The herald., 1897-09-26
But Not a Bit Easier Of
Access
MINES ON MT. ToMoH0Y
Where Gold Is Gathered
Like Dirt
NO PLACE FOR TENDERFEET
FOR THE TRAIL Is FRIoHTFULLY
DANGEROUS
Arrivals From Dyea Confirm the
Reports Of an Avalanche on
White Pass-The Miners
Homeward Rush

Associated Press Special Wire.
SEATTLE. Wash, Sept 25.-The drSt
authentic news concerning Washing
toms new Eel Dorado, near Mount Baker,
and how to get there, with all interme-
diate details. was brought to Seattle yes
terday by E.. w. Saportas president Of
the Information and Registry Bureau.
who, with Frank Crydo and Gus Wag-
ner, experienced miners Of Dawson City.
left for the scene of the latest excite
ment last Saturday morning. Accord
ing to Mr.. Saportas, the route 10 paSD-
able, and not very difficult until the in
vestigator Is within five miles Of the
promised land but the last five miles
present obstacles that would forever dis
courage any one who was not an ex-
perienced proSpector and mountaineer.
There, in Mount Baker and its surrounds
ing heights. enough gold, says Mr.. So.
portas, exists to keep prospectors busy
for the next ten years. All the stories OF
fabulous discoveries are corroborated.
In samples of ore that were brought
back by the infor mant Mr.. Bogardus. the
assayer, by q cursory inspection, de-
clared that free gold existed in large
quantities.
II met many more who came from
Mount Tomohoy, and they all reiterated
the stories that have been told concern
ing the great strike of $10,900 to the tom
made in Bear mountain. Among them
was a man named Leith who has q
claim. Post & Lambert's claim 10 ON
the east side.
In Tomohoy, Esterbrook and several
others have found ore equal to the dis
covery in Bear mountain. A man named
johnson and several others have been
there two weeks, and are still remaining
locating claims. East Of these noun
tains Is SILICA creek, along which, many
people tell me, is placer gold. There -
enough yellow metal there to occupy
for the next ten years.
There are 800 people on the mountains
now, and met sixty more going in when
I was returning. I believe the mineral
is rich, as rich as it has ben reported.
but cannot say definitely about it till
my friends return. My advice Is not to
60 in now, as the rain and rough weather
are great obstacles to prospecting"
A special correspondent of the Evening
Times sends word from Sumas as fol-
lows:
The gold discoveries in the mouptains
of Whatcom county are beyond doubt
the richest in the, annals Of the Pacific
coast, or even in Alaska. So say the
most experienced prospectors whom
have just accompanied to the scene Of
the recent "finds."
The recent find Is in Bald mountain,
in the northeasterly portion OF
Whatcom county, northeast OF Mount
Baker. The mineral range runs north
west and southeast, and today Is located
for thirty miles There Is no telling how
much further it extends.
Every hill in the immediate vicinity Of
the find Ii covered with location stakeA
At present there are $50 prospecters in
the field, running from experienced men
to office seekers" who have forsaken
their employers offices to try their luck
in the new fields.
The vein in the five claims, Lone Jack,
Bernie. Sidney, Lulu and Whist, varies
from three to five feet in thickness. It
runs northwest and southeast, under Z
layer Of porphyry ledge, In serpentine
manner, and auriferous Shale appears
in the ledge. 1t Is free milling quartz Of
sugar and rose color, carrying copper
and silver. The vein can be traced half Z
mile The cropping is under solid
porphyry.
The gold is known as wire" gold.
and can be seen without trouble by the
naked eye and picked out with the fin-
ger nails That there Is great Quantl-
ties of 1t there no one who has seen tho
ledge can doubt. The formation Of the
range in which the find is located does
not look to be very rich in minerals.
1t is no place for tenderfoot.
If there is any placer mining It has not
as yet been demonstrated to be pay
ing proposition. Tenderfeet cannot 90
where the rich claims are to be found
without the gravest danger of losing
their lives 1 went over places in COM
pany with prospetcors that all the gold
in the range could not hire me to 60
over again. AS to. whether II. is advisa-
bic for men to go to the new fields at
the present time, opinions Of the pros
pectors differ. Those who have been
there the longest say 1t is safe for from
one to two months yet One thing niust
be borne in mind, that all cla inns In tho
vicinity of the great nu1a
have been taken. New men must ~
farther on. would not advise AnY9no
TO go in until next spring. The 6odn-
try in which the dndD are 1oeated l66