The Mount Gleason and Padre Mines - Historic Gold Mines in the Western San Gabriel Mountains
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- čas přidán 21. 03. 2020
- The history of mining on Mt. Gleason begins in 1869 when George Gleason and his crew built a road up to the timber filled slopes of a prominent mountain south of present day Acton. George Gleason was the superintendent of the rich Eureka Mine, located in the Soledad Mining District, and the postmaster of Ravenna, a small town that served the local mines. The road was built in order to supply the town and mines far below with lumber, and a sawmill was soon built near the peak of the mountain. Along with the timber, several gold bearing quartz veins were discovered to run through the mountain. The prominent peak was named Mount Gleason and the Mount Gleason Mining District was organized. Claims were filed on the Gleason and Lyon lodes, and the Lyon Mining Co. and Scott Mining Co. were formed. An arrastra was built near the mines and ore was hauled down the mountain in wagons pulled by 8-mule teams. Logs were attached to the back of the wagons to slow the descent. This flurry of activity would soon calm down, as George Gleason and others would focus their attention back on the Soledad mines. The work done during this period was relatively small, but better times would lie ahead for the Mount Gleason Mining District.
It wasn’t until about 1887 that activity began to pick up again on Mount Gleason. During that year, the Padre Mine was discovered (or rediscovered) showing fine ore. Other mines would soon pop up on other veins. In 1889, the Mount Gleason Mining and Milling Company, owned primarily by John Hall, A.F. Mackay, and J.A. Jones, was incorporated. Their mine, known simply as the Mount Gleason, worked the Eagle Vein. The same year, this company would haul a 5-stamp mill up the steep mining road using a block and tackle system. The crown plate of the mill weighed a whopping 30,000 pounds! On July 3, 1889, the owners of the Padre Mine filed a claim for the Bay State Mine. That same year on September 5th, the Mount Gleason Mining and Milling Co. filed a patent for the Eagle and Last Chance mining claims. It turns out these two claims and the Bay State overlapped, and a 3-year court battle ensued. In the end, the Mount Gleason Company was awarded their patent. From 1890 to 1891 the Mount Gleason Mine’s mill was still in construction and the Padre Mine would receive a two-stamp “pony” mill. Both mills were powered by steam. In April 1891, there was a fatal accident at the Mount Gleason Mine. Superintendent and owner John Hall fell 40 ft. from a stope in the mine. He suffered broken ribs and other internal injuries that led to his death several days later.
The next few years were looking promising for the Mt. Gleason Mining District. In January 1892, the Mount Gleason Mine produced a large bar of gold from a 65-hour mill run. The Padre Mine’s two stamp mill was being operated by Tom Kelly regardless of rain or snow. On a side note, Tom Kelly’s name seemed to pop up a lot in my research of these mines. Over the years he has owned the Padre Mine, the Champion Mine, the Bay State Mine, and even the Last Chance claim at one time. There’s also a mention of the Kelly Bro’s mine on Mount Gleason, which was presumably owned by Tom and his brother Henry. In 1896, disaster struck the Mount Gleason Mine once again when it’s steam mill blew up. This brought operations to a halt for an unknown amount of time. By 1899, operations seemed to return to normal at the Mount Gleason Mining & Milling Co.’s property. The ore was averaging $25 per ton and a 20-ton cyanide plant was nearly complete. However, the activity on Mount Gleason must have subsided as reports on the district nearly disappeared for the next twenty years. In 1920, there was a mention of a milling plant being constructed on the mountain (Could the milling equipment we saw at the end of the video be from this?), and in 1927 there were reports of minor work at the Mount Gleason Mine. In 1937, there was a report on the Mount Gleason Mine that included a map of the underground workings. The mine had four adits, 700-200 ft. long, and was idle at the time. The same report also mentions the Padre Mine, which was undergoing minor activity. There was one man employed, who was constructing a small ball mill.
Today the mines of Mt. Gleason lie overgrown and mostly forgotten, and it's apparent that this area is scarcely visited. The mines are definitely not easy to get to, especially due to road closures from the 2009 Station Fire. Even then, the whole canyon is surrounded by thick, unforgiving brush. I actually found this adventure to be harder than my recent Allison Mine trip. Despite this, I will probably be back on Mount Gleason eventually. The area around the mines that survived the station fire is absolutely gorgeous and there are still a couple mines I need to find and a few questions I need to answer.
www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?...
Great video, love the multi mine concept. Much better to see multiple places instead of just 1.
We hit both mines during the same trip so it made sense to keep everything as one video. Thanks for the comment!
I'm a youtube newbie, I enjoy your channel,,,,
Thanks!
Love the old truck parts. The second one was a tractor. Darn you found it as I was typing. I just love to see all the old equipment and buildings parts that left
I has been a long time since I read about the area. I do remember that at least two flash floods went through this area 1938 and 2004 causing so much relocation of the machinery and other objects to be spread down hill. I enjoy the time and trouble that you went through to film these wonderful sites that most of us will never be able to see first hand . :) In the early 80's , I panned the gravels of the west fork and saw a lot of mercury that had been used in earlier time of the canyon. I returned to the west fork around 2015 and was surprised on how much the area had changed since the flash flood.
