Sterling Borax Mine - Various Newspaper Articles and Magazine Quotes Through the Years

The San Bernardino County Sun, November 1, 1907. Henry Blumenberg needs to arrange for railroad cars at Lang Station to transfer ore from his new mine, acquired in August. The railroad to the actual mine has not been built yet.

Los Angeles Times, November 17, 1907. Shepard is the discoverer and he sells to Henry Blumenberg, not to Thomas Thorkildsen.

San Francisco Chronicle, November 17, 1907

Perry, Iowa, Daily Chief, November 23, 1907

Engineering and Mining Journal, November 23, 1907

Marshfield, Oregon, Daily Coos Bay Times, November 26, 1907

Bakersfield Morning Echo, November 28, 1907

Daily Democrat, Shelby, Indiana, December 7, 1907

San Francisco Call, December 13, 1907

Mineral Resources of the United States, Calendar Year 1907, Part II - Nonmetallic Products, Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1908, "Borax" by Charles G. Yale, p. 635

The Mineral Industry During 1907, Volume XVI, Hill Publishing Company, New York, 1908 "Borax" by Edwin Higgins, pp. 121-123

State of Nevada, Biennial Report of the Secretary of State for the Two Years Ending December 31, 1908, Domestic Incorporations 1907-1908, Page 101

"When Filed: February 17, 1908
Name of Incorporation: Sterling Borax Company
Place of Business: Las Vegas
Period of Existence: Unlimited
Amount to Commence Business: $2,000
Capital Stock: $2,000,000"

California State Library, News Notes of California Libraries, Vol 4. Nos 1-4, January - October 1909, California Current Events Index, No. 2, Fourth Quarter 1908, p.18

"Sterling Borax Co.
Incorporated October 12, 1908"

Oakland Tribune, March 20, 1908

San Francisco Call, October 13, 1908

Mineral Resources of the United States 1908, Part II - Nonmetals, Washington, Government Printing office, 1909

"The only other productive mine in the State in 1908 was that of the Sterling Borax Company, near Lang Station, in Los Angeles County. This is a new mine, which only became productive in 1908. Its product is colemanite, which is shipped crude to refineries in New Jersey. This company is virtually a combination which includes not only the productive mine named, but the Ventura County mines of the Frazier Borate Company, or Stauffer Chemical Company, the Lang and Death Valley deposits of the American Borax Company, and the refining companies at Chicago, San Francisco, and the New Brighton. The property near Lang Station is in a favorable situation for labor, transportation, etc. A number of mining claims in that section are mined by this company."

The Mineral Industry During 1908, Volume XVII, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, New York, 1909, "Borax", pp. 89-90

From the Engineering and Mining Journal, January 9, 1909

From the San Bernardino County Sun, November 4, 1909

Mineral Resources of the United States, 1909, Part II - Nonmetals, Washington, Government Printing office, 1911

"The other productive mine [besides the Lila C] is that of the Sterling Borax Company, near Lang station, in Los Angeles County. This property first became productive in 1908. Its product is colemanite, which is shipped to refineries as mined without previous concentration or other treatment [which would change in the near future]."

The Mineral Industry Its Statistics, Technology, and Trade During 1909, Volume XVIII, The Engineering and Mining Journal, 1910, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. p. 78

"At the Lang mine of the Sterling Borax Company, two veins of colemanite, one 16 ft. wide and 1000 ft. long and the other, 30 ft. distant, 7 ft. wide and 500 ft. long, are being developed. In 1909 a branch railroad was built connecting this mine with the Southern Pacific system."

From the Midland Druggist and Pharmaceutical Review, June 1910

From Nard (National Association of Retail Druggists) Notes, July 28, 1910, p. 1062

Mining and Scientific Press, September 24, 1910

Los Angeles Herald, October 1, 1910

Sausalito News, December 10, 1910

The Mineral Industry Its Statistics, Technology, and Trade During 1910, Volume XIX, The Engineering and Mining Journal, 1911, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. p. 86

"About 12,000 tons were produced in the Lang district by the Sterling Borax Company, an increase of 4000 tons over the production of 1909. The Sterling Borax Company devoted all its attention in 1910 to its mines at Lang, Los Angeles county. This company owns rich borate deposits in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Its position was materially strengthened by the construction of a narrow-gage road from the railway station at Lang direct to the mouth of the mine. The veins of colemanite are beneath a narrow canyon and the mining is carried on by both shafts and tunnels. Shipments are made to the company's eastern refineries in Pennsylvania and Illinois."

