The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-01

X p Brown. formerly OF Lewiston. the
miner who has been credited with she dis
eovery Of the St. Helen's district in Lewis.
skarnania and Cowltz counties. arrived
in Seattle yesterday with the announce
ment that he and his partner have made
the first surface find Of uranium in the
history Of mankind. The valuable min
eral was located in the Negro creek dis
triet IN hittitas county. and the lucky
prospectors have located five claims where
they say it abounds
Uranium is one OF the most valuable
metals known 10 mankind. being worth
so an ounce, or $1.0So pound. nearly five
tunes as precious as gold II has hereto
Iofe peen found only at depths Of from 500
10 l-oo0 feet Mr.. Brown saws that he has
nVe-fooS ledge Of il only twelve miles
from Peshastin station, on the Great
Northern. and sixteen miles from I.eav-
enEorth. Samples have been sent East to
be assayed. This product IS a light, foli-
ated metal ike mica with a specific gray
lily OF from 81 10 SIS The ore is termed
uranite, and comes in the form Of brown
oxide. 1t was first discovered in 1883 by
hiaproih, and Is mined principally in Bo-
Ar. Browns partner is d. q. Mclean. Of
this city, who has spent five years in
Alaska, and was the man who carried
Joseph Ladue's filing on Dawson City TO
the Canadian gold commissioner when the
great wealth of the KiOndike was IN
known. lie is interested IN several claims
on the Yukon.
The men say that the district In Kittitas
county is one Of the richest districts OF the
and have five claims that pan free gold
from one end to the other. Says Mr..
Brown:
1--WE have from seventy-five TO 100 tons
OF ore on the dump that we took out this
summer. that averages $50 20 the ton. and
there are thousands in sight. II goes $50
in free milling. and the balance In sui
phurets worth A-5. Our claims are an
extension of the Culver mines
We think we have evidence to show
that there is a region right here in WASH
ington nearly as good as the klondke.
Provided that men of money are willing
10 investigate they can find plenty Of
paying properties here. We have secur-
ed all We want. and there is room for
other people. We have located twenty
claims and not one Of them that will not
pay To work. | have prospected all the
way from California to British Columbia
and have not seen a single district that
has the showing and can be so easily
worked as this Negro creek locality. The
belt extends from The Swauk country TO
Mount Stewart, a distance of sixty miles,
and is from three to five miles wide.
about month ago Prof. l. c. Russell
Of the University OF Michigan, who is get
ting data on formations for the govern
Inent geological survey. who was with Us.
said: You fellows must have an inn
mtnse body of mineral here Mclean says
that if he were sure of making $4,000 on
Negro creek in three years or &'00ce0 on
the Klondike in the same length Of time,
he would prefer Washington. because
there are no hardships.
There is considerable work being done
In that country. The Cooperative Syndi-
cate. Of Seattle. has driven a tunnel 500
feet and struck the edge OF ledge on
Negro creek and has given contract Tor
101 feet more work on the same group.
Il was at Allen &. MasoH's placer claim
on Peshastin last Saturday. and saw gold
that he had taken of tho bedrock. There
was So worth that had been picked M in
nuggets worth from to b cents
each They were sluiCing on the ground
while waiting for water TO run the n.y.
draulic. They have fiume 5X3 In the
clear 3 100 feet long. and a ten-lnch NY
drauIic. Their claims are on Peshastin
creek. lust below Blewett station
Mr. Brown had specimens that he had
taken from all over the Negro creek coun-
try They all showed clear traces lie
also produced nugget the size OF bean,
worth IS cents Other specimens he as
n.ayed were Of copper ores worth from 50
Il. $50 "a ton. graphite ore carrying consil-
cradle silver. bornite copper assaying IRON
sf2 20 so. and several fine pieces OF copper
suiphurets.
the two miners will remain in Seattle
until spring.