The Portland daily press., 1895-07-19
A NEW MINING FIELD.
Which American ProspectOrs Are Develop
ing in the Mountain Region of British
Columbia.

~ LOW anu Valuable lnlHlHS uelu ID III
process of active development in the
mountainous region of British Columbia,
the westernmost member of the Dominion
of Canada. In the latitude of Denver
and San Fran cisco the Cordilleras OF
| North America reach their widest expan-
sion, d breadth from east to west of a
| thousand miles. From that region north
ward they rapidly narrow, until at the
British boundary the mountain belt is
only 500 miles. Here this compressed
| mass of ranges is highest near its eastern
edge, facing the great plains, and declines
in broken and rugged slope to the
Pacific The section lying along both
sides of the international line, extending
| southwark into the United States 100
miles and northward into British Colum-
bia 15O miles, possesses many points OF
| structural ani economic interest So
far the most important mineral discover
les are within British territory, but geolo-
gical identity renders it almost certain
that the slower and more thorough pros
| pecting that always follows early discov-
cry will extend the valuable area well
down into the state of Washington.
Access to the region is gained by the
Canadian Pacific railway, which forms
the northern boundary of the mining
| territory and the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific systems, which skirt its
| southern margin, besides several hum
| dred miles of navigable waterways in
Guiding the Columbia river and it's larg-
| er tributaries and several important lakes.
The Spokane Falls and Northern railroad
enters the region from the south. In
| spite OF all these avenues of conlmun1ca-
ton and of several years of active mining
development the region remains in detail
alf-known wilderness. In the eastern
part OF the province both the Selkirks and
Rocky mountain range proper ascend to
| IL, 600 feet, eliminating in peaks covered
with perpetual snow, their gorges choked
with extensive glaciers and their hanks
covered with all but impenetrable forest
The whole aspect of nature is character
lied by profound solemnity.
| Over the British border and into this
grim, difficult region American prospec-
tors have poured during the short working
season of the last five or six years, with
all their characteristic energy. In canoes
they have threaded every lake and river.
With axes they have hewed their way
through tall coniterous forests which
grow almost as dense as a canebrake.
Not snow ridge is SO lofty or inaccessi-
BILE but these hardy fellows have made
their biyouacs by the sides of the glaciers
and prospected literally above the clouds
/ Although this Is British territory it is
curious to note that nearly all the ex-
ploration and discovery is being done by
American prospectors, and about all the
development by American mines. The
Columbian profits in various ways, but
| bo CT md do 1aH haforQ tho at1daaitu and
knowledge of the mining adyenturers
| from the states.
One who has followed the older districts
for years, constantly comes across famil-
lar faces in Columbia cabins and by the
side of mountain camp fires The same
eager, imaginative, dauntless fellow you
saw silver hunting a few years ago among
you now toiling along on snowshoes over
| the icy ridges of the north, keen for gold
/ Thus far only general prospecting re-
connoisance in force has been accom-
plishsd for the whole region south Of the
Canadian Pacific railway, resulting in
the discovery OF many valuable and some
1 brilliant mines. But it is already certain
that the whole field described is one
broad mineralized area. The chief points
| of demonstrated value are the district of
SLOGAN, in the East Kootenai division
| where excellent silver-lead mines are be-
| ing exploited and where the two metals
occur in unusually high percentages in
veins with every evidence of strong extern
sion and permanency-and Trail Greek,
in West Keetenai, six miles west of the
| Columbia and about 10 north of the boun-
Diary. AT both of these points towns are
rapidly building and large permanent
works of development are begun. 1t is
the mines of Trail Creek, near the new
town Of Rossland, which for the moment
| ~, u
from the fact that their veins carry an
extremely rich and unique type of gold
| ore.
Another valuable gold, silver and cop
per district is Boundary Creek, 80 miles
west of Rossland, just within British
territory. Still another wcamp'' is now
the object of a rush. Slate Greek,
Washington, high in the Cascade range,
and but a few miles south of the boun-
Diary:
All these are strung along in a single
belt of precious metal deposit which ex-
tends from Alberta to the Pacific. They
are the first fruits Of the new campaign.
Enough is already kown to warrant the
conclusion that the whole2 of the province
is more or less mineralized
| AS mentioned, the SLOGAN ores carry
higher percentages of lead and silver thar
those of any district in the United States,
and are thus able, in spite of their re-
moteness, to compete in the smelling
market of this country, paying the feder.
al import duty and going as far as Kansas
City. Moreover, their abundance is Of
great Importance, in view of the rapid
exhaustion of rich silver-lead deposits in
the states. AT the depressed value of sill
yer and panic price of lead. SLOGAN is
still able to produce the two metals at a
profit
The Trail Greek gold mines were dis.
covered four years ago, but their regular
development dates from 1898. Their
meteorological character is SO peculiar that
a few points of technical interest may be
mentioned. From the Columbia river
westward extends chain of ancient out.
burts of a dark-green, heavy, and exceed
ingly .hornblendic diorite, an irruptiye
rock often In other countries associated
with occurrences of the precious metals,
These mountain masses of dinorite are
riven in several directions, but mainly
on east and west lines by numerous
series of fssure veins filled with massive
mixture Of ironand copper sulphide carry
ing from one to three ounces of gold to
the ton, from to 10 per cent of copper,
and small varying amount of silver,
usually less than 10 ounces. The ore CON
| ,,-+- - aHo