The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1883-12-08
COEUR D'ALENE,
How tn Get There-The DigglmgS-Quart
The Country, Etc.
BY A.. NJ. BALDWIN,

THE ROUTE.
At the request Of friends | will write |
what know about the new gold fields and |
the way to get there. Mr. Knapp and nv.
self lett Dillon for the mines on the end Of
November. We made connection with the
Northern Pacific at Garrison, then bought
tickets for lleron-the place that has been
50 much advertised and talked about, as
the only way to get into tn. mines. This
station Is 1so miles west from Alissoula.
After arriving at Heron We were met by
an old acquaintance who soon informed US
that It was impossible to get in from tina;
point, that many had started but were com.
PEELED to turn back. The trail was only
cut few miles, ard the depth Of the snow
made travel impossible. There IL no trail
through yet nor will there b. this winter.
but met one man, BY the name Of Kautf.
man, who did get through from Heron with
party Of 1--WE men, and were niEe davs in
the mountains, AM he said in the best Of
his Judgment there could not he u trail cut
through from Heron shorter than seventy
miles. AS near as could learn this party
was the orly one that did get in from that
point in the last three months.
We left Heron for point on the railroad
called Ratldrum, ninety miles further west,
and, BY the way, this is at present the only
point to get into the mines from the rail.
road. From there we went to Fort CGur
d'Alene, a distance of - miles, thence by
lake and river sixty miles to the old Cnar
d'Alene Mission. There are two trails
leading from the Mission. One, the ex.
press, follows the old Mullan road five
miles and turns to the left, and there is an.
other trail that goes up the North Fork.
There are no high mountains to cross, hut
the trail crosses the river twenty mine
times, and the least rise III the river will
make it impassable. The snow is already
quite deep all over the country. After the
snow three days rain succeeded, which
closed in another snow storm, and the re.
suit Is a trail which the hardest mountain.
GERS stand appalled, before, for it leads
through dense forest, fallen timl ers,
s~amps and underbrush Another route
from the Mission to Eas'- City is up the
South Fork ot the Ceur d'Alene river,
which has to be crossed twelve times. 1t
is Il booming stream. This trail is about
closed for the winter. on account OF the
deep snow on high divide which the trail
crosses
We went into the mines BY the South
Fork trail and came out by the North
Fork. The distance is the .ame-fnrtv.
four miles from the old Mission. think
by the time Spring opens, new, broad
trail will BE- cut from the Mission via Jack
ASS Prairie. This will cross the Cnur
d'Alene but twice. At one crossing there
will BE- bridge, and at the other !. ferry.
| 1t will be seen that the whole distance from
the railroad is no miles-6o by water and
s6 land, the last "a miles Of which is by a
worse trail than the Oldest California mi,.-
| er ever tried.
THE DIGGINGs.
The mines are situated along two main
and many smaller gulcl,es. Tie soil, com.
posed Of loom and gravel, is from two to
twelve feet deep, lying on slate bedrock,
which is generally turned up on the edge,
and in the vrevices of which most Of the
gold Is found. Pricharl Gulch is 20 miles
long and from 200 to 500 yards in width,
and the stream has fall Of two feet in 100.
There are twelve claims opened. All are
paying. The writer saw 81, taken out of
one crcvice in twenty minutes, on the wild.
ow's claim. Also saw some large nuggets
that had been taken out by different miners
Mr. Knapp saw nugget that weighed
$7s, besides S. worth OF fine dust that had
been taken out Of a prospect hole in a dry
gulCh, two feet from the surface. | do not
claim to know much about mines. mere.
~ state what l saw and what old miners
told me.
QUARTZ.
Many quartz ledyes have been located,
both on Prichard Creek and Eagle Greek,
some Of them showing splendid specimens
OF free gold, but how extensive no one
knows as yet, for very little work has been
done on the loies. The quartz is white,
porous quartz, indicating sulphurets at VIA
ter level and below.
THE COUNTRY.
All the placer mines are covered with I;
tremendous growth of timber, a species O.
cedar, almost as large as the red woods ot
the Coast range. 1t is. in its outside tea
lures, dcscribable as being as grand, beau
tiful and wild u country as ever mortal
looked upon.
Goods and supplies, ot every description,
are very high at the mines, and doubt il
there will be enouyA to feed what men
will re,nain in the camp this winter. As
near as could be ascertained there was
about two hundred and fifty men in the
diggings when ] left.
While both Mr.. Knapp and myself fully
believe in the country, and will 20 back as
so IN as We can get there, we would advise
men not to undertake to 20 to the Cnur
d. d.Alere diggings this winter, because "i
the almost insurmountable difficulties and
| danIsrS aff,.ndinu an attemnt To vet III