WALKER MINE
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WALKER MINE |
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NAME: Walker Mine COUNTY: Plumas ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: heavy snow in winter, high altitude about 7000' BEST TIME TO VISIT: summer |
COMMENTS:
No current residents. About 8 miles NW of Spring Garden on the side of Mt. Ingalls (8,372'). 7 miles SE of Genesee or 7 miles NW of Lake Davis on the Beckworth - Greenville Road. REMAINS: No buildings. Only foundations, mine tunnel with shielded padlocked steel door, tailings, cables from ore transport tram to Spring Garden. |
| A Copper mine discovered in 1909 by J. R. Walker, G. L. Bemis & A. H. Bemis. Mining started about 1911 and lasted until 1942. There were 500 persons on the payroll in the mine and mill at the height of operations. In 1940 there were 132 company houses, 68 private homes, 4 large bunk houses and a modest business district. The concentrate from ore produced at a rate of about 1,400 tons per day was transported to Spring Garden by the Wells Brothers Trucking Company during good weather. The rest of the time (winter) the concentrate was transported by Aerial Tram, the "Life-line" of Walker Mine. The ore cars measured 3x4x3ft. and carried 800# each. Supplies, mail, payroll & passengers had special cars for the chilly trip. Henry Giesendorfer was the mine Superintendent for many years. The mine was closed due to the high cost of keeping water pumped from the mine as well as the low price of copper. My father, Norman Carlile, worked there as a mining engineer in 1936 and again in 1941-2. Submitted by: James Carlile |
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