The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-03-05
CEUR D'ALENE.
An Interesting Letter About the
New Ell Dorado From
James Shelton.
Some Good Advice to Those Who Contem.
plate Going to the Mines.
CEUR D'ALENE MINES, Feb. 2l, '84.

CEUR D'ALENE MINES, Feb. 21, '84.
Editors River Press:
A word from me will probably be of
interest to many of your readers and es-
pecially to several citizens OF Benton to
whom / am under promise to write.
Mail facilities here are anything but
good. Mail is brought over the noun
tuins by messenger on snoWshoes and
who charges SO cents for letters and rs
cents tor papers, and rs economy is nec-
essary here in this land of high prices,
[ will write your very valuable paper
instead OF to each OF my friends sepa-
rately.
The Coeur d'Alene mining district is
veritable mining camp. Most every
thing indicative or a new strike is here
to be tound-scarcity of provisions, in-
accessibleness, high prices, people rife
with speculation, ETC., in abundance.
The roads of ingress and egress to Eagle
City, the principal town, are several but
impracticable except for footmen. There
is tobogan trail from Trout creek sta
ton, on the n. z. R. r., about IS miles
from here This is probably the suresr
route for parties coming in, but very
hard one-steep mountains and an abun-
dance of snow. The main range, which
has to be crossed in reaching the mines,
is covered now with about twelve feet
of snow, and the snow down in the val
leys is about 41 feet deep. The trail for
animals via Evolution is blOckaded
every storm, and it is almost impossible
to get freight that way. The camp is
not well supplied with the necessaries
for mining camp, and consequently
prices are very high. Flour is $50 per
barrel, bacon 40 cents per pound, and
other provisions in proportion. There
are great many men now coming into
the camp, and prices will advance.
Lumber is whipsawed and sells at 25
cents per foot, Or $3.50 per thousand.
Men are paid SIS per day for labor with
out board. Restaurants charge 81 per
meal.
Eagle City has now genuine boom.
Lots are advancing rapidly in value,
ranging from 500 to 81, 900 each. A
large number of substantial buildings
are already completed and in course OF
construction, and many business men
are already here seeking locations for
business, and by the time that mining
commences in the spring there will be
large stocks of goods here and facilities
for mining will thus be very largely in
creased.
There is now daily influx of thirty
or forty men to the mines. This is pre-
mature as no mining can be done for
two months yet, and the expenses OF
living here are considerable and faciIi-
ties very poor. would advise all par
ties coming here to postpone until at
least six weeks later; say not earlier
than the first of April. BY that time
the snow will have mostly disappeared
and trails will be better for travelling.
Every one here has the greatest conf
dence in the outcome OF the mines, and
no doubt this will be the biggest boom"
for years to come. About 200 men win
tered here, and already there are more
than 1000 men in the camp. Most of
these who have recently arrived are of
the floating class.
There are great many saloons here
and consequently number of gambling
men. There are now in Eagle City
three faro games and any number of
poker games. Gambling is already run
ming high, and Eagle City is claiming
the aspect of a genuine mining town.
I should be glad to know if any of
my friends are thinking of coming in
that they will defer it until about April
1st, as it is useless and wearisome to un-
dertake to come in now.
Hoping that / have not asked too
much of your space, | am, very respect
fully, JAMES SHELTON.