The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-28
THE PASSING IHRONG.

Taking about rich gold strikes said
an Old miner from Silver creek down at
the New England hotel last night did
you ever hear of the strike that George
Probst, wno runs saloon on Columbia
street made near Mineral City in the Sill
Yer creek district. last summer? TX was
not go much the strike as the way Iii
which ne made ii that Is interesting. IL
seems that PEobst had consulted with
some medium here about prospecting
trip that he intended 10 make in the Cas-
caaes. The medium told him that while
prospecting In the mountains he would
fai and break or injure. his leg IL he dug
q tunnel at that point, the medium said
ne would find a mine.
ffoosi came up to Index. and with old
man hubbard. who knows every foot Of
the SILVER creek country as a guide,
started cut into the hills to prospect He
was ali The urne looking for the accident
In which he would break his leg. One
day after he had been out in the hills
about week he stumbled and sprained
his ankle very badly. Probst did not
hliaa the pain, however. for he believed
mat this was tie aecioen; that the me-
dunn had promised.
ne place where Prohst fell was just
IKE the rest Of the mountain and there
/ was not single indication that the gran
lie smell concealed any Gre He had plen-
" or faith. however, and at once staked
CT a ciaim around the place OF The acct
dent and had II recorded Then he hired
some men and put them &c work driving
tunnel. They worked along for q num-
eeT 81 weeks liz the hard granite, and OF
course found nothing. II was costing
ffohst lots Of money. but he did not mind
for he was going 10 get II all back in the
end. lie asked the men who were doing
MS @ork What they thought OF il.
XII. We can't exactly Eel,
reply. 'fou Gee, We never worked in just
such rock ar this before
AND they tcic the truth, for they never
had Pfobst wanted TO have the rock as
Sayed, but the miners persuaded him to
wait while longer. The tunnel was GO
ing further and further into the mountain
and UP TO this time there was not a single
INDICATION OF any ore body in the yicin-
Ivy. Probst still kept the men at work
as ne had faith In the medium.
one day, after heavy blast had been
hfed, the men found the face of the tun-
rel fiied with fair-looking ore and discoy-
cred good-sized ledge running across
Ihey were very much surprised. as they
haa long before given up hope OF en-
eountsfing hidden ledge probst was
sent for and Informed OF the luck that
suddenly had come upon him. He was
not surprised
The whole district was startled when
Ing when he tapped the ledge further
DOWN on the claim and found ore which
asSayed $500 in gold 10 the ton Ore of
that kind had never been heard of in the
SILVER creek country before and all If
the miners considered the advisa biiity Of
consulting mediums. Probst was very
suspicious OF his rich ore at first and had
several assays made, but they always ran
over SS,un. He believes that he has a
good claim and will develop IL next sum-
mer.
There are old miners in the Silver
creek country, however who refuse to
believe that the Probst claim has ore tina.
viii run $500 To the ton. They do not
doubt the assays, for they were regu-
larry made from ore taken out of the
ledge. They do hint, though that some
or Pfobsts friends for practical joke
sailed the ledge on him. Even If he has
not 5000 to-the-ton- bonanza he has a
good ledge OF ore on his claim. and he i.as
the satisfaction OF knowing that he used
absolutely new methods of prospecting to
find it,
The crowded condition OF the hotels of
this city and the rush In Quitting and
transportation business is appreciativeIy
commented on by III. r.. Baker. of Bos-
ton, with whom an Interview appears in
the Denver Republican of January H. as
follows: Seattle VIII unquestionabIv
secure the bulk Of the Klondike trade, az
u Is the natural starting point for the
gold hunters. The rush 70 the gold fields
OF the north has been anticipated by that
| city Tor some months past. The mer-
chants realized that for many months the
city would be crowded with miners and
that the hotel accommodations were not.
AT that time, sufficient for half the peo-
! pie expected. To make Ii possible to ac-
cornmodate the expected rush. moneyed
men at once commenced the erection of
| hotels. Many or these have since been
completed, and are now crowded. and
when the others are ready for occupancy
/ there will be enough strangers liz the city
TO NIL them"
Caot. c. l.. Homer of San Francisco.
who Is a the head of the United States
revenue cutter service on the Pacific coast
/ * In Seattle on business connected with
! the repairs 70 The cutter Grant Can't.
/ Hooper visited Astoria on his way morn h.
/ He VIII bc in Seattle several days A. the
J Butler last night he remarked upon the
/ wonderful evidences OF great commercial
activity on the streets Of the city There
! has. been a wonderful change since I was
{ last In Seattle he said. Evidently YOU
/ have plenty of klOndikers in Seattle No
/ there is no especial significance about my
present WISH here II Is too early yet
| 10 say what cutters will comprise the fleet
I IN northern waters this season Nor can
/ ] say anything concerning the proposed
patrol 81 shs Yukon river The senate
rs you know. has already ndde the APP
| preparation asked for and the house com
/ mittce has reported favorahlv on it, Moth
i ing definite can he done until the measure
| Is passed and approved by the president"
/ David Bruce. superintendent of the
! Union Trunk line. has been granted
/ long leave of absence. and viii lead
! party or ten men into the Alaskan geld
/ fields Mr.. Bruce has had desire TO Join
/ thc rash 10 the North Tor some time, and
I when he fiaaliy secured an option on some
valuable claims orr the American side Of
J The iinc. ise rendered his resignation. II
/ was considered. but instead ~ being ac-
+ Cepted the directors granted him q leave
/ IF absence, on thu condition that he
/ would return u Seattle N the fall and
resume his work. Ar Brace accepted the
/ conditions and eft Tuesday morning for
/ Lawrence. Mass. where Ills parents. who
5 aro among the mos influential IN The
city live. MIR. Bruce will return "a So