Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1884-05-02
The Ceur d'AIene Fraud Again.

concerning the Occur d'Alene mines, J
and evory word Of what he says can
be relied on as the truth, and nothing {;
but the truth: la
M1ssouLA, April II, 1884. K
DEAR BRoTHEE:--I wrote you alv
note on the eve of my departure forl
the Occur d'Alene mines, and thought /.
would write before this. left home !
on the 4th Of March, and was gone
10 days. I spent four days in the
mines, and must say that could find
tout but little about the mines. This
much / did learn, that you cam
, not believe one single word Of the
. current reports about the mines, the
! routes to the place, or as to the bust
: ness said to be done in there. There
was no work being done in the mines
when ] was there, and little done yet,
: and from what can find out, the re-
suits are not satisfactory. The main
! creeks, Prichard and Eagle, are very
large, and not very heavy grade, and
G the vast quantities of snow that falls
there will, in consequence, put every
e thing ahoat very soon. The country
# is naturally very wet, and the timber
0. very large and thick, the development
e, of the country will naturally be very
f. slow, and the most important question
of is vet to be solved, in a great meas
ip ure-is there gold there in paying
I'd quantities? There are, doubtless.
lie some mines there, but there is moth
rs, ing to justify the large stampede and
the extravagant reports SO universally
afoat about this country. | have seen
a good many wild and -extrayaganr
!, ideas in building up mushroom towns
: but this thing beats them all. Alread,
!, on the strength of FIVE or six paying
=. claims Tor SAID to be SOY, no less thai
= six towns are laid off, and in most 0
"a them building going on at rapi'
os rate; buying lumber at p cents pc
- foot, to set up some mills, principally
Every avenue to trade is already fly
times overdone. The plainest thini
that occurred to me was the inevlta
bic tumble in towns and town prop
ertv; and already it has come almos
month sooner than [ expected.
7ed see parties from there daily, and
in learn that lots and houses in Eagl
av- City that month ago would brin
the $4,000, will not sell to-day for as man
GU hundred. As yet there are no roads
hes the place except foot trails. 1c
igh. have doubtless seen accounts I
OBJ sleighs and coaches running throue
rem to the mines in a few hours. This
lop, all bosh; only in keeping with q
AXE other extravaganza reports about tt
5 of place. How this thing has been wor
saw ed up to its present magnitude is b
ling yond my comprehension. Alrea'
ner two steam saw-mIlls are in the mine
We and three more on the way-iye mi
ioht in all, to saw lumber for what, tn
and do not know. | have said before tn
more there was nothing but foot trails
,l,b vet to the mines. The two mills
ness ken in were boated up the north fo
red. of the Ceur d'Alene in small DO;
" in and then hauled by hand s or 10 mi
,sbal at great cost. The mills being &C
o. on structed in small pieces, with this vie
first Two banks have already opened
and business on an unknown basis.
t. would say in all candor, from wha
saw and can learn from parties tina
that know from the mines, that at pres
New it is good place to let alone.
, had keep you posted as to the facts IN
,rong case, and you can very safely say
op,- Of your friends that they are