Delta chief., 1884-05-07
THE CGUR D. ALENE.
..Thc Lost Charlie" Reaches the North.
ern Mecca.

ern Mecca.
| To the Editor of THE CHIEF:
EAGLE CITY, Idaho, April 2S.-When
last wrote you was in Belknap. since which
time l have been caught up in whirlpool Of
excitement that has been raging in this coun.
try over the discovery of rich quartz leads in
the hills bordering on Pritchard and Eagle
creeks. Since arriving in the country the
Judge has become thorough devotee of the
chase after the "filthy lucre," and being
rather fleet of foot, it rustles me like Sam
Hill to keep in his wake especially when Wis.
iting II new strike.
Believing our "trip from Belknap to Eagle
City of sufficient interest, to portion OF your
MANY readers at least, to narrate. On the
morning of the Goth. before leaving Belknap,
our attention was called to the fact that
man had been shot, on Fourth Avenue, and
we went over and took Il last look at gem
teman with whom we had been intimately
acquainted since our advent in the camp.
He was the fourth one murdered, to my
knowledge, in the last fortnight, over whisky
and the gaming table. Getting ourselves un-
der about sixty pounds each of grub and
bedding, the Judge and set out on our jour
ney over the now famous Belknap and Eagle
City trail, that leads almost due west from
the former place. until the summit is reached,
when it bears little to the north until Eagle
City, the "Deadwood' of the C9ur d Alene
mining region. is reached. Our first respite
of anv importance was at tbs first road camp
about twelve miles west of town, where some
men are engaged in keeping the trail in re-
pairs. 1t was here that, at the earnest solic-
itation of the boss, with whom We were ac-
quainted, we wrapped ourselves around
suiicency of the staff of life TO last to our
next camp, about fifteen miles further on.
IA,,r l1t- Sfr laI
Beaver, along which great gangs of men were
seen prospecting fol placer diggings. Judge
pronounced the country rs perfectly barren,
and told some of the men that mo man with
an idea above an oyster would fool away his
time on the dam stream" At this juncture
a war of words ensued, and ! moved on.
Bear in mind that we are travelling along
mere trail that has been shoyeied ont by
band of celestials, seventy-siS in number.
The waters are very high, and in many in
stances we were compelled to wade through
water for many yards. Night-nll found Us
at the foot of the summit, at lodging house
owned and run by the proprietor OF the trail,
where we were welcomed by Mr.. McGee,
who charged on the following morning
75 cents per meal, and 30 cents each for the
privilege of spreading our beds on the ground
under piece of canvass propped up on four
forks. We paid our bill, and began the as
cent of the mountain. which we accomplished
about noon, when | sat myself down and,
like Moses of old, took view to the Prom
ised Land" to be seen about sixteen miles in
the distance. Here we had to take to the
trail over the snow and leave the workmen
behind and, Oh my! what an experience in
travelling over u mere trail that pcrmeates
one of the most prolific snow belts on the
continents. In many places saw small pine
saplings, six inches in diameter, bent over
aud completely showed under. The snow is
now closely packed and in a watery, melting
state, and in many places will measure fully
| twelve feet in depth. After descending the
western slope of the mountain, or summit as
| it is commonly called, we strike on to Eagle
creek, tributary to Pritchard creek, in the
| forks of which is Eagle City. In following
down this creek the trail was found to be ex-
| tinct in many places, and as the snow was
very deep, We made remarkably slow pro-
| progress. The Judge would now and then
drop nearly out OF sight, when he would
cause the elements to partially darken, by
| giving vent To expressions clothed in language
| very unbccoming Christian gentleman. The
| scenery along the route is most picturesque,
while the timber is very beautiful, being coy
cred with verdant foliage and heavy coat
! ing of green, wavy moss of fine texture, and
about two feet in length.
We are now supposed to be in the heart of
| the mining region, and patent is the fact
| that mineral in paying quantities exists here
that the Judge has pronounced the outlook
| the excitement in California in ''49." But
there is no earthly show for a newcomer To
| get foot of ground of any kind. as it is all
| staked for radius of fully fifty miles. The
snow is fast disappearing on the south side of
. the hills, and men are following it up with
stakes in hand, whether there is n prospect
/ for mineral or not, and as stakes hold good
| here for a year, | consider such course of
procedure very detrimental to the country.
1t is entirely too early as yet to admit of any
! thing being done in the way of development
| of mining property, and as living Is very
dear in these camps, great many men are
| bound to go out to work for grub stake, and
| will not return again before the middle of
the summer The placer ground here is COW
cred with dense forest of the largest timber
l ever saw, and they shade the ground to such
| an extent that the snow, which is now at
least four feet deep, will not disappear before
! July. The waters are now very high, being
! fed by the snow, after which the streams will
| be kept up to an alarming extent by what are
known as the June rains" after which the
miners can begin to make the necessary prep.
arations for the working Of their claims an.
other year. Some claims are being worked
| at present. but under decided disadvantages,
as there is great deal of water in the way,
| with an insufficient fall, in the lay of the
country to admit of the necessary drainage.
| The people here, as in Colorado hav. regu-
| lar mania tor town.sites, and one can't travel
on these creeks anywhere for more than three
| miles without coming onto full-fledged
town, the inhabitants of which are yieing
with their neighbors for supremacy.
! will go over to Belknap in few days, af.
ter which the Judge and will 90 out pros
pectng about forty miles from here, on what
is known Beaver creek, tributary of the
I NJ 4 \ l.I..