The semi-weekly miner., 1883-11-07
OUR DEER LODGE LETTER.

"JOe" Takes vhe Occur d'Alen
Fever in the Noun
| tains-aeron Siding.
Cheap Provlsions-The ''Diggins
Suffering and Privations
Deer Lodge.
Sunrise Party-Pers onal Men
tt n, Etc, Etc.
DEER LODGE, Mont. Nov. 8.
Editor Butte Miner:
I Your correspondent has had d
little experience since his last scrib
bling for yonr paper from this city
He TOOK the C,eur d a lene fever yer,
badly, and was advised to take tri]
into that classic region in quest of re
lief. He got it: and since his return
has been able to get around OF
crutches, although for the first few
days his feet and legs from knees
down were ''!oo big for thei
| breeches." The best doctors here sa,
that while the trip had the effect t.
al]ay the fever, the tramping fol
days through heavy snow and ove1
the rough and rugged mountains pc
culiar to the country visited, proved
too violent exercise for one so young
and tender (footed). However,
made a desperate effort to reach the
gold fields from Heron Siding, and
had not got lost in the mountains
for about a week and run short OF
grub, no doubt | would have been
successful. From Heron to the
mines it is reckoned to be 80 or 81
miles, but to reach them from that
point one as to traverse an impena-
BILE wilderness and cross some of the
most precipitous west ofthe Rockies.
A trail had been cut portion of the
distance, and force of men are now
at work pushing it toward the mines.
From the end Of the trail no guide Of
any kind presented itself, and it was
not strange that one I'm amiliar to
those mountains should get lost, and
travel two or three times the dis
tance in almost al opposite direction.
Suffice it to say, your correspondent
was glad to get back alive.
Heron Siding is $50 miles below
Missoula on the Northern Pacific
railroad. II has population OF
about 600 pe,ple.. and being the end
OF division the railroad company
have erected round houses and work
shops and are now about completing
one of the finest three-story hotels in
the Territory. They are also putting
in $3O,oo0 water works. There are
four good stores, dozen saloons, sew
eral eating houses and lunch stands,
one butcher shop and number of
smaller enterprises comprise the
principal portion of the place. Heron
is good little town, aside from it's
being in close proximity to the new
gold discovery. which, when the trail
is completed, will swell its population
ten-fold before next June. The busi-
ness men of the town ara not going
to rest till the trail connecting them
with the mines is made passable for
man and beast. From Little Black
foot to Heron Siding the fare on the
is $l5.75. At the Siding
everything is cheap-tlour of the best
quality, Il 80 sack: bacon, l6 cents
4 pound; crackers, 121 cents pound;
and last, but not Of the least import
,nce to the great majority of gold
hunters, whisky is l2!! cents drink,
and 4 short bit will catch a glass in
,he absence Of longer one.
From all / could learn while in
hat vicinity. the diggins ~ are
good and extensive. Already 5Omiles
If ground have been claimed were it
vi stretched out along one creek.
Eagle City can boast of a dozen cab
rs, but as yet contains little grub or
for the winter. Some 400 or
800 poor miserable wretches are now
lowering about their camp-fres suf-
ering privetions that no amount of
money in a civilized country could |
induce them to undergo. But such
s life in the far west and thus we |
!lide. People are still going in, and /
" the time winter breaks up next
pring the population of the Ceur
| Alene mining region will be count
d by the thousands.
DEER LODGE.
It present, is enjoying a season of
est. The good people here are dis
,o>ed to lay aside ugly business cares
nd give more of their time to social
Thursday night Mr..
nd Mrs. VIM. Coleman were sur
,rised by about forty Of their friends,
nd although the surprise was COM
,lete, the host and hostess saw that
heir guests enjoyed themselves to
he fullest extent. It would be un-
lind to say that some Of them be-
anne almost too full for utterance,
or that would be an undue reflection
lpon Billy's sweet cider barrel.
Last night social for the benefit
# the Epi .copai Sunday school took
,lace at the residence 0, DR.. Mitch
Il. Music, singing and the playing
# numerous games comprised the
rider of the evening A nice supper
vas prepared, with ice cream; after
freely thereof the partici
W y, =, ,orrLt +hair covorol bnmoo fO