, 1865-09-08

The reported discovery Of rich and extensive
mines in the Coeur d'Alene mountains, in June
last, attracted large number of miners who
had failed of success in other localities Like
many other reported discoveries las everybody
knows) the report was false. However, the men
who had gathered at the Occur Alene Mission
were of that class who must turn time to ac-
sount. About the lst of July they were earn
sstly discussing the propriety of changing Will
son." Much talk on the subject only increased
the intensity of the strangling faction and Will
son would have before now been summariy
hurried cut of existence but for report that
ihere were mines two hundred and fifty miles
ahead on the waters of the Little Blackfoot.-
This report gave new turn to the popular i'm
pulse and six hundred disappointed, but not
discouraged prospeetors started off for Black
foot mines, with fresh energy and renewed de-
termination to hang somebody if Blackfoot
should prove steamboat" Among those
Who went to Blackfoot and beyond was the
the writer of this article, and now if plain
unvarnished account of what he saw will be of
public interest, and add anything to the stock
Of general information on a very important and
exciting topic, the writer will be repaid for his
pains, both as to trouble in sightseeing and
writing.
THE NEW MINEs--GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS, ETC.
In general terms it may be stated that the new
mines are located on both sides of the Rocky
mountains on the interlocking waters of the
Hellgate and Missouri rivers. On the tributa-
ries of the Hellgate commencing south, are
German Gulch, and Silver Bow mines, the
head of Deer Lodge River; Ophir, Washington,
jefferson, Nevada Mcclellan Crevice and many
other gulches on the northern tributaries of
Little Baokfoot and the southern waters of Big
Blackfoot. Crossing the Rocky mountains the
new discoveries commence, south, at Boulder
Creek, the Big Prickly Pear, (on the several
creeks forming that stream) Silver Greek and
Little Prickly Pear The Missouri river runs
from south to north near the foot Of the Rocky
mountains, and the gold-bearing streams de-
scend pretty rapidly in general easterly direc-
ton On the east side of the Missouri the noun
tsins rise pretty abruptly to a great height and
ning west In this range are Montana, Whites
and Confederate Clutches. By far the largest
and most productive portion of these mines are
deep diggings. Probably nine-tenths of the
gold is procured by drifting. Timber sufficient
ly abounds; nearly every gulch has water in it,
and stock-feed is very plentiful The gold is al
most invariably coarse, and of the average val
us of Sl7, so per ounce
CONDITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MINES.
At Helena the country has been pretty well
prospected for surface-diggings. The extent of
the deep-diggings think has not been deter
mined. Heavy prospecting on the Big Prickly
Pear and its tributaries, Seven and Ten Mile
creeks has not, so far as I could learn, been
successful. The diggings on Greenhorn Greek,
a tributary of Big Prickly Pear, have been pret-
ty generally abandoned; although they may pay
10 work years from now. The same is true of
two tributaries of Little Prickly Pear, Peagan
Gulch and Canon Greek, thirty miles north of
Helena. A. Silver Bow there is a population
fully proportioned to the extent of the diggings.
This is also true of all the mines now discovered
on the east side of the mountains At Blackfoot
the working of claims continues to develope
new openings for labor, and the extent of the
mines is not, as yet, very correctly known
SuTface-diggings appear to be more extensive,
and Will say richer, than any other portion of
the mines 1 have seen. On the east side of the
Missouri. at latest accounts, the mines were
IL s o.,
federste and Whites Clutches.
APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF THE POPULATION
IN TIE MINES OR CONNECTED WITH MINING IN
rEREsTs.
To give fair idea of the location Of drift
ing population in the midst of mining excite
ments is very difficult. To be nearer the truth
shall group several mining camps in one esti-
mate:
Virginia City, Grasshopper, Boulder Big
Eo!e-5, 900.
Helena, Nelson's, Silver Creek-5,Ooo.
Across the Observation-Disclosures Whites
Montana 900.
Other Settlements. Madison Gslatin, Ben
ton, 200.
Total east or the mountains lGi iOO
West Of the Mountains Deer Lodge, Ger
man Gulch Silver Bow, Big and Little Black
foot-5, 500.
Showing grand total of 1920, besides the
settlements in Bitter Root Valley and Hellgate
Ronde, which l will speak Of at another time.
The drift of population is to this side of the
mountains, and it has largely increased in the
last six weeks
LOCATION OF TOWNS AT THE sEw MINES.
Helena is on a tributary of the Big Prckly
Pear on what is called Last Chance or Grizzly
Gulch 1t has about three hundred houses,
and proportional population. Silver City, To-
Gated on Silver Greek, is a place of dozen
houses. Silver Bow City and vicinity has a
population of near thousand and Blackfoot
City about fifteen hundred and one hundred
and fifty houses in July. Blackfoot City conyen-
iently located on 0phir Gnleh. Up this gulch
is Nugget City, place of two dozen houses
There many other centres of trade and small
mining camps; but to naue them would only
confuse the reader and burden this statement.
ARE THE MINES RICH?
Dareonu bo 4b;s - &C.,