The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-24
VISIT TO OLD GOLD CAMP.
Promising Portion of the Upper LAR
deau-Duncan District.


deau-Duncan District.
Pound for the Old Gold camp Is be-
coming n common expression OF Visitors
passing through Ferguson on their way
upper I.ardeau-Duncan district. The Fer
guson Eagle thus describes tour of In
spection Of that region:
ION Saturday morning last we pro-
ceeded up the north fork of the Lar
deau trail. overlooking canyon and gorge,
amidst the mountains clothed In their
summer garh, across green strips where ere
all and hurled II into the seething wa
tiers below. After seven miles IL covered
we reach Circle City. the new townsite
rounded by n number Of prospective
mines Coming back 70 the Old Gold
trail some fifty yards this side Of Car,
ter a. Thompsons hotel, we commenced
n three-mile climb TO the summit. After
this long steady. pull up the mountain
side; oyer series OF swftch-backs. we
plateau, above the timber line, and re-
mnding OF the old prairie days. Soon
the very summit is reached and here we
amazement. Looking down the valley,
directly below. the headquarters of the
Old Gold, Primrose. Guinea Gold and
Iardeau- Duncan mines are seen convenf-
entity located on a bench to the left.
Away to east or left the bald mountains
OF lime and stained masses Of rock are
in easy view, the tunnel mouths of the
old Gold and Lardeau-Duncan appearing
as gopher holes Then to right or west
the great Time dyke Is in sight, the
famous Badshot peaks. which We viewed
a week ago from the other side while
at the Triune. towering away through
the clouds while. nearer and below us
the tunnels and dumps on the Primrose
and Guinea Gold demonstrate that
good deal OF work has already been done.
Crossing this great lime and slate for
nation, we can see what Is now known
as the wonderful Black Warrior lead,
traversing this portion of the district,
upon which SO many of our prominent
mining properties are located.
Dropping down the switch backs.
crossing snow in places. we reached the
camp. unsaddled and turned out horse
Chef Thomas Miller and satisfied the
company with Superintendent J. W.
Miller who had gone over the day be-
fore, we visited the Guinea Gold. located
on the right hand side OF the valley.
which divides the two branches OF the
little West Fork creek. a tributary OF
the. Duncan river a good trail has heen
ley 10 this group of three cIaims-the
Silver Lear, upon which the work Is now
being. pushed. the Willie c. and Nellie
cut tunnel. upon which force Of men
are hard at work flor the rock IL hardD
we saw regular quarry OF galena ore
IN place. The ledge matter, which must
be forty feet wide. has been open cut
clear across. exposing in one place ten
inches OF clean shipping ore and at an
trating ore. The ledge Is well defined
and 1t will only be a matter OF a few
days now until the cross-cut, which is
now In some ninety feet, viii tap this
ore body some 100 feet below the im-
mense surface showings.
Leaving the Guinea Gold we retraced
our steps the length OF a claim and
entered the long tunnel ON the Primrose,
driven on strong ledge Mt considerable
depth. the objective point being n
most reached. In the main tunnel about
sto feet, ore mas been encountered here and
there all the way. but just now the miners
giving strong evidence that the ore body
Is near AZ hand. A contract for an
other 100 feet has lust been let, ana with
this additional work the superintendent
expects 90 hear OF the good news at any
time. A test shipment from tho Prin-
rose gave results Of over $50 to the
ton. and the assays are enormous. but
until the main ore body Is reached SUI
pefintendent Wcstfai was prone TO use
these figures believing that very soon
the mineral piled in the Primrose ore
hlns would speak for itself
Tho following morning we visited tho
Old Gold group of tive claims, the Silver
queen silver King and fraction. Here
We found between 800 and COO feet of
work done Passing the lower or base
tunnel and W further in the draw. we
rut In IN hour prospecting the big,
strong ledge al this point. 10 the LETT
on the way up, above the tunnel driven
last season. tn which considerable ore
Was encountered, an open eut exposes
from ten 20 twelve inches Of clean ore.
And all over the ledge mineralized rock
IS pred0 minttnt Coming down on Tho
risht side or south % the draw taionE
what We took % be the footwain Ia a
point opposite the tunnel Just spoken
SHIRT az wprk, the graveyard shift hay-
Inc gone off AZ a m This tunnel ia
nov IN along tho wall RhOut ninety feet
shoWiuE ofe here and there and h IL
suaeFintenient Wesifalls intention 10
diagnnallY cf0ss-cut the entire irdac 10
The haaeing wall. another coniracf Tor
10 ttst having Just been Lot This
toe, vii hftug them under the big aar-
tAge showing above. The other tunnel
viii not % utilized unfa this is accom-
fefF bed, and the company commences
shrping. tower tunnel viii IT, driven.
with ratsg o. the upper one Tor air
and stopiug purposes,
FROM here We returned TO the cahina
inaie ready far heme and came SD as faT
tnFPFr Miuirw Comps nv $ property as
totanE The old Go'd ON faa north ~
uppFr slide Here tno, force ~ men
ara driving 'Uanel on the lead hui fhev
ans results The lead. however. h
Eeei enc. and should pan out aN tsrhf
With teNelr1fncut
I'Hv 0t GolJ tamp. "a u has t,tsi,
&aecor3n known. IS ROT nearly sa isnisra.t
as pfraah Wogi8 naturally sgpuo4ss
valley 90 the lttle west FORK ~ ths p,tr-
tAH. ans tran rs now oelnE huHt frors
thr head ~ navigation GA The Duncan
RIVER % this paiut"
SAN tNCIsco.