The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-19
NORTHERN MONTANA
sl
The Northern Montana Office of the Standard
Z is located in the Bach Cory Block, Great Falls,
directly opposite the Park Hotel. Advertising
rates furnished on application
THE GREAT SLAVE LAKE
/ The District Is Beginning to At
l tract Attention.
is NOT FULLY EXPLORED
i Gold. Silver, Copper and Lead Have
i Been Found - Prospectors Will
Return = How to Reach
the Lake.
is NOT FULLY EXPLORED

Great Falls, Feb 1s.-While the Klon-
dixie boom, in point of results compared
with popular expectation, has proved
the greatest fake of the century and
the two routes via Edmonton, the all
river and the all land, have shared in
hffat fake necessarily, some good has
resulted. Several thousand people have
been led to explore that country, more
or less cursorily, perhaps, but some ex-
ploration has been done. From many
OF the rivers of that region prospectors
report the finding of colors and some
reports are to the effect that as high
as $25 day has been rocked from par
ticularly rich gravel. Reports of the
finding of silver and lead and some
gold quartz are heard, although these
instances are so infrequent as to de-
serve the term of isolated. More copper
finds have been made and it is likely
that before the Klondike craze finally
dies out some good mines will be found
in these metals.
During the coming summer it is likely
that the Great Slave lake and the ad-
ton than any other particular spot and
most of the travel will be directed that
way to the prejudice of the Klcndike
4 country. AT the present time but little
is known of this lake save that it is
body of water larger than Lake Ontario
and lying about $50 miles north of Ed
monitor. The shore is very irregular,
being indented by succession of deep
bays and inlets and the surface of the
dotted C1 nd
The Great Slave river enters it from the
south connecting it with Athabasca
lake, and on the western extremity of
the Great Slave the Mackenzie river
leaves for the Arctic ocean. The east
ern part of the lake and its shores are
said to have never yet been fully ex-
plored, and it is there that the gold and
silver is expected to develop under good
prospecting. This arm of the lake ex-
tends about 200 miles toward and even
into the Barren grounds, made famous
by the hunters of the musk OK Here
The formation is Laurentian, the same
as that at Port Arthur, Seine river and
Rat Portage, where silver and gold
have been found in paying quantities.
In the Yukon rush of the past year not
only have prospectors passing through
the lake found copper and lead veins
but have also found silver and gold in
the same mineral. They have had as
says made of the samples which they
brought back with them and while the
results of such assays have not been
published. the fact that the prospectors
announce their intention of returning
to that country during the coming sea-
son would indicate that they were high
ly satisfactory.
The journey from Edmonton is best
made by boat. and as many are likely
to wander in that direction from Mon
tana during the summer of 1899 the fol-
lowing information regarding the route
and the means of transportation may be
found of interest. From Edmonton to
Athabasca landing the trip is over a
well kept stage road, So miles. and the
freight is three-quarterS of a cent a
pound. The remainder of the journey
must be made by boat and for this pur-
pose one of the Hudson bay batteaus is
the best craft
Grand rapids portage, half mile,
follows The load has to be carried
over the portage, but the empty boat
can be let down by hand. This is a
difficult and dangerous place, however,
and guides should be secured here to
take the boats through this and sue
ceeding rapids extending from Grand
rapids to Fort McMurray 81 miles,
There are 10 rapids in the 81 miles, but
all are run with full loads except the
Cascade, where a portage of all or part
of the load for few yards has to be
made.
From McMurray there is stretch of