, 1890-04-03
NORTHER MINES.
Spring Operations In the Kootenai
Country in British
Columbia.
A Season OF Great Activity Pre-
dicted In All the Famous
Camps.

With the opening Of spring all
kinds of enterprises assume new life,
and this Is especially true of the
mining interests which, during the
winter months I'm some localities,
remain in Il state of comparative
quiclncss, Much attention in this
section seems to be ccntered In the
great EootcnM country, toward
which capitalists, railroad managers
and miners are turning their eye,
As previously stated in the RE
VIEW, the two leading camps in the
KoOtcnui country are Warm springs
and Nelson, and the greatest amount
OF activity this season Is expected at
the former camp. 1t Is ut this camp
where is located the famous Blue
Bell mine, owned by the Kootouai
Mining and Smelling Company,
which, according to the last report
Of the gold commissioner of British
Columbia, contains enough lead ore
to supply the entire Dominion of
Canada. This il only one of the
noted properties Of the camp. There
are the mines of the Pacific Bullion
and Mining Company, whose head
quarters are at Spokane Falls, and
whose properties embrace the famous
Spokane mine, in which develop
ulcut has been prosecuted during
the winter by means of II tunnel
with results that have placed the
claim i'm the list of bonunzas.
The skyline, who's" shipment so
lnr have averaged about S3OOpcr ton,
H. also at the Warm Spring camp,
krdo, Black Chief, Number /, Die
tator, Crescent and dozens of vi her,
which could be mentioned aS rank
ing among the best mining proper
ties In the entire Northwest, aud
which, in conjunction with the Hall
IlIrOther mines ut Nelson, and the
POurlnnn at the same place have
given the KOotcn0l country the
IuotOriety IL possesses as II mining
section,
SPOKANES LIBERALITY.
The town of spokane Falls has
in 10 respect been backward in Civ
ing moral aud financial aid To the
development of that region, and US n
result IA large portion, If not most of
the claims are owned in whole or In
part by citizens of this town. The
people in the financial ccnters OF
british Columbia have been slow In
discovering the value of the
kOotenai mines and they look with
some degree of apprehension at the
activity which has So far been mani
i,Stcd 10y their American ncighbOrs,
and this L. the hidden cause why II
charter was refused to Mr. Corbin to
connect these nlines directly with
Spokane Fails by rail. This brings
Us to the railroad situation, which Is
decidedly interesting with reference
TO this subject and Il rs follows:
To secure the trade of the Kootcuai
mines In favor of the Canadian Pa
Ciiic raj lroad thut company is now
ut work constructing Il line of some
thirty miles in connecting nayig-
able water on the Columbia with
uavigHble water ON the KOutenui
lake at the tow II Of Nelson, aud the
rails for which are now in transit
from England. 10 get the ores
rom tho Warm Spring camp by this
line to the Canadian Pacific at
ltyvclsiokc the output will have tn
he conveyed 10y boats distance OF
thirty-eight miles to the town OF
Nelson and thence transferred on
burd ol cars to reach the Columbia
river, where another transfer II re-
quircd To- boats on which the freight
can hc taken up the stream to RcVcl-
stoke, about ci"ht months in the
year. This " III Lc one outlet.
Toward the south there will hC
Two outlets by next fall, a. the
Northern Pacific has decided tO
build line from kOutenai station.
Idaho, To point on IiuOtcnai
river near Bouncr's Ferry, from
which point there IL fine navigation
for large vessels TO the mines duriug
the entire year, as the lake never
freezes aud the river can he Kept
open during the winter months with
case. There are two main reasons
why this line VIII be built; the first
il the certainty that the Great
Northern will touch lBonners Ferry,
and the two Systems being powerful
rivals the Northern Pucific would
not allow the Great Northern 10 Sc
cure all the business OF a station
which promises tO become one OF
the leading freight points in the
Northwest, especially where a dlvi-
sion of the business can bc brought
about 10y building twenty-olght
miles Of road tliuugh u level cOun-
try free from rock.
PRESIDENT oARFS INTERESTED.
Another reason is that the North
crn Pacific officials, chief among
whom IL Mr.. Oakcs, president OF
the road, have recently secured ex-
tensive interests in the Warm
Spring mines. II is the intention OF
the company To have this line COM
pleted by the last Of August.
The second outlet toward the
south will be the Great Northern,
which will strike naVigablc water
ON to KDOtcnai river not far from
BOnncrs Ferry. The construct ION
this summer Of the three lines iudi-
Gated II now n certainty, and the
creation of such extensive ana com
pctinC transpOri riutlun facilities in
one season VIII be- productive of the
most gratifying results toward the
kootcnai country and innugurnte an
area of activity and prosperity as
win as:onish the ngtiTes ON the
other side Of the line.
The situut on Is such that the city
win reap the principal beueiit nom
the unlocking Ol the massive treas
urc In the iSoOIenai region, This
town always las been, is now, aud
uuauestiunably always win be the
L.. al.