The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-13
THE GREAT La FLEUR.
Romance Of Wonderful Mine Of
the COlville Reservation.
LEGAL CONTESTS ALL SETTLED.
ConsrslIea Largely by Seattle ana Pu-
and Mining Co. Incorporated

E1srS ne 12S spent the greater part O. TIE
past SIX months looking after his various
mining interests. ne has spe1st consider
able Elns &c the Oksnosan. Trail Greek.
CoIvisle reservation sn4 boundary Creek
districts. as wei as the Baker City. Or.
district. To q representative 81 IlAe Post
Infeiligencer yesterday Mr. Hzltem5n
said.
Il am pleased to notice that the POST
Intelligence Is dsvoting consI jerabls IL
tenfion 10 mining matters alld thar ire
people Of Seattle are beginning 70 realizs
the great opportunities which that field ~
enterprise offers. K Is the opporIGn-
igy Of the hour, ard the people OF the
Sound should not allow Ea<teIn Washing
ton and TIE farther East 10 reap al the
benefits We have been accustomed 10
lock through our front door az shipping
and TO rely upon that. but this time for
tune has come rapping at our back door.
and the rapping Is loud, and IL we 90 not
answer the call we will have only oGrss Ives
10 blame / regard the present movement
in the mines OF Washington and British
Columbia. which has only just begun. as
the opportunity Of a life time.
AS 70 the best district, that Is tmposss-
bic to say. From the western slope Of this
Cascades TO the Occur q Alenes OF Idaho
Is really one vast mineral zone, and you
can hardly miss Il in any district The
Okanogan and CoIyilIe reservation would
naturally be- the most directly tributary 10
Seattle. but unless Seattle people get up
into that country, secure interests and en-
courage developments there. they cannot
hope 10 even divide the trade with Spo-
kane. The reason the trade goes TO Spo-
kane il that when q prospector or mining
man gets hold OF a good claim In that
country he can always go down 10 Spo-
kane and find Spokane people ready 20
take hold OF his property and help him de-
ua5n a IA
people of Spokane are not afraid 10 buy.
They know what mines are, and the OPP
portunities 20 king money IN them
"Of course you have heard OF the great
La Fieur' mine of the Colville reservation.
owned largely BY Seattle and Puget Sound
people. IL is properly called The Flower
being the mother lode OF that country,
and the ore being of the beautiful peacock
copper variety and OF wonderful richness.
Assays. practically upon the surface. have
run over 500 per ton in gold. silver and
copper. The ledge can be distinctly traced
across the full length OF two claims. in
some places as wide as thirty feet.
The existence and wonderful richness
of the property has been proven for TWEEN
~ years. and the story OF its discovery and
!. concealnent reads like a romance. but
that which has brought the property into
special prominence recently is the wild
race over the snow and across the reser-
walton that was made for Il last February.
when the ColviIie reservation was opened
for mineral location. It has also been
brought into notoriety through the many
lawsuits connected with II. These law
suits however, have now all been happily
disposed Of and settled. by purchase and
compromise, and the title 10 the property
has been perfectly cleared. and Is now con-
veyed 10 the Comsfock Mining and Milling
Company, under which title the property
<t-gff se-7 nd
"Yes, there are a good many different
stories afioat regarding the early discovery
OF the mine. and nearly every prospector
and old settler you meet up in that coun-
try has one OF his own TO tell you. Ex
cepting the lie Rol. the La Fleur Is prob
ably the most widely known mine up in
that country.
1T is said that the property was first
discovered more than twenty years ago.
BY an Indian. The Indian brought some
OF the beautiful peacoek-colored rock out
with him and showed II 10 some white
men. The white men induced the Indian
10 20 back after more OF the pretty
rock When he had started they followed
him, going without food for several days,
keeping in the distance and Ns.ng I'm the
bushes The location % the ledge was dis
covered What became Of the Indian Is
not known, but shortly afterward
French prospector by the name OF la
OF the location from the white men. built
a cabin at a safe distance from the ledge
on A small plot % tiliable ground, and
there lived among the Indians. reared a
family Of children. and remained for TWEEN
~ years keeping guard over bis valuable
and. waiting for the day when Uncle Sam
should IN his generosity open the Coivilie
reservation 10 mineral location. The ledge
was carefully covered up and concealed
from view. bat the day of hope was long
deferred
FINALLY the coveted treasure could no
longer remain hidden from the prying eye
OF the Yankee prospector. It's secret Place
was penetrated. Then the rurnor OF the
wonderful ledge spread fast among the
lonely p-ospectors among the hills, Bat
the information always Travelled in wfss-
pers. and each prospector, following
hy niEht hts conf8snt's directions. ard
1uding the coveted spot, would leave bis
secret ear-narkS. and steal away, con-
adent in the belief that he and he only
possessed the knowledge Of the rich prize
"ln June. fSa7, congress passed an act
70 vacafe and restore 20 the public do
main the Cotvins Indian reservation But
the act provided that the reservation
should rot BE oper 20 entry and settle
rnens until after the Indian aiiotmeafs
were made and the president OF the United
States should declare IL 70 De SO open
Under this act the most alert OF the
watchers Of the Ia sfeur claim made a
mineral location upon r. Bat the rich
prize vas not 20 be possessed II peace
for the mere taking Contesting claims
we're fled upon 81 ny other Jealous watch
srs. Tire property got into the hands Of
men Of influence and wealth. The con-
tests were taken into the United States
courts and a decision was handed down
BY Judge Hsnford confirming the title
/ q ne original tocat0rs. TIE point made
n tie legal hEht was that the act OF tsaa
dif not open the reservation 20 mineral
/ location. T. was threatened 20 carry the
cass - The supreme ceGrt % the United
States But the Influential owners az the
Ia Ffsar sought q shorter cut - fha per
ssctlnE q their title than a court nine
wears behind = its locke. could AFFORD
/ Their influence Al washington CRY So
| earst tae passage 90 another bfl in Feb
rua~v. Isss This bill snecleesl.y opAasa
ths reservation 30 mineral location. Thus
/ the Ia F1eur claim became fhe cause 81
/ the opening % tAe reservation.
The owns-s under ths Eanfora tfsle
/ reiies apon thes- superior knowIsiEs of
/ the mountain passes and the sxar. foca-
I tien % the property - enable them 20
/ reach tAe SPOT and make a rev location
/ before any ore slse conlf co 50, f-~rns-
| eiately after The passage ~ the bill Hun
/ dresis - ATTEMPTS were made 20 stsal in
apon tna reservation AnA haaN in The
mountain passes close 20 the property.
hut the Inslaa poilce werc very vigllzat
an3 kept sysry@soty OF AZ the point %
| th@ rife
-. FOR DAYS ara Gays hundred. - mes.
/ - the Assrer htt5nx cesf. carare1 uz-s- -
Snow AZ IRE @3Se q the reservation. wait
frz for the se~s 70 come os the s,Snirg
- tie bEI ~ sese pres5dent % the ITnssaa