, 1890-07-31
OKANOGAN COUNTRY
Lieutenant Governor Laughton aid
State Geologist Bethune
Return.
They Have Been Making an Ex-
tended Tour OF the Mining
Districts.
A Large Number of Rare and Ex-
oellent Specimens Collected
by Them. U.s.

Lieutenant Governor Charles E.
Laughton, In company with George
A. Bethuno, state geologist, arrived
In this city on Friday and will re-
main over Sunday. They have just
returned from a tour of the various
mining districts in the Okanogan
country.
Governor Laughton was seen on
Friday by a REVIEW reporter and
stated that the main object of their
mission was to gather specimens
from the mining districts in the
state for the state cabinet.
~ am president of the mining
bureau, and the state requires that
specimens of characteristic ores and
minerals of the various districts in
the state shall be collected for the
cabinet. We have received u speci-
men from the Bunker Hill mine In
Wanicut Lake district that weighed
five pounds and realized
Sl42 in gold. L have also
another specimen that will
average about $50. As you see 1t
Is only about three times the size
Of n hens egg. We have already
collected over q ton and half Of
specimens which will he placed In
the cabinet. The law requires that
the state geologist must make an
annual inspection of the mining
districts In the state, and this Is our
aunnal visit.
TRANSFORMATIONS NEEDED.
~ found the Okanogan country in
quite lively state, hut one thing is
certain, and that Is that IL only
needs railroad communication and
n cheap rate of freight to enable the
various districts to produce from
$50 to 500 tons more of ore daily
then what Is now being produced,
and in the production aud reduce
tion of the ore thousands of men
will find employment which will
create IL market for merchandise of
all kinds, which should be supplied
by the live wholesalers of Spokane
Falls.
at Is reported that the Washing
ton Central railroad has let the con-
tract for the extension of its line
from Almira to the mouth of the
Okanogan river. Should this be
built IL will only be matter of n
few months until their line will be
pushed ON, tapping these various
mining districts. Should the pres
ent smelling company in this city
carry out its intention to complete
the smelter, L know of no reason
why they should not successfully
compete with Eastern buyers In the
working of their ore.
sPoKANE's MINING EXCHANGE.
"The purposes of the stock ex-
change which has been established
here do not seem to be fully under
stood as yet by the mine owners of
the Okanogan country; but when
understood will doubtless be pro-
ductive of closer relations between
buyers and sellers than now exist.
Its establishment in Spokane, al
though now In its Infancy, was surely
II step in the right direction.
1t assures the buyer that he Is deal
ing in legitimate and reputable
mining Investments, and will have
n tendency to discourage any wild
cat schemes. Mine owners of the
Okanogan country, as well as other
localities, will not be slow when
they appreciate the advantages that
will be derived from listing of
their mines upon this stock ex-
change to incorporateand otherwise
shape their properties so that the
fullest knowledge of them can be
had by those seeking mining invest
menlsV