Chapter 45: "The Marvelous Assignment"

Above the clouds at Bonanza    --W.A.Richelsen   The weather pattern was similar to one which had occurred nine years before that forced the end of old Mother Lode company.  There had been a steady build-up of snow in the higher elevations as storm after storm dumped its load over Bonanza Ridge.         Chief Engineer Richelsen had recommended that Kennecott permanently close the Mother Lode upper camp due to the ongoing danger of avalanches.   Bill Douglass concurred because production at the Mother Lode was declining and the Mother Lode miners could easily be housed at the Bonanza camp.   Indeed it made more sense, given the new arrangement of crosscut tunnels at the 800 and 1,250 levels, to house both the Bonanza and Mother Lode crews at Bonanza upper camp, which could bed 124, which was well above what was needed in 1926.            It was a relatively fast ride down that Bonanza 30 degree incline shaft to the Mother Lode workings which began at the 1257 cross-cut tunnel.  The cross-cut was located near the bottom of the Bonanza incline shaft.  The 1257 cross-cut was a major haulage tunnel that ended at the top of the Mother Lode incline shaft.  At that point  there was easy access to the  1250, 1400 and 1600 levels that were under development by 1922.         The Bonanza-Mother Lode was a single vein, extending from the top of the Bonanza to a point well inside the Mother Lode.  The  mines were contiguous, lying along the same thirty-degree plane.  Even though the mines were separated by a line on a map and were headed by different corporations, they were in reality a single mine with the main adit and camp being the Bonanza.         Every underground working from Erie to Mother Lode was connected except the Marvelous tunnels.  The Marvelous was the original Mother Lode. The workings had been discontinued  in 1918 as unimportant. In late 1926 the time finally arrived when they would be reopened to ensure that all possibilities of large ore extensions had been thoroughly eliminated before the area was completely ,abandoned.   Mining profile of part of the Bonanza-Mother Lode workings in 1926         The reason for the location Marvelous vein was a mystery.  Except for the Slurry vein in the Jumbo workings, all of the ore bodies were found fifty to seventy-five feet above the contact zone that separated the unproductive Nicolai greenstone from the ore-bearing Chitistone limestone.  The Marvelous vein had assay reports showing seventy percent pure copper, yet it was hundreds of feet above the contact zone.  It failed to fit the ore profile, but there it was anyway.         When Kennecott took over the Mother Lode workings in 1918, it deemed the Marvelous a fluke and ordered the work there discontinued.  While the Marvelous was the original showing and the only copper vein exploited by the old Mother Lode company, the Kennecott engineers realized that the real Mother Lode of copper ore had to exist in a direct line with the Bonanza contact zone.  Wes Dunkle projected a large orebody just beyond the Bonanza vein.  He was quickly proved correct when the Kennecott miners encountered the fabulously rich 1252 stope in August of 1918, only months after Mother Lode was absorbed by Kennecott.            With the projected end of all the copper mines in sight, it was time to examine the remote possibility that an orebody could run from high up the Mother Lode Gulch and continue well into the adjacent Marvelous Gulch to the northeast along the same strike as the other veins, but well above the main vein.  It would require following the existing Marvelous workings and mining them out to expose all the ore at that level.           The main reason the Marvelous had been left alone for so long was its isolated position.  It would have to be connected to the rest of the mine system by running a raise from the Bonanza-Mother Lode 800 level to the Marvelous 600 level. It would also be necessary to extend the Mother Lodge vertical shaft upward to meet the 600 level.  The 800 level is one of the first of two main crosscuts that allowed haulage from the Mother Lode workings to the Bonanza incline.           To save time and to avoid the cost of extensive tunneling in order to properly connect the Marvelous to the main system, the engineers concluded that it made more sense to reoccupy the old camp,  located 5,200 feet above sea level on the McCarthy Creek side, at the end of the 800 cross-cut, also known as the Rhodes tunnel.         The old camp had a jig-back tram which facilitated travel to the 600 level adit, which was the base level for the upper  Marvelous workings.   The men would be able to readily access these workings by staying at the old camp while dropping the ore down the new chute that dropped into the Rhodes tunnel.         