Portland Prospectors, Inc. GPAA Portland, Oregon Chapter

The Legend of October, 2017

The raft (Balsa Muisca in dimensions of 19.5 cm x 10.1 cm Come join us at our Spanish), sometimes referred to and various figures on the raft, next meeting. as the El Dorado Raft, is an artistic the largest figure that stands in October 15th at 1:30pm. figure of pre-Columbian gold the middle apparently represents Milwaukie Grange hall votive, drafted by the Muisca who the chief, which is adorned with 12015 SE 22nd, Milwaukie, OR established one of the four grand headdresses, nose rings and The Portland Gold Prospectors civilisations in the Americas on the earrings, measuring 10.2 cm and meetings are the third Sunday of in the is surrounded by his soldiers who every month beginning at 1:30pm. Eastern Ranges of the Colombian carry banners. All interested parties are invited . to attend the monthly meetings. The raft was found by three Become a member of the Portland farmers in early 1969 in a cave Gold prospectors, Inc a chapter of in the village of the Gold Prospectors Association of Lázaro Fonte in the America. municipality of Pasca For info contact Jerry Johns, (Cundinamarca), [email protected] or visit www. in a ceramic portlandgoldprospectors.org. pot, adorned with a human figure whose Presidents Blog face has sharp teeth. The October 2017 priest of the municipality Fall is upon us and the chapter protected the piece until it is getting ready to have its last was acquired by ’s outing of the year on Oct 8th. For Gold Museum and where many of us, it’s the last chance to get out and do some prospecting The piece is exhibited at it has become one of its before the rains and snows hit. For the Gold Museum in Bogota. It major exhibition pieces. It has others, they have already packed is estimated that the figure was never left Colombia. their equipment away for the year. Regardless of where you stand, I drawn between 600 and 1600 AD Reprinted from Wikipedia by lost-wax casting in gold with a hope you had a great prospecting small amount of copper. season. With winter approaching, the chapter is gearing up for The figure refers to the ceremony elections in November. We will open of the legend of El Dorado. It up nominations in our October represents the ceremony of meeting and they will remain open through the 1st half of our investiture of the Muisca chief, November meeting at which time which used to take place at Lake we will vote. If you haven’t selected .[1] During this ritual, a position you want to run for, time the heir to the chieftainship (zipa) is running out. We are a volunteer covered his body with gold dust organization and we cannot operate and jumped into the lake along without your help. Happy Prospecting, with gold offerings and Look at the detail in this thing. It to the gods. The piece has a base was sandcast in a single pour! Even Jerry Johns in the shape of a log boat with the dangling bits. Amazing artistry. President Portland Gold Prospectors Inc. 2017 Portland Gold Prospectors Chapter Minutes – September 17th Board of Directors Start time: 1:30pm anyone has a story or photos they President Jerry Johns 503-686-9422 Members in attendance: 39 want to share, please email them to [email protected] him at the address on the left. Visitors: 1 Vice President To get the newsletter mailed to William Bench 503-708-4997 The minutes from the August you, please add your e-mail to our [email protected] meeting were posted in the sign in roster. If you are still not Secretary newsletter. A motion was made POSITION OPEN getting it, please verify the address to approve the minutes as written Treasurer on the roster is accurate. We can and seconded. The motion was Bev Parker 503-666-4301 also mail it via US Postal service to [email protected] approved members for $15 a year. That price Claims The Treasurer read the monthly covers the cost of postage Ken Burns 503-631-3071 treasurer’s report. A motion was [email protected] Library: N/A – no library this made to approve them as read. It Board Members at Large month. was seconded and approved. 