, 1884-01-26

Ter, written by one who has been on
the grounds:
The wonderful rich mineral wealth
of the Occur d'Alene mountains and
the tributaries of the river of that
name has been heralded to the world
and old prOSpeCtOrs and miners, who
are cOnVerSant with the history Of
the mining districts Of Nevada, Cal
ifOrnia, Montana, Colorado, Utah,
Arizona, New Mexico and this
QdahO), stand amazed that a region
has been discovered which for rich
ness and extent, has never been
equalled in the remarkable history
of mining in the United States, and
we Nigh even cOnscientiOusly say in
the world. =
Rich placer deposits have already
been discovered for distance of ten
miles on PriChard creek and the
same distance on Eagle creek, the
creeks being known by the latter
name from the point where they
come together, viii, h is almost one
fourth Of a mile below Hayes city,
the largest town in the diggings.
Very little has been done by the way
of development an Eagle creek, yet
the prospects obtained show beyond
doubt that nature has been lavish
with her favOrs, for from twelve and
a half to fifty cents per pan is regu-
larly obtained. But on PriChard
creek can be seen many valuable
claims that have been opened, and
in not a single instant has the work
of development been advanced with
] a -. sv,
bright, golden nuggets. Indeed,
whatever the bedrock has been un-
covered beautiful rich "dust" has
scOOpHd up by the lucky owners.
/ Placer diggingS have also been dis
covered on BE lVeT creek which
empties into the North Fork, below
Eagle creek, and on numerous
other creeks emptying into it. The
| creeks are from twenty to forty miles
long, thus making the placer district
| an extensive one. All the gold found
thus far is coarse, unwOrn gold, with
/ Il few particles Of quarts attached,
r and, seemingly, but little water
/ Washed. Most Of it has been found
in crevices and between the Layers
If t44e F Of fe HI ebReeF5ck bReefE is t6s' 6sF.
dcst kind, commonly known as a
kind Of slate rock. 1t is very rough,
| full Of seams, in layers Of an angle
OF about - degrees. At the middle
Of the creeks 1t is from one to five
/ feet to bedrock. The gravel, which
is full of worn rocks and LOulders,
/ contains great deal Of gold.
/ PriChlrd creek is about 10 miles
/ long and has been located from its
source to its mouth. This creek, at
its lowest stage, probably carries
! 1000 int hes of water, and the gulCh
through which it runs is about 50
| rods wide. 1t very mu,h resembles
the celebrated Alder gul,h, at Nir-
ginia City, NJ. T., though iii cOnsid-
| erubly tlaltpr than the latter; vet
| there is enough waterfall for all pur-
poses. Not only on the flat but high
| up on the mountains, perhaps 40
| feet above the level OF the creek,
diggings have Deen discovered in the
| gravel which yield from six to eight
| dollars per day to the man. Again,
it is proper TO state that the largest
nuggets and the cOIrsest gold dust
is found under and around the roots
| Of immense cedar trees from to l.
]
been deposited there ages since,
| probably when the ClaTk's Fork OF
the Columbia, as some believe, run
through this region. But facts and
| not theories are what the public
want, and that gold does exist and
in large quantities cannot be doubt
ed. The bedrock stands nearly ver-
tical, dipping down stream and run
ming at right angles across the creek.
So lar as opened 1t is not over three
| feet to bedrock though the main
| channel has not been found. When
the latter is discovered it is conf
| IDENTIFY believed that almost fabulous
wealth Will be uncovered.
Quite an excitement has sprunENp
in regard to the quartz deposits OF
this district. The immediate Occa-
sion of this being "A find" of val
liable gold quartz lode at the head of
PriChard creek. The vein has been
traced on the surface for distance
of nine hundred feet and the crop
pings are very prominent. The ore
taken from the vein shows a great
amount Of free gold it Iairly glis-i
tens with it, plainly discernable to
the naked eye. Very little atten-
tiOn has been paid to quartz hereto
| fore, but this strike has done much
toward stimulating prospecting in
this line.
"a -
The country along the Coeur d.
Alene river to the old Mission, a
distance OF 80 miles, Is level and
OVerflOws in the spring the bottoms
are from two to three miles wide and
the soil a black lOam; very rich and
would make the finest meadows in
the world, but this portion Of the
country is at present withheld from
settlement rs an Indian reservation.
From the Mission to the mines the
stream has more fall and the bottom
somewhat narrower. The stream
has a current Of s miles an hour and
the bOttOms are from half to u Inile
in width and the most Of them how
cred with heavy timber. The SOuth
branch of the Occur dAlene, which.
the Mullan road follows, leaveb the
main stream about five miles e6st Of
the Mission. The bottoms OF this
fork are from One-fOurth to half u
mile wide and are covered with large
! timber, which In many PLACES has
been Killed by fire and much Of it
having fallen down i'm consequence.
The land j. generally very gy3Od, but
in places is gravelly. 1t williproduce
good timothy, outs, wheat, hurley
and potatoes and most Of the hardy
vegetables. The land along the
streams will soon he very valuable as
its close proximity to the mines viii
make a market for every product.
These streams hond in the heart Of