Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-03-17
Cor. Portland lOr.l Bee.

Cor. Portland t0r.) Bee.
The mines began by Mr.. Goodell are
located on the Upper Skagit and two OF
its branches-Ruby and Canyon creeks.
The country is almost impossible to the
surest footed. and SO fall Of prscipices.
eorges, sink. holes, swamps and tangled
thlckets that miners-who are as q class
the best pathfndsrs in the world-have
frequently spent weeks in coming from
the mouth Of the Ruby TO my place. q
distance OF barely 20 miles. Men have
frequently tainted IN the trail, and the
hardships endured last season would all
q volume. Rapids must be passed,
steep mountains assembled, and ct one
place q thrsad.liks trail less than q foot
In width leads right round Q precipics to
the sides Of which the miner must cling
with tooth and nail to escape being
dashed into the river, boiling and surg.
ing thousands OF feet below him.
The present mode Of navigating the
Skagit river 10 for three men to charter
O canoe with Indians to manage IL. The
canoe can be obtained ct an expense OF
$50, and will hold besides the Indians
and three whites, from twelve to fifteen
hundred weight OF provisions, enough TO
last three careful men Ave or six months
Tho canoe voyage from Mt. Vernon by
the portage will occupy fully five days.
It 10 not necessarily dangerous, but 70.
quirss considerable caution. q . tumble
into the ios.cold, mountain.gendered
waters OF the Skssit means cramps
and death. A few lives were lost last
season from canoes, but que while
the Indians had them In charge. For
eighty miles this canoe route passes
through the finest body Of sgricul
tural land in Washington Territory. IL
now lies unocoupied and waste. Many
creeks and rivers are passed. Baker
river joins the Skagit from the north 40
miles above Mount Vernon. The Baker
Ia O stream Of considerable size, and
may possibly be navigabls for light draft
boats. Tho Baker bars were once the
u Of . mining furore, but wsro long
ago abandoned. The Sank then joins
the Skagit from the south. It 10 .
stream about the size Of the Baker. but
unnavigsbls. Traces OF gold have been
found along It's shores. The Skagit bars
are all extensive; some OF them are two
or three miles long and q quarter
OF o mile wide. and prospect In
gold In all places. No one hav.
ing yet prospsctsd to bedrock,
their exact richness 10 unknown
in fact, the entire Skagit IL but Q huge
conjecture. The next stream to be
passed Is the Cascade, Q river about the
size OF the Baker and Sank, and like
them shows signs Of gold. About ten
miles above the mouth Of tho Cascade
10 the portage-s huge rapid full OF
bouldsrs and barely passsble 10 canoes.
Here the mon dissmbark and carry their
tonnage about 500 yards over q fair trail.
The Indians either carry the canoes
around the portage or bring them over
the rapids by means Of ropes. The
country above the portage IL q bleak.
heavy, mountainous one. High hills
spring one above the other, thousands
Of feet into the air. and catching
the eternal SHOWS render their sides
and passes imprsgnabls 10 all. Their
formation Is mostly Of granite, bleak
and l~ifeless. Avalanohss are numerous;
and eraters OF extinct volcanoes that, in
these peaceful times, emit neither smoke
nor steam stand on all sides. The dig. |
eings extend up tho Ruby to It's forks, .
distance OF forty miles. Though this Is
= large space Of country, II Is all claimed
and staksd Of. Its richness Is OF course
unknown. No gold was struck on this
creek until the middle OF September.
Only one claim was opened and operated
last season, that being the Nip and Tuck.
Though operated but o few days 1t yield.
ID It's owners over twelve hundred dol.
lars In coarse gold dust. The men who
we're drifting about, rocking wherever
hey could, took out considerable dust.
The creek from it, mouth to Its source
prospects In gold fully as well Is the
Nip and Tuck, and this Is what has
made all old miners who have visited
he Skagit delighted and enthusiastic
,vsr az fukura