Douglas Island news., 1900-10-03
A recent number of the Engineering

A recent number of the Engineering and Mining Journal of New York con- tained an article from the pen of Capt. R. H. Stretch on the White Horse cop per belt. He says there are two dis tinctive classes of ore present and their occurrence is quite different. We have large masses of specular or magnetic iron, as at the Pueblo, where it is hemi- tite, or at the Little Chief, where mag netic prevails, both carrying a moder- ate tenor of copper; or outcrops of much smaller dimensions in which the ore is essentially bornite, with occa- sional patches of chalcopyrite and green copper carbonates, in the condi- tion of sand, or disentegrated granular limestone stained with copper. AZur- ite is rare; chalcocite and black oxide occur sparingly, but native copper seems to be absent as we'll as the red oxide. The typical ore is bornite. These outcrops are scattered all over the plateau and are probably the re- mains of much more extensive bodies, which were denuded in the general erosion. They are found resting on the granite with no lime in the vicinity, or associated with patches of lime which still remain; and their discovery in the dense tangle is largely matter of ac
 cident, even to the careful searcher. Many of these outcrops prove to be connected with a series of more or less east and west seams, penetrating the granites, some of which may produce considerable ore when explored, but the writer saw no evidence of massive vein structure to support the popular theo ry of a great north and south lode.
 The word comes from the Porcupine district, says the Skagway Alaskan, that the American miners will ignore the royal commission now sitting there. While the commission has been in ses- sion several days it has received not the slightest attention or consider ation from the hardy claim owners of that district. The miners will do their assessment work in the country tempo
 rarily ceded to Canada and when the time comes apply to their own govern ment for patents. In the case of dis putes they will apply to the American courts. They claim to be acting under the modus vivendi and the letter of Secretary Hay to Herman Emmons, the chairman of the miners committee. Their theory is that the right to have their claims passed upon by American courts and officers, acting under Amer ican laws, is as essential to the protec
 tion of their interests as the right of possession itself. "The Porcupine min CTS will not object to the Canadians establishing reasonable customs regu- lations," said T. A. Marquam, "as that right is clearly given them by the terms of the modus viYendi in the territory beyond the recently established tempo rary line. But when they set up courts and profess to hand out titles to prop erty, we believe they are exceeding the scope of the Hay -Pauncefote agree ment. There has been general un- derstanding that the commission will be entirely ignored, and so far it has had no business to do. Of course some who feel that they have claim that could not stand in an American court, might try to get his title confirmed by Justice Martin, but that will be the ex- tent-of his business in that district"