundy, E. H. Hubbart, all of King County, and I. Cathcart, of Snohomish County. This group of men also acquired several other claims. Records show that the Sultan River Mining Company bought the interests of the above persons for $35,294.

An interesting record is that of the filing on the claim known as "Hong John," by nine Chinamen, with their names carefully (7) inserted in the records of the county auditor in Chinese characters.

In 1888 the Junior Mining Company, of Chicago, consisting of James S. Andrews, Jacob Swart, Ernest Hoefer, Geo. W. Roberts, O. F. Carpenter, John Boyd, G. G. Spillman and John M. Bradford, acquired sixty acres on the river. In the same year the West Coast Mining Company, of Seattle, composed of K. K. Owens, H. Preston, Wm. H. Llewellyn, KE. M. Carr, J. W. Wilkinson, Edw. L. Carson, Geo. F. Hughson, John C. Boyd and F. N. Allen, also became owners of sixty acres along the river bed. As many as forty Chinamen were employed at a single time in these operations in 1884.

In December of 1888 claims were also filed on "The Pilchuck Iron Lode," between Pilchuck Creek and the Stillaguamish River, about one mile east of the residence of Wm. M. Turner. A company was organized with a capitalization of $500,000, known as the Pilchuck Iron Mining Company. This company bought the interest of J. G. Boyd, Joseph Rigby, and F. F. Leslie.

In January, 1889, several local persons located claims on Canyon Creel:, one mile above the intersection of Canyon Creek with the Stillaguamish River; and there were more filings near the Pilchuck Iron Mountain Lode the same year. It was during this year that the Anderson Creek District was also first mentioned, and claims filed.

It was in the summer of 1889 that the Monte Cristo mines were discovered. F. W. Peabody and Joseph Pearsall were enjoying the magnificent view presented from the summit of Silver Tip, the highest peak in the Silver Creek district, when their field glasses showed to them a large ore vein cutting through the range of mountains to the east. Investigation showed prospects which called to mind the name Monte Cristo, and that was the title given the new district. The Monte Cristo mines, from which the mining town and postoffice get their names, lie in the Cascade Mountains about sixty miles from Everett. It 1s now the terminus of the Hartford & Eastern Railroad, a line built over thirty years ago for the purpose of handling the ores from the mines. These mines, principally three of the large group, have produced in the past no less than $2,700,000 in gold and silver, from veins three feet to ten in width.

the Boston-American Mining Company own about ninety claims in the district, including the old original producers. These mines have been worked to an extreme depth of only 600 feet through what is known as Tunnel No. 3, which has been driven in on an ore shoot for 1,800 feet. Tunnel No. 4, some 3,000 feet in length, has cut the same ore shoot at an additional depth of 413 feet. There is a good percentage of arsenic content in this ore. The company owns patents on twentyeight of their ninety claims. The lowest grade ore shipped from the old "O and B" group of claims showed values of over $16 per ton, gold and silver values.

In 1889 there was a revival of interest in the famous Silver Creek mines. Assays averaged as high as from $80 to $120 per ton of silver. About eighty claims were staked out this summer, and a number of eastern capitalists became interested financially in the district. Gold was also found in this region.

In 1891 the regions around Granite Falls and east of there on the Stillaguamish attracted new attention. A new mining district was formed at Granite Falls, and laws adopted. Granite Falls became a busy and thriving mining center and town. The granite quarries of this district became famous for the quality of stone produced.

In the early nineties the Darrington District was explored by pioneer miners. Among the pioneer prospectors of the district should be mentioned the names of Loren Bergeson, Knute Neste, Charles Burns, George Kundson, B. C. Schloman, John Robinson and William Giesler. These early prospectors, with blankets, grub and prospect tools on their backs wended their ways up the north fork of the Stillaguamish, to its headwaters, where they located numerous claims. They blazed the way and laid the foundation for what proved to be valuable discoveries. Southeast, and in plain view of Darrington stands old Gold Mountain, 2,000 feet above the Sauk River, the latter forming the southwest boundary. During the latter nineties about 100 mining claims were filed on Gold Mountain. These claims were principally located on the northwest side of the mountain. The principal holdings and claims were of the Burns Mining Company, Walker & Gardner, Parker & Johnson, Burns & Miles, the Hunter Group, and Cedar Basin properties. Southwest of Darrington and about three and a half miles distant, rises White Horse Mountain, to an elevation of 7,000 feet. Almost on the summit of this lofty elevation was located the Coffin & Mallet mines, rich in lead, gold and silver. Other mines on this mountain were about twenty owned by L. K. Alvord, Charles Backman and Loren Toles; the Wellman group; the Schloman mine; and many others. There were also claims on White Horse Mountain, running to lead, copper, gold and silver.

