1942 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT WORK JOURNAL AND PERSONAL DIARY OF A HARDWORKING 74 YEAR OLD MINER AND METALLURGIST WORKING AND TRAVELING FROM MEXICO TO CANADA AND MINING SITES IN BETWEEN

On offer is a fascinating 1942 manuscript journal of metallurgist Oba Wiser of Downey California. Oba was born on February 7th, 1868, thusly 74 years old and one cannot help being amazed at how much work he was still doing in the field. He spends most of his time at four different mines sites [one on Bowen Island in Canada where he spends from January 10th to April 8th] and working in the laboratory. After the Canadian site he heads to a remote mine in Holden Washington where he works from April 10th to about April 30th. After this he makes a quick stop to see his wife in Downey and then goes to a mine in Chihuahua Mexico, Silver City and finally ending up in Hurley New Mexico at the Chino Mines. On May 16th he heads back to Downey and stays there until June 14th and that's when his long trip begins as he heads back to Holden Mine until August 28th and from there to Britannia Beach in Canada. He stays in Britannia until about November 21st when he finally heads back home and stays there until the diary entries end on December 31st. There is a long handwritten diary entry for every day of the year. Oba was in the 1919 'Engineering and Mining Journal' mentioned as metallurgical engineer who resigned as assistant mill superintendent of the Chino Copper Co. of Hurley New Mexico to accept the management of the Republic Mining and Milling Co. Hanover, New Mexico. He had quite the long career in the mining field if he was a superintendent in 1919 and still working hard in 1942. It is also known that he married Ellen, a Swedish woman almost 20 years his junior. They had two children, Virginia and Wendell. He died 8 years after this journal was written and 3 days before his 82nd birthday. Oba's entries are so long and detailed much mining information and metallurgy and a great deal about the war: 1942 "January 1st, How lovely it is to be able to get up early, feeling well, and anxious to get at the task to be done on the first day of the new year. And how fortunate to have a task worthwhile as I am approaching my 74th year. Ellen and Wendell busy all forenoon washing and cleaning the house. I almost finished the job of getting my files in order to leave early next week. Today is a holiday and no mail. It was nice and bright this morning but heavy clouds and rain in afternoon. We were home all day. In the evening I wrote J. D. Vincent of the Bureau of Mines at Salt Lake City. He is already taking on a heavy load. It will make his mark. Manila has all but fallen as per radio." "January 8th, Crescent City Calif. Lauff Hotel. Sybil, Buddy and I got out at 6 A.M. this morning at the Lauff Hotel in Crescent City Calif. This was so early that we had a hard time finding a coffee shop open for breakfast. It was not raining when we left for Grant's Pass at 7:10 A.M. In fact it only misted at times the whole day. We made good time even though the highway was very crowded all the way to Grants Pass and on to Roseburg. Just awhile in Eugene we encountered the remnants of the big sleet storm. Many trees had all the tops broken off with hundreds of telephone wires and poles down for miles. Salem Oregon was the hardest hit however the sleet gave out North of Salem with snow and slush at Portland. Arrive Portland 5 P.M. Looked for rooms for a whole hour and finally came over to Vancouver Washington before finding any. We stopped at St. Elmo an old hotel. Made 372 miles today." "January 10th, I was up at 6:30 A.M. Bathed and shaved. After breakfast take boat for Britannia at 9 A.M. Could have taken boat at 7 P.M. last night for Britannia and saved $5.00 expense money. I got to Britannia at 12:30 P.M. It was very foggy and boat was two hours reaching Bowen Island, generally made in one hour. Found Browning home with a cold. Hobb (?) and Stewart on annual report. Have not done much on research since I left. They now have ore for 300 put in drift on 4500 level and gold values are fairly good."January 19th, I was out at 6:30 A.M. as usual. I spent practic.…