The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-08
OPEN THD WAY TO THU Mines.

ersi discoveries have also been made NJ
the head OF the several forks of the Sno-
quztr1.e. and their development would be
stimulated BY the extension of tae roads
TO cover that whole watershed
In snohenaish and sksxit.
In snonorafsh county as much has been
done in the way Of opening the mining
districts 10. development as IN any county
In the state. but much remains to be done-
The wagon road built by the Wilmars
brothers up the south fork Of the Sank.
in order 10 take their machinery into
Monte Crfsso. has been taken over by Sno-
honaish and Skaeft cointies and kept open.
but Is so sos, In many places that IL should
be planked or puncheoned in order 10
be made passable at all seasons The ser
ton between Barlow pass and the mouth
Of Elliott creek has been repaired this
year by the Penn Mining Company at its
own expense. but much yet remains TO be
done The renewed interest In Silver creek
mines would amply Justify the repairing
of the road from Index to Galena and its
extension to Mineral City on Silver creek.
a distance Of four miles. and to the mouth
Of Troublesome creek. two miles. road
up the left hank Of the South fork of ,he
Skykomish and up Trout creek. total
distance of ten miles. OF a bridge across
the south fork and q road Up Trout creek
would he justified by the success OF The
negotiations now In progress for the de-
veiopment Of the great copper lodges of
that district. The Snohomish county
commissioners have offered to extend he
Sultan river road to the mouth of The
south fork and to pay the cost Of bridges
along the middle fork provided the min
Ing men interested will do the rest OF the
work. This would leave ten or twelve
miles to be built up the north fork to the
Forty-f!ve and Little Chief mines. and the
same distance up the middle fork to the
Helena and Sultan. while the Elk basin
and Olney creek groups would also be-
come more accessible.
Skagft county hasa good road as far as
Marble Mount. at the mouth Of the Cas-
cade river. but mining on Ruby. Thunder
ana Slate creeks has made such advances
THIS season as to require an extension up
the main stream and up Thunder and
Ruby creeks for the convenience Of the
miners of that section. At present the
rich ores OF Slate creek have been packed
over the trail and road built by Col. Hart
down the Methow TO Ives landing. by
steamer down the Columbia to Wenatclee
and thence by the Great Northern rail-
TOAD to Everett a most circuitous route.
The State Trail.
The mention of Skagit county brings up
the question OF the state trail. which ex-
tends from Marble Mount. over the Cas-
cade pass. to the mouth OF the Twisp.
distance OF eighty miles. While the cut
ting of this trail TO connect the road sys-
TENS OF Eastern and Western Washing
ton Will prove a great advantage to both
miners and stockmen. they cannot reap
its full benefits until 1t is widened to a
wagon road. The state road commission
ers wisely decided that. the appropriation
being too small to complete the road. they
would be more nearly carrying out the
spirit OF the law If they made trail sor
the whole distance than If they made a
road for only part of the distance. They
made the trail on such grades with
bridges of such width that all the work
done this year would be available in
widening IL to wagon road. This policy
was followed until the fund had run 80
low that 1t became evident that cheap
work must be done for the remainder of
the distance IL the trail was to be COM
pIeted without exceeding the sum allowed.
Thus for the last few miles each way
from Cascade pass the trail differs little
from those made by prospectors. bridges
being omitted wherever a practicab BILE ford
could be found. and blasting of rock being
avoided. II is probable that an appropria-
ton OF $4,000 by the next legislature would
be sufncient to widen ii to a wagon road
for its whole length. When that is done
a man can drive buggy from Hamilton.
the last railroad station on the Skagit,
over the Cascade and Twisp passes. down
the Tw!sp and the Methow to Gold creek
distance of about 100 miles
The state road commission is now build
ing fifty-five miles OF trail across the Col
Vile reservation from the Tonasket school
house on the Okanogan river. across the
Bonaparte range TO Curlew lake. There
II connects with road running down Chr
lew creek and the Kettle river to Marcus
thus completing the way through from
west to east The funds for this trail are
balance Of S,ooo left from an old appro-
priation.
An Undeveloped Empire.
AZ Gold creek a traveller from west
to east would have 10 leave tba
buggy. for there the road ends. This
TACT brings UP the question of roads in
oxanogan county. This county is an en-
pire In Itself. including within its bounds
nearly one-tenth OF the land of the state
namely. 4,s27.20 acres. II has A greater
wealth OF mineral than any other county
IN the state. its buach-grass hills wouis
fatten millions of cattle It's valleys enuld
De transformed into so many stretches Of
fruitful paradise, It's mountains are cloth
ssf With A growth OF timber second only "a
That OF the Sound country. Yet its popu
lation IS estimated at only 3.ooo. and man
can ride through parts OF IL for a whole
DAY ana see scarcely human being. ina
areas or land brought under cultivation are
mere garden patches compared with the
vast tracts which remain in their native
condition or wiidness: the bunchgrass on
the hills springs up as the snow denarts
but dries up under the summer sun. with
no herds 10 revei in its delights: IT'S noh,a
rivers sweep down to the sea past broad
terraces or land which. by the st-nujest
devices OF irrigation, they could be maHe
10 fructify. its mountains are laden with
mineral which men are here and there h.
ginuinS 10 extract. after others before
them had. by their ignorance. laundering
ana trlcssry, done their worst 10 convince
ths world that There are no mines in
oksnogan county, It's climate Is 81
healthy that disease only exists as an en-
ported article. death rarely occurs excen,
/ ny accident or violence: cemeteries ard
hndertasers ara unknown: It's mountains
and lakes would in any other section a.
the country attract thousands OF visitors
seafiy oy their enhancing beauty
When the western half OF this land OF
| nneqaalsd wealth and beauty was acueIgr-
| ca from the Indians. white men aorlass .,
| the narrow strip immediately ives, ~ .hs
ohsnozsn and Columbia rivers the east
ern half beyond the okannSsn river ha1,v
/ IN the tolvtlle reservation Thu r,,ra-.I
| discoveries on Palmer and FI3e,,ssam
| mountains. along the Slmilsamesr r,var
and extending through Horse Spring eou-
lee. Asneas and Douglas mountains ara
! Gold Hiii. south westward 20 C~os~o,.,ii,.
/ and RUBY. were then made pnvel,a-,s,.
| began with rush and roads xera han,
/ all through this stretch % country sr-oSs
/ Ia the Aefhow river and down ths Osano-
| gan and Columbia rivers. Bat !, ia oyfx,
| IN the isst Re" years tina; they have been
| extended westward up the valleys ORE
In < -