, 1886-08-12

Our Lander Letter.
special Correspondence OF THE LEADER.
LANDER, Wyo., Aug. 9.-From a mar
who has hunted, trapped and prospected
many seasons in the mountains on the
heads of Snake river, the writer has OBJ.
tanned a few particulars of that almost
unknown region, and its promise in gold
oil and coal.
The region spoken Of most highly by
the prospector hes between the upper
courses of the Snake river and the Grand
Tetons. The surface is mountainous and
broken. but on the submits of the rugged
elevations are invariably found ~plateaus,
considerable in area, comparatively open,
and Astounding in oil springs and lakes,
lodges OF coal and copper, and gold indi-
cations, both placer and quartz.
These plateaus are well timbered and
are the homes OF the sources of the Snake
river. 1nnumerable springs dot their
bosoms, and from these springs are gather
ed the waters of the streams rushing
through wild mountain canyon and gorge
to swell the swift current of the Snake.
Towering high above these mountain
table lands are the peaks covered with
eternal snow, adding their everlasting
quota to the mountain waters. The season
in these elevated regions is short. The
snow lies deep eight months Of the year,
but the other four months could be valua-
bly, utilized in gathering the natural riches
displayed in such b~ewildering abundance
Known to the initiated are passes Of
easy access to these mountain treasure
vaults, and no very considerable effort
would be necessary for the establishment
Of a road tapping the center of this rich
mineral deposit.
The mountain tributaries to the Snake
have their beds in deep canyons and
gorges, whose steep sides fash from top to
bottom with the dark sheen Of coal, the
dull glow of copper, or the glitter Of gold
quartz. The soil deposit along the various
spring branches are rich in fine gold and
from the source to the mouth each branch
is a virgin placer. From these home
placers comes the fine gold so literally
yielded by the bars of the Snake river tal
below. If the bars Of the Snake pay
largely a hundred miles below, what mus,
the original deposits themselves yield?
The plateaus are scanned in every direc'
ton by lodges of rock rich in free milling
quartz, while in their recesses are deposited
in the loose made soil small nuggets, shot
and flower gold. Water is every where
for washing purposes and nearly every
foot of the soil Of these rich mountain
table lands could be drenched, while al
necessary timber is at hand.
But the oil lakes and springs are the
great wonders of this wonderful region.
The name of these oil lakes and springs
is llegion. Depressions and hollows on
all sides are lakes, bearing on their broad
surfaces oil from one to six inches deep.
yelling, spouting, gurgling springs meet
the eye and attract the ear in all direc-
lions. At the head of a long gulch,
beginning with a gradual incline, there i.
a flowing spring. The oil laden water
passing down this gulch for many, many
years, have made themselves a bed o
residuum. This residuum endures until tn,
descent is reached. when suddenly the OF
laden water sinks from sight and is gone.
This gulch, this spring. this residuum. THU
downward flow and this disappearance are
examples OF the entire oil feds. 1t i.
thought hat the whole region is under
laid by an immense oil lake. Certain 1t
is that the oil in all cases enters the ground
and is seen no more.
The %prospector spoken of left this
morning for these oil, gold and coal fields
in the interest of parties here, and more
will be heard of them ere long.
R. w. johnson. live stock agent of the
Northwestern road, has been making this
section a visit in the interest of his road
According to the agents map there never
was just such a beef trail as lies between
this region and Fort Fetterman.