The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-13

Skykomish, Sept lo-The mineral de-
posts on Miller river and Money creek
botn OF which nos into the skykomisa
river within TWO miles of this town, en-
title King county 10 take rank among the
great mining districts Of Washington
The district already has two producing
mines. ole Of which has paid for it's own
development aud work il being pushed so
vigorously. chiefly by Seattle men, that
on one OF the largest groups MACHINE drills
are ROW being Installed. This 10 the sec
ond plant OF the kind In the state and the
probability Is tnat the next year will see
several Others grinding their way through
TIE mountains.
Ii any man has any doubts a. TO the
strength and vermanence OF the lodges
OF this district. hs has only TO visit them
aud he VIII DO convinced. The country
rock on the backbone Of the ridge ia which
these Lodges are found Is granite and eya-
nila and the misunderstanding rock has
forced It's way from below through assures
IN these strata. only TO be worn down by
s1ow and water az Ii IL decomposed BIZ
the action of the air, while the country
rock mentioned more successfully reslsts
decay and stands up in perpendicular
walls 100 10 30 feet on each side Thus
the lodges are usually found IN the beds
OF narrow gorses III the basins at the head
OF the streams or on the sides OF the noun
tstins which form the canyons, and are
easily tracabIe from base 10 summit OF
the range. The ledge matter Is generally
p0sphyritlc quartz. all so uniformly min
sfaizcd az 10 pay for concentration on the
ground and carries pay-s.reaks rich
enough TO pay for shipment. even with
the present costly means OF transportation
10 the railroad. The ore carries Iron and
copper suiphides. gray copper and galena,
carrying gold and silver. the pay-streaks
giving usually from 30 TO So a ton the
second grade ore from SO TO SO Some OF
tho lodges. however. ara much richer.
those on the King Solomon basin carrying
several hundred ounces In silver and those
near the summit overlooking that basin
running high IN copper Further norta-
ward. towards the mouths OF the streams
named are bikes OF disri,e. tn which occur
lodges OF pyritic ore carrying native cop
Der and gold near the surface. also bikes
OF dolomitc and porphyry with lodges OF
snIphsde and gray copper ore. The lodges
of pyrItes are heavily capped with
magnetic iron carrying a high percentage
OF metallic iron as to be marketable purely
~ iron ore. II there were any near market
for II. but II experience with similar Lodges
In other districts IL any guide. u should
also carry gold. Further down the range
which hounds the Skykom.sh valley on the
south Is Eagle creek, emptyIng near Sal
mon station. on which have been found
lodges OF quartz running high In native
AMI gray copper. gold and silver. On all
these streams work Is In active progress
and preparations are being made 10 con-
tinue II through the winter.
IL Is not easy 10 define the topography
of this district In any way except by a
map and none Is yet Ia existence. The
ridge which is cut by the mineral belt cx-
tends from the main summit near the head
Or f'e-elnm valley westward across the
heads OF the east and west forks OF Miller
river. flowing northward. and the north
fork Of the Snoquaimie flowing southwark.
Then IL continues westward 10 where
Money crrek rises ard flows in north
east.riy direction to enter the SkykcmiSh
within half mile OF the mouth OF Miller
river. while the several forks cf the Tol,
rise on izs southern side and flow into the
9anqnal,nle. THE lateral spurs Of this
ridge on both sides are richly vclned with
mineral and the discoveries ON the Sno-
onaiinie side may prove equally valuable
With those ON tho skykou,lsh slide
A Marked sonira-
Nothing could be more marked than the
contrast between the country on she east
era and western slopes of thc Cascades.
n may usa the term "slepe' where
the mountains rise with preclpiioua = les
ffsm valleys which usually have a grade
esfitst itHfkstSteHttots nA e wagon read
leaving Seattle on she Great Northern
railroad. You are landed in four hours at
this town. " miles distant. where tae view
on all sides II shut IN Ivy 4 dsnse growth
OF giant tlEubsr shooting skywara ana only
permitting mere glimpse or the submits
o. the mountains On each side. Here Is no
ce.n forest shading hunchRraSs hllis and
rowery meadows. hut a jungle ~ brush
strives vainly 20 absorb the inexhau~;-
ible wealth Of the soil and charreA or de-
caytDg logs offer she rr1aiest pataw avs
- pedestrians who leave THO lshaYiousIy
opened trails \ white. chilling mist fills
the valley at ro0fa.ug and IL hale dispelled
BY the san. only 10 settle down again al
niKht. the pale. hlue smoke 81 forest fires
uniting with 81 80 otsstare lhe R}r.
Leaving SkykomisA. yoN 80 for mile
And - halg along the tegt road hult tv
Shepard Henry s. 80, parallel wlth chs
route of ghe Great Northern when that
l'se WAS unter Con@,r aCtiew. Ttosg four
years OLD q is stgl ln good repair exeep.
sn occasional et~ess sUi is tta rh.of thor-
ougAfare ef ere uuper valley. vhsre na
country mad ha~ bees 20 la'tt T1.a rAs
viii seen 10 rvparst ht the sran rsa :
which J. A EaitFN +. t-f.afor ~ Skf~
kcfrlsh 81 the center rt the NJ tisr fiNrr
mining district. - dist2fre af siN nis.rs ac-
ceragns "a survey A tns inestls 80 N ller
river i Efe house oF cedar shakes a az- 4
Was cse - tae stoontnr a5ac-e r,v th.
snsmstrrs who ven ap re ta44 tv4.H 500
ril~s when fhe railroad AS sfu4ar con
esratrtfaf Nsa- ff -etefsf other N,u4ss
have srown M. s1.i hossrs wtth sr.sll cui-
tisatsd spaces p .eitai. s3oue fhs Nst-
lex show Re CO. ss~'-s effect a. re "a E..
read or settlement isat b.. Fase .hs, go.a,
II reached. tAe tr&u t4-u7 e grer, lie f8ts
rass ana cas- thr.a g ts~ forvst-.,vrgs.
ga 80 Miller fiTrr Nr,ans a~r .tre.s,,
many eharFss1 ana H.seAraeA lc-s ~ =
tangled mas. sfuaux wh-n - t~AH
wlsaas. A saort dg.tA0ro Further yau
rlunss tnta the INTERIM ~4Nta forest "a.
CEDAR. FIR eai hensloeE uu9er whl>N ere
vine maple. salncubefry. tesa ttgA ard
other unaerhr,ss1s svew .a resilient leN.
,srssns>A. A mile az tAs rlses ts fhe v g. gs-
,eaa bridge e1iug sggs ~ g. e. sfattas
Gar ne county, !, a so,A etr, tar> g..
ti.,s~~ almost Gai-he1 ana IS Nis-
enough - clear 80 new Stratnlshe5 ssr,es a
a. tts hsshest T-,~ tran crosses te a sast
les - she gefS bank snG then f7i.rws ga
sae ~ 10 stream for TIE reese az s,e war
y Is % - the average o. usea0tsta rails
shoagn - COURSE rough wt,h rN.ks SIS b
clssssg.s Algher. and pSose>-s!gg rests veas.tv.
constant WaSshr,llncSs. A. 70 4-.e,s.is ta-
stream tie C4aNaa rsEroas. the - run
sasFss sns.ossgng q saAr Ssk her, 49, ru--
rats seemingly <saFp s. = kftf~-e,is
cieAsine to skS. sna sre riSen es cAnsoa
Ma tss hYash c&n se8rcetS eaA r,s,-ae.i
houses 81 aogS VITA saaAs Eaefs. cr ten:s
ara fesssa al Intervals 81 a Rslie Or o.
Thea eoEes Seasy ess<A sasan~.as ever