The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-27
THE MINERS MECCA.
A Rush of Prospectors to the
East and West KOOtenai.
At THE coLuMsIA's SOURCE.
Work On the Nelson b Fort Sheppard
Road-Union Pacific Earnings-
A Quick Sea Voyage.

There it likely to be as much develop
ment in the East kootenai country as in
the West Kootenai this year, according to
the accounts brought back by A. d.
Scroggy. contracting freight agent of the
Canadian Pacific road, who has just re-
turned from trip of investigation into
the prospects for business there. OF this
country Mr.. Scroggy said yesterday:
went over the Canadian Pacific to Golden,
r. C.. and from there took a sleigh with Capt
F. 7. Armstrong, manager of the Upper Colum-
ba Navigation 4 Tramway Company, to spilla-
mschene, fifty miles away. Then We went by
wagon to Wasa. 100 miles; then We took . small
rowboat to Fort steel, and from there on to Jen-
nings, Mont, rowing the whole distance.
The Eas. kootenai country is a wide. rich val
ley, extending along the Upper Columbia to the
north and the Kootenai southwark across the
boundary into Montana Ii is q fine farming
and grain country. the valley being from five
to ten miles wide, lille the mountains on each
aide have several rich mines. The country has
been settled for twenty-five to thirty years. but
IL was inaccessible until the Canadian Pacific
was buik Now it is accessible from the main
line by means of steamers which run on the
Upper Columbia river from Golden 10 the lakes
at its source, and q wagon road runs from
Golden to a point ten miles below Fort Steel,
while trails reach the different settlements.
The Columbia rises in some springs in what
is known AS Canal fat. only mile from where
the Kootenal flows by from its source III a
meadow in the Leanchoil range OF the Rocky
mountains. The Kootenai flows into the CO.
iumbia 100 or 800 miles down the latter river at
Robson. Some five or six years ago a canal was
built to connect the two rivers at Canal fiat and
was expected to give boat communication be-
tween them, but it is out OF repair. An appro-
pration OF s, 800 is expected to put it in repair
thiss year, SO that it can be used by light draft
boats on the two rivers. 1t is just little short
OF a mile long and has lock midway, because
there is q fall of about ten feet toward the Co.
lumbia Forty-five miles lower down the Koot-
enai than this canal is Fort Steel, the principal
trading point of East Kootenai.
The mines of this district are said to be very
rich in gold, silver and lead; in fact, this IL the
the first part OF the Kootenai country where
gold was discovered. The country is full of
prospectors and more are going in. The de-
velopment of the mines is very easy, for they
are all in the side hills, SO that the ore can be
Quarried aud no tunneling is necessary. The
Thunder Hill Mining Company is developing a
group of mines OF which the Thunder Hill is the
the principal. situated about $50 feet above the
level OF the Upper Columbia lake. 1t is reached
by tramway, about a mile and half long, and
a seventyhve-ton concentration will be in opera
ton in about ten days The ore is mined out
OF the side OF the mountain just like a quarry
and loaded in cars which run down the
tramway to the ore bins. from which it goes
to the concentration. The concentrates will
be shipped to the shelters at Great Falls and
Tacoma. Four miles from Fort Steel, on Wild
Horse creek. are very extensive placer diggings,
which for number of years were worked by
the Chinese, but have recently gone into the
hands of an English syndicate which is putting
in a hydraulic plant for their further develop
ment There are other rich placer diggings in
Wild Horse creek which have not been worked,
as we'll as in Weaver creek and Niger creek.
The North Star mine. about twenty-five miles
west OF Fort Steel in the Selkirk range, said 10
be the largest body of valuable ore ever discov-
cred in any country. 1t is a solid body of ore
thirty-fve feet wide, and is very rich. The dis
sold it to Montreal parties for $40 00O and
they have located all the country around and
are getting in men and machinery to develop ii.
There is other development going on, and good
deal of work will be done this year.
The easiest way into the country is by train to
Golden, where connection is made with the
steamer Duchess, a finely appointed little boat
with accommodations for twenty-five cabin and
eighty deck passengers. The trips made from
Golden in daylight to the head OF navigation on
the Columbia at the canal. The traveller passes
the Rockies on one side ana the Selkirks on the
other, both rising to very high attitudes, often
as high "a 10000 feet The river and its trIbu-
taries are full of trout, salmon and ling, and the
mountains are full Of game, such as mountain
sheep. deer, elk, lynx, coyotes, prairie chickens,
pariridges. blue grouse, quail and snipe. Am
pie opportunity is offered sportsmen AZ any of
the ranches along the valley near the steamer
landings to stop over night or as long as they
please. and the settlers are very hospitabie and
treat strangers with great consideration.
One OF the principal points OF interest is the
hot springs on Sinclair creek about sixty-fiye
miles from Code Il, at an elevation OF about g.
500 feet above sea level They are at the head
of deep canyon right in the heart OF the Rocky
mountains Ii is claimed by the Indians and
old settlers that the curative qualities of the
springs are wonderful Tor they have been tried
on rheumatism and skin diseases with great
success. We met people on the way to camp
out at the springs, though a man named Mckay
has fine ranch within half II mile where peo-
pie can stop. The owner OF the springs intends
to build wagon road this year from the steamer
landing aud will have to build a suspension
bridge across the canyon at height OF 600 feet
and quarter Of a mile long, including the ap-
proaches. One can also see the spawning beds
of the salmon on the upper Coiumbie, Tor tho
water y very clear and at certain seasons the
salmon can be seen in the hoes in which they
spawn.
The steamers cannot run on the river for the
30 miles between Golden and Revelstoke be-
cause II Is fult OF rapids, daleS and falls where
itcuts through the SeiAirks
There Is less snow in that valley than in other
parts OF the kootenai country, but this winter
has been very severe, and the settlers have suf-
feref heavy losses of cattle, but not enough to
discourage them. While the land is very pro-
ductive Il is cheap, for you can get ali you want
for s. - per acre Ii Is weii-timbe with tam
aFsok. pine and cedar, though It is not as large
} as on the sound There are "a number OF saw
mills along the river.