The upper Marvelous was relatively close to the top of the ridge, resulting in considerable water seepage into the upper workings--a problem that was common to the upper levels of Bonanza and Jumbo.  The problem at Marvelous was more severe because it was considerably closer to the surface.  There is much less ridge above those workings than anywhere else.  The Jumbo adit was a thousand feet  below the top of Castle Rock, just as the Bonanza workings were about a thousand feet below the top of Bonanza Peak. The Marvelous, at one point was only a hundred feet or less from the top of the ridge.  This was the point where the ridge separating the two gulches dipped steeply toward the McCarthy Creek canyon.         The snow tended to accumulate to great levels from  the top of Bonanza Peak on down to the area just above Mother Lode upper camp.  The camp was in a narrow gulch with a steep ridge to the north and a glacial cirque to the west.  The proximity of these two high points to the camp left the Mother Lode in constant danger of inundation by avalanche.         The meeting among all the engineers to discuss the Marvelous took place late in 1926 in the map room.          “I am opposed to reopening that Marvelous area, especially if it also means opening the upper Mother Lode camp. If we must do it, we need to extend the tunnel system so the men can easily access it from Bonanza.”         “We are well aware of your strong opposition, Walt.  What about you, Melvin?”         “I have to admit that Walt could be right.   That is a very dangerous area, especially during the season we’re considering for the exploratory operation.    The seepage problem is bad enough, but that avalanche danger, especially with the heavy snowfall so far this winter, is at least as bad as it was when we first acquired Mother Lode.  I sure would not want to be the resident engineer in charge of that project.”         Bill looked around the table.  The concern in the eyes of most all the engineers was difficult to mistake for simple worry. It verged on genuine alarm. Old map showing relative positions of the Kennecott (K) and Mother Lode (M) Claims.  The Chitistone Limestone formation was the host rock for the rich copper ore. (Below) Another old map showing original ML claims and a proposed main haulage tunnel that was never driven.  Adjacent Kennecott claims are identified by the letter "K"                    “Your concerns are noted, but I have the orders right here from my bosses, Mr. Nieding and, more importantly,  Mr. Stannard.   He wants the area mined and the exploration completed so we can permanently close Marvelous out.  And he wants it done as soon as possible.    I understand that he’s been pressured from the stockholders of Mother Lode Coalitions Company.   Some of them are large investors of great power who are not at all  happy with their returns for 1925 and 1926.”           “They were all stockholders when the Marvelous was being mined. Now they want the work finished.  They seem to think that there really is a large orebody there which would justify extending our tunnel system in that direction.”         “Damned that Bateman,” someone was heard to mutter.         “Well, I’d like to think so myself.  After all,  the prospects for Kennecott have not looked too promising lately.         “From the very beginning we’ve built our reputation on our ability to face and overcome adversity.  We’re still considered the miracle workers of the copper mining world.   Every problem we’ve ever faced has been overcome. The profits for both Kennecott and Mother Lode Coalitions Company reflect that.”         “So now it’s come to this, Bill.  Is it profits ahead of safety? Is is the considered opinion of the expert engineers against the hopeful wishes of a few greedy investors who’ve already long since made their fortunes? What makes those stockholders experts on Alaska mining, anyway? Not a one of us really believes there’s anything to that Marvelous nonsense. We called it a freak occurrence then and shut it down.  It’s like the Nicolai Prospect--all show and no substance. Why risk the men and so much of our resources for something none of us believe in?”         Bill leaned back on one of the office chairs rolled into the room for the conference. He lit his pipe and looked out the west-facing windows to the glacier.         “Walt, you’re my right-hand man. You’ve been here as long as I have and we’ve all learned to respect your engineering skills.  But this is no longer a simple matter of our opinion as to whether the ore is there.  These men pay our way.  They could close us tomorrow and never miss the place.   They haven’t given me any choice.         “It’s no longer a matter of whether or not we proceed. It’s how we go about it.”         “Then we better plan carefully for safety.”         “Even that’s a problem.  