The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-15


THE EXPEDITION.
region OF Fraser and Thompson rivers be-
longed 10 the crown of Great Britain. aud
he forbade all persons digging or disturb
ing the soil in search Of gold until au-
thorized SO 10 do BY her majesty's CO.
lonial government
There was no keeping 1t quiet, however,
as too many people knew Of the discov-
cries, and as. the Indians kept right on
getting the gold. During the first three
months of ISIS they disposed Of to the
company, SO ounces more. White men
no longer needed tho gubernatorial inter-
diction, but went in larger and larger
numbers. and for a while mined freely
and without restraint. The times Wee
propitious, as California was dun and
overdone, and tens of thousands of men
there were eager for a new discovery.
where they might possibly make the vast
fortunes which hithe.To bad in some way
eluded them. The consequence vas gre
of the greatest mining excitements and
biggest rushes of miners in the history Of
the world; an excitement and rush that
WAS followed by a number of others dur
ing the next few years In Nevada, Idaho,
Colorado and Montana, all OF which were
very similar to the Alaska excitement OF
1897
narrate few OF the many Incidents con-
nected with the Fraser river excitement.
as detailed substantially in one OF the
two newspapers in this state at that time
the Puget Sound Herald. OF Steilacoom
In the issue of March Is much excite
nent was reported over the recent Fraser
and Thompson river gold discoveries.
| Many miners had returned for provisions
and mining Implements. bringing largo
quantities of gold. They reported the min
ers TO be making from IS to So n day. 1T
is said 800 men have left Vancouver
Island and the lower part of the Sound
within the last ten days for the digginRs.
The hands In the sawmiils are leaving
and there Is a scarcity OF help at the pres
ent time. All the men in the Beilingham
Bay coal mine have left, and operations
are suspended. The people are leaving in
large numbers for Fraser river
In the issue Of April . the statement is
made that ''the Hudson Bay Company
have received within the last ten months
10 pounds Of gold dust from the Indians.
This was obtained from surface diggings.
without the aid OF anything more than
the pans and willow baskets OF the In
dams" Numerous assertions have taken
piace from the military posts on TIE
Sound. Col. Fitzhugh's employees have all
gone. Parties are arriving from san
Francisco on sail vessels daily"
Determined 10 get the trade. If possible.
the people of Whatcom began early in
April TO eat and open a trail or road from
their town 10 the Fraser. Their route was
ny Semats prairie 10 Fort Hope a wav
that would require three days travel
against ten or twelve days by canoe and
water The town or Sehone had its start
tfan. The ships at Port Gamble were
abandoned by their crews. The news had
reached San Francisco. and the steamship
Columbia brought forty miners for Fraser
river. New discoveries were reported con-
tinuaily
April 3 the Herald contained the fol-
lowing; Steamer Sea Bird brings sim
later and more definite news from the
gold mines on Fraser and Thompson
rivers Miners are AZ work and in many
cases taking out almost fabulous amounts
An Indian belonging 20 the Spokane coun-
try comes Is passenger 0n the Sea Bird
He IS direct from Fraser river, where he
has been mining during the past winter;
he reports that fer six days in succession
he dug sle9 worth ~ gold dust each day
many days S2G and $40 each and no dsv
less than s. Mr. Pea body. OF Whatcom. is
also a passenger by the Sea Bird he has
lately returned from the mining country
ana very nearly Corroborafes all former
REPORTS. II picked up gold in many
p!zces and found the miners doing well
although tire season IS not the most favor
able, tho rivers being too high al present.
lie says The miners average from s. 10 IS
day each. but IN some cases are max
ing $50 $50 and $50 In fart. the question
* settled heTo18 doubt that sold can be
found On Fraser and Thompson rivers In
As large quantities Is ever found in Cali
f0tnia. All 1t wants IS energy to get
there. and 2 = soon as the road from What
com is completed which viii be Ia about
one week. the most difficult portion OF the
journey is avoided.
"t3ur town (StciIacooTa4 during the past
week has been sognew hat eDlivened by the
pres srce % large numbers of men en
roilte for the newly discovered mines nn
Fraser river. The Sea BIRD on her last
trip down took some forty or fifty pas
scrEers for the mines Schooner Mar
Dunn LETT on Sunday morning last with 4
party ~ twelve Of our eownsnen who 70
70 seek their fortunes II the hitherto I'M
known regions 0f the Shuswap-
'@The late cheering uews frorn The mines
has bad "A sad effect upon oar numbering
Interests. Already has the couta gsor az
fecte5 the logging camps IN this section
sza hands are leaving daily fer the gold
region Two or three sach camps ia the
neighhorhocd have beer broken up nv
reason Of she u7en going 20 The mines
We understand thar great excitement
exists At san Francisco relative 20 tbs
Fraser river cole mines. Several vessels
ara advertised TO sail FOR these mines
and the general impression Is that they
wi.8 hS we'll ls+sn with pASseag gers"
From the Herald OF April -: We learn
that gold has been found at FORK Yale in
small quantities also On the route 20 FORT
Dallas en- both sides u the river, which
has never been properly explored BY tae
whites. Fran Fort Dallas and upwards.
for ElAuy G3lsss oEe- the county gold has
h1en found in considerable quantities
Thro2Eh she courtesy of fr!ena we'll ac-
auaintsd with the locality We are enabled
"a lag teSors the reader distances from
tbs month ~ The Fraser - weiI~kncwa
points or the river. as follows: To For.