The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-18
IN THE SLOGAN COUNTRY
Men Arriving in Kaslo at the Rate
of Over a Hundred
a Day.
Nothing Doing There at Present.
Owing to tho Depth of
Snow.
A Montana Man Speaks Highly OF tho
Mines, hut n Spokane Man Not
Fayorably Impressed.
Special TO The Independent.

on Elathead lake, mas JuSt reeu'hSa "
trip to tho SLOGAN country, where he went
to investigate the possibilities OF
navigation in that vicinity. lie
went by way OF Bonner Ferry,
from which point to Kalso two steamers are
now running, the Nelson and the Spokane.
The State of Idaho will be running bv the
goth. 1t is q fast boat and is supplied with
electric lights and other modern convent
ences.
Bonner's Ferry, Mr.. CLANCY said, is a
lively little town. just at present hliea up
with strangers ell route to the SLOGAN. tie
thought it probably had a resident popula-
ton Of about 500. There were two hotels,
fifteen saloons and four or five stores. Inc
trim by steamer from Bonner's Ferry TO
kalso is a very pleasant one. The distance
ia about l45 miles and the trip takes ten
hours. Seventy miles of this is dow the
Kootenai river and the balance ID on the
Kootenai lake. The kootenai lake is about
100 miles in length and averages sig miles
in width. Kaslo is near the lower end'
The mountains in nearly all places rise
precipitously from the waters edge, and
there are but three or four places whore a
steamer could put in in case of storm. A
9O0-foot line let down tailed to touch bot
tom.
Kaslo now has about 5000 people, but
this number is increasing at the rate OF
over 100 daily. Good meals can be obtained
at reasonable rates. but sleeping accommo-
dstions are very poor. There are plenty of
houses, but no furniture In them. The
boat will arrive with 100 passengers aboard,
and there will not be an unoccupied bed IN
the town. Alarge portion OF the steamers
freieht will be furniture and bedding,
which 10 Immediately removed to houses to
accommodate the arrivals that came on the
same boat. No saloon licenses are given,
but there are nine hotels, all OF which have
bars. The New SLOGAN hotel is tho largest,
having seyenty-two rooms. There are sew
eral billiard halls where temperance drinks
srs sold. Those who have been initiated,
however, can get a stick in the temperance
beverages if so desired. There are also q
large number of cigar stores with club
rooms in the rear. The exact purpose OF
the said club rooms is not stated. as accord
ing to the laws of the land gambling is
no supposed to be tolerated. There are
FIVE stores, but the shelves are nearly bare,
the goods having been sold nearly as fast
70 they arrived. Kaslo came very near suf-
ferinp from a food famine this winter.
There is no snow in Kaslo, but a few miles
in the mountains 1t ia very deer. owing to
snow slides. Tho ore teams have all been
taken off, and the mines will be closed I'M
ill the snow melts. So Kaslo is full Of idle
men.
The real estate boom has struck the
whole of the Kootenai lake country. Num-
erous towns have been plated and lots are
being sold in a dozen different camps, some
of which have not a half dozen houses.
From $1,000 to IS, 600 are asked for bust
ness lots in Kaslo which could have been
bought a few months ago for $500.
It is from twenty to thirty miles from
Kaslo to the principle mines. The right OF
way for a railroad is being cut from Kaslo
toward the mines. The shipping pro- critics
are located near the divide between the
Kootenai and SLOGAN lakes. The most
prominent ones are the Washington, We'll
~lington, Dardinelles Best. Noble Five group
Big Bertha, Freddie Lee, Idaho. Silver
Glance and SLOGAN Boy. The latest mar
shows tifly-four mines located, and extern
sions to these will run the number up te
about 800. according to the records of the
district. The original discoveries were
made by Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton. 6
little more than a year since. The first ore
shipped was from the Dardenells last July.
1t was ten tons, and after paying all pack
ing. smelling and freight charges nettec
S. 600.
New Denver is on the SLOGAN lake at thu
mouth of Carpenter creek, and about the
same distance as kaslo from the mines
SLOGAN lake is about fifteen miles long. Blu
the SLOGAN river below the lake Is no
navigabls. There is a small steamer on tn
lake.
The Lardo and Duncan river c~ountrie
are attracting considerable attention. TIL
Lardo empties into the lake eighteen mile
north of Kaslo. The Duncan IS H fork o
this stream, coming in twelve miles fror
its mouth. The own of Lardo is on tn
lake, at the mouth of the river. and Dunca
City is at tho forks. BY blowing out 10
jams the river will be Manageable to tn
forks.
The Golden Eagle and Caribilon minei
on the Lardo, are located about fftee
miles from Duncan City. They are gol
quartz and a e said to be vety Iich. The
were located by san, Forbes, formerly
resident of Missoula. Forbes had his shou
der dislocated and three or four RIBS broke
by a snowslide coming on: last winter.
The government ls now engaged In bul+
ing a trail from Lardo to the upper Koott
mai lake, the outlet and inlet OF which
tie Duncan liver. This lake is abo
twenty miles long and tho mountains II
nearly perpendicular from the waite
edge on all sides. 1t Is thought that L ma
igable channel can be ma 70 from tho low
to the upper Kootenai lake. Nunerc
claims have o8en located on both the La
and Duncan rivers but little or no deyclt
ment work has been done on them. &c
siderable nigh grade gold quartz ia said
have been discovered. There have be
placer miues worked in the section 70
number of years.
The most of the ptospectors and busin
men IN the whole Kootenni lake couu
are citizens of tho United States. There
not nearly az large q proportion of Cai
dians as on thia side of the line. !
laws are liberal, but do not allow one p
son to locate more than one Gle
on q ledge nor mote than two claim /
district, but when he has sold Il claim
has the privilege Of locating another.
minei's license Id iequired of every per
prospecting or working in mines.
miners license gives the holder "a right
kill game and fish at all seasons Of
year. The license costs s., and the ievel
tax which must be obtained with 1t ID
Without a license a person is not hllo'
to hunt, hsh or cut bait. and unless
miner has one the law gives no protect
III the collection OF wages. This is tru
any occupation, mining or otherwise.
fact it is very difficult to eugnge in
kind of business without a license.
license is u issued by IN officer called a s
commissioner and the mining recort
under him. The gold commissioner
little autocrat with almost unlimited p
ers. He settles all disputes us TO titles,
Judge in disputes relating TO wages,
collection of the same.