THE OLYMPIC COUNTRY 
139 
Clallam ba}’’, on the straits of Fuca, is the abandoned Thorn- 
dike coal mine. There are said to have been “ six leads of 
coal, ranging in thickness from 1 to 3 feet, dip 10 degrees, dis- 
tance between coal leads, 12 to 100 feet, formation sandstone.” 
This is said to have been one of the best coals found in Wash- 
ington. It was mined for some time, until it pinched out or was 
cut off by a fault and the vein Avas lost and Avork abandoned. 
In the valley of the Solduck riA'er, among the mountains, is a 
group of springs Avhich discharge quite a volume of hot Avater of 
undetermined medicinal value. Fine springs heavily charged 
Avith iron or sulphur are A^ei’}^ numerous. On the coast just 
south of the Queets river, in the bluff along the beach, are several 
small alum springs. The alum is present in A'ery small quanti- 
ties, and cannot be detected during the rainy season, Avhen the 
natural floAV of the springs is reinforced by the numerous rains ; 
but during the diy season, AAdien the springs are at their loAvest 
ehb and Avhen the Avater from them is evaporated A'^ery fast as it 
trickles doAvn the cliffs exposed to the afternoon sun, the alum 
marks AA'ith Avhite streaks the margin of the rivulets. There is 
also some borax present, and probably other chemicals might be 
found in measurable quantities. 
ScA^eral A'arieties of iron ore are scattered promiscuously OA^er 
the peninsula in limited quantities, and ocher and iron stains are 
numerous. Near Port ToAvnsend is a deposit of limonite that 
has been Avorked for some time. On the headAvaters of the 
Ilumptulips river is a vein of magnetite al)out one foot thick. 
On the coast south of Raft river is a bed of clay ironstone of very 
loAV grade and so badl}^ mixed Avith sulphurets as in all proba- 
bility to be Avorthle.ss. The traces of iron are so ainmdant and 
AA'idespread that it Avould seem that there must be someAvhere in 
the peninsula extensive deposits of a pure and valuable ore. 
Colors of gold are found in the beach sands and along several 
of the streams in the mountains, and in a feAV i)laces fair AA'ages 
luiA'e been made Avashing it. Low grade silver and cop))er ore 
arc found in good-sized A'eins in the mountains. Com])aratively 
little prospecting has been done, OAving to the inaccessi))ilit}^ of 
the region; not enough to determine its value as a mineral 
country. 
It does not seem reasonable to suppose that the great upheaval 
of these mountains has been aecom])lislie(l Avithout bringing 
Avithin reach some valuable mineral de])osits. The i>rineipal 
ai)i>arent wealth of the p(‘uinsula is in its immense foicsts of line 
