Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-05-14
Much Snow on the Trails and Diff.
Guilty is Experienced in Get
ting to the District.
ARE VERY SCARCE
Prospeetors Are Having a Hard Time
Flour Sold at 500 Per Sack
at One Time.

Fred c. Semmek. the mining engi-
neer, well known in Butte and Ana
conda, where lor years, until 1897, he
was identified with the Anaconda Co.,
has just arrived from Thunder Noun
tain. He left Roosevelt on April Is
and came over the Salmon trail, STOP
ping two days in Salmon. and arriv-
ing In Butte last week, says the Ana
conda Standard. Twenty miles of the
trip was made on snowshoes, but the
rest OF the trip was easy, by pack
trail and wagon. He was in the dis
trict for two weeks this time. He has
been in there a number of times. the
first time in 1899. He is interested
in mining properties in Thunder
Mountain and in other parts of Ida
ho, where he has been for four years.
He went to Great Falls and will be in
Butte again this week.
Just tell them that II is too early
to get into Thunder Mountain" said
Mr.. Semmek. 1T is all right IL you
have nothing but yourself to drag in
to the place. but when you take a
pack you'd better wait till the snow
gets out of the way. Il is very deep
in places and will be until the middle
Of May or the LIST Of June. OF course,
there are places along the route
where the grass is knee high to a
cayuse. but that doesn't indicate a
journey of ease into the district.
There are bad spots on the trial and
no mistake.
However, you can say that the
Salmon route is just about the only
route to take, the most practicable in
every way. This is a fact lhat will
hold with every man who has gone
over IL. The other routes are merely
long. tedious. uncertain propositions,
without merit othere than that they
lead over almost impossible noun
tains and defiles.
"ln good weather, and snow out OF
the way, the trip from Salmon can
be easily made in four days. Il takes
a day from Red Rock on the o. S. l..
to Salmon. At present the only han
dicap to the traveller Is the snow over
the trail from Three Forks to the
middle fork of the Salmon river, dis
tance of about 20 miles. The snow is
going. but nearly every day there are
hurries. which make the trail bad.
Shipment Of Provisions.
Two men. McNabb and Kirtley. Of
Salmon. some time ago started for
Thunder with 10000 pounds of pro-
visions on pack animals. They got
as far as twelve miles from Thunder
where a snow storm held them for
days. and they camped there. Min
ers heard of the coming Of the big
grub pile. and as soon as they could
many of them went out and bought
up the stock. II came in good time,
for provisions are none too plentiful
in the district: still, there is no fam
Inc and won't be. because those who
are heading that way are taking pro-
visions with them.
There are about 200 men in Sal
mon waiting for the trails to open.
They are going to take in plenty Of
grub. I understand that others who
are waiting at other points are like
wise preparing to go in well stocked
with grub.
IL met at least so men on the road
from Red Rock 10 Salmon, going In
fours and singly. all carrying their
blankets. headed for the Quitting
point. Just as soon as the trails open
there will be big influx to Thunder
and the question is what will they
do? Prices of grub are high in Thun.
der, at one time -four selling for 800
a sack. and other provisions corre-
spondingly high.
There are four towns in Thunder
Mountain district-Roosevelt, Thun-
der, Caswell and Warrens. the last
named about fifteen miles from the
heart OF the district. There are 600
men In Roosevelt, and from 100 to
200 in the others; there are less than
900 men in the district. The mail
contract has just been let from Boise
to Thunder and Roosevelt and the
postmasters appointed.
Ideal Free Milling Proposition.
There is only one mill in the dis
trict. the Dewey. a 1O-stamp mill The
only producer is the Caswell group,
or Dewey mines. better known. The
others are prospects, but there are
some good prospects; this fact cannot
be denied. But to say that the dis
trict is the best is putting 1t too
strong. The country looks good:
there is a long. continuous belt Of
low. grade, free-milling gold ore, with