The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-24

Gus causes The Disaster which overcams
the Everett aad sSpnte CrisIo railroad has
forced a general suspension Of mining
alozg that lire. The general stampede 20
the Yukon has thrown into the aack-
ground the u!1ag districts nearer kema
In spite CT al these adverse circumstances
the year has been enc OF general adj
vancernsrt. Great undertakings have
been started on such a sohi financlai
foctin% that they are independent Of the
fluctuations II public opbinioa, and they
are I'm such widely separated fields and
have hesn attended with such gratifying
results as TO prove the existence within
the state o. a great mineral belt. IN which
the ore bodies are Of size AMI value 10
make coed returns for capital jndict2asiy
and skillully invested.
The most distinguished features IN the
mineral belt are the strength OF the geo.
icglea. formation, the size OF the lodges,
and Of the ore besides, and the variety
of rlirerals 10 be found. The main range
OF the Cascades is formed mainly OF
granite rocks. which are exposed above
tinoer line. The formation Is cut by great
iedgss Of quartz and porphyry carrying
all the pyritic ores and silveE-hearing ga
lens, with frequent occurrence of native
copper and native silver. In many places
the oxidation Of the ore has rendered the
Ecld free oa the surface and to q con-
sSeEahle depth. but as depth is gained
tse proportion of suiphurets increases
and il is expected that the free gold will
ultimately disappear. The same con-
3ttions prevail in the eastern and western
foothills, bat the exposure is not 50 great
as The ground is covered with gIacisl
wash and vegetable mould ana the croe-
pings are most marked in the sule;es.
where the streams have washed the .ock
clear.
In the more easterIy part of the state
the conditions and character Of the min
eral bear a closer resemblance 10 those
existing in the Trail creek distact Of
British Columbia. Here the famous iron
Gaping is found 10 cover great bodies OF
gold-oearlng iron and copper sulphide
ores, low grade near the surface, hut
greater IN value as depth IS ganed. The
formation OF this district has been APPLY
described as the breaking OF the gabbTo
rocks through the original formation and
their overfiowing. as water rours thorugh
a hole broken in ice. TIE richest ore
bodies were found on this lhe OF fracture.
Similar hlow-orts have been found on
the United States side OF the limo in the
eastern strip of the Colvi,e Indian reser-
walton, which Is an extension southwark
Of the Trail creek formation with idenu-
cal characteristics. These conditions also
prevail at various points in the Cascade
mountains. the whole surface of a noun
tain frequently having been minerallzcl.
Mt. Baksr District.
The most recent discovery is in the Mt.
Baker range lefty spur of the Cas-
cades, in Whatcon county. On a noun
tain at the sources of Swamp creek has
been found q great ledge of free milling
ore OF unusual richness, which has been
traced for a long distance. II crops on
Of mountain AZ.
that the ore could almost be qUarrled out.
Preparations are being made 10 develop
properties In this district during the COM
ing season end it bids fair TO be the secne
Of tho most active prospecting in the
state.
Ruby Creek.
Directly south of this district Is the
Ruby creek placer district. the scene of
some OF the earliest mining operations in
the state. II is still n producer of gold,
one party Of four men having taken ever
St. 800 n the course of six weeks sluiciny
last season, and the Ruby Hydraulic
Company having established plant for
washing out sold on a large scale at tire
mCs,h Of Ruby creek. AT tho sources Of
Slste, Thunder and Canyon creeks, which
lite Ruby creek are tributaries or the
g-eat Skagit river, large bodies of free
milling ore are in course OF development
anu II INt-Stdttp wac AAa pt''Aattda
last summer on the Mountain Goat. AZ
the head OF the Cascade river. another
tributary Of the Skagit the mountains
are cut by very clearly defined lodges. car
rying galene. and iron and copper sui
phides This belt OF galena ore has been
traced across the main divide 10 Doubt
fol lake and Horseshoe basin, and thence
to the divide between the north FORKS II
Thunder and Bridge creeks, a distance Of
10 On
the Boston. near the summit but lodges
of great strength have been opened in
the Midas. Johnsburg and Soldier Boy
on the eastward extension, the Boston
ledge crops in the Quien Sabe on Doubt
ful lake cuts The sawtecth of Horseshoe
basin and reappears as one of thirteen
parallel lodges which cut that basin,
under its glaciers and snowtielfs.
During the past year the mineral de-
posts in the mountains bounding the
main Skaeit valley from Hamilton 10
Marble mount have been found to Dc SIM
iiar I'm character TO many of those on
Trail crcek-ledges of copper and iron sui
phsdcs capped with magnetic iron, and
development has begun with gratifying
results IN tho Inaugural at Hamilton.
Further south. at The headwatcrs OF the
Stilta guamish north fork. in White Horse
mountain and In Geld mountain there ex-
and copper pyrites and aFsonical iron. and
on Gold mountain is a dixie of einnabar
said to be very rich in quicksilver. DE-
yel09ment in this district only fairly be-
gan last season.
Monte Cr;sso District.
Southeast Of this point, at the ne1d-
waters OF the Sank II the great series Of
ledgos which has given birth TO the Monte
Crssto camp. the greatest west of the Cas-
caGe summit. The precipitous mountains
are here streaked with rsa BY the oxiGa-
ton e the iron IN the surface ore and
have been tunn -Ied 10 maximum depth
Ct $40 feat in the development Of the
Monte Cristo mines. This work has shown
bodies Of eulphide and arsenical iron ore.
With some galena, which have contiBu-
ailv increased in size and value s. depth.
The principal properties. the Mystery
and pride Of the mountains. have been
most DEVELOPED ard have cable trarnways
~ watch She ore IS carried down The
mountain to S concentration. with Il ca
pacgry q SO tons a dey. From here the
concentrates are SHIPPED over the Everett
ana Monte Cristo railroad. controlled by
the same parties. 10 the smelter At Ever
ets The mines had Just been brought 10
a paying basis when "a great food last
November washed out she Railroad ana
,-c4saE-r t!cd q slfngansi1n nf operations.