Joe-Stokers mine history

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djui5
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Joe-Stokers mine history

Post by djui5 »

Joe my friend,
I was curious if you could go over the details of the Stoker mine. I'd really love to hear the history of it, what they were digging, who all was involved, etc etc. I figure you to be the authority on this thing and this mine is a big part of the history in this area. I'm trying to learn all I can :)
Thanks in advance for your time. Hope all is well on the home front.
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Post by zentull »

I have opened a new photo album in the member archives that features Obie Stokers ? mines and his camp in the Second Water area. The lower mine is very shallow and the upper mine is choked with some unstable boulders.
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The Question Mark Mine

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Randy,

Here is the story, as I remember Obie telling it:

Obie and Olive were making a grand tour of the United States in 1924. He stated they covered 21,000 miles and were on their "honeymoon".

As Obie told it: They pretty much followed the directions.....right to the mine. It was actually in a crevice, and they took out some rich ore.
They left and did not come back 'til after WWII.......You have to know Uncle Obie. :roll:

At that point, The crevice was filled in with boulders....landslide or earthquake. There was no way they could go in from the top. He decided to try and intersect the ore body from a lower spot. That would be the first location you found.

Over the years he had a number of partners. The deal was always that they would supply Obie a horse to ride in and out, they would supply all of the funds needed and they would do all of the work. :)

Did I tell you that Obie was a pretty good talker? :D

After WWII, Obie's health was shot. He had suffered from shell shock in Europe. Always seemed on death's door. He died at the young age of 102 in a Veteran's hospital in Texas. Family had no idea he was even alive, as we had not heard from him in years.

I will post more later.

Joe
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Post by djui5 »

Wow, can't wait to hear more, thanks Joe! You're a gentleman and a scholar :)
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Post by zentull »

From the look of the Question Mark #2 it is obvious Obie was following something. Unlike most prospects that are direct, the mine takes an abrubt left hand turn before going down. Something most definitely had his attention. It would be a dangerous bit of business clearing the tunnel now, some good sized boulders are in the mix and it wouldn't take much for someone to go down in the slide. There are a number of loose boulders above that are waiting a good storm to finish the job. Glad we made the trip, eventually there will be little left except to the imagination.

He did however pick a nice spot with a beautiful view looking over Second Water.
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Post by sluicebox »

Joe,

You said they took out some rich ore. I was just wondering what type of ore-gold or silver, or both? I thought it was curious that there was no quartz in the tailings pile. Do you know what type of rock the ore was in? Thanks, Larry
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Clarification

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Larry,

Just to be clear, Obie was a little off mentally. He claimed he had rose quartz with gold, same as the Dutchman's. I would not bet the farm he had anything in that claim, but he talked a lot of people into working it and funding the whole thing.

They never reached the ore body in the crevice. They were not following a vein, as far as I know. Basically, it was a rock mine.

I am not saying there was nothing in the crevice, because Olive never denied it. She was the brains of the outfit. Tall tales was Obie's department.

Joe
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Post by djui5 »

So you never saw any of the ore, or what he was digging for/into?

Makes me wonder if it might be worth it to clear out the upper shaft for a looksee :) 8O
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Worth It?

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Randy,

That's an interesting statement. I suppose it depends on how much of your time and money you are willing to invest with jail and fines.

Obie and Olive found the LDM? in 1924. Unlike me, Obie was not much of a collector. As far as I know, they spent most of their lives in travel trailers, motor homes, tents and campers. On occasion, in the time that I knew them, they had a larger trailer.

They never stayed long in one place, and when they came to visit......you would wake up one morning to find a note saying thanks and goodbye. Obie was not much for goodbyes, because of the effects of shell shock.
He got too emotional.

Some folks sunk a lot of money and effort into that claim. They would have a pretty good idea of what it might be worth.

Joe
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Re: Worth It?

Post by djui5 »

Joe Ribaudo wrote:Randy,

That's an interesting statement. I suppose it depends on how much of your time and money you are willing to invest with jail and fines.

Joe
Well I wouldn't do anything illegal of course :)

I look forward to the next installment of the "Obie mine history"!
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Post by zentull »

Randy and Larry,

If we have another go at that area, I do have a solution that is safe and legal. I have a nightvision camcorder and a harness I have used before in areas that I was unsure of access or stability. That way you can film the area from a safe location and review the possibilities. I think of this now after forgetting the thing was in my pack the whole time. It could save Randy a few gray hairs in the future.
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Post by djui5 »

ha! Yes you could!!
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obies mine

Post by azdave35 »

warren konemann and bruce gillette dug the upper mine in the late 70's /early 80's...old obie talked them into it with tales of rich gold ore..the forrest service shut them down b4 they could reach their destination,,,but they did drill and blast down 45 ft...there is a reason why the tunnel goes in and takes an abrupt left ..and then goes straight down....
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Post by djui5 »

What is that reason?
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Post by azdave35 »

i knew warren konemann very well...we were mining partners for a while...he spent many years digging that hole...anyone that thinks he is going to just go up there and clean it out in a couple hours has a hard lesson coming ...like zentell said...alot of trash and boulders have been dumped down the shaft by the forrest service...and the forrest service also watch that hole like a hawk...and last but not least...there is nothing at the bottom of the shaft..in the early 70's the gov. gave prospectors 10 years to find the ldm..warren was in the process of digging that hole when the time ran out.after that the gov. started kicking everyone out....like i said in my earlier post....he didnt reach his destination with the shaft...there is nothing at the bottom of that shaft but boulders,trash and dirt....they wernt following a vein with that shaft
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Post by djui5 »

ok thanks!
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Rock Mine

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

Dave,

Thanks for that information. I have some letters from Obie where he mentions the names of some of his partners, and they are on the claim.

They never scratched a nickle out of those digs, as far as I know. They were trying to intersect what Obie said he found in 1924.

It was a "Rock Mine". :(

Hope all is well with you.

Joe
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Post by azdave35 »

howdy joe...long time no see...how ya been?,,everything is good on my end..next time your in town stop in and say hi...and you are very correct...they never got a nickles worth of gold from that hole...just heartache and mysery..they ended up hating each other in the end
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Stoker Reunion

Post by Joe Ribaudo »

This weekend will find me at the second annual Stoker Family Reunion.
Expect to see around thirty people and two of the cousins will be members of my old team.

I will be making my usual Italian stuff. Got a gal here in town who makes Italian Sausage and it don't even need our family recipe. :D

Hope those who are still lookin in have a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Take care,

Joe
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