The hard times of 1892 affected mining locally; but some advance was made despite this. A large company was formed known as the Stillaguamish and Sultan Mining Company, with a capital stock of $3,000,000, a large part of which was taken by English capitalists. The mines which they controlled were the Hoodoo and Little Chief group, Stillaguamish district, located between the Silver Creek and Monte Cristo regions. They claimed 3,000,000 tons of ore in sight then. Reports were made this year that Jim Humes and Ernest Hubbard had made discovery of valuable coal deposits near Iron Mountain, and had located 160 acres. Miners of the Stillaguamish district met in May, drew up rules and regulations for the district, and voted to allow no Chinamen in that section of the county.

In 1893 the railroad was completed to Monte Cristo, and renewed interest resulted. Ores would now be shipped to Everett for treatment. The town plat of

Monte Cristo was also prepared for filing, and lots were put on sale, only 216 in all. Many eastern visitors paid their respects to the district this year. Miners at Silverton organized a union in 1893; and free milling gold ore was struck in the mine of the Deer Creek Mining Company's claim near that place. Two shifts of men were being worked at this mine.

A new and important era for Everett was marked on January 4, 1894, when the first car of ore from the Deer Creek Mining Company arrived at the Everett smelter. Regular shipments arrived after that date. It was during this spring that it was reported that Pat Malone closed a deal with Mackey and Flood for eleven claims below Monte Cristo for a price of $70,000: Many eastern capitalists visited Monte Cristo in 1894. New and improved machinery was installed at these mines in 1895, and wages were raised from $2.50 to $3 per day. The Pride and Mystery claims were the most prominent ones being worked.

After several years' idleness, work was resumed in 1895 at the Horseshoe Bend placer claim near Sultan. On June 13,1895 a petition by the day shift at the Mystery Mine for a reduction in board from $26 per month being rejected, the men moved down to town. During the latter part of this year the daily payroll at the granite quarry at Index amounted to $100. In October, 1895 the Everett & Monte Cristo Railway commenced to bore for coal at Pilchuck, with assurances of success.

During the early part of 1896 the Monte Cristo Mining Company began importing Cornish miners from the Rockefeller mines in Michigan. This was done gradually, displacing the miners who participated in the strikes of the previous summer.

Early in February of 1896 a meeting was held of all persons interested in mining in the county, for the purpose of forming an association. Practically every mining district of the county was represented. Officers elected were A. W. Hawks, president ; F. M. Headlee, vice president; C. L. Clemans, secretary ; George James, assistant secretary; A. M. Farrah, treasurer. The executive committee selected included Judge J. C. Denney, C. H. Packard, W. R. Booth, A. W. Frater, and Oliver McClean.

On July second a transaction involving a dozen claims in the Silverton copper district, owned by Thomas Johnson, H. Kennedy, Jack Johnson and Ludwig Lundelin occurred. These claims were purchased by men from Trail Creek and New York, uniting to form the Deer Creek Gold and Copper Mining Company. The financial figure for the deal was reported at a million dollars. M. Montan and L. Lundelin were also involved in another deal in this same district, selling their interests to the Clear Creek Copper and Gold Mining Company. Rich strikes were reported this summer from Martin Creek. Mining development was also being made at Index and at Miller River.

In 1897 fast strides were made at Silverton and Monte Cristo. In the former district it was said that surface assays showed values of $5,000,000 for the Bonanza Queen; half as much for the Double Eagle; and about the same for the Bell and Crown, Helena and other mines. The owners of the Hoodoo had invested nearly $100,000 in development work. The Forty-five mine showed assays: running to $107 per ton. The Monte Cristo, controlled by Colby, Hoyt, Rockefeller and others became very productive. The Pennsylvania was possibly second in importance, with much work being done on it. The Forty-five and Independent were beginning to ship ore. The Forty-five let a contract for putting in a bucket line tram from the mine to the depot at Silverton. The Independent constructed a

Over on Gold Mountain Charles Burns bonded a group of his claims to Judge Maxwell of Whatcom for $9,000; and others to the Ryan syndicate for $5,000. The first car of coal from the G. N. Mine at Index was shipped to Everett.

