The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-27
new SOFT ORE DISTRICT
Miles Of Lead Carbonates on Prich-
ard Creek, Cgur d'Alene
Region.
Strikes That Promise to Rival
Leadville in Extent and
Value.
Millions in Lead Passed by in the Rush
for Gold-How the New Strikes
Were Made

MURRAY, Idaho, May 26.-[Special.] 1T
may seem singular to outside mining men,
unfamiliar with the nature of the territory
tributary to Prichard creek, and perhaps
very strange to men not acquainted with
mining, that at this late day the purest and
most extensive lead deposits in the great
Occur d'Alene mining region should be
found at the very threshold of the large
gold quartz and placer deposits which
abound in and surround Prichard creek
the mother of the Cnur d'Alene mines. Yet
such is the fact. But the strangest part
about the whole matter is that the existence
of carbonate ore was known here in 1884
before any discoveries were made on the
South Fork at all. For six years, however,
they have lain dormant, awaiting new blood
and additional discoveries to bring them in
to prominence.
In the summer of 1884 VIM. Morrell (now
at Chloride, Pend d'Oreille )and John Fltz-
gerald (now of Wardner) found some car
Donate ore high up on the mountain from
the recent strike, distant about 1000 feet.
They did not say anything about it. as
gold was uppermost in their minds. Every
BODY wanted gold in those days, and like
Bunker Hill and Sullivan. they abandoned
the location. During the Chloride excite
ment on Lake Pend d'Oreille, two winters
ago, which drew hundreds of miners from
Prichard Greek. Bill Morrell one day itold
Jack Kincannon, who now lives on upper
Prichard creek. that he knew of good
carbonate prospect above Murray, and de-
scribed the location in detail. Mr.. Kin
cannon returned to Prichard creek last
summer and Immediately hunted for the
carbonate claim. He found it without
trouble, and relocated it in his own name.
He did little work, but found the
claim 80 high up on the mountain
and difficult of access, and being poor i'll
purse, that he sold the property to w. H.
Douty and Geo. Chapman for $50. The
new owners sank shaft to the depth of
thirty feet on the ledge, found fine carbon"
ate ore and quit. Some of tho ore was
brought to Littletield last summer by Mr..
Kincannon, bnt he kept the situation of
his claim secret. So did the purchasers.
They would only say it was somewhere near
the head of Prichard creek.
Geo. T. Cater, who WAS one of the dis
coverers Of the Poorman mine at Burke,
and who sold his interest in that claim for
$4,000, together with S. Darling, obtained
some information of the discovery of car
Donate ore on this side. and for nearly a
the mountain to the Burke divide a num-
Der of times end remained absent several
weeks at q time, cropping through the dense
pineries and suffering innumerable pri-
vations, but they could find nothing. The
region was most difficult one to prospect
in. They finally concluded to try Prichard
creek. After several weeks of careful search
they found piece of float galena, below
where the recent discovery was made.
This they traced up ravine for about 300
yards where, by a little labor, they found
some iron groupings The eapes,snee and
mediately told them the treasurer house had
been found.
They uncovered the groupings and ledge
in the ravine for several feet. They then
concluded to run tunnel few feet to the
west and so feet below to crosscut the ledge.
They penetrated the mountain distance
of 100 feet, but found only seams of galena,
the country rock being intensely hard.
They temporarily abandoned this tunnel
and began two cuts into the hill several
hundred feet to the westward. Mr.. Darling
working in one and Mr.. Cater in the other.
Here the strike was really made. Mr.. Darl.
ing's cut, at distance of about seven feet
from the surface, reached ledge of from
seven to eight feet in width, with firm
foot-wall, but practically no hanging wall
the ledge being surmounted by an iron cap
ping and containing carbonate of iron ant
pure carbonates, mixed with galena ant
quartz. They then kept on running cut
every hundred feet or 80 on the ledge ant
some away from it, exposing the vein for
distance of 800 feet.
"
the purest carhonates two feet and fou
inches in width. This is near the center o
the location. From this spot a number o
assays have been made. These range from
40 to 1856 ounces i'll silver and from 90 to I
per cent lead, showing that is rythin
that could be desired by the locators or tn
people of this camp. There are eight cut
on the vein in the 800 feet, and all of then
show carbonate ore, the ledge being a
strong at one end of the location as at tn
other, so that the ore body exposed on tn
surface form, perhaps, one of the bes
discovery claim. Here, therefore, is
property showing up ledge for a lengt
of 1900 feet, which has an underlined widt
of from four to eight feet. containing or
that may be shipped to the railroad at ono
in wagons at good profit On the extrem
western end of the claim tunnel is bein
run to cross the ledge 20 feet from tn
surface. and as it shows we'll on top it ma
reasonably be expected to continue SO i
depth. And it will prove SO, too, for tn
ledge formation on the surface is we'll d.
\ fined. This claim is called the Barton. an
is one of the best located claims the write
\ has ever seen, the center end stakes bein
placed on the direct trend of the led1'
which runs due east and west by the point
of the compass 1t was also surveyed b
w. Clayton Miller.
The locators also have an eastern an
western extension. and their wives have ad
joining claims. all of which show mineral
something unusual i'll mining 10 cation dur
ing an exciting period.
Before the extensions, were made, tw
weeks ago. Frank Stevens of the Occiden
company, was prospecting on the opposit
mountain across the canyon. The me-
dump piles of Messrs. Cater and Darlin
attracted his attention, and he made hi
way over to them. He became wild wit
the sight that met his gaze. and when
returned home he informed his associate
of the strike. This was on Saturday, Ma
10, and the same evening the news sprea
rapidly that 4 hi, strike of carbonate OF
had been made up the gulch. Had it n,
been for this circumstance the new disco,
cries would probably not have been mat
known to the world for weeks, perhaps f.
months. The discoveries, however, col
cluded their locations before the rush can
along, and are now perfectly secure fro
any possible litigation. They also have
mill site on the creek. 800 yards below. I'll
mine is beautifully located for easy al
economical working. A dense forest of fiji
timber grows ON the side of the mountai
which slopes gently to the gulch. As SOC
as the tunnel now being run on the westel
end of the claim strikes the ledge ore is
be shipped, and this will be gobbled up
the smelling men with avidity, as it is pc
fectly free from zinc or antimony. and
the easiest smelling ore dug out of Il
ground.
The western extension of the Barton
the Salem. This shows the ledge. To I
west of this claim Frank and Robert Ste