Pomona Gold

A Company formed, and a Charter to be Applied For

["Ottawa Republican," Jan 1887]

We are told there is a time for all things, and this seems to be a time of research in regard to what has been found heretofore, to warrant such discussion, as to the development of ores, recently discovered near our town.

We learn that the Indians brought in bad ores to the agency, and prepared their own lead for hunting. They kept their own secrets, but invariably went east of 110 Creek. Your correspondent well remembers of orest brought to Ottawa, some years ago by an Indian, who said he "got it among the rocks west of the city." Some parties at that time made a search for silver ore; in that vicinity where it was said to have been found, there were found only traces of lead ore.

There is now considerable talk among our people, as to the future probabilities of these interests. Only a few years ago, metal was exhibited in Ottawa, said to have been taken out northwest of the city, from the well that was dug on a farm belonging to a Mr. Browning. That circumstance will be remembered by many of the citizens of Ottawa.

The writer happened to live in the city when the parties exhibited that particle of metal, and it was said by some to be platinum. We learn that hte old miner heretofore spoken of, as giving the clue to this party, is named Bliss, and some of the old settlers can well remember him.

Your correspondent learned that the Indians became suspicious of the old miner, and would have killed him, if he had not escaped from their reservation. These circumstances all contribute something to the confidence of the late find. While great secrecy has been observed by the parties, the organization of a company purchasing and leasing of lands, together with the preparations for mining is such evidence of something promising in the near future, that the only questions asked now is, where are those mines?

While the papers have not been recorded, your correspondent has reliable information that officers have been elected viz: Dan'l Dean, president; J. T. Curtis, vice president; James K. Baily, secretary; J. M. Ricksecker, treasurer; J. T. Harrah, business manager. The writer undertook to interview one of the company as to their future operations, and was assured that we should all be excited even more than they were, and we thought it must be a big find to induce us to go there these cold nights, and work among the rocks, as we learn that they have done for the last few weeks. However, large calculations are being made by this company, and if a small portion of their expectations are realized, that the find is a rich one. They are preparing for a rapid development, and say they have no stock for sale. They are arranging to hire their own help and purchase their own machinery, intent to do all the mining for the first year. We must therefore be content to know that good times for Pomonaites, are close at hand. We are not yet informed as to the exact richness of the assays, but the party who has been sending off the ores, sold them to the assayers, and received as high as $35 for a small cigar box full of ores sent to Philadelphia. They have been selecting quite a lot of different particles, to have the different metals assayed, so as to know the exact richness of the find we anxiously await developments, and in the meantime will keep you posted.