Apr 04, 2020 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

In a 1904 edition of The Phoenix Pioneer there is an interesting summary of the Boundary's history, and Phoenix mining camp's central position in the region's development. Today, Phoenix and the surrounding mining sites are historical places of interest that all Greenwood residents and visitors should put on their trekking list. From the Pioneer:_[1]

"The history of a great mining camp is always of more of less interest, whether it refers to the productive and well known mines themselves or to the community that has been built up as a consequence of the existence, development and profitableness, present or future, of those mines. It is, therefore, probable that Phoenix camp, on account of having been so far one of the most successful camps in British Columbia, with every prospect of a steady growth for years to come, will hold its own in interest, not only of the past but of the future. However, it is of what has gone before with which we now have to deal.

Up to the year 1890 there was slight knowledge of the mining riches of Kootenay-Boundary. Many years before that the Blue Bell mine on Kootenay lake had been known and worked in a primitive way, the Indians using the almost pure lead from which to mould bullets. But with the building of the railway line from Spokane to Kootenay lake at Nelson in 1892, the tide of prospectors began to flow in. Then followed the rich silver-lead discoveries of the Slocan district, and the temporary growth of a number of places in that locality. Before this, the silver-lead mines around Ainsworth had been worked also, to some extent, as they are now.

In 1893 silver was demonetized in the United States, and immediately dropped in price, so that many silver miners lost interest in looking for or digging out the white metal. Following that, attention was paid to the gold and copper mines of Rossland, which like all the other camps, had its season of great prosperity, to be followed by a shrinkage, and that in turn by legitimate, systematic mining — especially in camps that had the worth to back them.

All these years what is now known as the Boundary country was practically unknown, as far as its resources were concerned. It was 70 or 80 miles from the nearest railway, at Marcus, Washington, and was little thought of or heard of. Still, a few hardy prospectors were in here in the late eighties and early nineties, and some of them found high-grade claims that were worked with some profit, notwithstanding the long mule and wagon haul to the railway. The drop in silver, however, gave them all a setback from which they never recovered till within the last three or four years. The Skylark and Providence were among these.

Prospectors had tramped over the thickly wooded hills where the city of Phoenix now stands, and had seen the mammoth iron ledges that gave small values in copper and less in gold and silver, and they thought little them. Many were allowed to lapse, while still others were relocated, the operation being repeated if necessary. Few were fond of doing assessments when provisions had to be packed from 50 to 80 miles. It was expensive and disheartening, especially as there was so little chance of securing that great need of all new countries — or old countries, either, for that matter — a railway.

Many of the old time prospectors who stayed with this camp in those tiresome days, have done well, but no one will grudge them with what they have come by, as it was undoubtedly well earned — every dollar of it. Others let go — dropped everything — and went to other districts, only to wish later that they had stayed with the Boundary. But when the C.P.R. actually began the construction of its Columbian & Western line into the Boundary — chiefly to reach the immense tonnage of the mines of Phoenix — then there was a decided change. But this will be referred to later.

According to the general understanding of the oldest of the old settlers, the first man to come into what is now known as the Boundary Mining District of Southeastern British Columbia, was Charles Deitz, who arrived in this section in the year 1857. Mr. Deitz is still a resident of the Boundary, now living in a comfortable old age on his ranch a few miles from Midway.

Old "Jolly Jack" Thornton was supposed to be the second man to reach this now well known mining region. As early as 1862 Boundary creek was worked for placer gold, and there was a small settlement south of the international boundary line, near where the town of Midway is now located.

In the year 1884 the first mineral claims were staked in Southern British Columbia. These were the Eagle, on Hardy Mountain, by James McConnell, and the Victoria and Washington, afterwards Old England, on Rock creek, a few miles above Kettle river. W. T. Smith and John East came to the Boundary district in 1887, and located the Rocky Bar claim, now the Tunnel, on Boundary creek, near the falls. In the same year they also located the Nonsuch, in Smith's camp. In the same year, 1887, the Bruce claim, on Ingram mountain, near Midway, was also located by East.

Three prospectors, George and David Leyson and George Y. Bowerman, located the Big Copper, in what is now Copper camp. The claim was then known as the Bluebird. Afterwards they went over the Dewdney trail to Rossland, where some locations were also made, and the Boundary claims were allowed to lapse. The King Solomon, in Copper camp, was staked by Ed. Lefevre and James Lynch, and in 1888 it was acquired by D. C. Corbin, of Spokane Falls and Northern railway fame.

In 1890-91 some locations were made by James Atwood and John Lemon near the Buckhorn in Deadwood camp. On the 23rd of May, 1891, William McCormack and Richard Thompson staked the Mother Lode in Deadwood camp, and on June 2nd of the same year John East and William Ingram located the Sunset and Crown Silver in the same camp.

By this time the pioneer prospectors were beginning to cross over the valley to where the city of Phoenix now stands, and Matthew Hotter located the Old Ironsides in July, 1891, and Henry White located the Knob Hill about the same time. James Atwood and James Schofield located the Stemwinder and G. W. Rumberger and Joe Taylor located the Brooklyn. Robert Densler located the North Star, allowed it to lapse, and it was relocated as the present Idaho by G. W. Rumberger. Densler also located the War Eagle and Snowshoe. Joe Taylor and G. W. Rumberger located the ground that is now the Rawhide and Monarch, and allowed them to lapse, when Densler relocated the Rawhide, and Keightly, Humphrey and Lind staked the Monarch. Other locations in this camp followed in rapid succession. Atwood and Schofield also discovered what is now Summit camp, and made locations. The rich Providence, which is now paying dividends, was located in 1892 by William Dickman.

About this time Howard C. Walters, an energetic mining man from Spokane, came into the Boundary and acquired a number of high-grade claims, as no others would then pay to work, with the nearest railway 75 miles away, and no wagon roads or trails in the country. However, Mr. Walters, who had organized a company known as Spokane & Great Northern Mining Co., finally succeeded in getting in a two stamp mill, which was set up at Boundary Falls, to treat the ore of the American Boy and Boundary Falls claims.

Mr. Walters also bought the Providence, and made some shipments to the Everett smelter, which notwithstanding the great cost of packing on mules to the railway at Marcus, Wash., netted several thousands of dollars. Silver went down, however, in 1893, and this discouraged the prospectors in the Boundary, and for a while this section was pretty nearly deserted. However, the Skylark, which was located in 1893 by James Atwood, is said to have shipped ore which netted more than $30,000."

FOOTNOTES:

The Phoenix Pioneer & Boundary Mining Journal — 1904 Holiday Special Edition, p. 77
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xphoenix/items/1.0185572

RELATED READING:

Greenwood Mining Camps
http://beautifulgreenwood.com/features/03-17/feature46.html