The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-02

broad shoulders have horne their packs
OF grub ard camping outfits up steep and
bouldsr-erested mountains during years
~ unremi1sIng search Ter The precious
metals N the mountain ranges OF the
West.
Philip O'Rourke. Of wariner. Idaho. is
one OF the latest arrivals from the Occur
d Aies1e district. Mr.. o'Rourke is known
froIn ore erd Of the Pacific slope 10 the
other as the 6iscoyerer Of the famous
Bunker Hin and Sullivan mines in Idaho.
which sold for s1.Ds.gso 20 Millionaire 5.
G. Reed. Of Portland. eleven years ago.
These are probably the greatest silver
lead mines on the American continent.
They were found by Mr.. ORourke while
hunting for ore in a then undcyeloped Wild
erDess. miles from airy railroad. James
Wariner the veteran miner of the Occur
a Aieue is also in Seattle. Both OF these
famous mining men are here on business
connected with KIondike ventures.
There are mere than a dozen mining
men in Seattle from Montana. Three from
Billings are registered AZ the Globe. An
other Thomas Powell, halls from Butte.
Wardner. Idaho. is also well represented.
In fact all OF the most noted mining
camps OF Idaho and Montana have sent
men in advance Of parties now being or
gained TO emigTate into the Yukon coun-
Try With but insignificant exceptions.
they are all coming 10 Seattle 10 begin
the long Journey 10 the North.
They are coming by the thousands
from Colorado" said Mr.. Rourke at the
Northern hotel yesterday. In my time.
there was never anything quite equal TO
this stampede TO the Yukon mines. You
can depend upon it. the country will be
prospected. 1t viii be opened Up and its
treasures barred b. men who have spent
almost their whole lives in the hills and
mountains hunting for mineral bearing
rock.
I'm Colorado and in Idaho, wherever II
is possible for "A miner 10 dispose OF his
interests so as 10 enable him TO make
new start, they are preparing 10 move TO
the coast and thence 10 the Yukon. These
men are accustomed TO hardship. They
know what it is 20 conquer the wilder
ness They have been doing nothing else
for years II they do not find plenty of
hardship and priVation i'll Alaska, they
Will be disappointed They Will succeed
too for they are men who know their
business thoroughly. They must not be
classed with the tenderfeet from the East.
for they are of different mold.
Mr.. O'Rourke admitted that he contem-
plated an Alaskan trip but asked to be
excused from discussing his personal
a
several days.
O'Rourke is a man Of giant frame. As
his name indicates, he IS ceit. lie has
been in nearly every mining stampede in
the past quarter of a century in the West.
He was in Leadville in - and IN the
Occur d'Alenes In the early SOS He has
made. and lost Il half dozen fortunes. The
discovery of the Bunker HUI and Sullivan
mines was his greatest work. O'Rourke
was a prospector IN what was then A
rough and forhidding wilderness. He
found the ore sticking ont of the noun
tain side and located the two claims
named. This was in 1885. Later. Jim
Wardner after whom the town of Ward
ner is named. took contract on the prop
erty and WAS identified with its develop
fnent for some time The ore Was hauled
from the mines to Couer d'Alene lake by
WAGONS, and there transported by steamer
TO Couer d'Alene city. From the steamer
landing liz was again loaded on wagons
and hauled twelve miles to Hauser june
ton. on the railroad built by Austin Cor
hin Even with all this expense the ore
paid n profit and when the mines were
worked on a comparatively small scale
by Reed. they paid 4 net profit OF $o9o0
per month. The ore runs as high as -
per cent lead and thirteen ounces Of sill
yer TO The ton. The mines are now owned
by the Rockefeller people 1t is said that
the OUTPUT Of the mines is over 100000
per month at the present time.