Death of James Gilchrist on March 30, 1914. From the Report of Decisions of the Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Commission of the State of California, Volume I, Part II, Report of Decisions. January 1, 1914, to December 31, 1914; California State Printing Office, 1915, p. 342

San Fernando Press, September 4, 1914. Accident of small boy.

Metallurgical and Chemical Engineering, September, 1915, Vol. XIII, No. 9, p. 564

"The Sterling Borax Company, whose mines are located 6 miles from Lang, in Los Angeles County, ranks as the second largest producer in California. During 1914 this company is reported to have mined about 15,000 tons of borate ore. This is divided into two grades, the first containing about 31 per cent anhydrous boracic acid; the second about 20 per cent. All of the ore is roasted at the mine before shipment, thereby eliminating imparities which consist of clay, pandermite and water. On roasting, the colemanite content disintegrates into a fine powder, while the pandermite and clay retain their original form. This makes it possible to separate the valuable portion very easily by screening. A branch railroad connects the mine with the Southern Pacific Railroad."

Mineral Resources of the United States 1914, Part II - Nonmetals, Washington, Government Printing office, 1916

"The Sterling Borax Co., operating colemanite deposits 6 miles from Lang, in Los Angeles County, maintained a production second in importance to that of the Pacific Coast Borax Co. Two grades of ore are mined, which vary in percentage of anhydrous boric acid, and both are roasted at the mine, thereby eliminating impurities which consist mainly of pandermite [howlite], clay, and water. Upon calcination the colemanite content of the ore is dehydrated and becomes a fine powder which is easily screened from the pandermite [howlite] and clay, the latter substances retaining their coherence."

Mines and Mineral Resources of Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, California State Mining Bureau, Chapters of State Mineralogist's Report Biennial Period 1915-1916, California State Printing Office, 1917, p. 20

"The production of this mineral (borax) in Los Angeles County amounted in 1914 to nearly $500,000. This was chiefly the output of the Sterling Borax Company of 320 Trust and Savings Bldg., Los Angeles, Thos. Thorkildsen, president, of which the mine is five miles north of Lang in Tick Canyon. This corporation controls some 1,200 acres and mines a large deposit of colemanite. In a mill on the property, the crude material is separated from such impurities as clay and shale, and calcium borate is shipped to Pittsburgh and Chicago to be refined into commercial borax. The deposit is probably a tilted lake bed and is of great interest but the management request that no details be published."

1915 accident of T.J. Mahoney sets law precedent. From Negligence and Compensation Cases Annotated, By The Publishers' Editorial Staff, Volume XII, Chicago, Callaghan and Company, 1917, p. 668

From the California Library Service, California State Printing Office, Sacramento, 1915, p. 17.

The Spatula, An Illustrated Magazine for Pharmacists, Vol. XXI. No. 11, Boston, August 1915

"The Sterling Borax Co., near the border of Los Angeles county, was second in production [of borax]. Two grades of ore are mined and are roasted to remove impurities. On calcination the colemanite content of the ore is dehydrated and becomes a fine powder."

Mineral Resources of the United States 1915, Part II - Nonmetals, Washington, Government Printing office, 1917

"At the Lang property of the Sterling Borax Co., in Los Angeles County, the calcining plant has been enlarged and new deposits have been opened. New rotary wedge furnaces have also been put in."

From The Auto Era, Vol. XVI, No. 1, Whole No. 181, The Winton Company, Cleveland, Ohio, September, 1916, p. 13.

Los Angeles Times, December 16, 1916

Los Angeles Times, December 27, 1916

Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 30, 1916, Volume 113, Number 27, p. 957

"At the Lang property of the Sterling Borax Co., in Los Angeles county, the calcining plant has been enlarged and new deposits have been opened. New rotary wedge furnaces have also been put in."

Mineral Resources of the United States 1917, Part II-Nonmetals, Washington Printing Office, 1920, p. 339

"Most of the boron ore mined in California is concentrated before being shipped to the refinery. At the Lang property of the Sterling Borax Co., this treatment includes heating, which drives off most of the water, disintegrates the colemanite, and causes the adminxed clay to gather into balls that are easily separated. The concentrated ore runs from 30 to 45 percent of boric oxide."

