Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-05-18
SALES AND DEVELOPMENT
MINING IN THE NORTHWEST.
The lie ROi Sold for x3,OOO,OOO-
Historical Sketch of the Famous
ROsslnnd PrOperty-In the Pierce
District of IdahO-New Life in JEFF
fersOn County, Montana.

S"u"sSs
by far the largest mining deal ever CON
summatcd in the northwest was closed
Saturday, when the final papers were
signed that transferred the famous lie Roi
mine and smelter at Northport to the
British America Corporation for the sum
OF S3,0OOOOO. 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
first development in 1895, has paid in div
idends the handsome sum of $S25 600. OF
the $3,000,000 paid for the mine, four.
fifths OF it goes to Spokane parties. The
new owners have already acquired all the
mining properties surrounding the lie Roi
and Red Mountain. embraced in about
500 acres of land, and it is now the intcn,
ton of the corporation to develop mum,
ber of these mines from the workings OF
the lie Roi mine, Gus saving half mil.
lion in development work.
Joe Burgeois and Joe Morris, two
French Canadian prospectors, were the
discoverers 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 foI
supplies that were coming from Nelson
Looking across at Red mountain, he saw
ln in, ,,Iaooc anl nn,,II hs la
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 boil iron cappine
of numerous strong veins. On these they
located the lie Roi, the War Eagle, tn,
But with prospective millions in thei,
grasp, Burgeois and Morris were pooi
men, so poor that they could hardly claim
grubstake. Burgeois with his scant out
fit tramped over to Nelson. There h,
showed his samples, with little encourage
mcnt. Burgeois was decidedly blue and
discouraged until he run across Colonel
+. 5. Topping. Topping had been mining
recorder and was running small store
at Nelson. He questioned Burgeois and
found that the only assay was from tho
Virginia. "The others may do better,
are big"
The outcome was that Burgeois and
Topping made "dicker." Topping wa
to pay the fees for locating the five claim
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 abov,
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 tt
stay with the strike and give il "A fail
trial.
That is the story as narrated by Col
Onel Topping of the discovery of th,
mines Of Trail creek.
Burgeois sold his holdings for $4,000
or $4,000 and went up into the Fort
Steele district and located silver-lcad
claim, sold il for $4,000, and then went
to the Northwest Territory, bought a
5000 acre ranch and sent back east to
Canada for his relatives. The dream oi
his life has been realized; he has ''struck
il rich" and settled down.
the camp, came down to Spokane, married
a school teacher and bought a home on
the north side and has since become Il
farmer.
In the fall Of 1890 George VI. Forster
was at Colville trying a lawsuit and be
came interested in the lie Roi. lie en-
tered into bond with Topping whereby
he agreed, in consideration Of fourteen
siXteenths of the mine, to expend $1,000 in
development work. Forster returned to
Spokane and took in upon the deal Col
onel ]. n. Peyton Of Spokane, George Tur'
ner, Oliver Durant, w. NJ. Ridpath and
Alexander Tarbet. Colonel Peyton after
wards bought Topping's remaining inter
est, dividing it among few Of his friends
chiefly in Danville, Ill.
About two years and a half ago the
stock in the lie Roi was being peddled
about the city for so cents a share and
almost any price it would bring. 1t has
since been quoted as high as ss.
Lump GuIch.
This phenomenally high-grade silver
district is again coming to the front. II
includes section of country along Lump
creek in the northern part of Jefferson
county, Montana, probably six or seven
miles in length by four or five in width.
When prospected but slightly on the sur
face by men Of limited means, the fall OF
silver caused an abandonment of many
promising claims and the final shutting
down Of most Of the producing mines. The
Liverpool, Little Nell and one or two 9th
er properties were worked in a desultOry
manner, but the life and spirit had gone
out of the district. But Of late there has
been a pronounced revival. The discoy-
cry of new and valuable ore bodies in va
rious properties has created new interest
in the district. The extraction of high
grade ore from the Crescent has been fol
lowed by the developments on the Rose.
The latter property, under bond and lease
to George Hollenback, has been developed
by tunnel which caught the vein when
in 100 feet, fine body Of ore being un-
covered. When through this the vein
was drifted on for $50 feet without ore; !;
then another body of ore was discovered,
which is nearly 40 feet wide, with no evil
dence of diminution. New ore chutes
have been uncovered on the Little Alma,
and the Hope has taken on new activity.