Item

John Treadwell, Prospector

Pilot
Nov 3, 1887
The Treadwell Mine—A St. Andrews Boy’s Fortune
[long article]

Beacon
Jan 2/1890
Worth Millions
A St. Andrews Man who Made a Pile of Money on the Pacific Slope
There are few towns in the Maritime Provinces that can boast of possessing a millionaire. St. Andrews is one of the few.
            Mr. John Treadwell, who arrived here hast week, with his bridge from San Francisco, and who is now spending his honeymoon beneath his father’s roof, ranks among the wealthiest men on this continent. His wealth at the present time is estimated all the way from six to ten million dollars. Ye the is one of the most unostentatious men in St. Andrews. Remove the $8000 diamond from his finger and no one would imagine that the was the possessor of so much of this world’s gear.
            Twenty five years ago, Mr. Treadwell left the parental roof, and struck out for California. He had no idea of becoming a millionaire, yet he was determined to win wealth if hard work and honest dealings would do it. He had been a worker in wood before he left home, and when he reached San Francisco, he secured a job as a carpenter on a building that was being erected. Mr. Bugbee, who came from the east, and who was well acquainted with young Treadwell’s family, happened to be architect of the building. One day, as the architect was inspecting the work, he overheard the foreman calling Mr. Treadwell’s’ name. He inquired where the Youngman came from, and on learning who he was, he opened an acquaintance with hi. Recognizing that he possessed a considerable ability, and was anxious to get along in the world he appointed him as an over seer on some building that he was then erecting. He advanced so rapidly that in a short time he became a contractor. At first his contracts were small, but by degrees they grew in proportions. Some of the finest blocks in San Francisco were built by him. His wealth gradually increased until he had amassed several hundred thousand dollars.
            Hearing of the Alaskan gold mines, Mr. Treadwell went thither on a prospecting tour. While he was examining some claims, the owner of the now famous Treadwell mine who was a trader, and who was in financial difficulties at the time, offered to sell out his claim for a few hundred dollars. Mr. Treadwell purchased it on the spot. He knew the ore was not of a very high grade, but he was convinced that the ledge as a large one, and that here was money in it if properly worked.
            When he returned to San Francisco, he took several tons of the ore with him, and had it tested. The result was so satisfactory that Mr Treadwell had little difficulty in organizing a joint stock company to develop the mine. One of the largest stamp mills in the country was sent to the mine and over a million and a quarter dollars were expended in machinery before an ounce of bullion was taken out. The mine had not been working a very long period before Mr. Treadwell’s sagacity and foresight were amply proven. Not only did the quality of the ore improve, but the quantity also, and the mine the mine is now regarded as one of the richest in the world. Many thousands of dollars worth of the yellow gleaming gold is now within view.
            Mr. Treadwell will remain in St. Andrews a few weeks longer, with his bride. Mrs. Treadwell never saw ice nor snow until she came to NB.

