Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-09-07
NIEERALS CT WASHINGTON TERRI
Torn.
ICuN1U "a lIFp.


Daring a recent tour through this
! Territory. In colloc: Information about
| lis rc sourccs. / was much surprised 20
ind tina; few persons knew aught con
corning the minerals of the country,
coal excepted. did not have the time
to make personal exploration for min
erals, but from recent inquiry and in
ves.i~ation I have come to the conclu-
sion that Wa 9lington is as wealthy iii
minerals, both precious and usefnl, as
any portion of The United States; and,
were party Of scientists to prospect
the mountain ranges, this fact would
soon he developed.
These ranges bear the same general
characteristics ~ the mountains
throughout the country that have been
and still arc the most wealthy in min
cral resources. All that is required to
bring their hidden treasures to light is
to have them prospcctcd thoroughly.
The Cascade range is similar to the Salt
Lake mountains, which are now deemed
the richest mining region in the world,
and those hills in idaho and Montana
whore gold is most profnse. If gold
IS found along tho Cascade range in
British Columbia, Oregon, Idaho and
California, why should it not be found
III that portion traversing this Terri
tory? This metal in It's purcst form
has been found along the Lummi and
Slia3it rivers, streams rising in the snow
line of the Cascades, and parties work
ing along their borders at present are
making from three to ten dollars per
day.
If gold exists in these rivers, it ccr-
tainly should be more plentiful where
their head waters find it. Gold wash
ings have also been found in the streams
between the Olympic range and the
Pacific ocean, but no effort has Eeen
made to test their extent. That region,
Judging from its geological character,
should be richin the principal minerals;
for indications of silver, lead, copper
and iron have been found there.
A party of gentlemen, led by Col.
NIilroy, will visit that section on pros
pccting expedition in a month or two,
and they entertain very strong hopes of
iinding it second Eldorado. I con-
vcrsed recently with a man who has
trayorsed a large portion Of the Cas-
cades, and from him I learned that he
found groupings Of silver, gold, iron
and copper, and coal i'll several places,
and that he had discovered bed of
several acres from which oozed a species
of thick oil, having dark color and a
tarry odor. He did not know what it
was, but, from what he has said, 1
| should judge it to be asphaltum, mas
much as he states that portions of the
Gil which had become congealcd laid
in hard, thick, black masses on the
surface. II what he asserts is true,
(and there can be little doubt of it)
whoever claims that bed will have q
fortune. He also found spot of four
acres from which oozcd whitish sub
stance which I should Judge to be gyp-
sum. Apiece of galena which he showed
me proved very valuable; for, when
tested by an acid, half of it proved to
be pure silver. He found this mineral
very profuse, but, not knowing what it
was, brought with him only the piece
l saw. He asserts that he found coal
fields having strata of thirty-four feet
in thickness, and that in some parts it
doomed up into large boulders.
This man would not say in what por-
ton of the range he found these min
eral Indications, but he expresses de-
sire to lead party to them if he is
paid for his labor when his statements
are proven true. Of course, his offer
will be accepted, and regularly Or
gained party will visit these fabulously
wealthy regions in short time
From another person I have learned
that copper and manganese are plenti-
full in the northern parts of the Olympic
range. These assertions and the topo-
graphical conformations of the country
would readily lead any person acquaint-
cd with mineralogy to. the conclusion
that Washington Territory is one of
the wealthiest mineral regions in the
world. The Legislature could confer
no greater favor on the Territory, nor
do more to develop it than to procure
a competent party of experts to make
a thorough examination of the country
and test the quality and extent of it's
minerals. NJ.