These mountains erode fast and are constantly changing. Thanks for the info and thanks for watching!
Outstanding video! Thank you very much.
Thanks for watching!
First vehicle you came across is a 1926 Nash advanced six. Not to many U.S. autos came with overhead valve 6’s back then so that really narrowed it down for me along with the fender shape. Great artifacts in this one. Great work!
It looks like you are right. Thank you!
Definitely some cool iron at this old mining area. The mill and jaw crusher are especially fun to see. You can only imagine how hard it was to haul that stuff up the mountain. Then you had to hope to find enough gold to pay for it all and maybe scratch out a profit. You have done a lot of work researching the history of this mine, which is a big part of the fun, and reporting the details to us in your video. However, I want to say, that as your channel grows you will be admonished by some for giving out any mines real locations, and taking blame for getting portals gated. This is something you might want to give some thought to. Thanks for the effort, Nick!
Thanks for watching, Tom! Like most mines, these ones were never very successful, so it's unlikely the owners ever made more than they invested. I'm a lot more careful now about giving away the names and locations of mines. These ones aren't really a secret, and they're very difficult to reach, so I'm not too worried about the Forest Service or anyone messing with them. If the area was more accessible, I wouldn't reveal their name. Sometimes it's a pain finding the balance between protecting theses sites and describing their history.
That old iron stuff is the coolest stuff I ever saw at any abandoned mines!
You did a great job with this video , I enjoyed how you inserted photos of what the machines looked like and took your time to video every thing you found , this was one of the most enjoyable videos I have seen in a long time , plus your knowledge is phenomenal.
Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Excellent explore, great to see all the old machinery, cheers from Australia.
The machinery made the long hike well worth it. Thanks for commenting!
Love the relics. The San Gabriel Mountain museum. Just walk around a bit. Neat history, thanks dude.
The area is a gem. Thanks for watching!
Very Cool! Thanks for showing all the machinery,I find that Interesting!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you , great video, and history.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I love your attention to detail
Thanks! If I don't document everything then I feel like I have to go back.
I just found you and now I'm keeping you....I'm subbed!!
So much information. You make it Very interesting.
Glad you like all the history!
Hey Nick. great explore. This is my favorite mining channel. Keep up the good work and you will surpass GLY and Frank soon!!!
Thanks for the great and constant support, Mike! I always appreciate your comments.
Ladybugs cluster like that -- an aggregation -- to keep warm and the pheromones they release attracts more of them to the cluster. Some interesting equipment in that canyon!
Thanks for the info!
Thank You for the hard work and the good video. Regards from Ody Slim
Thanks for watching, Ody!
Being from the east coast of North Carolina I'm so blown away how the old equipment is not a big pile of rust? Our humidity is always around the 95% and higher in the summer.
East Coast that stuff would be gone in 3-5 year's.
Enjoyed your channel alot Sir
Keep up the great content you'll have 5000 subscribers soon 👌
Great explore hello from Lightning Ridge Australia(opal country )
Welcome to my channel! Thanks for watching.
Nice job recording this area! I’ve always thought it be fun to dig out a collapsed portal or audit. May do that one day here in AZ
It's a lot of work and doesn't always pay off.
Great video!
👍👊😎
Thanks!
Verry intersting . Great work.
Thanks for watching!
really good channel! keep up the good work!
Thanks Rick!
Congratulations on getting over 1000 subs l watch your videos all time. Not subbed just did cause watch a ton of other old mines underground stuff your channel dose be recommended all time. Good content love relics history stuff those that's came before us industries indecline. Cheers thanks many regards from Ireland.👍☘🇮🇪Godbless🙏
Thanks for subscribing, Paul!
Stope is dope
Nice, another great mine channel 😎
Thanks for watching!
2:40 used to be a Samson Sieve Grip Tractor, built sometime around 1915
Someone just left a keene A52 sluice box laying there?? That is crazy!! I would been like $$cha ching lol
I lived in the area and never knew it was there. THANKS for sharing with us.it is a shame that the cast iron equipment can't be air lifted out to smome museum.
Thanks for watching. I hope the equipment can be preserved one way or another.
Very funny. Very good video. Thank you
Glad you liked it!
I hope you don't mind. I live in the UK where mines are generally in much greener countryside. The ' Lost Mines ' channel is based in Mid Wales. Wales tends to quite wet. Shaft depths etc tend to be measured in fathoms. Don't think they are are measured like that in the US. I expect every does know. But for any that don't a fathom is six feet.
Hahahaha sorry but when you had to edit "that was my camera not me!" It made me laugh especially since I also follow another mine exploring channel that...well....I'll just say that I always hear barking spiders in the background! hahahaha! Another great video though as always. Thanks for taking the time to share these with us!