Men Who Received Bureau of Mines Certificates of Mine Rescue Training, July 1, 1916, To June 30, 1918, Compiled by Dorsey J. Parker Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Technical Paper 226, March, 1919, p. 11

Los Angeles Times, April, 7, 1918

Newhall Signal, February, 7, 1919

Los Angeles Times, February, 8, 1919

American Mining Manual, 1919, The Mining Manual Company, Chicago, p. 128

"Office, Trust & Savings Building, Los Angeles, California
Refineries: Chicago, Illinois and Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thomas Thorkildsen, Los Angeles, General Manager.
Edgar McC. Steward, General Superintendent.
Sterling Mine. Colemanite. 400' Shaft and 4200' Adit.
Wedge Roasters. 100-ton Calcining Furnace.
Electric Power and Compressor. 2 Steam Locomotives. 175 Men."

American Mining Manual, 1920, The Mining Manual Company, Chicago, p. 114

"Office, 215 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles. Stock, $2,000,000.
Refineries: Chicago, Illinois and Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thomas Thorkildsen, Los Angeles, General Manager.
LeRoy D. Osborne, Lang, California, General Superintendent.
Sterling Borax Mines. Shaft and Adit. 2 Steam Locomotives.
4 Wedge Roasters, Electric Power and Compresssor. 200 Men."

Report XVII of the State Mineralogist, Mining in California During 1920, California State Mining Bureau, 1921, p. 317

"The Sterling Borax Company of 320 Trust and Savings Building, Los Angeles; Thos. Thorkildson, president. Operated mine and mill to capacity during the past year. Fifty men are employed. The mine is 5 miles north of Lang in Tick Canyon."

Newhall Signal, April 22, 1921

From the Directory, Public Schools, Los Angeles County, California, November, 1921, p. 42. Explanation: C=Clerk, Tr=Trustee, P=Principal. Grades=1-7, Yearly Salary=$1,350.

Mining and Oil Bulletin, September, 1921, p. 594. Ebinger's name is finally spelled correctly. It was not Ebbinger. Shepherd, though, should be Shepard.

"Considerable interest was also taken in the original discovery specimen of borax, found about eight years ago by Shepherd and Ebinger at Lang, near Newhall, California. Although only about a foot wide on the surface, the workings developed at the 400-foot level to a vein 140 feet wide, and proved to be one of the most productive borax mines of the coast."

A Review of Mining in California During 1921, California State Mining Bureau, Preliminary Report No. 8, January, 1922, p. 62

"The Sterling Borax Company closed its plant during the latter part of the year but will resume operations shortly, it is reported."

Newhall Signal, August 18, 1922

If the mine was not operating, why was there a load on a flat car? Maybe there was still some old material to send off. Newhall Signal, October 5, 1922

Monthly Chapter of Report XIX of the State Mineralogist covering Mining in California, Vol. 19, January 1923, No. 1, California State Printing Office, Sacramento, 1923, p. 31 (For the year 1922)

"The Sterling Borax Co., at Lang, did not operate during the year."

Engineering and Mining Journal-Press, Vol. 118, No. 11, September 13, 1924, The World's Biggest Borax Deposits, William F. Foshag, p. 420

"The deposits in Los Angeles County are located in Tick Canyon, about 6 miles from Lang on the Southern Pacific R.R. The area is one of sedimentary rocks, chiefly sandstones and conglomerates, with minor shales and volcanic flows. The colemanite is associated with a series of thinly bedded shales intercalated between two thick flows of andesitic lavas. Wherever observed the borax bed is made up of layers of colemanite interlaminated with shale. The ore is coarsely granular or occasionally columnar. Scattered through the colemanite are 'augen' of the calcium borosilicate, howlite, and in the lower workings considerable ulexite is encountered."

Newhall Signal, June 25, 1925

Newhall Signal, September 10, 1925

Newhall Signal, March 11, 1926

Unfortunately, I could not find any information on this movie company or movie. Newhall Signal, April 22, 1926

Newhall Signal, August 26, 1926

JR's history of the mine is wrong here. Newhall Signal, January 21, 1979