The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-10-19

CSS. ", Ac'S.
A two bours walk from where the
| Ellensburg road crosses the Swsuk. up
that stream, is sufficient to bring one to
! the mines. This road crosses the creek
sbou, FIVE miles from its mouth. Near
its mouth Hicks s Co. are mining on
the Yakima. but the main Swauk placer
mines are about ten miles from the
mouth Of the creek. and five miles
north of where it is crossed 10y the Sno-
qualmie and Ellensbu,g road.
The principal gold found there ia in
nuggets on the bed rock. which is COR
nered by gravel from fonr to eight feet
deep In some places with the nuggets
is found q layer of pay dirt some four
feet thick containing finer gold. This
coarse gold is found in we'll defined
ledge running nearly due north and
south. and extending into the bluff at
| each end of the pay creek diggings.
1t runs into the bluff on the west side
of the north end, and into the bluff on
the east 81 De Of the south end. The creek
meanders like an s from the north. east
to the south west. across the lead. I'm
til within the past year or so the work
has been done IN the bed Of the creek,
in place of following the lead. Hence
a great amount Of work 70 TO purpose,
except where the lead crossed the creek
bottom.
Since its discovery probably some SEQ,
900 has been taken out by white men.
besides what has been taken out of the
tailings by Cinnamon. For two years,
from fifteen to twenty Cinnamon have
made at least wages. as they have kept
steadily at work. probably taking out
| $4,000.
The nuggets usually found range in
size from one dollar up to one hundred
and thirty. The largest ever found
was worth $lS4. 1t was discovered by
Jas. Bates in 1875. The largest in 1878
was by Jas. Flood, then in company
with j. c. Pike 1t was worth $3.50.
The largest this year was by Builman
Y Co.. o nugget worth $l7s.5O.
Below the diggings on Swank arc
two tributaries from the east. The first
is called First creek. the next about one.
half mile below the diggings is called
Williams creek. The coarse gold lead
is not found on First creek. It crosses
Williams creek 400 yards above its
mouth. Pixies company. consisting Of
]. e. Pike an old 49er, with Martin
Suffer. John Msvan and Henry Burg,
are working Williams creek. They
have fumed up the creek 400 yards.
They find no pay below the point. Be-
sides the coarse gold they find pay dirt
four feet thick On bed rock. with finer
gold. Recently they took out $40
nugget.
At the main diggings on Swauk. be-
| sides the Cinnamon at work Oh the tail.
ings. the companies holding ground
there are Bullman l. Co. or now Mr.
Bullman, rs he has bought out his part
ners; he holds what was the Old discov.
cry claim, BE also is trying to follow
the lead into the hill on the east side Of
the valley at the lower end of old creek
digging by tunQel.
Mastersons Co., consisting of j. Nj.
Nasterson, Mr.. Olsen and Mr.. Peterson,
who hold the Geek above Bullman.
Masterson is also working alone in hill
on west side of upper end of pay creek
diggings, short distance below where
Baker creek flows into the Swauk. just
above the pay creek diggings. John
Armstrong is also alone in the hill, near
MYSTERIOUS hill claim.
Mssterson also owns ditch one hun
cred and forty rods long, in which he
brings the water from Baker creek, that
supplies all the hill diggings on west
side Of Swauk. Just south of Baker creek.
on rim diggings Parke's Co. took out
$50 for Que weeks work. They hold
this ground. but are not now working
it. Some others claim interests there
that are doing nothing.
On Selby point just north of the mouth
OF Baker creek some time ago. man
by the name of Brock took out some
$1,000. Of fine wire gold. but no coarse
gold.
The old discovery claim in the bed Of
the creek has been worked for several
years and finally abandoned. Last year
pullman & Co. obtained possession Of it
A number OF years ago. twelve men. for
q whole season worked on this Claim
just around the pay lead, without strik.
ing it. Bullman l. Co. went to work
where they left off, and last fall took
out $500, aud this season $500 more
along side OF where the others worked
all last summer. without making grub.
To get this twenty six hundred dollar:
1t took four men three months work
while If they had confined their labor
to following the lead. four men could
have done it in two months.
Pixies Co. on Williams creek and
Bullman aud Masterson's Co. on Swauh
each have their claims opened out il
excellent shape. and ought to take out
q handsome sum for the nsxt two years
There 10 an excellent chance to pres
pect on Baker creek for the continue
ton Of the lead.
We stopped over night with Mr.
Masterson's family. and the forenoon o
Monday. Sept. %. spent in examining
the mines. At noon large party ar
rived from Ellensburg. amoag whom
, was Marshall Blinn Of Olympia. Johg
A. Shondy Of Ellensbnrg and other
on n trip to Peshastiu quartz mines
some fourteen or fifteen miles by tn,
trail to the northwArd. They wen
through on horseback. We afoot ono
reached Peshastin q half hour afte
their arrival. en-
ANDREW CHILBERo. Vice Consul iol