The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-24
VISIT TO THE MINES.
Operations at Silver Creek and
Monte Cristo.
SIGNS OF UNLIMITED WEALTH.
Evidence ut the Surface That the Ore
Depth development Results.

ted in Idaho properties. Mr.. Hathaway
is best known throughout the West in con-
nection with his two banks in Colorado.
He took advantage Of a visit to the Sound
to spend q few days in the Cascade noun
tains. He was interviewed yesterday by a
PosT- ISTEILiGEscER reporter as to his i'm
preston of indications of precious metals
in that region.
II am rather reluctant, he said, "to say
anything for publication, and what do
say must be qualified by the explanation
that my trip only occupied seven days. 1t
would take fully three weeks to make
such an examination as / would make II
were personally concerned. | made the
trip only as a matter of interest, as nad
heard SO much of the discoveries.
II started for Silver creek by way OF
Snohonish and there took saddle for wal
lace. did not stay long at the Vandalia,
although there has been considerable
work done here / crossed the divide ana
went on to the Monte Cristo district
1.-THE mineral conditions there are
rather unlike most met with in my other
experiences, am more familiar with ores
found in lime and porphyry, such as at
Ieadyille. than with the granite and
syenites which find here. They are not
at all uncommon. OF course, and the great
Comstock lode is in syenite. The ores here
are not free ores, but are mixed with the
baser metals, with zinc and arsenic and
will generally have to be treated by the
smelling process, although i saw great
quantities which could be successfully
treated by COLONIZATION.
Il Judge from the manifestations on the
surface that the quantity from either the Sill
yer Creek or Monte Cristo districts is prac-
tlcally iIlimtable. / never saw such real
manifestations of precious metal ores at
the surface There is every evidence at
the surface that these ore bodies will con-
tinue TO great depth and cannot be ex-
hausted by development for many years.
In fact nature has done far more than any
where else that know of 10 display her
wealth. 1t remains only for the intelli-
gent application of capital to take it. The
country is mountainous and of course very
rough. 1t is not part of the country
where man would go for recreation, nor
is such a trip at present desirable for those
not used to camping-out experiences. But
already the prospector shows the result
of his work. He CROPPED his way at first,
then a trail was made, he carried his kit
on his back, then way was made for pack
horses. They have wagon road part of
the way, and soon the railroad will be in.
The wagon road up the Sank river to the
Monte Cristo district is already up within
seven miles of completion"
did you pay any special attention to
the ores or to particular mines ?" he was
asked.
mot very close on the top. My idea
IS to see what nature had done, to get
general idea of the ore indications. | saw
many samples, of course, and at some of
the mines stopped and made an exami-
nation sufficient to satisfy myself as to the
promises of immense quantities of gold
and silver.
"On the Seventy-six, in the Monte Cristo
district, saw on the surface hundreds of
tons of ore outcropping which needed but
the simplest methods of practical mining
70 produce great quantities of ore ready
for the market.
''At the Vandalia, on the Silver creek
side, found continuous body of ore ex-
posed in a tunnel to a length of go feet.
which, from Its character. could be easily
and cheaply mined. had no opportuni-
ties for making any tests of the value of
the ores. but saw numbers of assays of
samples of ore taken from prospects which
] examined carrying sufficient value in
gold, silver and lead to make the product
of such properties extremely profitable
when mined.
AT Pride of the Mountains. Pride of the
Woods, Eighty-nine, Mystery, Rainey and
1bex found very large deposits and out
groupings of ore. l saw enough to satisfy
me as to the great wealth of the district,
and all it needs is work to yield it in I'M
limited quantities"
"Do you think it practicable to build a
railroad up into the region?"
"0h, yes; the journey from Silver creek
to Monte Cristo is for six miles terribly
rough, but no insurmountable obstacles
exist to modern railroad engineering. A
railroad from Hamilton via Sank City
could be easily and comparatively cheaply
built
Would railroad pay2"
"You can have no idea of the vast guam
tity of ores in sight without personal in
spection. There are, in my judgment,
surface indications on several different
mining claims which would furnish, when
exploited, sufficient daily tonnage to justify
building branch railroad into this sort of
country. There are three railroads into
Leadville, and the daily output for ship
ment is 1900 tons over all of them. If
these Cascade mines are worked until
their output is 1000 tons a day, that is,
loading fifty cars a day, and if the ore is
treated in Seattle it will double your pop
ulation and wealth in five years"
"rhe freight and manipulation of these
ores would not be less than s.. 900, 900 a
year: this does not include the cost of
mining. You can see what productive in
dustries il would start IN in coal, coke.
limestone, lumber: then iron foundries
would be needed. machine shops, ocean
freight. followed by butchers, bakers,
grocers and so on. 1t would stimulate
every existing industry and create new
ones"
should the smelter and concentrating
works he at Seattle rather than at a point
nearer the mines2"
Undoubtedly. Any practical smelter
will tell you that. Ii is much better 10
have the ores of all districts. The metal
lurgist makes up his smelling charge with
view TO equitable Ingredients What Is
lacking in the ore Of one district would be
supplied from another So rs 10 get the best
results. One very important thing is lime,
and I'm told you have great deposits of it.
Another reason Is that mining men will
always flock 10 money center"
lis the railroad likely 10 be open soon ?"
Il really don't know. / have no per
sonal interest beyond that of Iooker-on
! see no reason TO doubt 4 railroad being
built. There's enough ore in sight 10 nav
dividends for years. ore is very deSira-
bic freight for railroads. IL is easily ham
died II affor,is a n arreahle Uaight vcftR, ,,,,