In 1899 the Pride of the Mountains and the Monte Cristo mines passed into the hands of Rockefeller and a few of his friends. The price given out for the first group was $167,501.95; and for the second $160,569.99. This was a receiver's sale, and represented the amount of the debts of the two companies. He also secured control of the United Concentration Company's holding; and all three were consolidated into one corporation. These deals gave an impetus to mining in the district. Work abandoned was now resumed. About this time the mines in the Index region took on new life. Ore from the property of the Index Mining Company assayed as high as $98.50 per ton. In 1900 the St. Louis mine, which had been idle since the washout on the Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad three years before but which had recently been repaired, was bought by a new company, the Conservative Mining Company. This mine was on Deer Creek near Silverton. In October, 1901, the famous Bonanza Queen copper mine was sold for a reputed consideration of $150,000 to D. F. Morgan, of Minneapolis, representing the Bell Telephone Company. One of the conditions of the sale was that a five-drill compressor plant be installed immediately and that not less than forty men be employed. There were not many regular producers at this stage of the mining history of the county. These included the Pride at Monte Cristo and the Forty-five at Silverton. "Occasionals" included the Copper Bell, Sunset, Ethel, at Index; the Apex, Golden Tunnel, Cleopatra and Coney on the south fork of the Skykomish; Lee Bros., the St. Louis and Helena, at Silverton; and the Golden Chord and O. and B. at Monte Cristo. At Goat Lake about forty men were employed. Thirty-five to forty men were being worked at the Independent, at Silverton, in two shifts. At Index a 100-ton concentrator was being added to the equipment of the Ethel. The Darrington Mining & Reduction Company was also active at the Forrest mine.

The largest mining transaction of 1902 was the consolidation of the Helena and Bornite groups of thirty claims at Silverton, and their acquisition by the American Mining and Milling Company. Charles Sweeney, of Spokane, purchased the Everett smelter and Monte Cristo mines in August. It was reported that Sweeney had the backing of many million dollars of Eastern capital. These deals by Sweeney are said to have represented $2,000,000. But a few weeks later these properties were sold by Sweeney to the American Smelting & Refining Company. The Northern Pacific Railway Company also acquired the Everett & Monte Cristo Railway in 1902.

More or less development work in the various districts of the county has been done in the present century, with various degrees of success or failure. In 1913 the big holdings at Monte Cristo passed into the hands of the Boston-American Mining Company, which continues to keep up assessment work on the unpatented claims and to pay taxes on the patented ones. Their faith in this district is thus shown, and the company believes that there is still untold wealth to be found in the ore bodies beneath the surface boundaries of their ninety claims. The biggest producer of this age is the Sunset mine near Index, a real mine with a past history entitled to praise and prospects for a wonderful future.

ing history of Snohomish County has never been written; that it has not been written because the really big events in this industry are yet to occur. Properties in all of the original mineral districts of the county are being tenaciously held, and assessment work done each year on scores of claims. As further proof of the confidence mining men have in the future of mining locally, there are over 300 patented claims in nearly a dozen distinct districts of the county upon which taxes are being paid each year. These districts and the number of patented claims in each are as follows: Monte Cristo district, 61; Silver Creek district, 61; Index district, 46; Unknown (Troublesome), 14; Sultan River, 3; White Horse district, 21; May Creek district, 16; Stillaguamish district, 38; Wallace district, 28; Beckler River district, 10; location unknown, 9. The principal owners of claims in these various districts are as follows: Monte Cristo, Boston-American Mining Company, Consolidated Mining Company, Sunnyside Land Company, Penn Mining Company; Silver Creek, Silver Queen Mining and Smelting Company, Index-Galena Company, Good Hope Gold and Copper Mines and Development Company, The Seattle Land and Improvement Company; Index, Lloyd L. Black, Bitter Creek Mining and Milling Company, Sunset Copper Company; White Horse, Puget Sound Copper Company, Galbraith and Company, Tacoma Steel Corporation; May Creek, Charles Hendricks; Stillaguamish, Merchants Loan and Trust Company, Stillaguamish and Sultan Mining Company, P. H. Holdsworth; Wallace district, The "45" Mines, Incorporated.

In 1924 operations for oil were started near Snohomish by a stock company. They have drilled one well, and are now working on a second, with what oil experts claim to be excellent prospects. A second company began operations in this industry near Lake Goodwin a year later. Men familiar with oil claim that both companies have properties that are indicative of success.

Thus briefly have we set forth some of the cold facts relative to mining in the county, free from the hundreds of human interest stories that might have been chronicled had gifted writers resided here during the periods of excitement. And there were times when real excitement existed - when real booms loomed and transpired - when real Western mining camps sprung up and died down, and again and again came back to life and vigor, only to die down again. Some realized money for their energy and risks; some lost; and, all in all, Snohomish County was immeasurably benefited by these activities in numerous ways and means. The work of many of these daring and hardy pioneer prospectors may yet result in real mineral discoveries in the county. This belief is held by many, and this belief is being backed each year in financial outlays and labor expended as proof of their unfaltering convictions. When that time comes, and it is to be hoped that it will, renewed glory can be unsparingly given to those who so bravely and courageously led the way when but a handful of whites inhabited the county.