News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-12-27
The Occur d'AIene Mines.

laClS aDOuS tAlS tllG$Cs L liz SldlS'
ments made in this letter can be re,
lied upon as correct.
The Occur d'Alene country is ir
Idaho, and lies south of where the
Northern Pacific railroad crosses the
Territory. There are now several
points upon the railroad from which
the mines can be reached. The near
est station is Heron's Siding, and
the mines are located about 40
miles due south. They are trying to
cut in trail from there, but as yet
have not succeeded, because of the
rough character of the country. |
know of several old miners who
started from Heron with 80 pounds of
provisions on their backs, but were
obliged to give it up and return.
There is to be wagon road built
frem Heron next spring, but it will
cost lot of money. At present you
can 90 in from Rathdrum or from
Spokane Falls. The Rathdrum route
is the best. There is a military
wagon road from Rathdrum to Min
ers' Camp, and from there to the
mines, -27 miles, is trail, and a
very bad one. The mines are south
of the Coenr d'Alene Lake, which is
about 40 miles long and where Uncle
Sam has fort. The discovery was
made last August, and the first STAN
pede was made by farmers from Pa
luse, who did not understand the first
principles of mining. Gold was found
on Pnchard's Creek and each man
took claim of twenty acres, locat-
ing the whole length of the creek, as
well as the gulches putting into it..
Local laws will soon be enacted cut
ting down each mems claim to 250
feet. Montana miners soon heard of
the new find and came flocking in.
There has been considerable jumping
of claims, but no serious trouble as
yet. Soon the miners began to pros
pecL the neighboring country, and up
to date Beaver Creek and Eagle River
have been prospected for ten or
twelve miles. But not One-hundredth
part of the country has been prospect
ed yet, and some of the gulches on
Beaver Creek are as rich as those on
Prichard's Creek. In Prichard's
Creek they have been sluicing in four
different claims, all averaging over
an ounce per day for each man. In
one claim five men, in three days, took
out 81 IL ounces, and in one day
picked up over $50 in nuggets while
cleaning the bedrock. There is no
place where they go to bedrock on
any of these creeks, but they find
fattering prospects. The gold is very
coarse, none of it running less than
so cents, and frequently pieces are
found worth $40 and $50 each. One
piece was found which was worth
little over S15S, and large number
of nuggets worth from Sc to $40 have
been found. There are now on exhi-
bition in the window of ieweller in
Portland, nuggets from this region
varying in size from walnut to a
len's egg.
The bedrock is porous, is soft and
cry irregular, and shows layer Of
cement in the seams and throughout
IN top. The entire country indicates
heavy wash, but so far all the gold |
as been found on the bedrock, and |
ven TO depth of three and four feet
lto it, except on Beaver Creek, where
fair prospect is found through the
ravel, but of finer gold.
They have located some galena
ems running northeast from Beaver
'reek, the best of which goes s25,
old, 80 ounces of silver, and AZ per
ent. lead, and due east from there
hey are sinking on a ledge that
hows a sampling of gold as high as
300 There is bound to be plenty |
f pay rock found when the country
) thoroughly prospected, but at pres
mt the placer mines absorb attention.
he creeks are very fiat, but mining
xpert has decided that they can be
'orked with hydraulics.
At present there is little or nothing
ding, as the weather is intensely cold
nd there is between two and three
eet of snow on the ground. Proba-
ly 800 or GOO men will winter there,
ut as soon as spring opens there
ill be the greatest rush ever seen on
ne Northern Pacific coast. There
ill be $4,000 men on the ground by
ne 1st of July. The excitement
moIg old miners is intense, and they
re sending for friends, far and near.
wen should the pay not extend over
Il the Occur d'Alene country the rush
ill be just as great, for it will not be
alf, or quarter prospected this sea-
on. The whole county will I'M
Oubtedly be thoroughly prospected,
9th for quartz and placer mining.
very one you meet is preparing to
o in, in the spring. Flour is now
20 barrel, bacon % cents q pound,
Otatoes, onions and cabbages 10
ents per pound, and other things in
The best time to get
here will be next May, the first of
ne month. No one should 90
MS fall or winter unless he has money
nough to live on till spring. Get a
cket from st. Paul by n. P. R. R.,
D Rathdrum, Spokane Falls or Her
MS Siding. They are all stations on
ne railrOd near each Other,-as dis
ances 60 out here. This will cost,
migrant rates, is good
nough for fellow who leaves Yer
lont for anywhere,-S35. The dis
ance will he twelve miles by road
'Om the railroad to Occur dAlene
Ost, then fl miles by little steam
r which they are building to run on
Oeur d'Alene Lake and river to Old
and from there 80 miles by
'agOn road to Prichard's Creek or, /
ne whole distance can be travelled by
ne road to be built from HerOns
iding. There will be opportunities
} make money outside of a mining
lain, for more people will go there
nan went to Leadville, as the mines
re richer and the place more accessi-
le. There is now one woman there
cling pies at one dollar a piece.
fiddle aged and old men should stay
t home. If any young fellow wants
, try his luck and see the world, he
ant do better than come in the
pring. He probably won't make
luch money, but he will gain a lot of
Experience, which he can tell to his
hildren and grandchildren when he
Oes back to old Vermont and settles