, 1884-05-24
CRYING 1T DOWN.
Giving the CGur d'AIenes a Bad
Name.

During the extreme highth of the
Ceur d'Alene mining excitement,
just at time when there should moi
have been a rush, few papers on the
upper coast took the stand that
there was nothlngin it" and rather
encouraged travel to the dIggings.
Soon 1t became evident that there
was too much suddenness to the
break That men without stopping
\ To tliata the chances OF a winter
campaign had galloped into the only
town in the diggings headlong and
blindly. That they had gone a gold
hunting in haste and were repenting
at leisure, with more leisure in hand
than anything else. 1t took no keen
forethought to foresee the result.
Showed in without a chance to pros
pect and no way to make living,
this deluded mob commenced pour
ing out of Eagle City as soon as the
walking was safe. Having spent
everything for grub, or wasted it in
seeing the elephant, a big fit of dis
gust and Encouragement cropped
out 1t became epidemic and hun
dreds Of men returned to the outside
world without striking a pick and
spreading the report that the mines
were hoax, a snare and a delusiOn.
A great many papers at once became
virtuOusly indignant that anything
had everbeen published in favor Of
the mines and devoted considerable
space to denouncing the diggings.
The REVIEW has always held the
stand, ever since the first gold was
taken out Of the country, that the
mines were good, basing the opinion
on the reports brought to this city
and the products Of the earth so fire.
quently exhibited here. We may
have been jealous in our advocacy Of
the mines, but we have been honest
in it and believed what we were Civ
ing publicity to what was true. We
still have unwavering faith in the
section. 1t is a satisfaction to us to
know that we have never advised
the public to make the trip in mid
winter, on the contrary, pointing out
on all occasions the fallacy of at
tempting to do anything until May.
Had the rush held off until this
season OF the year far different re-
ports would have gone abroad in re-
gard to the mines. We now believe
that the country has had setback
that it will not get over for num-
Der of months, but that it will event
ually recover its lost ground we have
no doubts. Those who have re-
manned and those who have since
gone Into the mines for the purpose
of depending upon actual labor as a
means of developing the mines are
meeting with great encouragement.
There is less fast life, outward show
and superficial boom than three
months ago, but as an offset every
claim that is being worked pays, and
pays well. 1t takes time and an out
lay of muscle to develop a mining
district People cannot expect to
find gold scattered about on the sur
face. 1t is hidden away, deep under
ground, and in order to get at it the
prospectOr must work, work, work.
We have not met single individual
who has visited the camp since the
snow disappeared who has not spoken
in the most encouraging terms OF
the prospects, some going so far as
to pronounce the mines the richest
the world has ever produced. 1t is
hardly possible that all Of these men,
many Of whom are old and expert
enced miners, should be mistaken.
The Ceur d'Alene diggings may
have lost caste with the public at a
distance, it is barely possible they
may peter out entirely, yet we verify
believe that during the present sum-
mer developments will be made
that will astonish everybody, and
awaken Il deeper interest in that
region than has yet been manifested.