The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-18

Where Miller River Lodges Have Cut
Jhrouxh the Mountains.

The Paera vista mining district, ar the
head e the Saoq8slmie north fork. IN
which crop The same series OF mineral
lodges as are being developed across the
range ca Miller river. has Just been visited
By ex-Congressnlan NJ r. Baldwin ana
Waiter Ra2stt. WHO spent week on the
trait In describing his trip Maj. Baldwin
said 10 a pBst-TEtelilgeacer representative:
We walked from Suoaualmie station
thirty miles TO the head Of the north fork
and reached point within three miles o.
the Cleopatra, but were unable 10 find the
trail over the summit otherwise We should
have yiei.sd that mine. We visited num-
her OF claims, including some On Elm
lake In depression in the mountain: also
the Rutherford property on Fletcher Web
s;er mountain. Or The properties near the
summit. opposite the Cleopatra, all We could
see was the surface rock. which had very
much the appearance Of the surface OF tile
Cleopatra, but runs higher in gold. All
mining men with whom we talked express
ed the opinion that these were true assure
veins. The country is Eaneralzed 10
greater extent than any ether district
have visited.
THE Rutherford brothers have done con-
siderable development. on their properties
on Fletcher Webster mountain and are
now driving tunnel which shows six-foot
ledge with three pay streaks ten 10 four
teen inches wide running higher tn gold,
but lower in silver than the Cleopatra. They
are doing some work on some claims al Ell
fin lake and they are improving as they
go in. On the Maslodon they are tunnel
ing on a six foot ledge. which carries about
$50 gold and runs we'll In silver.
THE latest discoveries are those made by
Brown and Miller OF Seattle. on the west
side OF the range from Miller river. The
first lode discovered by them has been
traced for distance Of ever a mile. This
part Of the district Is difficult OF access
and everything indicates that prospecsora
had never penetrated there before. There
Is a considerable valley between the ranges
Of mountains with small lake al the
head OF o creek smptying into the north
fork. IL might BE appropriately named
Bears Paradise, for the south slopes OF IN =
mountain have grown thiekly with rasp-
harrlos and huckleberries. We encountered
three live bears and saw Indications Of
bears everywhere. The whisti3ng marmots
were heard constantly.
II was especially Impressed with the wol-
derfuI timber resources In the valley and
h!llsides Of the north fork. | saw thousands
OF acres OF granite, superior In quality 10
any / have ever seen. The excellence OF
granite Is IN It's texture and grain. This
granite can he split with hammer into
perfect cubes with amooth. fiat surfaces IN
every instance, this quality being The most
valuable granite can possess THIS deposit:
Of granite IS not so remote from Seattle.
hut tina. 1t may become a very valuable
resource.
IL occurs 10 me that the people of Seat
tie ought 70 take an interest IN the develop
mcut 81 this rich tributary. Only Transport
tation facilities are needed and these are
eminentiy feasible by building from Srn-
4nalmie Falls across 20 the Forth fork
thence along the banks Of that stream a
Distance of about twenty-five miles. I took
careful observations all along tina route
aod discovered no serious engineering DIM
cultcs in the way OF building a railroad"