The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
The Surface Sparkies and
Trembies Like Silver.
A GREAT MICA DEPOSIT
The Story of Its Discovery as Related
by an 0id-Time Pros
pectOr.
Correspondence of THE MoRN1xe CALL

WISH, ike comet blazing IN the glory or
diamonds and gold and then went out of
sight as suddenly as he came-these stories
are entirely without foundation. Higgins
stated to reporter that he had discovered
a vast plain or basin in the Cascade Noun
tains which was completely filed with
deposit OF pure platinum. making the sur
face appear like sea of frosted silver
Since these extrayagant yarns were given
currency. the writer, believing that there
was something more than Higgins imagin-
. alton at the bottom of them, at once began
an investigation among the prospeetors VINO
frequent the Cascades during the prospect
ing season.
One Of the oldest and best prospectors Of
the northern range OF the Cascades is jens
Petersen, 3 hardy Norwegian, who has
spent thirty years among the hills. During
the winter months lie lives in rough log
cabin on the Columbia at the point where
the Wenatehee River empties its waters
into the former stream. Aud IN this cabin
the writer found JeDs Petersen one after
noon during Christmas week when earth
and air and sky were white with snow.
The grizzly cd pr0sDectOr received the
balf-frozen newspaper man with the usual
hospitality Of the old pioneers.
After the writer had been warmed and
fed and irrigated with hot whisky the sub
Ject OF recent mineral discoveries in the
Cascades was brought up. PederseD's deep
blue eyes sparkled with delight when be
learned that he had secured in his guest an
appreclatlve and attentive listener He was
fluent talker and spoke English without
any noticeable foreign accent When the
matter of Higgins great platinum plain
was mentioned Petersen was much amused
and laughed heartily.
III tell you all about that he said,
when his lit Of merrlment bad subsidized,
Il know some thing about that fellow, II u
gins, and | have laughed good deal over
what I've read about him in the newspa-
pers-his great gold, silver and platinum
discoveries He is sort of fly-u u the-creek
euss. not much account. Ha is no good as
an ali-arOund spect0r, because he doesn't
know the difference between yellow mica
and virgin gold, nor white mica from native
silver or platinum"
What kind of place Is this plain or
basin which he claimed is full of platinum
and was discovered by him ?" the writer
asked
ut is one of the great wonders of the
mountains" replied Petersen. But Hig-
gins was by no means the first dseoyerer Of
II. stumbled into that remarkable basin
three years ago and made soundngs there
It's magnificent. a thrilling sight TO stand
on Its mountain border IN clear summers
day and look across the smooth Sloping
plain as the sun makes the surface burn and
sparkle and tremble IKE sea Of boiling
silver But the mineral is worthless, and
for that reason | have paid very little atten-
tlon to il since L made my soundings."
wv here is this basin Situated, what are its
dimen sions, and What does it contain in the
way OF minerals
The basin can be most readily reached
by following the south fork of the Wen
atehee River and rounding the base of
Mount Stuart, then turning due north. grad
ually ascending for distance OF about
mil hy 20 n i tn,
three years ago untraveled route that !
first discovered tie great mica basin. / had
reached the top Of high and barren eieya-
ton that circled to the north. northwest
south and southwest. | being on the eastern
rim, so to speak. IL was about clock in
the afternoon ana the suns rays came
Slantlng just right for most magnificent
effect. As | reached the sdmmit of the ele-
walton already spoken OF l WAS almost
blinded by the radiant sea that stretched
out before me. The entire surface of the
basin was blazing with reflected light like
the SUP itself, and straight before me, be-
tween me and the sun, there seemed TO be
suspended a gigantic bridge of celors. gold.
amethyst. ruby, and all the lights and
shades OF the rainbow
1T was fully half an hour" continued
Mr.. Petersen. before i had sufficiently
recovered from my aston ishmeut 10 act
nationally In the premises. Finally, when
| had fully enjoyed the novelty of the
scene, Inc spirit OF lH6 pr Speet0r arose
within me and curiosity asserted Its sway.
Taking with ME nay small pick and long
steel drill. ! descended the slope, which is
composed OF bare rock, and was soon on
the surface of the glittering plain. The
basin is nine miles across, almost circular
in form, and its bottom dips considerably to
the southwest, where IL opens into wind
ing canyon. the bottom OF which is covered
with mica deposits The slope of the basins
bottom insureS clean washing of It's sur
lace by rains and the water that comes
from the melting snow, hence its clearness
aud briliiancy 1t did not take long To
ascertain that the substa on which | was
walking was mica, aud knowing that this
mineral is valuable il found In the proper
condition | began 10 investigate the vast
deposit. But TO my great disappointment |
found that 1t was cTumbed, small and sealy
and entirely unfit for the mechanical uses
TO which that mineral is put.
"On the following day" he went on, 81
walked 10 the very center of the basin and
opeDed prospect bole five feet deep but
without any better result The mineral
grew softer as | went deeper into the bed of
1t and seemed to have been In state of ac-
tive fermentat some previous period. clearly
indicating the presence OF large percent
age Of lkaline salts. Without spending any
more time and labor IN digging useless
prospect hole. / still determined 10 sound
the ground as deep as possible with my
drill. Acting on this idea / set the drill
into the bottom OF The prospect and vent 10
work. Ii was easy enough to sink 1t. In
less than two hours / had the drill down
SIX teet and the substance through which !
was working seemed soft as wax. Sud-
denly, as | made an extra hard stroke the
drill slipped from my grasp and went almost
out OF sight, having descending fully four
feet at one blow. Enough of the Instrument
projected. however, 10 give me hold ard |
at once withdrew Il. From the tip four feet
uD 1t was covered with gummy fluid THAI
Immediately CONCEALED in the atmosphere
and formed coating of snOw-wbite fakes,
very like the substance that composed The
surface OF the BASIN" Here Mr. Petersen
paused. lit his pipe and drew several ldpg
draughts.
We'll. what was the valne of your dis
covery?"
"Humphl Well, I'll tell you--there's no
harm In that" he replied. II secured
specimens of the gummy stun as well as the
surface depost. / sent them East for
analysis and spent SIS in doing So One of
The best chemists and metallurgiSts In the
United States did the job for me. In ABOUT
SIX weeks received an answer giving the
result OF the assay. which was 10 the effect
that the mineral | had sent contained a
large percentage OF mica. some borax, some
sodium, three or four different kinds OF I'M
namable natural acids. little calcium; aud
closing lie report was the cheering lnforma-
ton that owing to the peculiar composition
and condition OF the mineral, it was worth
In the commerce of the world-not one cent.
AS | said, 1t cost me seventy-fve hard
earned dollars to find this out
AS for Gold Dust Arthur Higgins" he
added, he Is quite welcome TO claim this
great deposit OF platinum, Notwithstanding
the fact that | discovered it long before he
ever tried to prospect in the Cascades
Spokane. Jan. "a ROBERT ST. CYR.