, 1889-10-31

uuCe large investments III ouf Hthhb
properties. AS an assayer and mineral
ogist of large and varied experience,
and q gentleman of integrity ana
veracity, his statements can be re-
lied upon and carry conviction with
them to all who know him.
GEOGRAPHICAL.
In order to understand the location OF
the Okanogan mines brief geographical
description of the country Is necessary.
TheOkanogan river, heading in theBritish
possessions, flows southwark and emp
ties into the Columbia some fifty miles
from the line, at "a point about l5O miles
west by north of Spokane Falls, and
about the same distance north by east oi
Ellcnsburg. Fifteen miles from the
mouth of the Okanogan river, a creek,
the COnConully, sometimes called tho
Salmon river, flows down through a
narrowing gorge or gulch, which very
nearly closes about twelve miles north
west IRON the Ckanogan. AT this point
Is situated the town of Ruby, and on the
range on the western side of this gulch
the first mineral prospects were located
in 1886, as soon rs the reservation was
thrown open. This range, called NuDy
Hill, is from 1900 to 1000 feet above Ruby
city, which il about 700 feet above the
sea, and the ella ~ are easily reached
by q good wagon road from Ruby.
The Conconully creek has general
course northwest by southeast, having
its course i'll Il range OF high, rugged
mountains lying west of the ckanogan
valley and cutting its way through deep,
rough canyons in a southwCstcrly course
to its junction with the Okanogan river.
In the falfscGson this creek Is stream
of small Dimensions, rod or two III
width and delivering 100 or 500 cubic
feet of water por minute say twelve or
fifteen cubic feet per second; but in the
spring season it is II raging mountain
torrent, scarcely fordable except in favor
able localities.
The climate is very mild in winter for
Il latitude so far north, tue thermometer
barely reaching zero during the past win
ter with not enough snow for good
sleighing, though quite deep on the
ranges and on higher ground.
Tie climate is dry aud hot in summer,
but the nights are always cool and pleas
ant.
The entire district is well timbered
with yellow pine, fir and tamarack. The
principal lines of approach are irom
Spokane Falls and Ellensburg; from the
former by rail To Davenport, thence by
stage to Ruby and Conconully, the trip
being made in two days; from Ellens-
burg by stage forty miles to the Column
bia river, thence by steamer UP the river,
amid some of the grandest scenery in
America, to the mouth of the Okanogan,
and thence by stage to Conconully,
A railroad is being rapidly pushed
west from Davenport and is expected to
reach the Columbia this fall, and then
there will be not over fifty miies of stag
ing to reach the mines. a railroad up
Al.
is anticipated and may be built next
year.
BIOGRAPHICAL FOUNDATION.
The country rock of Ruby district is
mostly granite, gnciss, mica and horn
bleudc schists, all presenting II coarsely
bedded structure, uplifted or folded to Il
nearly vertical position, having II gen.
eral trend from northwest to southeast
and dip northeast at angles varying
from 80 degrees to nearly vertical. These
bedding lines of the granite schists cut
through the mountain ridge at very oh
liquc angles, say 10 to 20 degrees, the
longitudinal axis OF the ridge being 10 to
20 degrees more southerly than the
course Of the bedding planes of the
country rock.
The general aspect of the country rock
is coarse fcldspathic granite, with alter
mating bands of hornblcndic and mica
ceous schists of coarse granite structure.
No true states are seen III this district.
Their formation is evidently OF
primordiul types and probably belongs
to the archian series.
The ores of Ruby hill are mostly an
antimonial copper, carrying silver and
silver sulphructs, with probable general
average OF all the claims of sixty ounces
of silver per ton; 200 to 1850 ounces per
ing not uncommon.
There are about twenty-five claims on
Ruby hill these prospects are in various
stages OF development. While the de-
velopment of most of the property is
limited to assessment work, yet quite u
few have shafts and tunnels varying from
one to several hundred feet, while the
Arlington and Fourth of July mines are
sufficiently developed to warrant the
building Of mills.
While a number of claims have been
opened and developed on Ruby hill, new
districts have been found in about every
direction from Ruby, until now the
whole of the Okanogun country may he
said to dc one vast mineral field, cN-
tending seventy or eighty miles north
and south by twenty to forty miles east
and west.
Eight or nine miles southeast of Ruby
is the Lower Salmon district, not much
worked at present, but showing good
galena prospects,; assays from one shaft
now down sixty feet giving 40 per cent
of lead and thirtyiive ounces of silver
per ton.
A new strike some twenty miles west
Of Ruby shows some very fine chloride
ore, assays from which run from fifty to
400 ounces of silver per ton from a pay
streak about two feet wide. Work Is
being rapidly pushed on this ledge,
which is Of great promise.