Charles Earl and C.T. Ulrich want us to close the area out as soon as possible. They’re thinking they can finish mining Mother Lode and get out with a large profit.”         “That’s not possible. Not getting out quickly, anyway.”         “I know, Melvin.  Realistically we’re years away from mining out the property. But this time our expert opinion doesn’t count.  So we need an engineer to head the Marvelous Project.  I’m giving it a special priority, which means he’ll have the complete resources I have at my disposal, especially the help of all of us.”         “Russell, you’re next in line.  Do you want this assignment?”         Russell Belvedere was known for his willingness to speak out when most of the engineers would say nothing.  He had an irreverent streak in him which ran deep, but he was also extremely dedicated to his work and held the respect of his fellow engineers.   He was currently assigned to the Jumbo along with Frank Buckner, the junior engineer.  They were working on the details for a retreat plan in advance of closing the Jumbo mine down.         “Thank you, Mr. Douglass, but I believe that this is a opportunity we owe to Frank here, who has been at the mines three years without having a command assignment like this one.  I already have the Jumbo, at least when Mel is elsewhere.  I suggest that we give this job to Mr. Buckner.”            Russell did not want Marvelous any more than did Melvin Smith, who probably should have been given it due to his level of expertise. All the engineers turned toward Frank, who looked, in his engaging boyish manner, completely surprised and overwhelmed.         “Sir, I’ve been ready to take on this or any other command assignment from the moment I arrived here.  If none of my seniors wants the job, I’ll be more than willing to take it.”          The other engineers nodded their agreement, settling the matter, though Walter Richelsen felt uneasy about the entire process.  He even felt a little guilty.         This is no job for a junior engineer.  That’s a tough one up there.   I should do it, I suppose, but Gladys would have a fit.                  He considered the youth and inexperience of Frank Buckner and almost stood up to volunteer himself instead.   But he quickly thought better of it, especially with the disapproving image of Gladys on his mind. He stayed put.         The meeting went on as the engineers considered the difficulties with Marvelous in the springtime.   The coldest part of the winter time was out of the question because the jig-back tram was too cold to operate then, and because the upper workings would also be too cold due to the proximity to the surface. It would also likely be heavily frosted, creating yet another set of difficult and hazardous working conditions.          Furthermore, the upper  camp could not be placed back on line until warmer weather moved in without great cost and difficulty.   The engineers anticipated workable temperatures by the end of March.   The greatest problem then would be the overhead snow which would begin melting into the workings during the warmer daytime hours.            That problem would be partly alleviated by running the crew only at night during the freezing temperatures.   For by mid-April when operations should be well underway, the daytime warmth would undoubtedly cause some unavoidable water run-off problems into the upper areas, so everything had to be completed in that upper area on a very tight schedule.         “I’m assigning a crew of eighteen, and picking the Erie foreman, Eldon Johnson,  to head the special crew.  He’s well experienced for this sort of operation.”   Douglass was looking straight at Frank Buckner.         “You’ll be on your own out there, so you’ll have your own cook and waiter.   They’ll have to come from the staff already at Bonanza.  We’ll move them to the Mother Lode to serve your crew and tend to the barracks facilities.   It’s good that you have some practical experience with boilers and electric motors. You’ll need it out there.  Frank, you’ll have to see to the safe operation of the jig-back tram motor and the boiler which will heat the camp.  Fortunately, the boiler there is a new one, as we just installed it in 1920 when the original proved too small and unreliable for our needs.         “The power already runs through to there by way of the 800 crosscut, but the boiler fuel will have to be trammed up McCarthy Creek this winter and then hoisted up the aerial tram at thirteen mile.   That means you will also have to see to the operation of the thirty-five horse tram motor from the days of the old company.   We rebuilt the entire aerial tram  system in 1918 after the last avalanche destroyed most of it. We’ll check it again, of course, but the tram should be in good repair.”         “This is beginning to sound like a major operation.”         “In a way it is.  You get your own camp, Frank.  