Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-06-13
DAILY
POST NTELLIGENCER.
* .r1rCu or GOLD AND sILvER-

Periodically we hear OF wonderful
cold or silver discoveries The news
generally comes from sources which, IN
regard to any Other matter, vouid no'
b. desnned strictly reliable But tns
meottoo Of the word gold" seems to
have Q marvellous effect upon q large
elsss of,the population of the Pscinc
coast. The discoveries are generally
located In some far away place extremely
difacult Of access, and devoid OF any
attraction save the alleged richness OF
.bs mineral discoveries. 1t Ii enough,
however. TO stimulate a rush, IL one or
tvo prospectors return with few rich
samples and marvellous tale OF newly
discovered deposits Of precious metals
Forthwith parties Of eager Adventures
are equipped and on their way TO the
nev Eldorado. No distance is too long.
no dangers too great, no hardships too
hsayv. 70 deter them from tho trip, but
vhether IL be tooths Recovered fields OF
Aiaskan mountains or the burning val
laws OF the South, the highways are
Alled with enthusiastic pilgrims In
...rcb of sudden wealth. Too OFTEN
after weeks and months OF peril ana
fa,ioue, arrival at the terminus OF the
Journey brings but bitter disappoint
ment and empty pockets. The paths
leading 70 and from the famous places
where mining excitemsuts have oc-
Cured during the past thirty years upon
this coast, are bordered with the graves
NJ MANY uufortupates who, broken In
porse and spirit, have fallen by the way
while YEARLY returning from the dist
ant region TO which they were aiiured
bv the "ignis Jatuu." of alleged rich
cold discoveries. II is q fact that men
will turn their backs upon promising
fields of development, mineral prospects
which would Justify the expenditure OF
time and labor, lying close at home, and
wander at great expense to the utter
moet limits of the continent upon the
bare word OF some deceived or scoun-
drelly prospector, with mines to sell OF
a soIl-road over which the procession
must pass in and out again. In our
tsleQraphio columns this morning Is
tola a story Of one of these oft repeated
uilrrirnaoes, and the sequel Is not unu-
sual. After hard and hot marches, with
little vator and poor food, the party
reach the spot where each expects 70
vim a speedy fortune, only TO find that
a IN all 4 myth-that all the gold has
been digged up by Mexicans and lndi-
ans, and that they arc once more she
victims of misplaced confidence. Yet
sometimes rich discoveries are made,
and the early birds catch a good supply
Of worms. Il is this chance, this bare
possibility OF finding something better
than the beaten path. beyond the ordi-
nary profits of labor or business, which
year by year forms pilgrimages ana
stimulates hegiras to distant and almost
inaccessible localities. Sometimes for
tuns Ia kind, aud the lucky prospeotor
returns with sacks we'll laden, and
pockets flied with shining treasure. But
ofsener, far oftensr, the story Is as told
today in our dispatches. These oft re-
peatsd disappointments make wrecks
Of many. Tired of the chase, weary
with failure Of success. disheartened
and discouraged, they drop out of the
race and lie stranded all along the
shores Of disappointment. And yet
these are the men who have blazed the
track over which today the surplus pop
ulation Of the East 10 coming to build
up this Western empire. They have
opened mp the way for future genera
lions, have made the trails which lead
10 villages and cities all over this west
srn slope, and we find their names and
records Of their presence on almost ev-
cry mountain and In almost every vale
from the Arctic ocean to the Gulf OF
Mexico, and from the Rocky mountains
A tha par3do naa