The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-30
FOR NEW FIELDS OF GOLD
STEAMER DISCOVERY SAILS TODAY.
roR TINE PORTLAND CANAL.
Bridges. to Dir fer Geld IN soatA-
eastern Aiaska-TAeir Actual Dcs-
tinasion II Kept Very Quiet.

The steamer Discovery. Capt. Thomas
Grant, viii sail this morning for tie north
with psrsy OF seventy gold seekers. The
destination OF tae party IS Portland canal.
about ninety miles inland from Dgxcn's
entrance. on the southeast coast o;
Alaska
The party. which has recently been or
gsnized In this city. is going aader the
leadership and guidance Of William II.
Bridges Great secrecy has been exercised
during the organization OF the expedition.
Mr.. Bridges, the organizer of the party.
returned recently from Alaska, where ha
had been two years on a prospecting srsp.
While Up north he discovered a rich ledge
OF goid-bearing quartz somewhere in the
vicinity OF Portland canal. The canal Is
AZ the extreme end of pixen's entrance
about seveniy-sive miles from the sonnsi-
AIRY line OF British Columbia AIR. Bridges
spent much time in making lnyessiiga tons.
and found many places where The quartz
was In paying quantities. He marked off
claims OF his own. and left for Seattle with
the intention OF Organizing an expedition
and returning to Alaska this spring. When
seen yesterday by observation-disclosures re-
porter. he said.
Upon my arrival here I determined 10
organize parry ard guide them To the
heids of newly discovered wealth. l was
careful In selecting the members OF ;ha
expedition, and only took those whom 1
knew To be Industrious miners. The expe-
clifton was soon organized. and then came
the question OF securing a vessel TO con-
yey us 10 our destination. We spent much
time in looking over the scaooners and
osher small sailing vessels which were in
the harbor and elsewhere. but were un-
able 10 secure a suitable craft Failing in
this We decided TO make arrangements
with one of the steamboat companies 10
taxa the members OF our party ard their
ou;iits 20 the Portland canal on special
trip. The steamer We were successful in
securing Is the Discovery. and everything
Is in readiness for leaving tomorrow
The field OF operation to which we are
going Is one or easy access and to the hes;
or my belief has no. been prospectsd
much II Is quartz proposition and the
Whole canal country IS undoubtedly very
rich In deposits.
There are several Old placer miners 10
the party who have spent much time min
ing in Alaska, and are well acquainted
with the conditions that We VIII meet
there. We have outftted and provisioned
for several years and viii spend at least
five years In tae Interior. When the Dis
covery returns 10 the Sound she viii take
up another party upder the guidance. CT ".
ii. McCutcheon. These vii. Join MS az the
canal and so wsth us into the Interior. Our
operations will be conducted On large
scale. We expect TO discover much rich
placer ground in the country"
The mystery that surrounds the derar,-
ure of the Discovery and the fact ma: Ter
big crowd OF asgonauis are bound fer sew
gold felds will attract large crowd when
size finally slips her moor.ngs TITS morn-
ing. The members o. the expedition have
very ht.le 70 say about their proposed
venture, They cali heir destination the
new gold he.ts." and win tell you tina.
II is IN the Portland canal country. bat
beyond tia. The Information they give ca.
is rather indefinite. Tie crowd thar
watched the loading yesterday a, the COL
man dock asked many questions ba. failed
IN getting near .ke actual facts In ,hs
case