, 1883-12-29
LAND OF GOLD.
The Coeur d'Alene Ex-
eitement.
A Mining Field that Promises 70
take the Lead of Anything
ever Discovered.

One of the greatest discoveries Of
1888 can be counted the Coetfr d.
Alene gold mines, and as they lay
almost at our very door, and promise
to exert quite an influence in the in
creased prosperity Of Spokane Falls
it is important that they should be
noticed as we sum up the important
events That have trsnsplred in this
quarter during the past twelve
month, on the verge of the grave Of
the old year. There is nothing that
soawakes lha cupi lity of ma I, nOrin-
duces him to undergo such priva.
tons, perils and hardships as the
thirst for gold. This is not given as
a sudden and startling revelation.
1t is not a peculiarity attached alone
to the present generation of. men.
History, from the earliest ages Of
the world, chronicles the weakness
Of man for the yellow metal that is
popular for the value attached there
to. The desire FOR gain is an heritage
that has fallen to all mankind, and
when certain sections Of country,
whether they be near or remote, are
reported to be rich in mineral wealth,
the desire to visit the scene stalks
near by day and haunts them by
night. Take all the mining excite
ments of the last fifty years, and we
see the same scenes repeated over
and over. Men will desert any Occu-,
patton they have become established
in and make long and trying pilgrim
ages on the Strength Of a chance to
acquire sudden riches, buOyed upin
the face of all adversities by hope
alone. There are thousands of men
living to-day who braved every dam
gers and encountered trials that they
never considered themselves capable
Of enduring, i'm the blind rush for
gold in the heyday of the California
excitement And have they learned
anything by past experience No.
Why Mt this very time there is
larger per cent. Of Californians, in
proportion to the population, who
are preparing to visit the Cpur d..
Alenes than from any other State.
The gold fever that attracted hun
dreds to the Pacific Slope is still
fresh in the memory Of the present
generation, and it is perfectly safe to
say that the excitement awakened
by the new discoveries will be many
times greater than that OF 40, and
the years that cluster about that
mystical date. The argonauts of
thirty years ago, although crippled
with the weight of years, will feel
the blood leap with renewed activity
through their sluggish veins on read
ing Of the marvellous wealth of the
new find, and will be disposed to set
forth and live ovefagain the stirring
scenes Of adventure that accompan-
led their footsteps when seeking
mammon under the shadows of the
Sierra Nevadas in early days. 1t has
now been some years since the coun-
try has been aroused by a new min
ing craze, and the effects Of the pres
ent discovery cannot be calculated.
From the rocky shores of Maine to
the cactus crowned ridges of Mexico
from the Palmetto groves of the
Carolinas to the semi-tropic vine-clad
slopes Of California the news has
been carried and the response will
be seen in the living stream of hu.
manity that will rush this way in
the early spring, peopling the noun
tain gorges that have existed for
centuries almost unknown, and tear
ing the auriferous soil and searching
with the ferocity of the tiger and the
tenacity of the sle1th hound for the
hidden wealth. Cities will spring
up as though by the hands Of genii
In response to the friction of an
Aladdin lamp, the wilderness and
desert will take on the appearance
of life and change will be wrought
beyond the limits Of imagination.
We have stated that the discovery
of the mines dates from the present
year. This may not be strictly true as
relates to the discovery of-the gold,
bot the knowledge Of its existence
was diffused during 1888, and the
stories Of the find were not believed
until inconvertable proofs in the
shape Of valuable specimens Of the
product were sent out into the world
to perform their part in creating the
excitement that now exists. We
have a letter in our possession writ
ten by the original discoVeTer of the
Ceur d'Alene diggings to a party in
California dated early last January,
informing him of the existence of
the most extensive mineral belt ever
worked, thus proving beyond a
a shadow Of controversy that the
gold field was known Of before the
present year. This letter was writ
ten by A. ]. Prichard, who Is now in
the mines and who has made pros
pectinG one of the objects of life.
In future years there will arise the
question Of priority Of discovery re-
garding these mines, but we believe
that the honor rests with Mr.. Prich1
ard. He has spent several years
mountains Of Washington,
Idaho and Montana territories search
fno, TO- old a,,d of Ioot bfo lab,-s