The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-09-16
SLATE CREEK MINES
A Former Salemite Who Is Prospecting
for Gold.

!. EDITOR JOURNAL There are few
d any occupations in life exempt iron
II pleasure rs well as trials and tribula
n tions, and certainly that of mining pro
o pector is replete wthal, as a brief &C
count of recent tour | made through
mineral section of the Cascade noun
tains will convince the most sceptcal
5 In the latter part of last July, in com
! ! pany with a partner named Warfeld
left the town OF Hamilton, on the banl
OF this river, equipped with all tn,
5 requisites for tour through the noun
tains. Our first days travel brought u,
to the mouth of Baker River, a tribu
tary of the Skagit. where large mum.
Der of valuable mineral lodges have
lately been discovered and located.
Our stay at that camp was brief one as
we were anxious to reach the rich min
eral belt at the head of Slate Creek i'm
the Cascade mountains, before the ad-
vent Of cold weather which sets in early
in that section. Two days ordinary
travel from Baker River, over well con-
structcd mountain trails, brought us to
the mouth of Ruby Creek, where u COM
pany of capitalists have already cx-
pended generous fortune in construct
ing fumes and erecting machinery for
the successful working of one of the
largest deposits of gold bearing gravel
have ever seen. There can bc no doubt
as to the value Of the property, but the
money expended and work accomplished
in opening the ground and bringing in
machinery is a striking example of Yam
kee enterprise, and | truly hope the
plucky owners may be well rewarded.
A large number OF placer claims have
been located along this creek and prep.
arations are being made on several for
hydraulic'ug on an extensive scale.
Leaving Ruby Creek at the Nip and
Tuck placer mine, about seven miles
above the mouth, we took the trail for
Slate Creek crossing, Mill Creek and sew
eral other streams where placer mining
on small scale is being carried ON and
reached our destination on August the
9TH and hear | feel myself inadequate
To the task Of describing the magnR.
cent scenery that broke on our view.
Lofty snow crowned mountains tower
ing ut an immense elevation above beau
tiiul basins or valleys, rich with yer-
durc smiling bctw On them, dark
gloomy ravincs, suggestive Of the most
dismal forcbodngs, ON one side and
sparkling streams the very ripple Of
which seemed 10 breathe mirth and
hilarty ON the other. II was grand be-
yond description but better than all to
fortune seekers such as myself and part
ner was the unmistakable evidence OF
great mineral wealth visible on every
side, The inaccessability Of the district
and the rigors Of III climate have hithcr-
10 retarded its development, but its inn
mcnse wealth has at last attracted at
tention, and capital is now pouring in
rapidly, One claim, the Eureka, was
recently purchased for tSs,OOO and fully
as much more spent In erecting machin-
cry cutting trails aud doing other work
necessary to operate il. Several other
mines have been sold within the last few
months for sums ranging from 10000
To 5000, and next summer or spring
will witness great rush 10 the place.
The rock il all free milling, or at the
worst concentrating in character and
the most rebellious can BE- treated boy
the cyanide process which Il, n not en-
tail any great expense.
My partner and secured two loca.
tions that We believe and hope are very
valuable. The $. A. Boston, a large and
we'll defined lode lying between por.
phery and slate formation and which
gives assays ranging from tl5 b. 500 10
the ton, and the Lucky Jack" not 80
rich Ar the first, but ~, enongh 10 hold
on to, There il still large section II
the mineral belt unprospectod, bat
great many miners will certainly be- on
the ground next spr'l and fully ex-
plore il.
During my short stay ! was hcmmed !
In in rough mountain pass iof four
days by snow and ha great dificuiiy 10
getting out at the expiration 81 that
time. Fancy waking up on the morn.
ing Of August IS and finding myself sur
rounded by snov ? feet deep which had
fallen during the previous night and
then FOR four days u keep working like
a plantation negro to cut fire WO0d 10