2016-2017: Outings: The Chapter outing at the Richard Ruth 503-663-9087 Correspondence: None. East Fork of the Lewis went well. [email protected] Membership: There are three Focused on claim 2 and OK gold David Chiara 503-285-8553 was found. One large flake was the [email protected] levels of membership for the highlight. Elaine Ruth 503-663-9087 chapter: [email protected] Level 1: is to be a chapter member. Next outing is at Cape Ken Burns 503-631-3071 To do this you must attend at least Disappointment Oct 8th. [email protected] 3 meetings, outings or functions in Education: Steve Lewin walked the Board Members at Large a given year. At least one of these chapter through the Washington 2017-2018: must be a business meeting. There Gold and Fish pamphlet and how Charles Foster 503-630-7669 [email protected] is no additional cost beyond the 3 to use it. He also gave a brief talk attendances to be a member. Robert Burns 503-680-8885 about safety on the claims. [email protected] Level 2: GPAA – We are a chapter Elections: Nominations will start Vern Freitas 209-535-5683 of the GPAA and as such, all in October and Close at the [email protected] officers must be members of the November meeting. There are Jim Schmidt GPAA. All chapter members are many open positions that need [email protected] encouraged to join the GPAA, but to be filled. Positions include: Honorary Board Member that is not a requirement. (Super Volunteers): President, Secretary, Librarian, 4 Larry Sharp 971-269-8220 Level 3: LDMA – The LDMA is an board members, Claims director, outings director, education director, Steve Lewin Elite level within the GPAA and [email protected] allows special access and discounts and kitchen crew. Remember, as a Library to functions and mining claims. volunteer organization, we need POSITION OPEN your help. Hospitality GPAA State Director: Steve Lewin shared with the chapter that The raffle started at 3:15pm and Elaine Ruth 503-663-9087 the meeting closed at 3:30pm. [email protected] chapter outings are now being Newsletter shared in the GPAA magazine and Tim Snyder 503-481-1133 newsletter. [email protected] Newsletter:The newsletter Webmaster continues to be edited by Tim Snyder Aaron Jurgens 360-402-0771 [email protected] and looks great. Tim shared that if 2017 Events Calendar 79 October 15th: The PGPI monthly meeting 1:30pm -coholic November 19th: PGPI monthly meeting 1:30pm - AuGold ELECTIONS 196.967 December 17th: PGPI monthly meeting 1:30pm Step 5 Do Your Research Well, poop. confusion with Oregon City I was looking at a map of the would occur, and suggested the Come join us at our Oregon coast, and saw a town name “Oretown” to the postal called “Oretown.” I thought, authorities instead. The name next meeting. “Cool! Maybe there’s gold on the was accepted and Oretown October 15th at 1:30pm. north Oregon coast.” So I went to post office ran from 1877 to Milwaukie Grange hall Wikipedia to check it out: 1954. Today Oretown has a 12015 SE 22nd, Milwaukie, OR Cloverdale mailing address. In 1877, settlers James B. The Portland Gold Prospectors Upton and S. H. Rock petitioned At one time Oretown had a meetings are the third Sunday of every month beginning at 1:30pm. Senator John H. Mitchell asking cheese factory and a salmon All interested parties are invited for a mail route to Grand Ronde cannery. Today the community to attend the monthly meetings. and a post office. Upton owned has a historic church, the 1913 Oretown Bible Church, a Become a member of the Portland a seal marked “Oregon City”, Gold prospectors, Inc a chapter of Grange hall built in 1907, and a so he suggested the new post the Gold Prospectors Association few houses. office be named “Ore City” of America. and he would alter the seal so I’m glad I checked it out before I For info contact Jerry Johns, it could be used for the new jumped in the ol’ family truckster. [email protected] or visit community. Mitchell knew Opinions expressed by the AU‑coholic are not necessarily those of Portland Gold Prospectors, www.portlandgoldprospectors.org. Inc. I hate disclaimers.

Chris Cosby, who demonstrated his Gold Getter concentrator for us last year, posted a YouTube video of himself using it in Korea. (Frozen Chosen, as our Korean War vets remember it.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAKhgrUIprM Who knew there was gold in Korea? …

… well apparently these guys did! This is a Wikipedia photo from c1900. Steve Lewin, the GPAA State Representative showed the safety line he uses when going down steep banks to get to his claims.

Steve then gave a brief talk on the Washington Gold and Fish pamphlet, giving us some useful advice on marking relevant sections.

Dave Chiara invited young Hannah to pick the raffle ticket for the gold nugget grand prize. She called Ken Didier’s number.

Ken then generously gave the double-nugget prize to her! James and Andy participated in the September 9 outing at the East Fork Lewis River claims. Thanks to our 2017 Gold Show sponsors

Matching Grant

George and Beverly Parker

And don’t forget our members’ businesses: Ruth Enterprises ______Handcrafted Prospecting

Richard & Elaine Ruth Equipment

Cash Register, Computer & More Recycling Tim Snyder • 503-481-1133

9100 S.E. 282nd Ave Boring, OR 97009 [email protected] Cell 503-348-5271