, 1885-01-31
MORE MINES.
The Great Lever to Boost Spokane
Falls Into Prominence.

the past year, there Is no longer any
doubt but that eastern Washington
and northern Idaho is yet tosurprise
the world with the extent and value
Of the mineral productions. The
country is broken, rough and almost
Inaccessible, or was thought so to lie
a short time ago, until the irrepress-
ible miner showed his presence into
the mountain fastnesses, unearthed
the precious metals and sent forth
the news OF the discover les to sur
prise the people and create an inter-
est In these gorges never before felt.
This mineral belt seems to extend
throughout the main ranges and all
the spurs and OutshOOts In the north
west, beginning no man knoweth
where, with an equally mysterious
ending. The minerals are Of a great
variety embracing most OF the more
useful as well as precious metals,
among which are gold, silver, cop
per, lead, coal, mica, etc. Silver
seems to predominate and the prom
ises Of the prospect holes already
sunk are such as to warrant even
those not tainted with visionary
hOPefulness In predicting mining
excitement in no way behind the
furore that made Califorr Ia and Col
Orado famous So far the greater
portion OF the lodges assaysd shows
a preponderance Of low grade ores,
that Is mining from $40 up to $50 to
the ton. There has been quartz as
sayed that showed fabulous per
cent. Of silver and gold, but those
are exceptions 10 the rule. II the
quantity Of ore is abundant, low
grades make better mining camps
than those OF higher grade, and as
the size Of most Of these lodges are
really remarkable It Is not stretrh
Of the Imagination t0 predict that
the mines Of this region will prove
the best that America has ever pro-
duced. At Embrey the face Of very
large bodies Of low graded ore has
been uncovered, and now comes
the Pend d'Oeille district with equal
ly as just claims for recognition as
one Of the coming mining camps Of
the Pacific slope. The rock from
that section Is attractive to the eyes
Of old mining men, and while 1t does
not go high in ounces 10 the ton,
there is Just acres Of the stuff lying
out doors awaiting to be worked.
The lodges are not only well defined,
but they are numerous and OF won
derful thickness. There has been a
large force Of men on the Pend
d'Oreille river during the past few
months prospecting. Some planers
have been found that will pay TO
work, but the chief value is in Its In
exhaustible veins Of low grade silver
ore, which In time are bound to give
employment to thousands Of people,
and build up In what is now will
derness large cities peopled with
busy and industrious multitudes.
The country is now ripe for another
new mining region. Hundreds Of
men, untitled for the humdrum Of
commercial life, by years spent at
the feverish pastime Of fortune hunt
ing, are ready and eager to follow
up new mining fevers, and try
again their chances for riches with
dame fortune. 1t is a pursuit that
when once 1t becomes fastened upon
n man sticks to him aud proPels him
on to every new camp-an invisible
power over which he has no control.
Just now the mining sections Of
the United States are dead, or the
mines are idle, and the once golden
opportunities are things Of the past.
The prOspector finds no field un-
worked, and II he gOes not forth into
new and unexplOred region, he
can hang up his pick and spade and
bid farewell to following those indI-
cations that nature has placed upon
the surface Of the earth where min
eral exists, as a guile to thOse who
have made a study Of geological for
nations 10 aid them in bringing to
light hidden treasure, and which are
enlgmas to the unlnltiated. Nevada
stands hollow mockery to the poor
prospector. Deep down in the bow
els Of tho earth the pick and all the
modern AZ hlances for working ores
have honey-combed the rock, until
nothing is left to work. The silver
mines OF Nevada have been grad
uAlly dying out for years, and the
glory Of the flush times that once
hung about Mount Davidson like
halo, and made Virginia city the
liveliest place In .he world, Is over
shadOwed by the cloud Of ad-
verslty, and Its great brilliancy
hs- died out forever. That ex-
cusS or a state, without one-tenth
p rt OF the claim for statehood that
Washington territory has, is b'ck-
AldinV steaiily an in alOther de
cade it, only inhabitants will be
few hIrdy InDuntalneers, depending
upon pastoral pursuits for llvell-
hood, while Its once great power
as a mining centre will only live In
tradition. Colorado has seen Its best
mining days, and holds out few Of
the Inducements presented u dozen
years ago. Like New Mexico, Ari-
zona and Montana, most Of the mines
of any real value haYe fallen into the
hands Of foreign capitalists, are stu
pendOus syndicates, and only a very
few are benefited by their being
worked. Our country opens up a
new field for the cOnqueror. Here
I l. aln,ftat a l,nttndlaaa raosfnr, rf..k l.,