Beacon
Jan 30, 1890
The Treadwell Gold Mine
Description of the Biggest gold Mine in the World
Portland, Oregon, West shore
In 1882 John Treadwell, a miner from San Francisco, came into South-eastern Alaska as a prospector. The Indians conducted him to the “Basin,” just across from the island, where nuggets had been found. Not seeing what he thought would pay for working he went to Douglas, and among other properties was shown a location of one “French Pete.” Being hard up Pete offered to sell for four hundred dollars. Mr. Treadwell made the purchase and returned to enlist capital in the enterprise. The next year he succeeded in erecting a ten stamp mill. A year’s run was so satisfactory that a one hundred and twenty stamp mill was put up. In 1888 this was enlarged to two hundred and forty stamp, making it the largest in the world. Here amid the deafening roar of falling stamps twenty thousand tons of quartz are ground every month at a cost of about $1.65 per ton. The mill suns day and night p rain and shine, Sunday and every day. The hands working alternately two weeks day shift and two weeks night shift, but the ledge is practically inexhaustible and the owners have a lifetime income.
            The six hundred horse-power required to run the ponderous machinery is furnished by water from mountain streams. A ditch, running along the side of the “Ridge,” has been dug thirteen miles in length, tapping Fish creek, Kawes creek, Eagle creek and numerous smaller mountain streams. Four years has this been in process of construction, and another year will be required to complete the work. By means of flumes across “the chasms and tunnels blasted through solid rock the entire water supply of the northeast side of the island is conveyed in one channel to a point five hundred and twenty feet above the mill. A hydraulic giant employs the surplus water to wash off the surface of the ledge preparatory to mining, while the main stream is conveyed in underground pipes to a Knight’s water wheel attached to the machinery. The water supply available is about 6,000 miner’s inches.
            A long tunnel runs from the mill, tapping the ledge 300 feet below the outcrop. Shafts have bee sunk from the surface into this tunnel and are used as chutes. The plan of mining is to blast the quartz loose and convey it by these chutes into the tunnel, where it is loaded on cars and hauled to the mill. Two great, yawning holes, seemingly bottomless pits, have been blasted out, and a third will be begun ere long. Electric lights illuminate the pits and tunnel and the work never stops for darkness. The Burleigh drill takes the place of the sledge drill of other days. The drill is operated by compressed air, furnished by engines and conveyed by hose. Two men manage this apparatus; carrying it from point to point an drilling holes ten to twelve feet deep and two inches in diameter. Charges of Hercules blasting powder are placed at the bottom of these, and, and at regular times, when the change of hands I made, they are set off. As the heavy blasts are discharged immense masses are loosed and fall over into the pit. The sounds from the shots roll through the mountains and are reverberated back, furnishing the only thunder Douglas Cityites ever hear.
            Iron cars, each holding one and one third tons, are pushed under the chutes, when a miner opens the outlet allowing it to fill. Twelve cars compose a train and a small engine draws them to the end of the tunnel into the upper story of the stamp mill. The ore is dumped into bins from which it is fed automatically to the batteries. The batteries are heavy cast from mortars, onto which the shoes of the stamp falls. A constant steam of water running into them facilitates the grinding. The stamps are iron rolls, each weighing six hundred pounds, and armed at the lower end with a steel shoe. A peculiar shape of the shoulder which raises the stamp causes it to partially turn around at each oscillation, thus wearing of the bottom regularly.
            After the quartz is sufficiently pulverized a fine screen allows it to overflow upon silver coated copper plates containing mercury, which seizes all the free gold, forming an amalgam. The fluid sand next flows over fluted surfaces into which the iron sulphates, in which this ore is very rich, sink by reason of their greater fineness and weight. As these surfaces are revolved they empty their sulphates into boxes arranged on the sunder side. These concentrators, as they are called, are cleaned up once a day, the sulphates being shovelled into cars and conveyed down an incline to the chlorination works. Here they are dried and shovelled into bins situated over the roasting furnaces, and scattered regularly over revolving grates. Four frames are placed in each furnace and each revolution loads the upper one with fresh sulphate and empties the lower of those which have been roasted. Wood is used for fuel into is operation, it being the cheapest and furnishing a more easily regulated heat. A man called the salter, armed with a long spoon resembling a butter tester, empties a spoonful of salt on the lower grate at each revolution, through a hole in the furnace well. The oxidized sulphates, after being removed from the furnace, are stored in tight vats and chlorine gas seized the remaining gold and forms a chloride of gold, which is removed from the sand by rinsing with water. The chloride is an amber colored fluid, varying in tint with its richness. The gold is precipitated by the addition of sulphate of iron, made by pouring diluted sulphuric acid on old scarps of iron. The gas is made from common salt by addition of the acid. Work in the chlorination building is very unhealthy. The gas causes a ticking of the throat with a constant desire to cough, while the sulphur fumes escaping from the furnace kill all vegetation within its reach.
            The copper plates in the stamp mill are cleaned up once a month. The amalgam, a bright looking paste, is placed in retorts and heated. The mercury rises as a vapour and is conveyed in pipes to a condenser and used again, being none the worse for the wear. The gold is refined, melted into bricks, and shipped in plain boxes to the mint at San Francisco.

Beacon
March 13/1890
Mr. and Mrs. John Treadwell, who have spent several very pleasant weeks among their kindred, left on Monday morning for their Californian Home. They are coming back to see us in the summer again. Mrs James Stoop and Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Treadwell accompanied them as far as McAdam.

