, 1889-03-28
PRECIOUS METALS.
Major Hopkins Chats About
Early Mining Times.
An Encouraging Outlook i'm the
COlville Country.
News From the kOotenal. OkanOgan
and other Mineral
Districts.

"R. l., HOPKINS. Murray" Is an entry il
the hand writing of the owner OF tht
above name on the register OF the Granc
hotel on Sunday last. There are no,
many residents of this section who have
been here for the past three years but who
have heard of Major Hopkins. 1t wa,
daring the summer of 1885 that he made
his advent on Prlchard creek in the gold
regions of the CGur d. Alene mountains,
at the head of "a company whose intentions
were to put in bed rock Hume from the
North Fork river, running up the creek
named and through which the rich gravel
would be sluced and its valuable contents
| n the noble yellow metal saved Previous
to the ma jor's coming the outlook for that
section OF country was blue. Ii had been
d ,monstrated that the valley Of Prichard
creek was
PROLIFIC WITH GOLD,
but that capital was necessary to open
il up and secure the dust and nuggets that
for ages had lain on bed rock. Conse-
quenty it was with delight that the citi-
zens hailed the advent OF men of means
who we're to bring the hidden wealth of
the gulch to the light of day. The ener.
getic major employed Il large force of men
and proceeded with the work with vim
His company was duly organized with
headqui uirters at Denver, Colo, and he was
the only representative of his organization
on the ground. For three months work on
the enterprise was vigorously pushed, the
former stiffness OF the mountains and val.
leys we're awakened by the explosions of
giant powder tearing up the stumps along
the route OF the proposed dume.
SCORES or MEN
were at WORK In every capacity imaginable
that could be connected with such a gigan-
tic enterprise, Wagon roads were con-
structed, acres of land cleared. and the old
town of Ea9le--the pioneer village OF
stampede days-revived and assumed ITS
ld.time lite. People had begun to look
forward to an unprecedented season of
prosperity Ghat would last for many years.
But alas for human hopes, their high cx.
peCtations were of short duration, the cas-
ties erected in the minds of the confding
public had no hrmer foundation than
empty air. The colossal scheme to use a
well worn Western phrase, busted" the
company which had not much back kbone to
start with could not come up with the
necessary fun Is to meet their obligations
hence disaster overlook the concern, and
except for the wrecks left in its wake, it
became one of the things that were. This
was three and one.half years ago. Since
that time except for some work being done
on the mines OF
PRICHARD CREEK
and in the side guches, that portion of the
country has been lying almost dormant as
far as placer mining lis concerned. lester-
day REVIEW reporter had an interview
with Major Hopkins. That gentleman de-
tailed the financial disadvantages under
which he Iabored before, but stated that
he now had ample funds to take up and
com pete the great work so suddenly drop
ped over three years since. He will remain
in Spokane u few days and then proceed
to Murray, when If proper arrangements
can bc made with the claim owners, he
will soon proceed to carry out bis plans az
formulated in the year lSS5. Several
prominent citizens of Murray who were in
terestcd in the former operations carried
on by Major Hopkins are now liz tnis city,
and II is reasonable to suppose tnat an
important scheme is on the tapis, and
there is no one but what hopes 1T will re-
suit IN u happy and successful termina'
'lOu.