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Fifty residents of an unsurveyed Pend Oreille River mining camp petition the Spokane land office for a federal townsite — after a silver-lead company and a cement-clay claimant both tried to patent the ground out from under their homes.
“The dispute over the townsite has long been a drawback to the little mining town.”
A high-stakes legal fight over water rights and industrial development reveals the tension between speculative land-holding and the growth of the new town of Metaline.
“Parties file on properties without the least idea of utilizing them, but hold them for speculative purposes.”
Federal land withdrawals have frozen property rights in Metaline, leaving residents in a legal limbo as they wait for the government to clear their titles.
“Until the restrictions are raised all action looking to the acquisition of land within the townsite and the lots therein will have to be deferred.”
A company announcement claims the largest body of galena ore yet found in the Northwest, and the Metaline district suddenly has proof that its mineral wealth runs deep.
“This demonstrates beyond all question that the ores in the Metaline district go down...”
A miner known across the district was badly hurt at the Wake Up Jim prospect when a blast went off early, and details were slow to reach Newport.
“The lower portion of his face was badly torn by the flying rocks and his scalp lacerated.”
Backed by Lehigh Valley cement men, the Inland Empire Portland Cement Co. buys Sullivan Creek water and mineral rights and promises a 2,000-barrel-a-day plant—once the railroad reaches Metaline.
“The mill will provide a large tonnage for the new railroad, and will bring to the Pend Oreille valley all the benefits incident to the establishment of a large pay roll industry.”
With the Idaho Washington Northern extending toward Sullivan Creek, Metaline district companies are staffing up, building mills, and betting on a shipping boom.
“That the district has surface showings exceeding anything in the Northwest has long been conceded by mining men, but the futility of undertaking extensive development without means of transportation has kept back the camp.”
A young hunter loses his way near Sullivan Lake and survives on luck, hunters, and sheer endurance—shoes worn through and fingernails down to the quick.
“When rescued he was in a sorry plight, his clothes almost torn off, his rifle and hunting knife lost, shoes worn through and his finger nails worn down to the quick from clambering over the rocky hills.”
A new resort permit and a push to turn old trails into wagon roads promise to bring pleasure seekers to Sullivan Lake—if federal officials do their part.
“If this arrangement will work as it is planned it will be the means of bringing many pleasure seekers to the lake and vicinity that otherwise would not come.”
Newport investors strike a rich oxidized lead vein in the Metaline district, with assays promising $31.68 a ton and a mill within 40 days.
“If the ore can be treated as they expect, the Silver Lead will be a boomer and the first regular shipper in the camp.”
Fred Douglass and a companion wandered off the deer trail, soaked their matches, and survived by walking until they stumbled onto a miners' cabin at Happy Camp.
“Their matches became wet and they could not start a fire, so they were compelled to keep moving most of the time in order to keep alive.”
A Stevens County court decision turned on whether assessment work had been done on valuable lead claims in 1905—and the mining district was watching.
“The point in issue was as to whether or not the assessment work had been done on the claims for 1905.”
A complex legal dispute over the Metaline townsite ends in a victory for a scrip claimant, though the fight is far from over.
“There were three parties endeavoring to get the property in question.”
New concentrators, a wagon road, a rich strike and a $1.5 million company put Newport at the center of a swelling lead-and-silver rush.
“The principal place of business of the new company will be Newport.”
Ore assays, new concentrators, and a bunkhouse point to a mining camp shaking off its slow start—and Newport money is buying in.
“This famous camp is at last coming into its own.”
A 1908 Newport writer follows a blazed trail north of Metaline into a limestone cavern of bath-like basins, a 'Guardian of the Baths' and a music room already being vandalized.
“This is a room of nature's wonderful carving and frescoing.”
A Tuesday law-enforcement visit to Metaline ends with a saloonkeeper fined for selling liquor to a woman, a second woman fined under a moral charge, and a warning that Sunday closing and anti-gambling laws will be enforced.
“Saloons must be closed on Sunday and screens must be removed, and ... dice boxes, cards and gambling games are no longer good in the sight of the law.”
A $20,000 mining mill stood ready to turn mountains of lead ore into profit, but a $250 judgment, a $16,000 mortgage and a boardroom feud left Metaline waiting for a boom that never came.
“But as usual—almost as damnably usual in mining ventures—the company got at loggerheads and everything stopped—never to go again, it looks like.”
Machinery for a 200-ton ore concentrator is bound for Metaline, shipped through Newport and floated downriver on a homemade lumber raft.
“A lumber raft containing sufficient sawed timbers, etc., for the erection of the mill will be constructed and freighted with the machinery down the Pend d'Oreille River to Metaline.”
Company officials deny reports of an eight-mile I.W.N. extension to Metaline and a $125,000 water-rights deal, even as a cement plant remains likely.
“That there will be a cement plant located somewhere in the vicinity of Cement or Metaline is reasonably certain ... but as yet no contracts have been signed up for the construction of the railroad further than Cedar Creek.”
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