The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-08
l.. :. }. HUNT IN KOREA.
Americans Extensive Concessions
Rich Placers but Partially Worked.

st. Louis Globe Democrat
Korea is going TO make a more important
position among nations as a gold pro-
Queer. An American. James X. Morse,
has obtained an extensive concession.
Consul General Allen. In report 10 the
state department, says the district is one
or about twenty-five miles In width. and
includes the country reputed to he the
richest In gold OF any in Korea. The con-
cessicn Is for u period OF twenty-five
years. and IL liberal. including the right
10 mine any other minerals found in the
district. Mr. Morse has granted IA sub
concession 10 another American. Leigh
Hunt, who has succeeded In interesting
American capital to such an extent that
the suh-company IL about TO discard tho
obsolete and unsatisfactory mill sent 10
the Korean government ten years ago by
San Francisco firm. and will shortly in
stall In its place modern and carefully
selected mill OF forty stamps. The Korean
miners are said TO be- entirely satisfactory.
They are patient. strong. enduring and
easy 10 deal with. Their wages are about
~ cents per day in silver, equal to about
20 cents in gold. and the supply ia ample.
The company Is on good terms with the
people. and life and property are perfectly
safe at the mines.
The placers have been well worked over
upon the surface. but the natives have
not been able 10 get down very deep. and
bed rock has not been reached. The
native method OF working the quartz
veins Is 10 chip out the gold bearing rock
with their soft iron tools much pos
sibie. after which they all the hole with
fuel and set fire TO It, When the rock IL
as hot as fl can be- made, they pour in
water. which cracks the surface 80 that
thcy can chip IL of. The ore thus obtain
I'd ia then crushed on a nat rock by huge
stone rollers. worked by many men with
poles. Water ia the worst obstacle the
native miners have to contend against.
since their only way OF emptying a shaft
IL by bailing IL out with gourds. which are
filled and passed up from man to man.
When permanent water IL reached the
shaft has 10 be abandoned, and as the
veins usually grow richer "a this con-
dItion ia approached. the natives declare
that 10 they had SOME means of getting
rid OF water they would be satisfied.
The Germans" the consul general
writes. have obtained mining eonces-
sion for small portion OF the district ad-
Joining the one held by our people. The
terms or the German concession were
made az nearly like those of tho American
as the Korean government would ailoW
This property is soon TO be developed.
am told. The concession for a railroad
from Seoul 20 the northwest border.
granted 10 French syndicate. gives them
the right TO open certain mines as well
and. a. IL il generally known that Russia
is interested In this proposed railroad. IL
IL pretty sure 20 DO built. The road will
he something under 100 miles INA length
and will run through this whole mining
region, which lies on the ine between
Seoul and the border city OF Weii8 where
the proposed railroad will connect with
those about 10 be built ia Nanchnrta
Theae with the American railroad now
being bgilt between the capital Seoul
ard Ifs port chsmulpo. viii give Korea
and It's chief port and capital. an weiI az
these mining regions. direct connection
with Europe