Haha! I hear mines with barking spider infestations have bad air. Hope they made it out ok.
@@forgottenmininghistory Beware of the "Tommy Knockers" too. :)
Just for your information, the “trailer” you showed is a cab over camper. For a pick up.
Wow I didn’t know that was up there I lived in California and grew up and raised in Saint Gabriel mountains. I know there was gold in those mountains I can tell you that vein that starts in the front of that mine is loaded with gold if you crush that up you would be rich.
nice
cool tractor
Actually, that wasn't a trailer. It was a cabover camper. Back when the road was in better condition, I'm sure it was still quite a chore, getting it up there.
33:27 You said, "Do no run the mill so full of rock that you can hear the rock and iron grinders 'batttle.' "
What it actually says is, "Do not run the mill so full of rock that you can NOT hear the rock and iron grinders 'RATTLE.' " Sorry. Me being OCD. Lol. Awesome vid, as expected. :D
You do a really good job in your research and attention to detail.
I would suggest you work on camera technique, too much camera motion - I feel seasick at times.
I just got a new camera with much better video stabilization. However, I still have several videos to post using the old one.
I’ve grown up out in Acton and have explored, hiked and hunted all over that mountain. I do know of a few mines up there but I have never seen or heard of this one. I do want to find it but the directions I have found are a little vague. I would love it if you could contact me so I can get a better idea of where this could be. Thank you!!
You are crazy man I would think it’s going to cave in but guess not. But really cool
I think those lady bugs cluster like that through winter for warmth
I think the truck at the beginning is a 1930 International. They are the only thing I've seen with those odd fenders. I know it's not older than 1930 because it is an overhead valve engine.
Cool! Thanks for the info.
Do you know how many places you didn't pan in?
Hey buddy is there indian mounds in san Gabriel moutains
Yes! They put the culvert then later they drilled and blasted to close the mine to keep out people
Long hike for me no map went up Aliso canyon by bpal road
Yeah this one is tough.
Are the laws regarding the exploration of abandoned mines or is it prettty much enter at your own risk?
The laws are kind of vague and it depends on the state. As long as you are not trespassing on private land you should be good.
Trailer for sale or rent, Rooms to let, 50 cents. Where do I sign up?
Look for the body?
That. Main why stop,,of. Vien. Finis?
I inherited some mines from my uncle and aunt. They are in ct and few in texas utah and few in California...but the best part is the maps and intructions ...passages was intentionally blocked off because there is more an even more to mine...its a vault door basically...well the maps i habe im need a professional because its very very big and difficult to get lost but i have enetered some only to find piles of bulk left over mined supplies...gold silver and what i believe is lead or zinc....copper as well but the gold mines are not even finished ....im soon make a video of each once i go visit em. ..im sorta broke so i cant invest into going back to mine them but im looking for a solution...i have with me so far that do this as they career...
in connecticut of all places?
@@icarus901 100 ft from a creek
Usually if you see a spiral metal tube and you cant find a way into the working then the state has come with dynamite and clised it off
I've seen it where the blm or forest service has used culverts to seal up mines, but I don't believe they did this job. It's not owned by them. I'm pretty certain it was from sombody working the mine. That's why it has a ladder.
I almost smelled it here. Your camera..
What a wheel barrow
It's an old mining drill.
Where's the pot
Phone mysteriously rings , nick answers its Xavier nick I found a phone
If I knew it worked I would have ordered Chinese food.
It's to keep your girl happy
You should see colorado
You guys have ball's of stell
Ya I'll just leave sluice here .. 200 bucks all good ..lol
what needs to be in the US is to have is have their elections have serious security precasutions emplemented!
It is best not to give Mine Locations for two reasons, the first is some idiot will go there and get lost, hurt or die or secondly the BLM or Forest Service will learn of your video and put a metal bat cage over it and ruin it for experienced explorers.
Stupid people are going to get lost, get hurt, and die no matter what I do. I'm not giving away the directions to these mines. Sure, you know they are on Mount Gleason, but it's a big mountain so actually finding and getting to them are a whole different matter. Anyone interested in the mining history of the San Gabriels most likely knows about these already, as they are mentioned on popular websites and trail guides. However, the area is now heavily overgrown due to fires and the roads that can get you close by are closed. The Forest Service has known about these mines for decades, and I'm pretty sure these mines would be low on their list, considering there are dozens of ungated, easily accessible mines in the San Gabriels. I understand that there are many mines that should be protected and kept a secret, so I don't give away the real name to every mine on my channel. The mines on Mt. Gleason don't appear to be in any immediate danger, so I don't think I'm in the wrong for sharing their fascinating history with others.
@@forgottenmininghistory that sir was a intelligent response from you . Well done . Thanks for sharing as now I am unwell and can't do exploring physically at this time . I have great memories of my own trail blazing , and these video . You did a good job and are well informed .