The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-03-01
The Cold Weather no Bar to the Rush for the
C9ur dAlene Mines.

n
The Cold Weather no Bar TO the Rush for the
Cmur d'Alene Mines.
CnUR p'ALENE, Idaho. February H.
Especial. lit is never too cold or too
hot for men in search of gold. have
been here three days and have seen pack
trains one after another filling up the old
Mullan road to the gold fields, and now
| have just thawed my ink to remark
that the thermometer indicates % below.
The air is still and clear. and the tall
pine trees around the fort glisten with
an iciness such as | have never before
seen. The new city, which lies along
side the reservation, is just beginning to
bristle with hotels and stores, and the
boat builders are working on the steamer
propped up above the ice. Everything
is going forward in the way of prepara-
ton, and If there are not 10000 men GO
ing through this place during the next
six months, then somebody will be fooled.
Town lots are selling at prices running
into the hundreds, and every man at the
garrison expects to get rich enough on
his mine during the spring and summer
to retire into civil life. Life here is civil
| enough. so far as the real distinction
goes, and could ask for nothing better
| than my place by the broad open fire
place in Lieutenant KnZie's quarters.
| The hotel is so crowded that the average
| is two in bed and some on the floors of
nearly every room, and while everybody
is doing his best to make things comfort
81 IL. ~. 81 la.. uNt Nnsa
lions of an officers mess.
| The mail carrier went out yesterday
with about 200 letters. and he brought in
1865 on his last trip. The mail is carried
by two brothers, Isaac and Joseph Null
herin. in relays, and they make the trip
in from four to six days. They go on
foot, carrying the mail bags ON their
backs. There is a good road ms far rs
Evolution, and from there to Eagle City
a better one than any of the Others that
go all the way into the mines. There
has been much "booming in this matter
of trails into the mines. and the truth Is
hard to reach. Mr.. Pritchard and his
wife went into the mines on Sunday.
Eagle City is on this side of the noun.
tains. and the trail is always open, while
the others must go over the mountains
The mail carrier is going to try his way
out by the Belknap trail, and will be
here to tell about ii in few days. From
all | can learn, no pack animals have yet
been got over the mountains. The men
go with loaded sleds, and manage tn
climb up and down. Probably roads
might be made across, but men who are
on hot trail for gold will never wait
for that.
All sorts of stories come from the
mines. So far | have seen no one from
| tbara uha g mot UninO hack in the gDrinn
With the spirit of the occasion strong
within me, "grub-staked" young man
known to me as perfectly trustworthy.
Before leaving Portland, Oregon, re-
ceived the following letter from him,
which l send you in the original. The
statements substantially agree with
what | have picked up in the three days
have been here:
EAGLE CITY, February l.-Well, just
arrived yesterday, and | Travelled on
foot for So long, long miles, and 1t was
the hardest trip | ever dreamed Of The
camp is booming, and there are 1900
men in the mines. Snow is from four to
seven feet deep. Every foot of ground
is taken, but am going across the noun
tains in few days to try and prospect
some; but | am afraid | can't do much
for two months. They are working a
few mines, and they are showing up fine.
Nine out of every 10 claims have been
relocated, and there is going to be some
big fighting this summer. There is only
one female in town. Men are coming in
at the rate of 80 or 60 per day. My friends
say they will work me into some good
ground. | feel very much elated. There
is about 30 miles of mines already To-
Gated, and there is timber on every foot
of it. j. Ii. NJ.
The officers at the fort seem to have
confidence in the future developments
and they are not men to be either zen
Unused" or stampeded. | confess that
do not believe enough is known yet tC
warrant me in advising men to go. Two
companies have been formed and are be
ginning work on mines only few miles
from C9ur d'Alene City. st. Joe rivel
valley, near the lake, is to be raked oper
by some eXpectant men who have beer
down that way, and at Wolf Lodge, be
tween here and the mission, / am tolC
there will be good digging. The ole
miners say it will be quartz mining
field, rather than placer, though som,
Jumps as big as ones finger (say the lit
tie finger have been shown me. Thel
came out of the placers and are SOLE
gold. There are stories of bigger ones
and have seen quartz specimens rich il
shot gold" as they call it. Perhap
they came from up above. at the new
, | mines, and perhaps from Liberia