The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-02-22
, title Town Of Marcus Is Alive
With Prospectors.
WAITING THE WORD 10 START
,,,,,ar the President Signs the Bill There
viii lie a Rush for Coveted
Claims.

Marcus, Wash. Feb. i7.-Yesterday
tho town of Marcus. which for the past
half century mas Deen struggling from
tier trading post with less than lOO In
ba hitants, today numbers several hun
dred anxious men impatiently await
;np the opening Of the Colville Indian
reservation to exploration for the pre-
c;ous metals that abound in the noun
tain Businesses Of that great region,
that numbers almost as many acres as
the state of Rhode Island.
Marcus is the mecca of the prospector
and mining man, for It is from this
noint that much of the travel DIVORCES
northWard to northern Colvllie reserVa-
ton and Boundary creek, B. c., points.
Over these routes are well beaten road
ways to the interior, through country
that is otherwise almost impossible on
account of the great depth or snow
from two to three feet. 1t is on the me
of the Spokane Falls & Northern rail-
way. and the first point reaching the
reservation, being exactly five hours
ride from Spokane. The only telegraph
office on the border, excepting at North
mort. 40 miles farther up the river, is
established here, and it is very neces-
sary that the man with a fortune in
sight. in the way Of mineral claims on
the reserve, be here to get the nrst
fash of intelligence of the presidents
action on the reservation bill, and the
first start to the colorado, just over
the Columbia river.
On the arrival of the train from the
south Saturday select few prospectors
dropped off at the station, but not
enough to create any degree of suspl-
cion. Some of them quietly took thelr
departure across the river, ostenslpiy
bound for Grand Forks, E. c., when IS
now attracting considerable attenUon
as mining center, but today when the
Spokane Falls & Northern train from
Spokane steamed into the depot the
wonder and surprise was complete;tnere
were over 100 men, OF all sizes anu
shades of color, who alighted TO the
long platform, all bound upon seeing
the other side of the Columbia river
Tons Of baggage, in the shape OF srop
boxes, rolls of blankets, packages Oh
shovels, picks, hammers and other uteh-
sis too numerous to mention, folloWeo
suit, and fell indiscriminately upon the
platform. There was period of hust-
ling and unrest about the depot TOT
quarter of an hour, and the crowd lef'
away. In the afternoon many IRON
the north dropped off the train IRON
Nelson, in consequence of which the
anxiety is intensified. Many have come
from the surrounding country, and the
camp fires among the pine groves along
the river for two miles, reminds ont
that an army is in camp. The hotel'
and boarding houses are taxed to then
rullness, and extra accommodations O
that character are not to be had at an!
price.
1t is said that there are number
men on the ground who have made ar
engagements for receiving tie news
quickly as possible after the signing o
'ne Dill. Every specie of river Graz
aside from steam vessels-Will
pressed into service.
The coveted land across the borde
~ covered with snow, SO that prospect
.ns' Tor the present, is almost out Q
Tue question. Those who have discover
.eS already in view know where tn
eround is and what is in it will reap
leward. All others will reap whir
"ino OF disappointment, to say nothin
- - .he hardships and distress that WI
aoiiow IN the wake Of the rush. How
ser' there are certainly some grea
. nnnes over there, If any part of what
"'o Is the truth about them.
Gold Reserve.