Stikeen River journal., 1898-05-14
It's Location, Size, Topogra= phy, Climate, Lakes,
 Rivers, Mines, Etc.
THE CASSlAR BOOM.
X History of the Great Rush of
 1874

Bi A,inh A, S?ar llwh.
 Gold has been an attractive element to mankind from the earliest dawn of history, and that it's attractivcaess has not decreased is evidenced by the eawcrncss to search ill every available place. The Cassiar mines. which were discovered in 1873, have taken on a new impetus. The Cassiar country. which extends over a large area, lies northeast of Wrangcl. In 1873 McCu'ly and Thibcrt first found gold on Me tully's bar, named in honor of the former for the discovery on Lizard river.
 The next spring of II. the year of the great rush. a large party set out for the gold regions. Thiheri and Me Gully were members of the party but death overlook Mct'uliy and his re- mains were buried on the banks of the Slikccn river. Dcase and Thihert creeks were worked extensively and gave Il handsome return for their labor.
 The next spring of ,5 the Moore brothers obtained d charter from the government. and |; trail was conStrnct- ed from Glcnora in Il northeastern di rcction to the head of Dcasc Lake. Il distance of - miles which covers near lv the same ground as the old indian train crossing the 'rahl,an and Tuyea rivers. Dcasc lake is about .1 miles long and on an average of three niles wide. Over this trail pack trains were run and goods were transported at forty cents per pound. They finally sold out to the ~overnucnt. Rich strikes were made this Near. which at tracted d large influx of mining men.
 The rush to the Cassiur country all went by way of the Sti!;ern river, and the trail from Telc graph Creek. In succeeding years several creek, were found to be rich in the pre- 'ious metal and mining was clrried on d .tivcl", on all of the streams. fine gold dug cut of Walkers crock was of the most val- uab!c character, as avs rum Z as i :h as S2o to $225 to the ounce.
 Placer mining was thc the prinripa, mining. except d W tunnels in whieh were used what were called China pumps.
 In this country are found some eX rcedngly rich quartz mines. but the difficulty of access. and the expense eff transportation has heretofore almost defeated the attempt to mine then sue rcs-fn!Iy.
 Mining was exceedingly easy Il, com pared with other countries. aS pay dirt was found at depths ran4int from four to six feet from the surface. .An abundance of timber and considerable water was easily obtainabc.
 The surrounding cOln,ry $ noun tainous lbut no high mountains cross ing the traill, intorsperscd with prai- ries containing bunch grass, timber and swamp grass in large quantities.
 These mines. which yielded so wei. in the early 70's. are now receiving re- ncwed attention. Large companies with great amounts of money are com menciny operations. As an evidence of their richness the British Columbia government last year made a grant to an English company of 200 eUO acres Of land in the Cassiar district if it will build d line of railway from the Pacific coast to Dease lake, which will open up both the Cassiar and the Ome lica mines.
 In looking at the map it ill be seen that the Cariboo. Omenca. Cassiar and | the rich Yukon mines are all in the same mineral belt.
 It was the Cassar excitement which gave Wrangel its first prominence. Hundreds of prosper'ors would spend the summers in that country and cone to Wrangel in the w;nyer, returning the next spring. This place was also the source of supplies at that time as it is now.