Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-06-24

COM UNICATED.
Columbia River and Clsifal.auc
Country Lately Thrown Open for
settlement British Columbia
Gold Mines,

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their ponies crossing the Clearwater at
Lewiston, On their way to the famed
Eldorado of u. C., arriving at Foster
creek, stream empting its waters into
the Columbia on the south side, did some
prospecting finding float gold in many
places but no prospects to induce them to
stop. Leaving Foster creek crossed the
Columbia at the old government crossing
just above the mouth OF the Okinakane
river, where Mr.. Offield now has a good
ferry boat and wire cable. No incident
worthy of note occurred until our second
night on the Okinakane when many ex.
cited Indians We're seen moving down to-
ward the Columbia; they informed us
that two Indians had been manalosed
the day before, just opposite on the Col
umbia at the White Ranch. The In
dams were passing nearly all night, some
Of them cast ugly looks at us riding into
Our camp making critical survey of our
party of three. 1t seems that White
man, "Bully' called Bowldy, had been
selling them whiskey, the Indians having
spent all their money, wanted liquor on
trust, not being Accommodated tried force,
se'zing Bowldy by the arms, he being
very powerful man weighing near two
hundred and fifty pounds, broke loose
from them, pulled his revolver and killed
them. The Indians were considered bad
and cultus by their own people, had they
been held in esteem by the tribe it is
probable the shooting might have taken
quite different turn from what it did.
We learned on our way home that Bow
Idly is now in Sprague jail serving two
years sentence for selling liquor to In.
dams. We followed up tho Okinakane,
a beautiful stream nearly as large as the
Clearwater, but not near so rapid. Il
think light draught boats can navigate it
for one hundred miles or to the b. c..
line, thence up the lake sixty or ninety
miles further, passing where the trail,
cross leading west to tho Met How, We
learned that parties under the guise of
hunters had struck paying prospects try.
ing to keep it quiet until the reservation
was thrown open. am told this is an.
other beautiful stream with much fine
valley land there is no scarcity of timber
there being plenty both on the Met How.
and Okinakane with much rich bottom
land suitable for stock, grain aud fruit
culture, in fact Okinakane and Smith has
fine bearing orchards nearly one hundred
miles up the Okinakanc; the trees are
now full of young fruit and having very
healthy thrifty look. Some of the trees
are large showing they have with stood
many winters. When the reservation
was thrown open, am told, parties from
New York were on the ground selecting
first choice, notwithstanding old timers
thought they would be first. Keeping
up the Okinakane near ono hundred
miles past where the Samilkamene
pmpties its waters near the A. NJ. custom {
house three miles above, we came to q
The Il. {. custom house, We bond our G
horses, pay the duty on our provisions Z,
and traps, pass through, striking the
some miles above its
mouth, the distance being niuety-two q
niles from the custom house into Granite o
Iity. We arrived in Granite Just one G
month from the day we left Lewiston. b
We found the camp dull with scarcely a Il
lain working. Gold dust none visible Il
Nth the town full of miners eager to dis e
over the hidden lucre coin and bank notes W
he only circulating medium, in fact l al
Id not even see any gold weight and not v
exceed So in private hands in over two SC
'onths stay in the camp and vicinity. al
was well We had plentiful supply of d.
as We found them high flour
orth from SIC to $50 per bril-, bacon .
to 3355 cts, beans 10 to l2l cts per ri
;, coffee green 3 lbs for 81; whiskey, of j.,
hlch we had no need, 25 cts, glass, "a
ID the customers scarce as gold dust; the NJ
i-keepers looked more hungry than TO
lrsty. Granite is a peculiar cre,k for NJ