The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31
GLITTER Of GOLD.
Millions in the Earth Along Trail Creek.

Special Correspondence of the Globe
ROSSLAND, B. c., Jan. 27.-Seven
thousand people make their home in
this town. Two years ago it had but
a few score of miners. Today this is
one Of the richest mining camps in the
world.
Rossland is in British Columbia, in
the western division Of the province
of KOotenay. 1t is eight miles north
Of the boundary line and seven miles
due west of Columbia river. 1t is
reached from Spokane in six hours
distance $50 niles by the Spokane &
in twelve hours, via North
port, the Columbia river and
narrow gauge railroad, the Co.
lumbia & Western, from Trail
distance liz miles,. From the north it
is reached by the Canadian Pacific
railroad to Revelstroke, from there by
boat through the lakes and Columbia
river to Trail, and from Trail by the
Columbia & Western railroad, taking
twenty-four hours from RevelstrOke, a
distance Of only 100 miles. Three other
lines have been surveyed into the camp
and will probably be built this year.
The town site of Rossland was sur
veyed in 1894. There was but little
done until the spring Of 1885, when de-
velopment work on the LIE Roi mine
was actively commenced. The best
business lots at }'that time could be
purchased for ST. asfoot. Today the
same lots cannot be purchased for less
than $3.50 per foot. In March, 1895,
there were not over $50 inhabitants.
The great majority Of the residents
have come to Rossland within the past
six months. There are thirty hotels
with bars and twelve restaurants, five
weekly and two daily newspapers. All
other branches of business are repre-
scented in the same proportion. Board
at the hotels cost 81 to SO a day; meals,
so cents; room rent is S. to 81 a week.
The populace is engaged not only in
mining and in the general business Of
the town, but in buying, bonding and
selling properties and stocks. Many are
simply loking on. bewildered at the
amazing activity surrounding them On
all sides.
The town has an enviable reputation
for law and order Gambling is strict
ly prohibited, and a penalty of two
years Imprisonment for carrying con-
cealed weapons is rigidly enforced. 1t
is supplied with fine system Of water
works and electric plant. The latter is
now being improved by new power
house and complete machinery. Com
panies have been organized to build
fa 1or Ia
both at Rossland and Northport( eight
cen miles SOUTH. There are three saw
mills kept busy day and night and al
ways far behind in filling orders. Lum-
Der is obtained from the neighborhood.
Rossland Is $500 feet above sea level
and situated on bench of the noun
tains surrounding it, which rise 1900
feet above the town. Oct. last there
were 125 buildings in course of con-
struction. Two thousand transfers
were recorded since Jan. l, 1896. The
receipts Of the recorders office during
the last summer months averaged
81, 0O0 There are some seventy-five
being worked, employing
between 1000 and $500 men. Superin-
tendents of mines receive from $40 to
81; miners, Sc. so; helpers, So; laborers,
$780, for nine and ten hours work.
Disturbances, so prevalent in the
states, are unknown in British Colum-
bia. Duties on supplies from the Unit
ed States have averaged $4,000 per
month The climate in spring, sum-
mer and fall is delightful, very similar
to that Of California in its best season.
1t rarely goes to zero in winter. There
is good deal of snow, however, and
rain with mild weather may be eX-
pected any day.
The first claim located in this camp
was the Lilly May, in 1889. In $780,
the Center Star, War Eagle, Virginia,
Idaho and LIE Roi were located by two
partners, but it being contrary to law
to locate more than one property on
the same vein, they gave the LIE Roi
to Recorder Topping in lieu of record
ing fees So the LIE Roi was really
first sold for SO. Topping afterward
sold a half interest for 100000. The
owning it now is capitalized
for $4,000, 000 Recent sales place the
stock at $3.50 per share. In the spring
of 1895 1t went begging at 10 cents a
share. Nothing but a little prospecting
work was done on these properties until
March, 1895, when active operations
were commenced, and in no instance
yet of the seventy-five properties be-
ing developed has there been a failure.
The country about Rossland Is an
area Of eruptive rock, mostly diorite,
cut by many dykes. The ore bodies, or
veins, traverse these dykes at right
angles. The lines Of fracture have
an E. by W. and N. e. by S. w. trend
with persistent northerly dip, along
which the ore hag cepseHtrated as sui
phides. These ffssures can be traced
1900 foot claims, and along