Old Dutch Cleanser Mine
The pumicite mined here was widely known throughout the U.S. as Old Dutch Cleanser, a domestic scouring agent. Production from this site began in 1923 when twelve men were employed to produce 100 tons of pumicite per week.
Initially, hand labor was used to remove slabs of the material pulled up out of the mine by burros then lowered by a tramway to the bottom of the valley. From the base of the rail tramway the pumicite was hauled to a siding on the Southern Pacific Railroad seven miles south at Saltdale.
The mine produced 120 thousand tons of material before it was shutdown in 1947 when pumicite was obtained from other sources.
OLD DUTCH CLEANSER (CUDAHY MINE)
January 31, 1923: “FULLERS EARTH MINE
—A great enterprise is that which is now being advanced by the Cudahy Packing Co., a few miles south of the old town of Garlock on the Southern Pacific railroad. This was at one time the center of milling operations in this district, and some very rich ore was run through the mills. These operations were all prospected in the early 90’s, and today Cudahy company is making a wagon road and taking other initial steps for the installation of a big plant for the purpose of handling the infusorial earth which is used in filtering oils, lard, etc. and other products dealt in by this company. There is said to be a tremendously large deposit of this stuff adjacent to the railroad.”
– Bakersfield Californian
