The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-13
THE HUNT FORoOLD.
As Exempiified i'm the Rush for the Col
vile Reservation.

vile Reservation.
From the Philadelphia Press.
With the approaching opening OF the
/ great Colville Indian reservation In the
! state of Washington, the country Is
having another illustration of the at
( fractions the unknown has for many
men. The whole reservation is covered
with five feet of snow, but thousands
are shivering on it's limits and endur-
ing hunger and prNations in the hope
of sharing in the mineral riches which
the mountains and gulches are said to
contain. And when the presidents
proclamation arrives there will be a
rush to establish claims. 80 out of 100
of which will be found worthless while
the profit of the hundredth claim will
accrue to the man who comes later.
The Colville reservation Is a great
body of land lying near the northeast
corner of the state of Washington. 1t
is bounded on the north by British
America, on the east and south by the
Columbia river, which makes a sharp
bend to the west at the reservations
southeast corner, while the western
boundary is the Okanogan river, which
empties into the Columbia. This tract
of land contains about 5000 square
miles, or an area larger than the state
of Connecticut and four times larger
than the state of Rhode Island. 1t has
been inhabited by six different tribes of
Indians, numbering I'm all about 1,500
persons. But only the northern part
of the reservation is to be opened now.
or that portion believed to be the
richest in minerals, and the precious
metals.
Little accurate information has been
gained in regard to the country, but
the few prospectors and curiosity seek
ers who have penetrated the uninviting
country have brought back stories of
l.l al ell
coal, cinnabar, iron, mica and other
minerals are said to abound. 1t is
known that the Rock Creek district,
which lies Just across the British Amer
lean border. and which is of the same
geological formation, is especially rich
in minerals. Its mines have been sue
cessfully worked for some time. The
country lying directly west of the Col
VILE reservation and reaching to the
summit of the Cascade mountains has
been prospected and many coal bearing
veins and rich gold and copper dig
gings have been found. The reserva-
ton is similar in character to the coun-
try west of 1t, and it's mineral riches
would have been as well known to the
world had not settlement been forbid
den by United States laws.
Besides adding to the mineral output
of the country the opening of the reser-
walton will bring to the notice of the
people one of the most curious districts
in that most interesting neighborhood
which claims the Yellowstone park as
it's greatest attraction. Many of these
conditions are present in the Colville
reservation, and will draw curiosity
seekers, while its mines attract pros
pectors. There are dry lakes, deep
canyons, extinct volcanoes, mineral
springs and all the evidences that ma
ture has been caught here In one of her
formative periods. The revelation OF
these conditions which the hunt for
gold will bring is one of the compen-
sations the country will have for the
opening to civilization of a tract of
land which has been useless while in
the possession of the red men.