Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-02-02
The Weuatchee Mines.

are now DelilS puUlIsheu Ill thaC Valua'
BILE and interesting daily, the Portland
Times, conducted by friend Leland.
{" Honest Alonzo.') In the issue OF
Tuesday, Jan. %, we find an article
which VIZ copy.
We publish the article entire, with
the assurance That Responsible and in
telligent gentlemen who prospected in
that region last fall, pronounce it,
entitled to perfect crcdcnce.
The Times thus discourses:
The Wenatchec mines have been
partially known for the last six years.
Before the outbreak of the Indian war,
in 1855, the Indians living in that sec.
ton had repeatedly exhibited specimens
of gold, which they claimed to have
obtained in the mountains bordering
Oh the Wcnatchce River and its tribu.
tarics. During that and the following
years, persons in the employ of the
Government made discoveries of gold
there which they deemed to be rich
prospects, among these was Mr.. Ingles,
formerly a resident of this city, and an
old and experienced mineri in California
in carly days. Those persons were in
Government service ut the time, and
puri,oscd, rs Dol IL they were dis
charged, to revisit that section of coun-
try for mining purposes. But the
breaking out of the war prevented
them. Last year, for the first time
since his discovery, Mr.. Inglcs made
his contemplated incursion to that
country, but he was accidentally killed
before he had time to examine his old
field of discovery.
The discovery of Capt. Robinson will
be re%collcctcd, and his attack from the
Indians, and his return and rcfitting
with a large company. But it seems
that when he came near the ground,
his company were unwilling to make
extensive explorations there, and forced
him to go OH with them to the North
crn British gold fields.
Other Indications have been found,
establishing the conviction of the pres
of gold in hat region. Indeed,
we have heard many men who went to
the north with Robinson, say that there
were better indications of rich gold de-
posts in the vicinity of the Wcnatchee,
where they went through, than they
found elsewhere throughout their en-
tire northern tour.
Following the suggestions which had
been given both by Inglcs and Robin
son, parties last year, both from the
Sound and this city, have made cxplo-
rations which have proved beyond a
cavil the existence of coarse and fine
gold there, in good paying quantities.
Several men from this city arc now ut
work there during mid-wintcr, and
making fair wages and opening up
preparatory to Il summers opc-
r%ations. Others have been there and
their claims, with the full intcn-
ton of returning to them on or before
the 18th of May, the time fixed when
their right to rc-takc their claims shall
cease. We have seen numerous spec
linens of handsome coarse gold in the
hands of those who went there last fall,
and whom we know to be reliable men.
These men say they dug them there.
These specimens will range from 81 to
$40 in value, each. The soil is well
imprcgnatcd with fine dust in paying
quantities, and in the bed of the creeks
near the bedrock, is found the coarse
gold. The bedrock is from six to tif-
teen feet below the surface, and the
location where the principal operations
have been made, is well elevated OH
the eastern slope of the Cascade range
of mountains. Mr.. James Boutwell,,
of this city, has mined there, and has
now a claim there, and will return to
mine early in the spring. He did well
while there, and is fully confident of
the extent and richness of the gold
deposits there.
These mines are from forty to fifty
miles in a northerly direction from the
entrance to the Wenatchee Pass, v
the Cascades from the east side, and
may be approached by persons from
Puget Sound through that Pass. They
arc about $50 miles from the Dalles, III
a direction nearly north.
These mines can be worked about six
months in the year, without hindrance
from cold and snow. The remainder
of the year will always be filed with
Interruptions by the elements.
W. have no means OF estimating the
aggregate amount of gold yet dug there,
for in fact no steady mining was done
there till late last fall. But from all
We can learn from the best evidences,
we are inclined to think that a practical