The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-14
MINES AND MINING.
Experienced Prospecter En-
thus;astic Over Trail
IT BEATS ANYTHING Ne svgA SAW
surfhce Indications Moss ProUia1ng-
Development Work shows Ever.
Increasing Riches.
IT BEATS ANYTHING hs evea sAw

J. ". oHsoo. who fer the last ave weeks
has been sa5ouruin6 In the Tran creek
district. returned TO Seattle Sunday on
BUSINESS connected with the camp. He
was seen yesterday By q representa- tive
or the Poss-Intaligeneer, and on being
requested 70 give his views on the min
srA resources Of that famous camp. he
replied as follows:
II left Seattle june I. expecting 10 nnd
. good mining region. but totally unprs-
pared Ton the happy surprise In store for
ne on my arrival At Rossiand- Since the
summer OF 1sea. with the exception OF
few years in Portland and on Puget Sound.
my life has been spent IN the mining
camps OF Nevada. Arizona Utah and
California
II saw the famous conssock Ia iss palmy
days 1 witnessed the rise, progress and
declins OF the rich silver camps at Reese
River. White Pine. Phoebe and Eureka,
New am familiar with the mineral wealth
OF the wasatch ana Oquirrh ranges IN
Utah from their discovery 20 the present
time: was In the principal early geld
quartz camps OF Central Arizona, and IN
ali these i have never witnessed such ex-
tensiys surface Indications as have seen
in my short visit 20 this British Column
sian camp.
Tn al the mining regions with which
! am familiar. one particular property
claims. and rightfuliy. too. the proud
distinction OF being the mine Of the camp:
but In Trail creek this cannot at the pres
ent time be truthfully said. for the true
merit OF any property IN the district can
only be determined as depth Is attained.
and Its true worth is enly commensurate
With the amount of Development work
done; hence the LIE Roi. upon which the
most labor has been expended, Is IN the
lead. with the War Eagle. Center Star,
Iron Mask. Jumbo. Cliff and Josie close
seconds. and the field represented by the
Monte Cristo. Iron Horse. Virginia, City
OF Spokane. Columbia. Kootanay. COM
manier. Crown Point, Lily May. o.
K. May Flower. Mugwump. Blue Bird,
Deer Park and many Others. fast closing
upon the leaders as work progresses.
Surface assays in this district are gen.
eraliy uniform, yielding from a trace 70
"a or S.. and II is rare that higher
result is obtained. Another notable feat
ure In the camp Is that OF ell the pros
poets thus far opened. none has 'p'nched'
out--they have all held their original size
or increased IN size and assay as depth
was gained.
Hard ground and the poverty OF the
prospectors have been a handicap 10 the
development of the many good prospects
as yet scarcely touched by the drill and
hammer. and poor transportation facil-
tiles IN the past have retarded develop
ment OF the producing mines.
THE completion of the tramway that
connects Rossiand and Trail has to a
certain extent acted as Stimulus to pro-
duction. but Ii Is proving hopeiessly In
adequate to the demand. The corbin road,
however. which Is 10 connect Rossland
with the Spokane g. Northern at North
port. IL under construction and will be
completed in the early autumn. when Il
Is expected that the output OF the mines
can De handled and that the mines VIII
be operated 70 their full capacity.
The growth of the town OF Rossland
has been retarded through the scarcity
OF lumber. rough lumber being worth
from SIC to sf4 per 1000 and but one small
mill in the district 70 depend upon fer the
supply
outside OF mines and whisky. thers II
only one thing more that can be said 70
- plentiful. and that Is lahoring men
and mechanics, and I would not sdvisa
the iaboring men Of Seattle 10 GO there
simply to hunt for work. for the market
Is pretty well stocked and living Is high
compared with Seattle.
'-Thera IL plenty Of room. however. fer
energetic business man with reasonable
capital, and for prospectors with sufficient
means 10 equip themselves for the sum
mer. for the mining reeisn Is not confined
to the Trail creek section, which has long
since been thoroughly staked, but nsw
discoveries sre being made in every direo-
ton over radius OF thirty miles from
Rossland. Among these outlying districts
Big Sheep creek on the west. Murphy
creek on the north. Bear, Beaver and
Champion creeks and Salmon river on
the east side OF the Columbia river. all are
showing good results with development"
NJ. ellison secured two properties while
IN Rossland. known as the White Iron
whose merits he Is well satisfied. and
and Hope No and the Columbus, OF
VIII return 70 Rossland about July .
20 commence work upon them.