The Washington times., 1901-11-01
RICH PLACER DISTRICT.
Strike In the Cariboo Country
Proves u New klondike.

| Proyes New hiondike.
| VANCOUVER, B. c., Oct 31.-A fort
| night ago. on October Il, the world re-
ceived its first intimation of new and
| apparently rich placer district in the
heart of the famous Cariboo country, a
| district which was described by the bear
ers of the news as a new KlondilSe. To-
| day the third of series of corroboratory
messages has reached the outside world
from veteran miners who went to investi-
gate. expecting to be disappointed.
Robert Nesbftt-'.Wet Blanket" Mes
bitt. he has been christened at Dawson
and Koyukuk-is one of these, and he de-
clares truth alone has been told. The
| diggings are there, as stated. They are
even richer than first reports had indi-
Gated. They are in a very considerable
area of unprospected country, bat they
are reached only by most arduous toll.
They are so hedged in by mountains that
even the sure-footed pack mules cannot
get within five miles at best of the dis
covery.
On the last section of the journey those
who make it have to carry provisions
and mining utensils upon their backs
while making their way laboriously in
many places scrambling on hands and
knees up or down sheer precipices. With
exploration, pack train routes may possi-
bly, be found, but just at present these are
the actual conditions. Once across the
mountains the country is fairly open and
the travelling good.
Up to the present only four men have
returned with reports made from per-
sonal and actual experience. The first
of these is James Sheppard, the original
discoverer. Four or five years ago Shep-
pard wandered up Horse Fly River with
a hunting party of Indians, stumbled
upon the newest treasure land, cleaned up
some seven hundred dollars with pan
alone, told no one of his fortune. but
marketed his gold here on the coast, and
went to England. He returned a year or
so since penniless, and could get no one
to listen to the tale he told. Finally, on
the ''of chance" as they now express it,
Campbell and Stirskee set out to prove
the truth Of his story.
They found the place he had imper-
fectly described, and found it richer than
the creek that first attracted men to Carl
boo. They went on and found yet richer
ground. Their scant supplies ran out
and they returned triumphant with the
news. A miner whom they staked has
since been washing S25 an hour on the
creek bed with no better siuice than
roughly followed log and rifles. crudely
formed by gasheS of the axe. The latest
party in was headed by two veterans
Nesbitt, an American, and Frank l..
Reynolds, son Of the Ashcroft Journals
editor. They had wired ahead to One
Hundred and Fifty Mile House, Lac la
Hache, the final outpost of civ nzation on
the road, and there secured pa tx horses.
Taking advantage of superior gecgra-
phical information, they believe they can
retain the horses till within a half dozen
miles of the creek. At Harper's camp
this party met the pioneers of the new
diggings and confidential message, sent
back to Reynolds father, which he re-
ceived last evening, gives the news as
they have got it at first hands. They are
themselves provisioned for one month,
and VIII come out on snoWshOes, as WIN
ter is now setting in upon the mountains.
To quote this letter:
Bob Canpbell and several others re-
turned last night from the last trip with
quite a bit of gold and reports. They say
there are several creeks all carrying gold,
but they had no chance to thoroughly
prospect them, having to pack in supplies
from Horse Fly Lake over some twenty
miles of rough and impossible country,
leaving them little time to ground. ON
Eureka Creek Campbell declares he can
make 81 an hour steadily by simply pam
ming from the creek bed, Other creeks
show even better indications. None of
the party and no other parties have pros
pected this new territory, All mat have
yet been in have Staked upon Eureka, as
it is nearest and has already proven rich
enough to satisfy. 1t is now staked from
mouth to source, and we 80 on the pros
pect and locate on other streams.
Campbell cut down a tree and roughly
followed out the log and shoyeled for an
hour, losing quite two-thirds of the gold
but saving $3.50 in this first experiment.
Since then it is reported an associate
staked by him had saved twice this money
every hour in this primitive way, as
many hours as he cares to work. The
party say the country is quite like Bark
erville, with every chance Of proving as
good or better. This is al: eady quite a
camp, and as / write behind an impro-
vised bar, a man is being shaved over in
one corner by a lady barber a black
smith is in another corner sharpening
picks. and game with bets of nothing
less than 50 holds the centre of the stage
Besides prospecting and locating. the
Nosbitt-Reynold party is equipped to map
the country and describe 1t for the bene-
fit of the others and, since it is declared
the creeks are many. and branches pass
ed by I'm contempt as not good enough to
touch return from s. to SIS a day, there
should be room enough for all of the
many hundreds that win presumably rush
hither in the spring it being practically
impossible for any. save those already
started. to make the camp before the
winter