DISCOVERY TO PRODUCTION

Discovery of the Holden Mine began in 1887 when a Great Northern Railway location engineer, seeking a route through the Cascade Mountains, noted an outcrop of ore and left a sample with friends in Seattle. James Henry Holden, a prospector in the area, located his first claims in 1896. However, it was forty-two years before a barge loaded with 200 tons of copper, gold and zinc concentrate made its way down Lake Chelan. The remote location of the ore body presented a formidable challenge to development of the mine. Long winters with snowfall measuring over 600 inches and a steep approach from lake to mine made access difficult and development costly.

Henry Holden raised money through various partners and investors to promote and develop the mine until his death in 1918. Unfortunately for Henry Holden, the only people who benefited during these years were the miners and roadbuilders. Finally, in 1928, the property was acquired by Howe Sound Company, and by then changes had occurred in the area. A railroad between Chelan Falls and the smelter in Tacoma had been built, and the only transportation problem was the route from the mine to Lake Chelan. Trucks were now a cheaper alternative than construction of a costly railroad.

From 1928 to 1931, Howe Sound did extensive drilling and tunneling, work was started to resolve milling, transportation, environmental, townsite location, and power problems. A workforce of 105 men was employed during these years, and miners were paid $5.05 a day. The mine was closed in 1931 because of the depression; however, the company had no intention of abandoning it. Howe Sound had spent over a half million dollars and created a potentially productive mine. When copper prices improved and a permit was obtained for construction of a powerline to the mine, full-scale mining would begin at Holden. In January 1937 Howe Sound announced that the mine would be put into production "as fast as climatic and other conditions permit." The company would spend over $3 million developing the mine and 100 men would be employed by spring.

A variety of transportation systems was used to move men, machinery and supplies to the mine. There were tramways, diesel tractors, gas-driven trucks, diesel-powered tugs, battery-driven locomotives and large diesel cranes. The mining camp for 100 workers had been built, complete with dormitories, cookhouse, change house, drying room, and well-stocked commissary and recreation room. Small family cottages, assay laboratory, and warehouses were built near the creek in the valley below. Newly developed mining methods would assure the company of an uninterrupted flow of ore from a labyrinth of underground stopes and tunnels. Engineers had estimated an ore body of over 2 million tons with an assay of 5 percent copper ore.

A site was selected for a mill, and design work began to assure that reagents used in concentrating the copper would not destroy the water quality and stream life below the mine. Objections were raised by the Department of Conservation and Development, the Fisheries Department, and State Game Commission. Local sportsmen associations expressed concern that the forests and streams would be destroyed and polluted beyond repair. When production began in 1938, their concerns were confirmed when the tailing dike broke and the water between the mine and lake became unsafe to drink. However, the state took no action to stop the mining even though the State Game Commissioner had assured citizens that production would be stopped if the mine polluted the water.

Further environmental obstacles faced the company in providing power and transportation to the mine. The State denied the company's application for water-rights, stream diversion, and construction of a powerhouse at the lake. The Forest Service objected to the company's planned right-of-way for a railroad from lake to mine but did grant a right-of-way limited to use by trucks, tractors and cars.

A road crew widened the road to the mine except for the switchbacks. A tramway was constructed to overcome the 1,000 feet of ridge elevation separating the lake from the road up the Railroad Creek Valley to the mine. A 2,000-foot incline track was built on a grade which varied between 52 and 75 percent. Power was provided by a 75 horsepower hoist operating two flat cars in balance to move heavy equipment and supplies to the top of the incline where the road to the mine began.