Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-12
GREAT RACE FOR WEALTH.


From the New York Times.
A fifty-mile race over mountain trails for
a two-million-dollar mine, participated i'm
by FEEDER IL employe and a miner, was am
exciting adventure last week in connection
with the opening of the great Colville In
dian reservation, in Eastern Washington. ,
A score of prominent men are primarily
interested in the outcome Of that race, and
present appearances indicate that they
have won. They expect to make fortunes
out of the mine. This race for wealth IL
lcstrates the excitement attendant upon
the opening of the great western reservaS
tions.
The Coleman syndicate, whose man Won
last weeks race. was organized by Juiga
A r. Coleman of Port Townsend. Inter-
ested with him are Judge w. II. Brinker.
United States District Attorney F. c. Rob-
ertscn, and his assistant, Judge c. S. Fogs.
Judge Coleman became interested soma
time ago in the lie F'leur copper and sill
Yer claim, on the Colvlle reserve, fifty
miles from Marcus, on the Spokane and
Northern railroad. lie Tleur is a French
man who discovered the claim years ago,
and has been watching it ever since. Cole
man filed eight claims on the property, but
the Russell syndicate, headed by Col. ]. N
Russell OF Spokane, promptly filed claims
over his. The Russell people claimed that
the reservation was already open under an
act OF Congress, though the Presidents for
NAL proclamation had never been issued
They took the matter into the federal
court, and Judge Hanford now has the
question under Amusement.
The Coleman syndicate requested Con-
gress to open the reservation, and promi-
nent men went to Washington city to show
Cor greSs how the public good would ba
conserved, as II has BEEN by its opening
The necessary bill was passed February IL.
Judge Coleman went Immediately from
FORT Townsend to the mine. The rights Of
sooners' being questioned, it was decided
that a man must be stationed at Marcus
TO receive the news Of the Presidents sign
ing the bill, and then to ride as fast as he
could for the claim. To perform tn $ feat
John McCool of the Coleman syndicate, and
also collector of customs at Marcus was
selected. McCool was, in fact, one of the
original discoveries of the mine.
McCool was at Marcus the following
Thursday morning, awaiting a telegram
from washington, stating that President
Cleveland had signed the bill. The Russell
syndicate, equally clever. had Mark GIL
main at Marcus to perform similar feat
Tor them The expected telegram came
early in the afternoon. McCool and Gil
main started on their lonely fifty-mile race
over rough. tortuous trail Each covered
the distance in less than five hours but
Gilman, having the better horse. reached
the destination first. But he did not post
any notices. Judge Coleman was in pos
session. He had with him an Irishman
ana an Indian. and they We're prepared TO
use artillery If need be, to keep unwelcome
visitors away.
When McCool arrived, he was greeted
cordially by Judge Coleman, the latter
quietly remarking that no claim flers had
yet put in an appearance. Gilman is
quoted as stating that he did not post any
notices because he did not wish to he shot.
McCoofs notices were promptly posted
The LIE Fleur claim is situated on the
fourth OF July Creek, and is said to be
the richest claim in that region Ii is es-
timated to be worth s2.GlO.OdO as it stands.
Assays here have run $50 to $S5 per ton in
copper and silver. 1t will soon be trans
ferred to the Tenasket Mining Company,
organized here by the Coleman syndicate
several months ago, with a capital of So
WhOOO 1t is possible that the Russell SYN.
dictate will make a contest