The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-19
AN |LL-FATED STAMPEDE
Explorations in the Great Slave
Lake Country.
NO TRACE OF GOLD FOUND
A D'scouraging View OF the Mineral
Prospects-Copper D severed, but
of No Great Value Galena
Deposits Found.

Great Falls, Dec. 1s.-From the re-
ports of parties who have returned
from the alleged Great Slave Lake GOLD
fields in the frozen northland it would
seem that the stampede to that country
last spring was Ill advised, to say the
least. One of the last prospecting par
ties Of the busted gold field bubble ar
from the Great Slave lake and the story
told the Bulletin is not such as to cause
any further rush to that portion of her
majesty doninions in search of the
corrupting influences of gold.
The party consisted of D. Diver, N.
S. Potter, jr., Asa Stanbury, Gus Han
son. Jerry Hanson, J. L. Johnston and
Alex Livingstone. The first five named
formed part of the Great Slave Lake
Mining company of Jackson, Mich, the
other two We're in the employ of the
Yukon Valley Prospecting & Mining
company. The Jackson party went
down last spring, using the little steam
er Argo, which they brought with them
on the trip north. They also used it in
their exploration around the lake and
on the trip back as far as Fort Smith.
They sold it to Gaudette and Simp-
son.
Hudson Bay company officers at Fort
Resolution left Resolution on Sept. II
by the Argo. On reaching Smith they
had to procure boat to continue their
journey above the rapids. To get the
boat they had to go back to Salt river,
some 20 miles. This caused them to be
five days later leaving Smith landing
than DIR. Bell, and that five days de-
lay threw them out over month.
They tracked up the Great Slave river
and Athabasca to McMurray. Twenty
miles below McMurray they met ice and
with eight men on the lire they were
two days making the 20 miles. They
lay at McMurray four weeks waiting
for snow, and at last started out drag
ging toboggans over bare ground,
They dragged for two days before they
got sleighing. At White Fish lake, 100
miles from McMurray, they procured
two dog trains. They were 10 days in
! making the 100 miles to White Fish lake
and eight days in reaching Lac la Biche
with dog train. From Lac la Biche they
came in with teams.
They take discouraging view of the
! mineral prospects at Great Slave lake.
Mr.. Potter, who is an assayer and had
a complete outfit. was unable to find a
trace of gold In samples of rock from
the same location as was said to have
given such great results in Chicago
last winter. Inc f0rEnatlOn at the east
ern end of the lake is Laurentian and
shows cash veins of copper ore, but
they do not consider these value BILE.
The formation southwest of Fort Reso-
luton is Deynnian limestone In this
Is found the gal,na deposits which have
been largely spoken of. There are pock-
ETY., very similar to the salena deposits
of Missouri. and carry ver'. little silver
The ore runs about so to 80 per cent
lead. There IS a great deal of mica in
the country, but it Is not of quality
to be Of value, so far as they can
judge.
Mr.. Diver brings back a number of
interesting Indian curiosiFies. Probab bly,
the most interesting Of these is belt
of porcupine quilts in process of maxi
ing. Fe also has a pair of buckskin
gloves very tastily ornamented in silk
work, and novel which bel RS tire in
scription, mackenzie River Circulating
Library 1851"