The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-31

n YNIN0 for the precious metals In
~ Warrington during the year past
IA" might be described AZ an Indus
trial propagation with the stag
eers. Too much has been prom
isod By the promoters OF incorporated
echemas, and the myriad dabblers IN
stock have expected greater results than
common sense should anticipate. To
oversaneuine and unwary investors the
year closes without cause for elation; to
prudent operators and the best mining
talent in the state the prospects for 1900
excel the achievements OF all the other
years. In this dual aspect OF the SUM
mary viii be found obvious progress with
faltering steps.
Before entering upon review Of the
situation 1t may be well to point out In
superable causes that have prevented or
retarded mineral development within
those areas Of the state which have como
mineral bearing in character. It Il only
recently that practical and scientific men
have regarded the field as inviting. Min
ing. like other industries, develops along
the lines Of least Resistance Prospecting
ana production have been hedged with
distractions in the best mineral sections
Of Warrington for years. To the prying
eye Of the prospector the 10000 acres en-
braced In the north half Of the Colvtlie
Indian reservation were closed BY law
untfl 1855 and the southern half remained
exempt from mineral location until q
later period. The vast mineral wealth
thus locked against enterprise can be only
vaguely imagined at this early day Of ex-
ploration. --.--s.'ss 5ssss
one glimpse 81 nlshness.
When the Moses reservation was
ness and. the dtscouraging lack Of trans
portation facilities. II looked for time
a. though washington was about to es-
tablish . reputation for legitimate min
Ing. Then came . sequence Of adversities
that depopulated the new district. The
hrst productive gold quarts property was
closed by litigation. Through inexpsri-
ment funds were wasted. Hard times
stopped Investment. and the RELOCATION OF
silver to deprecated commercial value
dashed the dreams Of the Okanogan pio-
neers. many Of whom In their rebellious
disappointment wandered to far-away
Australia and South Africa.
About the same time the low grade lead
fields Of Pend d'Oreille were discovered,
only to be abandoned when tariff revision
Knocked the value Of that metal to tho
lowest point It had reached In many
years.
The mineral regions Of tho Cascade
mountains. which viii surprise the world
some 00y Win tuclT ABkIc8ato pIVuuCts
are little better understood than book
whose PREDATORY pages are the only ones
cut. Nature never more jealousy guard
ed her treasures Of precious metal than
she does In the Businesses of this formid-
able range. Here the open season is Alas
kan In brevity. while the hardships of
climbing and exploration are Alpine
throughout. For the most part the min
eral bodies are low grade. though mas
sive. In many known instances the ores
are complex or refractory. It Is a splen-
did testimonial to the energy and forth
tude Of the Puget sound pioneers Of these
forbidden attitudes that they should have
labored faithfully for more than a decade
IN proving the merit Of their discoveries
and possessions.
How Different the Genesis.
The baclEwardness of washington In the
development Of its mineral resources Is
puxxling to every one not familiar with
the geographic. geological and political
dificulties Present prospecting and min
ing within the polar circle, as occupations.
are less repellant than they were between
the parallels Of - and 50 for many years.
The early explorers who followed the
Columbia to the headwaters of its placer
tributaries, to the Big Bend and across
the Kootenay and Fraser river divides.