The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21
A TRIP TO MOUNT BAKER.
Huge Cone OF Pure Snlphur-Glacier
and . Very Rough Country.

and . Very Rough Country.
SUMAs CRY, June 20.-[Special About
three weeks ago William Radcliffe, John
Shaw and two others, of Blaine, came to
Sumas and started on prospecting trip to
the Cascades. They went through the
north pass to the Columbia valley, and
then up the north fork of the Nooksack
river, which rises east of Mount Baker,
near Mount Shuksan, in Whatcom county.
On their return they brought with them
samples of sulphur in nearly pure state.
The pieces would easily ignite and burn
without fame until entirely consumed.
They report having found this deposit in
conical shape about one hundred and fifty
feet in thickness in one of the side walls of
Glacier creek, which rises in the glacier on
the north side of Mount Baker and flows
to the Nooksack in a northwesterly d.
rection They say that forty railroad cars
could be loaded in a day from the piece
which has fallen at the foot of the main
deposit 1t is probably of no present prac-
tical value, owing to its inaccessibility and
the fact that the commercial value of the
pure article would not admit of Transports
ton any great distance, especially by pack
saddle.
DeyOuu tue spur running HOILn from
Mount Baker, which can be seen from this
place, thirty miles away, and is at this
writing mostly covered with snow, the
party located nine quartz claims, carrying
gold and silver, in which they have great
faith. From Sumas there is now a road
to the north fork of the Nooksack, and a
trail to within five miles of Glacier creek.
The squatters living in the valley are now
cutting trail to Glacier creek, which they
expect to have finished in two weeks. The
Blaine party will then cut a trail from the
creek to the properties located, distance
of about eight miles. They say that it
took them two days to make the eight
miles and return, on account of the rough.
ness of the country. During their trip
they claim to have assembled 5000 feet on
Mount Baker, greater height than has
heretofore been attained, and TO have
crossed the north glacier, which they say
is mostly covered with gravel and dirt
loosened from the melted ice. The glacier
is about IFS feet in thickness. No ex-
tended view could be obtained on account
of the clouds. When crossing the
glacier they came upon a she-hear
and cub. There was only one Winches-
ter in the party, and in that blank shell
had in some way become stuck, rendering
it useless. In their own words, "We bid
good day to the bear, and made wide cir
cult
They report very hard and disagree
able trip, as it rained most of the time they
were out. They were not entirely dry at
any one time during the two weeks
outing
About two miles up Glacier creek they
came upon the camp of Mr.. William Mes
bitt, of Sumas, who joined the party.
Having no safety rope, they cut section
of his tent into strips, with which they
secured themselves one to the other, there
by reducing the risk materially when
passing places particularly hazardous. No
accident happened, but the boys were
about worn out with extra exertion and
damp clothing. They came in from Mes
bits camp with S. E. Moore and William
Garrett, who had been sent out after the
horses belonging to justice Van Valken-
burg. and which had been used for pack
ing by Nesbitt, who was "grub-staked" by
Z. Wolf. the absconding butcher lately
arrested in Seattle.
There has been an excess of rain lately,
Mount Baker having having fairly shown
his head but once for nearly a month
Quite severe hail storm passed over the
valley yesterday afternoon. Hailstones
the size of large peas fell very thick for
fifteen minutes, making the ground white.