The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-04-19
THOSE ARGONAUTS.
More About the Proposed Goldseeking
Expedition.

MORO About the Proposed Goldseeking
Expedition.
The promoters of the enterprise to sift
the sands of the bottom of the Smoky
river III British Columbia for gold are
not allowing the grass to grow under
their feet. The first announcement of
the proposed expedition to be headed by
Cyrus ii. Woodruff of this city was ex-
clusively made in the Express yesterday.
Already one of the most important de-
tails !;,. has been arranged: This is the
building: OF the boat, which will be the
1T was given out authoritatively yester-
day that William Barr, one of the De-
trOit men interested, and II. Il. Killam,
one of the Lockport men, will leave this
city within month to 90 to Qucsnells,
which is about $50 miles from Smoky
river, where they will have the boat built.
This will have to be constructed strongly
engineer of much experience, so he is
sent on to see that the work is done
right
The boat will be quite long. This is
necessary because of the construction of
the machinery. The dimensions are 12O
x32 feet: 1t will not draw more than
four feet loaded. This is one important
feature, as the water is shallow.
After the building of the boat is we'll
under way these two men will send OH
word, and another one of the band will
come on with the machinery, pump and
boiler: As. stated, the pump will be
let soon. The boiler and machinery will
also be bought soon. In fact, it is ex-
pccte1 that one month after the first two
go the third, with he apparatus, will fol-
1t will not take long to place this in po-
sition: Then the others of the party
will follow: They will meet the others
at Quesnclls, and the whole party will
the boat. 1t is intended that the remain
der of the party will leave here by April
| at the latest. 1t will not take more
than fifteen days, it is expected, to make
the trip. Whether it does or not, opera
tons will be begun by May /, if not
sooner.
The operations will be continued till
the ice comes. Now that the plans for the
boat have been completed, it is stated
definitely that $1,000 yards of tho river
bed will be covered each day. The sand
will be sucked UP and run through three
sets of fumes, 1t is customary to have
but one tlumc, but the three fumes will
catch all the more gold. The sand will
be sucked up into one end of the boat as
it goes along and pass into the tume.
On the way all the gold is picked out by
aid of quicksilver and the sand goes out
ut the other end Of the boat.
The river is about il quarter of Il mile
wide. 1t is intended to cover it for a dis
lance of five miles, beginning ut the
mouth. It appears that, originally, the
bed of the river was rock, but the drain
ings from the mountains have laid de-
post of sand OH it. The depth of the de-
post is about two feet. 1t is from this
that it is expected to pick the glittcring
specks.
The owner of the right of the bed of
the river is John t. Hawks, an uncle of
MIR. WOodruffs wife. He is a brother of
T. S. Hawks, who at one time kept the
bookstore on Seneca street Mr.. Wood
ruff has received a sworn statement from
prospectors hired by Mr.. Hawks stating
that the sand in the bed of the river
will yield from 81 to SIS yard.
One man is yet wanted. Three have
been secured from Detroit and three from
Lockport. Mr.. Woodruff thinks that he
will get some sportsman from this city
FOR the eighth man who will 20 just for
the fun of the thing, though he says
there will not be much fun when they
once get to work. No help will be hired,
for it is feared that the sight of the gilt
tering heaps Of money in embryo will be
too much of a weight OH the honesty of
any outsider.
Should the venture be successful, more
boats will be built and the extent of the
operations enlarged.-Buffalo Express.