, 1890-04-24
IN TWO RICH MINES.
A Descent Into the Tiger and
the Poorman.
HOW THE ORE is CONCENTRATED
A Rich Field for Capital--A Trip
From Wallace to Burke
and Gem.

and Gem.
fs,ar Correspondence Of the REVIEW
Although Cmur dAlene has be.
come one Of the greatest silverlcnd
producing camps In the world, she
Is yet In the morning of her develop
mcnt. Nearly every property that
has been thoroughly developed has
proved II profitable roducer.
In common with the entire West,
the greatest need of these camps is
capital. They are not a "poor mans
country" In the mining sense; none
Of the mines have paid from the
grass-roots; but wherever the WITTY
Ing touch of capital has been felt,
the well defined leads have been
shown 10 he the storchouses OF ma
turc, wherein for countless ages
metals useful Ia man rs II medium
OF exchange aud for employment In
the arts have been held in reserve.
Canyon creek to-day has more big
mines In successful operation than
any other section of similar extent
upon the face of the globe. Five
concentrators ARE scattered along
the deep gulch between Wallace and
Burke, and all of them arc working
day and night. In the rich mines
which supply the ores for theSc con.
contrators hundreds or men are en-
pioyed Mt wages ranging between
a. and ~ per day. It IL n low es-
tinn,e to place the payroll of these
five concon,ratOrs and their mines
at $1,000 per day. In fact the agprc-
gate expenditure for wages IN Il
year Is not far from half IA million
dollars. OF course this makes lively
times In Wallace, Gem and Burke.
But these towns Will he livelier this
I summer.
-.
a narrow-gaugc branch OF the
Cpm d'Alone Railway n Naviga-
tion Company's system runs up the
narrow canyon between Wallace
and Burke. Prior to the extension
of this line the only means NJ COM
municntiun wfts over trail that
was a caution In summer and u
holy terror In wintcr The railroad
company can not make u rapid run
nj present, ms the rondhed Is rather
shaky, aud they carry their pas.
sougers In n calouSc, but this mode
of travel IA the height of luxury in
comparison with the old. aud few
are 50 inconsideratc rs to complain
nt the change.
must admit that saw Canyon
creek under dispirting conditions.
The day WAS lowering and the air
was chilly. snow was falling in
great flakes, and the muddy creek
had turned itself loose In the bot
tom, and was running among the
cedar trees aud undcrbrush pretty
Ymuch as II pleased. still the ride
was interesting. \ solemn hush
had fallen over the majestic hand
scape, aud save the cluticr OF the
cars and the liquid melody of the
swollen stream, no voice disturbed
the stiffness of the wide sweeping
solitude.
-
At Burke | found typical min
Ing town. II lies In n narrow gulch,
extending for II distance Of half a
mile or 80, on either side Of u Il rect
so narrow that one could almost
leap from doorway to doorway.
Here life seems free and easy. The
miners are u froe-heared, Intelligent
race of physical giants ns u rule,
men who have Travelled extensively
and who have laid by IA stock of
worldly knowledge. Unfortunately
many of them have not yet learned
the value of money. They are too
fond Of joviality. They love the
click of ivory chips, the cllnk OF
|. glasses and the wild abandon ol
of easy virtue. NJ any of
hem, however, save their winter
FSarnlngs. lnaiittIc while they will
abandon the dark levels aud Slopes
and take To the wild mountains
with pick and shovel. These are
the men who pave the way for capi-
tai. They toll in winter SHOWS and
under the blazing sun of summer,
and too often their reward is not
commensurate with their great SER
vice to capital and the world.
-
Two painted women of the town,
children In years hut old In the
ways of inlnmy, came swHggcrlug
down the narrow street, laughing
coarcly and swearing In u loud
voice like pirates. A little crowd of
miners stopped To 'josh" with them
but they were forced to fly the field.
The womon's tongues were too much
for them. Night was approaching
with swift wings, and lights CLEANED
from many n saloon, From an open
doorway the rattle of gambling
checks was heard, hut with tho cx-
ccption of the loud-mouthcd courtc-
sans everything seemed orderly
Apough.
Wherever the traveller sojourns In
he Cmur d'Alencs he finds good
hotels. Tho fare Is appctlzing, the
service excellent, and the beds clean
and comfortable. The Tiger hotel
at Burke Is no exception to the rule.
The Office IL large, well-lightcd and
cheerful II Ia np;phni IL, ,n,i,,o