Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-05-20
SALES ANO DEVELOPMENT
MINING IN THE NORTHWEST
Inc Lee ROi Sold for %3,OOO,OOO-
historical sketch of the Famous
Nossiahd PrOperty-In the Pierce
district of ldahO-New Life in JEFF
fersOn County. Montana.

| by far the largest mining deal ever con-
suhnmated IN the northwest was closed
saturday. when the final papers were
signed that transferred the famous LIE Roi
NINE and smelter at Northport to the
british America Corporation for the sum
OF s5,V'o,ouO. BY the terms of the sale a
half million dollars is paid down and an
equal payment made monthly until the
entire price is paid. The lie Roi since its
llrst development in 1895, has paid in div
ldehds the handsome sum of $s25,OOO. OF
the S3.OOO.0OO paid for the mine four
ilfths OF 1t goes to Spokane parties. The
new owners have already acquired all the
mining properties surrounding the lie Roi
ana he'd Mountain, embraced in about
800 acres of land, and it is now the inten-
ton OF the corporation to develop num-
Der OF these mines from the workings of
the lie Roi mine, slus saving half mil
hon i'll development work.
Joe Burgeois and Joe Morris, two
French Canadian prospectors, were the
discoveries Of the property. Joe Bur
geois, who had mined in placers but never
in quartz, was sent to do assessment work
upon the Lily May, the first claim located
in Rossland. This work performed, Bur
geois loafed and smoked and waited for
supplies that We're coming from Nelson.
Looking across at Red mountain. he saw
it was bare in places and could be easily
prospected. In the meantime he had be-
come associated with Joe Morris, a pros
pector, and the two went across the can
yon and discovered the bold iron Gaping
of numerous strong veins. On these they
located the lie Roi, the War Eagle, the
Center Star, the Idaho and the Virginia
But with prospective millions in their
grasp, Burgeois and Morris We're poor
men, so poor that they could hardly claim
a grubstake Burgeois with his scant out
fit tramped over to Nelson. There he
showed his samples, with little encourage
ment. Burgeois was decidedly blue and
+. S. Topping. Topping had been mining
recorder and was running small store
at Nelson. He questioned Burgeois and
found that the only assay was from the
Virginia. 1.-THE others may do better,
he reasoned. 1T S clean ore and the veins
are big"
The outcome was that Burgeois and
to pay the fees for locating the five claims
and was to have his choice of one of the
properties. Burgeois came back to Trail
creek stripped off the iron Gaping. put
in few shots and found clean ore above
the fir roots. Topping followed and made
crude assays, which gave more encour
ageing returns: and the three-Topping
Burgeois and Morris - gathered around
their lonely camp fire and resolved te
stay with the strike and give it Il fail
trial.
That is the story as narrated by Col
onel Topping of the discovery OF the
mines of Trail creek.
Burgeois sold his holdings for $4,000
or $4,000 and went up into the For,
Steele district and located "a silver-leat
claim. sold it for $4,000, and then Went
to the Northwest Territory, bought q
5OOO-acre ranch and sent back east t.
Canada for his relatives The dream o
his life has been realized: he has ''stluck
it rich" and settled down."
Il Narris carried $4,000 to $4,000 out O
the camp, came down to Spokane, married
a school teacher and bought home OF
the north side and has since become {
farmer.
In the fall of 1890 George NJ. Forster
was at Colville trying lawsuit and be
came interested in the lie Roi. He en-
tered into bond with Topping whereof,
he agreed, in consideration OF fourteen
sixteenths of the mine, to expend $1,000 II
DEVELOPMENT work. Forster returned t.
Spokane and took in upon the deal Col
onel |. n. Peyton OF Spokane, George lur
ner. Oliver Durant. w. NJ. Rdpath an'
Alexander Tarbet. Colonel Peyton after
wards bought Toppng's remaining inter
: est. dividing it among few OF his friends
chiefly in Danville, Ill.
About two years and half ago tn
stock in the lie Roi was being peddie'
about the city for 80 cents share ant
almost any price it would BRING. IL ha
since been quoted as high as -.
Lump GuIch.
, This phenomenally high grade silve
district is again coming to the front.
includes ii section of country along l-um
creek in the northern part OF Je1ersol
county. Montana. probably SIX OF seve'
miles in length by four or i've IN "ldti
When prospected but slightly on the SUI
face bv men of limited means, the fali q
silver caused an abandonment OF man
promising claims and the final shuttih
: down of most of the producing mines. In
Liverpool Little Nell and one or two 9th
er properties were worked IN desui'of
manner. but the life and spirit had gon
out of the district. But of late there ia
been a pronounced revival. The disco'
erv of new and valuable or" bodies III Va
rious properties has created new interer
' in the district. The extraction OF hi2i
GRADE ore from the Crescent has been 10
= lowed bv the developments on the Kos
The latter property, under bond and iea'
to George Holenback. has been deveiope
, bv a tunnel which caught the VEN whe
:. in 100 feet. fine body OF ore beng I'll
. covered When through this the vel
, was Jrifted on for $50 feet without ore
tniv of orc WAS discovers