, 1883-10-27
CGUR D'ALENE MINES.


last, with a party Of sixteen men,
well fitted out with tools, ETC., and
reached Spokane Falls April lst.
There we fitted ourselves with two
pack animals each, but shipped the
greater part Of our stuff by the rail-
road to Rathdrum, thence by wagon
to Post CGur d'Alene and thence by
Government steamer to what is
known as the old Ceur d'Alene Mis-
sion, at the head Of CRur dAlene
lake, about IS miles from this place,
which distance we packed our outfit
on our animals.
The weather was very disagree
able, it raining three days in the
week. In the meantime Montana
got excited and there were several
hundred started from that country.
A great many Of this crowd had
neither blankets nor provisions and
had to make their way over snow
ten feet deep.
On the 10th day of May twelve of
the California party and about sixty
fellows from Montana started on
foot, with their packs on their backs,
to make their way over snow and
fallen timber-there being no trail
I'd the reported diggings, distant
forty-five miles.
Prichard, the original discOverer,
was forced to go with the crowd and
show them what he had found, he
all the time asserting that he could
show them nothing until the snow
went off and the water went down,
which would not be until about duly
1st. The greater part Of us reached
, the new Ell Dorado, though some
gave out on the way. The diggings
were at once pronounced a "bilk"
by nearly all. In fact, there were
only two out of the whole number
who would go to work and try for
themselves-myself and w. o. End
icOtt, a young man from Santa Rosa,
California.
We agreed to set to work with
sluce boxes, which had been made
with an AK and used by Prichard the
previous summer, provided some Of
the others would bring us some pro-
visions from Prichard's cabin, a dis
tance of six or eight miles. Several
men agreed to do this. but only
Prichard and a Mr.. Smith from
Washington Territory came up. En-
dicott and myself had nothing to eat
from breakfast in the morning till
o'clock on the following evening.
We four washed nearly three days
and our cleanup amounted to nearly
an ounce, high as the water was.
Meantime the,rabble went to Prich-
ards cabin, where he had his sum-
mer's provisions laid in, and not
only carried away whatever they
wanted, but also set to work and des-
trOyed the remainder of the provis-
ions and all the tools. The majority
Of the party from California joined
the Montana crowd and denounced
Prichard as ga liar, a blk and luna
tic" "Iang him hang him ~ was
the cry they finally raised, but as
there was no concentrated effort or
unanimIty Of opinion, he has gone
unhung up to the present day.
am the only one now remaining
of the party from California the last
of the others took their departure in
the latter part of July. have been
prospecting most of the time since
came into these mountains and now
can state for certainty that there is
gold in paying quantities throughout
vast extent Of country.
Prichard creek is about fifteen
miles in length and will average
forty rods wide in the bottom or val
ley for at least. ten miles. There is
gold, quite coarse and in paying
quantities, this whole distance. As
yet there are but four claims opened
bll Nllt NlGths 1 am llDN NblNllB
about five and a half miles from the
mouth, and we have been averaging
about one ounce per day to the man,
nearly all coarse gold. The largest
nugget we have yet found weighs
two ounces, three pennyweights and
three grains. The gold sells for SlS
per ounce. There is a little quartz
in the gold.
Eagle creek is also rich in gold.
1t is fifteen or twenty miles in
length and has been prOspected for
ten or twelve miles. Prichard creek
empties into Eagle creek about four
miles from its, mouth and Eagle
creek empties into the north fork of
the CGur d'AIene river. Now, since
word has got out that there are really
good diggings here, the rabble and
rough-scruff Of Montana, Idaho,
Washington Territory and Oregon
are coming in great mobs and jump
ing claims right and left Several
miners came in from Montana early
in the season and have assisted in
developing the mines.
have found Mr.. Prichard truth
full in every particular as regards
placer mines and quartz lodges. !
am also saticfied that he knows Of
another stream some distance from
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