St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-14
ORES IN THE KooTENAI.
w. @. Nolan Talks About the Min
ing in Tint Country.

w. G. Nolan, collector of customs at
Nelson, on the Canadian side of the
boundary line between the United
States and the British possessions, was
in ST. Paul yesterday. He is going to
Ottawa on official business, and was
in too much of hurry to submit to
more than a few minutes interview
with G 10 b e reporter. Mr.. Nolan
comes from a section that is really in
the Rocky mountains, and about the
only subject he will grow enthusia site
over is mining. He asserts, in effect,
that when Kootenai district, in what
is called the SellSirk range, is devel-
oped the financial question will be set
tied, so far as America is concerned.
Why" said he, eff the men who are
interested out there-and they are
mostly Americans-can get to the
mints the gold and silver con-
tanned in the ore now in reach
they will really have gone far
toward solving this troublesome
financial question. In the half
dozen or so years that have been 10
Gated in the Selkirk range the district
Immediately surrounding us has de-
veloped wonderfully. OF course, even
Western mining camps in the early
days; but it should be remembered
that the country was an absolute will
derness when I first saw it. The
progress made is the work of men who
originally developed the mines of your
Western states. These men are con-
tinuaily moving to the front with their
scent for profitable mining Strikes
hence the Kootenai country Is today
in the hands of Americans, who are
putting their labor and their capital
into it. The Cariboo district is also in
the hands of Americans, for the reason
that the Canadians are not as clever
or as successful at developing the
mining industry"
Asked as to who is most actively in
terested, Mr.. Nolan said: mostly
Montana and Washington capitalists,
who secured a corner on the best prop
critics at the very start. The receipts
from customs duties at Nelson alone
have run as high as S25, 900 and $4,000
a month. This, mind you, is the tax
ON goods going in from the United
States. 1t will show that what 1 say
of the promise of that region is not
idle talk, for three years ago there
was no custom house. Copper, gold
and silver are the metals which pan
out best, especially in what is known
as the Boundary creek district. Only
small portion of a district that is 200
miles square has yet been prospected,
and a good deal of lead is being found
as well as the other metals. A st.
Paul firm. Foley Bros. & Guthrie, has
Just built a line of railroad, known as
the Caswell & SLOGAN road; but as yet
most of the ore is carried to Helena
and Prickly Pear, in Montana, on a
road which runs to Spokane. Tacoma
also gets some ore for reduction; so
does Kansas City and Omaha. Early
in the new year smelters will be in op-
Grafton on the Canadian side, and that
will mean a reduction in freight traf-
fic Of the American roads, which have
received three-quarters of a million
dollars for transportation the past
year. The American port Of entry is
Northport, and the collector at that
point informs me that the collections
ON lead alone amount to over $4,000
month. On lead ore the duty is three
quarters of a cent a pound, and on
the bullion the duty Is one cent. There
DSIlS lEO ulty Oil SOIO kbiANi 'iiNSA
shipped into the states, figures are
hard to get as to amount, but reports
sent to British officials indicate an
output Of about $40, 100000 worth of ore
the past year. A good share of this is
high grade and pays well. These fig
ures include returns from only five
established smelters-the SLOGAN, Star,
Pilot Bay, Hall, Heinz and Trail.
Plenty of high grade ore, of easy ac-
cess, cannot be handled because of the
lack of smelters. On Boundary creek
the Last Chance mine bids fair to out
rival any yet developed, because only
gold and copper will have to be taken
out This is the district where Daily
and his friends have some rich hold
ings. But, after all, while investors
and miners will undoubtedly make
money, settlers can hope for little in
that immediate vicinity for some years
to come. It is a mining mans country
only"