That’s part of it. It also means that a lot of old equipment that hasn’t been used in years has to be tested.         “We’ll send the coal for the cook stove up on the same winter sleds with the bunker fuel.   We’ll have to clear the McCarthy trail past Green Butte since road hasn’t been used for some time, but that should present no unusual problem.  The road to Green Butte remains open, even though that mine stopped production last year.           “In conclusion,  we’ll take whatever resources we have and use it all to full advantage.”         Frank looked at Bill Douglass, Walter Richelsen, Mel Smith, Russell Belvedere and the others and then leaned back on his swivel stool contemplating this.           “I’ve no problem making any of that equipment work.  I’ve done it enough times before in Montana and even as a boy in Wyoming.   But I hear a sound of reluctance to fully back up the Marvelous operation in the tone of your voice. That bothers me.”         “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound that way, ” Douglass replied.         “I guess it’s just the over-all tone here since Stephen Birch announced to all of us that we were no longer high on the priority list.  Actually, we are not on any priority list.  We are essentially on our own to finish this project economically and without extra funds.  That’s just the reality of it.”         “Frank, you’ll have to ask for volunteers for head cook and waiter-bull-cook.  I’m leaving it up to Eldon Johnson, to put together a mining crew.  Because of the nature of the work, the crew will be carefully selected.  This is not, by any means, an easy assignment, but it is likewise a challenging opportunity which will mean a strong recommendation from me for almost anything you want professionally once you’ve successfully completed this assignment.” Mother Lode upper camp and north wall of Marvelous Gulch where the Marvelous copper vein was located                   It was snowing heavily outside the office.   The top of the mill could no longer be seen, though it was well-lit.  Production was still heavy enough to require a night shift at the mill and tram terminal even in mid-winter.            With the meeting dismissed, Frank walked with Russell, one of the other unaccompanied engineers up to the three-story staff house, just uphill from the office. They walked up the wide steps onto the covered porch where a door with leaded glass marked the inside stairwell landing.            At this first level, which was actually one floor above the sidewalk below, were the two common meeting areas. There were also two guest rooms and two complete bathrooms.  On the second and third levels were six rooms each with two full-baths common to each floor.  The top level was reserved for the women, including three teachers, two  nurses and the stenographer.  On the second level lived Russell, Frank and four other engineers.  The two most  senior engineers, including Melvin Smith,  lived on the main level.           The others were accompanied by their wives and children.   They lived in the cottages.  Bill Douglass lived in the house just uphill from the staff house with his four children, wife and a nanny. No one lived in the manager’s house at the top of the walkway since Bert Neiding moved to Seattle in 1924.         Frank opened the glass-top door and let Russell enter first.  Russell excused himself and headed upstairs to his room.  Frank needed time to think. He headed for the living room adjacent to the entryway.  This warm corner room overlooked the office.  From there, Frank could see Bill Douglass in an animated conversation with Walt Richelsen outside in the blowing snow, where they were just leaving the office.         Frank sat back deep into the leather couch.  The Regulator clock showed the time as nearly two-thirty in the morning.  It had been a very long meeting.  Frank began to  have doubts about what was about to happen.         Am I really up to this assignment?  Can I handle this one alone?    Why did Walt  seem so uneasy about Mother Lode. What was that heated  discussion with the superintendent out there in the blowing snow over?         Melvin walked in on the way to his room down the hallway on this main floor.  He looked at Frank, but only smiled weakly and nodded silently before  disappearing down the hallway toward his room.  Frank pulled himself out of the soft couch and headed upstairs toward his room in this comfortably warm and even cheerful staff house.  Outside the wind had picked up. It was snowing even more heavily, gusting and even drifting.  By morning the snow would lie heavily over the entire Kennecott and McCarthy area. The storm would continue, stopping even the train from its normal arrival.   It would be a winter no one could forget.   The Mother Lode Mine  upper camp: detail from the previous photo  Continue with Chapter 46: "Frank's Thanksgiving Letter"