The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-26
THE SNOW IS SIZING pk.
WESTERN WASHINGTON MINERS
ARE srAR11xG WORK.
klendtka at Their Owa Meas
Mount Rakse Eaeets. % Anse
Falls FIoeas-Claima Cnpatentea.


The warm weather Of the past thSse
weeks has had the effect OF starting tha
Snow eff the mountains of the Cascades
and the pFospsctor and miner back into
the hills. Miners have left the SOUNDS
during that time in large numbers for Tho
various districts IN Snchomish and King
counties and many are gong into the
whafeogn gold fields. which were discov-
cred late last year. Mining in western
Washington has started for the season.
Comparatively little work was done In
the Cascades last winter for several rsar
soas. The rash 10 Alaska has taken a
great many OF the heaviest mine owners
10 the far north and they have for n time
dropped operations in the Cascades. Tho
attantson given the northern gold search
has checked the interest in the great and
practically undeveloped quarts resources
of the Cascades. It has made Il almost
Impossible TO interest capital and has pat
stock selling propositions on the sheis
for a time
The terrible floods last fall which wash
read put a stop TO winter work in the
mining districts along the Stillaguaraioh
river. The Monte Cristo Mining Company
was compelled TO shut down after spend
ing several million dollars ia opening up
one of the largest mining properties IN
the west. Whether they will resume. or-
erat!ons this year Is q question. Most oc
their claims are patented and can be left
idle without losing title.
The fact that only very few of tho
mining claims In Snohomssh and King
county districts are patented makes ie
necessary for the owners TO do at least
500 worth Of work on eacn calm this
year or lose title to the property. Il -
that provision In the law that has started
the miners into the hills during the past
few weeks. On most OF the claims WORK
will stop as soon as the required amount
of tunnel has been driven. On othera
work VIII be kept up all summer, a. ar
rangements have been made fur shipptnY
ore
Most of tina Cascade mine owners who
have gone to Alaska have maoa arranHo-~
meats for the assessment work on their
more valuable properties. III. G.. Petit
of Snohomish. who returned few months
ago from Dawson a rich man. and who
has men at work on his claims In Hno.
homish county. CIate Packard. who went
north ON the schooner Jane Gray with.
Maj. Ingraham's party, does not propose
to lose the large number of claims he han
In the Cascades, but will have thesnA
worked. A. w. Hawks. one Of the largesc
owners In the Si.verton, Silver Creek amos
Miller River districts, has Arranged To
have men work his claims to the asncuun
OF the assessment work. Hawks SAYS ~
VIII come back from Alaska with enpuwrk
money to open up his quarts claims in
the Cascades. Many others viii do the
Same thing. so the Alaskan excitemsun
will not do permanent harm to thu Cas-
cade mines. IT has made a shortage oe
experienced miners. however Nearly ain
OF the men formerly employed IN thoe
mines around Silverton and Monte Cfisfu
nave gone north on grub stake uropons~
lions. The few who remain VIII have
all they can do this summer, working QUE
the assessment of absent claim owners.
IL Is about az hard TO get into thc nlt-
yerton and Monte Cristo districts a. fe
was before the Rockefeller syndicate built.
railroad up the StilIaguamisn az an ex.
pense OF several milton dollars Traina
run only short distance abovo Granatsp
Falls and supplies have to be PACKED.
the remaining distance. That In itself -,
sufficient TO stop large operations
This Sultan basin and sxykomish t1as-
tricta In Saohomish county ana the mlles
ON Miller river and Money creak in Einr
county will be worked on the largest scale
this year. They are tributary to the
Great Northern railroad. The rorty-Ffyos
Consolidated Mining Company Is now az
work building n pack road from their
m!nes TO the Great Northern az Sultana
and considerable ore wifi come out az
that district. A Snohomish company n
putting in a shelter in the Silver Creek
country that will take care OF the outuue
OF several large groups Of properties. A
number Of SEATTLE men have interests on
Miller river that will be worked on =
large scale this summer
There viii be a better chance Tor c.aixn
jumping after January ], faeg. than theea
has been IN the Cascades for years. Many
claim owners have gone north without
providing for their assessment work ana
as a result the properties win y,a open 70
relocation.
Whatcom county people believe that
they have a Klondike OF their own IN the
vicinity OF Mount Baker and that hsa
Kept them from getting excited about t1,e
Alaskan god fields A great many msneyn
VIII 20 into the Mount Baker country t,afn
year.