The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-12

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BE to bevs that there are yet many places where
discovered Zines ere lying as rich Owyhu and Boise
sessions of the United States. In 1881 swelled the
metallic currency of the world with $4,000, o00 In
!ss2 added more n isoa cod poured mh out
yield reached SIS In 1868 me stupendous ag
eregate Of 900 has already besn reached and
rate of over 90 000 600 month
Each steamer from the mouth Of the Columbie river
carries from $500 900 $780, 900 her treasure list
and vast sums in the hands Of private individuals Three
steamers leave the river each month, and sometimes one
4on OF three thousand laborers in 1891 of thou
Sand tn 1852, Of sixteen thousand in 1853 OF twenty
snoussnd in 1854 and of nearly twenty-five thousand In
will be observed that the production goes on increas
ng from year to year and In that respect differs from
She early history Of California where the highest pro-
duction in 1S50-61-three years after discovery
An that country less than hundred thousand ope
gold annually and in this the annual yield rather
than under 900 to the man. including those employed
In all accessory pursuits 10 mining.
MINING POPULATION IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN
In Kootenai 100 men; in Backfoos, 900; in the Neg
Boise Basin, 5000; South Boise and the tributaries Of
Tssr rv sas Chinese Of whom
800 Basin 500 in the Nez Perces country and
800 the Columbia river, near Colvle and up the
DISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIAN Tribes
All or Oregon cas-, o. the Cascades and south Of .he
remote from the densely populated mining DISTRICTS is
infested with bands OF predatory Snake Indians who arc
poor In everything but undyng hostility to the whtes
North Of Salmon river TO the Paouse river the lands
of tho Nez Perces Indians. who are friendly rich in
valley are the Fiathead Indians and on the next
ctream north, Flathead river, are the Pen dOrees.
river the confederated bands Of Paouses Spokne
Couer d'Alenes Coville Indians On the side
Of the Columbia between that stream and the Cascade
range, commencing SOUTH the Yakimas, Clckatats,
Oknakanes and WeeNatchies On the northern slope
n
Gaining the conquered and civilized tribes Of the Wala
w@Ilas Umstilas and cayuses $50, A.. ~.
Perces count $500; the Flatheads 400 the Pen
d0reies 600 the confederated bands Of Paouses and
Others, 1,500 the Yakmas and the bands north and
west OF the Columbia river 5000 and the Indians Of
che UmatiIla reservation $780, Total H. 50 There are
approximate All those Indians except the Snakes live
In circumstances Of considerable comfort and have vast
stock The Fiatheads excel all in courage and all the
virtues of savage life and the Nez Perces arc by far the
richest and most accumulative.
COLUMBIA RIVER.
From the sea, one hundred and fifty miles to the
river steamers One two Of the class called "North
river boats' are now In use In this section Here
portage is made by ra,lroaa six miles Then comes
river section without rapids, with four mile current
1or foryave miles to The Dale and another railroad sS
dalles and Falls Of the Columbia The dales, after
which the town Of The Dalles is named is narrow pas
cage of two hundred feet in width and Of immense
DEPTH through which the waters OF tho Columbia
are compressed. few miles above the Falls,
twenty feet high When the spring freshcts come
the water backs from the daes and these falls
From the upper terminus Of the railroad It Is one hun
dred and twenty three miles the confluence OF tho
North Fork of the Columbia and Snake river. Up the
Snake river hundred and sixty nine miles Ia Lewis
ton the head Of navigation the present
But above the which the Snake has cut through
The Blue Mountains there Is navgable section OF the
river as far south Salmon Falls the Utah From
tier boat is now building to navigate this section
Turning up the Columbia TO the north, Priests rapids
obsruct its navigation fifty miles above the junction Of
he two str
dred miles, up to Colville. portage Of over hundred
and fifty miles Is here brought into use AT Coyllle
\ che Columbia two hundred and fifty miles above the
forty parallel, and supply tho newly discovered
mines Of the Upper Columbia
CHANGES ygARs-A RErRosPKcT.
At The time Of the discovery Of the Nez Peces mines
the settlement in the Columbia basin did not have more
J, chan tecn hundred civilized Inhabitants, Of which
fully half were mixed hoods The habits OF the
| people can but be described as predatory" Horse
stealing and cattle lifting positive virtues and hom
0ide q venal crime. II was common in those days
for q gay young frontiersman to keep family, CON-
posed OF squaw and number OF half breeds, In con-
dion OF frontier luxury by the dextrons use OF asso
The meat OF horses was considerable portion OF tho
diet Of the people, and upon this fact hang theory
You will observe that Cobbett attributed the bovine
pecuarities OF the English to Their fondncss for beef
observe that pork and give rise to certain
traits of the Germans and anaogousy that eat
fng horses builds up the inclination to steal them. In
the days Of which speak the politics Of the country
were very oncsided The army patronage was distr-
I buted principally by Of Southern predioct.ons
hence tho civilians hated damned abolonist and
this climate was very unhealthy for them IL an abo
lions, escaped positive injury he was at least sure to
pedigree and personal antecedents which, II unpaata
bic he at liberty to resent with six shooters bowie
knives, tomahawks and double barreed shotguns
have said that the army patronage shaped
public opinion, and on that ! hang another
theory. Tell me who feeds you and will tell you what
you Happily those days and party
Is much tempered by what is somewhat facetously
termed 'hc march OF American civilization" say
sfacc,ousy" because observe that the march OF civ
cation brings in Its train Its inevitable accomplishments
of civilized vices which are this much worse than those
with disgust
The 1--WE years OF retrospect which have looked over
is full OF events the significance of which only visible
70 the actual present observer II period In
which fourhs Of tho Columbia basin has been re-
covered from domination The mcrciIess Indians
who followed the dsienceless immigrants Of
have fallen beneath the deadly rife bullets OF the
frontiersmen. Their defiant yels will strike
terror the hearts Of the explorers Of the Great Basin
officers have failed 10 do has been done by the civilians
from the promptings Of a lust Of gold Wherever the
60 all hazards; and Is he that has suhugaed tho
savage in nnaIncrabic and nameess Nights q which
forever lost to tho coming generations.
TRADE
Although the supplies for the Columbia basin have
brought vast profits 70 the offers Of California merchants
has ever been the policy Of the people Of that State
of those Of Nevada and ,afornia When YOU read the
immense treasure lists Of the departing steamers from
San Franc SEQ rccoect that those from the mouth Of
the Columbia 20 that city frequently and aver
fully half as much 70 the trip. The entrance To
francisco harbor IL called the Golden Gate" We do
not envy her the title but with the present mag
nnccnt yield Of silver In interior intend claim
and hold for the mouth Of the Columbia river the
OF the ''sver Gate" The for the prcponder.
Of California influence the simple The
State has been long settled and s future pretty well fore
cast when the mines the Columbia discovered the
treasure principally benefited the commercial elements
OF that state, and that class stu control II in a
large degree The people Of that country
have also vast interests IN the silver mines % Nevada
and with the present population Of the coat they
wisely strive 20 prevent the depletion Of the popu-
lation Of that section.
IN orAprz uvEs.
OF the ultimate mining prosperity ~ the coun.
try depends upon the quartz interests which mainly
IN SILVER odes. There at this che operation
ready 10 be put mp mills carrying about hundred
and ten stamps In the Ovyhu mlncs There fully a.
many south Boise and the Middle Boise mnes-perhaJs
. more-and something In Boise Basin. On Eagle
crock, tributary Of Powder river there 1--WE stamp
mill In two o n m