Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-03-14
RICH DIGGINGS REPORTED IN
THE FAR NORTH.

puL ul O4Ni COdsl
arrived in California in Isis now in
Phoebe to organize an expedition to mine
for gold and silver on the Stekeen or
Simpson river, which forms the north
ern boundary of British Columbia, and
empties into the Pacific ocean in lower
Alaska waters. The reported mines are
800 miles from the coast, and something
over , 900 miles north Of San Francisco
The following is Mr.. Cargotichs his
tory Of the discovery of the mines, and
what lie knows about their character and
richness:
In 1861, himself and fortv-fve others
went up the coast on the schooner North
Star having a complete mining outfit for
nine mouths explorations. At the mouth
of the Stekeen they bought canoes of
the Indians and padded up the river,
prospecting as they proceeded-fnding
colors, by the way, eyerywhere-until
they reached a place which they named
Bucks Bar, after a French Canadian.
There ounce diggings were found, were
shallow and easily worked But Mr..
Cargotich, not satisfied with this, pro-
ceeded further up the river, alone. Hav-
ing gone about % miles above Bucks
Bar, where the North Fork of the Stekeen
emptes into the main river, he pos
Yapte1 pf he lf,%
on high bed rock, 81 so to the pan in
coarse gold, mixed with some silver.
This was about the first Of June, the
water being very high He worked at
that place about three weeks, taking out
near 81 900 in heavy gold, and then re-
turned to the party below, and reported
his good luck, All then moved up to the
rich deposits, and twenty-one sluice
boxes were made; but the water was too
high when they were finished to set
them. At last they were got in place,
and the first days work, on high bed
rock, yielded 81 ounces. Then it was
found that the bedrock pitched down
perpendicularly into the river, and it
was impossible, on account of water, to
follow 1t; but big pay was realized wher
ever high bedrock could be found The,
then, it now being about the first of DC
tober, went to work making winter quar-
tiers; having completed their cabins, the,
continued exploring. and found SO AM
$50 dlgglngs in various places. Abou
the holidays scurvy broke out among tn
party, from which seventeen died. Tn
antidote was wild cherry bark, free us
of which saved the majority from death
In the spring, as soon as the ice broke
Indians We're employed to 60 down to tn
mouth Of the river with the sick men, t,
Russian man-of-war, on which the,
were taken down to Victoria. And the,
MIR, Cargotich and his partner agail
started out prospecting, ascending tn
North Fork with hand-sled to its head
waters. There they found immens
quantities of native silver, platina an
gravel deposits along the river, in irregr
lar masses, varying in weight from a
ounce to over n pound. The Indiar
said that seven days travel further mort
would take them where the precior
metals existed in still larger quantities
But both being again attacked wit
scurvy, they returned to Victoria, carr,
ing with them about 81 900 in gold dus
They coasted down the entire distance j
a canoe
Then, says Mr.. Cargotich, 81 we,
into business in Victoria, and have eve
since been trying to organize an exped
ton to return. have many friends an
acquaintance in Victoria and San Fran
cisco, as we'll as Phoebe, men of standin
and reliability, who will vouch for m
statements. am now here in Phoebe t
get together company Of good, practic,
miners to return with me. All wishin
further information cali get it by calm
on me-
MIR. Cargotich showed US lump {
silver of about two ounces weight, whic
he says he found in the diggings up O
the North Fork of the Stekeen.
Now, having given Mr. Cargotich
story as it came from his own lips. "
leave the public to come to their ow
conclusions. He tells frank, straigh
forward story, and seems to be a man
good practical judgment.