Beacon
Oct 9/1890
Tale of Two Fortunes. How two St. Andrews boys gained their wealth.
Standard
June 8/1853
Montreal Sun
The writer of fiction had told no tale more extravagant than that connected with the personal history of Mr. James Treadwell, the quicksilver millionaire of California.
            Twenty-five or thirty years ago, the Treadwell brothers, John and James, left their native place of St. Andrews determined to win fame or fortune, or both, in the far West. California was their goal, as it was the goal of many another New Brunswick lad. But it has remained for few New Brunswickers to acquire the immense fortunes that these two brothers are now possessed of.
            When they left St. Andrews their sole wealth consisted in stout arms, brave hearts an ample stock of hard common sense, and an unconquerable determination to succeed in whatever line of business they should adopt. As both of them had had some experience with carpenter’s tools before leaving home, it was not surprising to find them engaged in carpentry when they removed to California. After serving for a time as journey carpenters, they began to take contracts for the erection of buildings on their own account. At first they contracts were small, but they gradually increased, and before long they were superintending the construction of some of the finest buildings which grace the streets of he city of the Golden State. The Lick observatory is among the buildings for which they were contractors.
            They amassed considerable wealth by their industry, but it is doubtful if either of them would have been the possessors of so many millions if they had not sought riches in other directions. John—as many of the readers of the Beacon know—found his fabulous wealth among the gold hills of distant and forbidding Alaska. Going thither on a prospecting tour, he fell in with the owner of a gold claim, who was willing to sell out for a mere song. He bought the mine, secured the capital to develop it, and it is now producing more riches for its owners than any other gold mine in the world.
            But the story of John Treadwell’s fortune—interesting though it is—is commonplace when compared with the marvellously mysterious manner in which his brother James claims to have acquired his wealth. So marvellous is it, so out of harmony with what ordinary people term the natural order of things, that we doubt if man y of the readers of this brief sketch will give credence to it. Even Mr. Treadwell’s most intimate friends can scarcely credit the story. Yet as he is a man of truth, and has the wealth to show for it, they are compelled to conclude that “there must be something in” what he tells.
            This is the story as we have gathered it from the lips of his friends from time to time:
            Among Mr. Treadwell’s friends in California there were none for whom he entertained a warmer regard than for a young married couple, whom, for reasons of our own, we will designate as Mr. and Mrs. B. The husband was a native of NB, a circumstance which will probably account in great measure for the warmness of the friendship existing between them. Husband and wife were ardent believers in spiritualism, and were devotedly attached to each other. Mr Treadwell had little faith in their spiritualistic beliefs, and did not hesitate to make known his scepticism. But subsequent events caused a complete change in his opinions.
            Some years ago Mrs. B. became sick and died. But though removed from her husband in the flesh she held frequent communions with him in the spirit. During one of these communions she expressed s desire to meet Mr. Treadwell, intimating that she had a communication of importance that she wished to make to him. After some coaxing from the husband of the departed woman, Mr. Treadwell consented to meet the spirit.
            The form appeared to him at the hour and place indicated, and through the medium of the husband, informed Mr. Treadwell that if he sought in a certain quarter he would find a rich bed of quick silver. At first he had little faith in the communication, but when it was repeated twice afterwards he determined to investigate. He had little trouble in locating the spot of land where the spirit had indicated the quicksilver deposit lay. Excavations were begun, resulting in quicksilver being found in immense quantities. Mr. Treadwell pressed up the husband of the departed spirit to accept a share of his great riches, but he strenuously refused, declaring that he had ample to live upon until he should join his wife in the spirit world. A year ago heath visited him, and his desires in this direction were realized. The mine still continues to be worked, and is yielding fabulous wealth of its possessor.
            This is the story. We give it as it has been given to us. Who will say after reading it that the old adage is not correct. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
            Another chapter in this strange career still remains to be written. It relates to the acquirement of a large coal area by Mr. Treadwell. The same supernatural agency which directed him in the procurement of the quicksilver is said to have dictated the purchase of the coal field. Even the amount for which it could be purchased was stated by the spirit. After receiving the communication. Mr. Treadwell hunted up the owner of the land, and offered him the amount which the spirit had suggested. The man refused, but agreed upon a certain price per acre. The property was surveyed, and strange to say, there was just a sufficient number of acres in it to bring he price up to the first offer. This coal area is now being developed. Several veins of the best coal have been struck, but mining for shipment will not be begun until the full extent of the deposit is known.

Beach
March 17, 1892
John Treadwell, a gentleman who secured frame and fortune as the moving spirit in the development of the Douglass Island gold mine of Alaska, is the owner of the fastest trotting team on the Pacific coast. They are the bay gelding Sidney J, by Revolution, and the chestnut mare Lalla, by Shafter’s Rustic. The pair can trop together in 2:20 and are to be seen every day on the park roads, driven by George J. Smith. Under the latter’s skilful handling they have become a model pair of horses, and it is doubtful if there is a finer behaved team of roadsters in America.
San Francisco Post

Beacon
April 11, 1895
Treadwell’s Coal Mine
California People Well Pleased Over its Discovery
Details.

Beacon
April 7/1910
The Great Treadwell Mine at Alaska. Long Article on a St. Andrews boy who made good. Other pieces on Treadwell people in California earlier in this year.

Beacon
July 2/1914
Former St. Andrews Man in  Big Lawsuit
John Treadwell sued for $2,000,000
Details. John Treadwell discoverer of famous Treadwell mine in Alaska