, 1883-09-01

] DlOuuldluS, YET llS exact lOtdllOll
could never be settled upon. Excite
ment was created some time ago by
the report Of the finding Of gold, but
as no authentic returns were given,
and the mining was not pushed, the
rumOr was set down as hoax, and
as such was denounced, Develop
ments since carried on prove that the
report was true, and the proofs exist
in the shape of good heavy gold,
upon which there is no discount. 1t
is impossible to say who first unearth-
ed the metal, but that is but a secOn-
Diary matter now, as the rough bills
and pleasant wales are filling up with
active prospectors, and the longtime
solitude is broken by the ring Of the
pick and the exclamations Of excite
ment of those who are sitting the
earth and washing from the hidden
recesses such quantities Of the stuff
as would give the LATEST man touch
OF the gold fever. Tuesday morning,
James f. Conkling, Il member Of the
Hapenstall party, of Rathdrum, "a
crowd that started up to the mines
Il short time ago, and have located
claims they are now wOrking) reached
this city. He came down directly
from the mining region, where the
miners are at work scratching out the
pure material, for supplies to take
back with him, and here he displayed
handful of coarse gold, just as taken
from the sluice box. The exhibition
attracted a large crowd, and it was
easy to perceive that that the old eX-
citement was stirred up among those
who, in by-gonG-days, had shook the
pan, rocked the cradle, and delved
diligently for signs. From Mr.. Conk-
ling, who is quiet young man, with
nodisposition whatever to eXaggerate
or overrate, we cleaned considerable
information ofthe young and promis-
ing diggings. The new discovery
is located up in the CGur d'Alene
I Mountains, location accessible only
to the surest footed pack animal, in
Shoshone county, that embraces the
northern extremity of that narrow
strip Of Idaho dividing Washington
Territory and Montana, known as
/ the panhandle. The mines are about
/ twenty-five miles north Of the old
Government highway, known as the
4 Mullen road, and fOrty-fve miles
northeast Of the old CGur d Alene
/ Mission. This would make it about
seventy miles from Rathdrum and
between ninety and one hundred
miles northeast Of Spokane Falls.
In order to get there, parties travelling
with teams can pass through Spokane,
where all the necessary supplies can
be procured; in fact this is the near
est point from whence the new camp
can be stocked with all necessary
material. From here there is Il good
road to Fort Cpur d'Alene, and on up
| to the Mullen road, though wagons
can be taken no further; or prOspec-
tors can start from Rathdrum, some
! twenty miles east Of here on the rail-
road. Take stage or conveyance to
the post, then take passage on the
/ Government steamer running on the
lake. which will land travellers at the
mission, and from there the road
leads into the mines, taking a rough
trail forty-five miles northeast Of
the mission, on the Mullen road, as
hereinbefore stated, point that trav-
elers would not be liable to miss.
Mr.. Conkling informs US that gold
was first reported discovered in the
mountains this spring, and as it be-
came noised about others struck out,
but with little hopes that the original
statement was authentic. These early
prospectors returned with unmista-
kable proofs Of the existence Of the
yellow metal, and there was a desire
manifested to try lick at fortune.
At present there are some sixty
miners engaged in washing. The
apparatus in use is Of the rudest
kind, and much Of the fine gold is
lost in sluicing. The claims now
worked are what is called surface
mining, and the gold taken out varies
in size from pieces as small as a pin
head to chunks as large as a pea.
The prospects are constantly impro-
wing, and seem richer every day. At
present the mines take out from s.
to SS per day to the man. Mr. Conk-
ling is satisfied that they could do
much better If they had better facil-
tiles for handling the dirt! A num-
Der of very rich lookingq quartz lodges
have been discovered and taken up.
Specimens from these look promising
with groupings Of free gold. Speci-
mems have been sent to Portland,
Sacramento and San Francisco to be
assayed, and until the result learned
It will be impossible to say what tho
rock amount to. The land is being
taken up UNDER the Government
mining laws, which allows twenty
acres to each prospectOr, and if the
rush now expected takes place tile
district will soon be gathered in.
The season for conducting the
mines with any great hope Of success
is now pretty well advanced, and it
will he impossible to do great deal
before winter sets in, for it must be
understood that at the altitude and
latitude Of the mines, winter arrives
pretty early in the season; however,
Mr.. COnkling returns to the gold
fields this week, and will probably be
accompanied by others. He is Of the
opinion there will be a grand rush
into the new camD early next sDrinO.