The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-11
A DISCUSSED
PROSPECTOR
H. H. seIfridge Returns From Thun-
der Disguised With the Camp.
DEWEY is VASTLY ovERRATED
in the Camp Who is Satisfied With
, the Camp, and There Are No
Prospects.


fake that was ever foisted on the
American people" said H. H. Self
ridge to the Spokane Review
Furthermore, 1 believe that the
Dewey mine is vastly overrated and
that there is little or no ore on the
property"
Mr.. Selfridge has just returned
from trip to Thunder mountain
with feelings of much disgust at the
prospects of the camp, with the trails
and, in fact, with everything con-
nected with the excitement.
Il left Sponkane on the Bird of
June, continued Mr.. Selfridge, land
arrived at Sites, Idaho, the same
day. From Sites to the camp is a
total distance of 17S miles, and it
takes 10 days to make the trip. Cham
berlain basin is 124 miles from the
mountain, and we were eight days
making the distance. Accompanying
me was a mining engineer, P. E.
Seelye, who is as disguised as l am.
Better time than eight days could be
made between the basin and the
mountain if the feed was not so scat
tering. 1t is necessary to stop at the
feeding places, which are to be
passed at inconvenient intervals. We
got into Chamberlain basin eight
days after leaving Sites. From there
it is ten miles up to Moose meadows,
and from Moose meadows to Crooked
creek is IA miles. Eight miles from
Crooked creek is the conveyance of
Monumental, Crooked and Big creeks.
The Warren trail comes in at the
same place and there are symptoms
of town there. There is a store,
restaurant and a saloon. Drinks are
rs cents each and meals IS cents.
Thirty miles up Monumental
creek is Roosevelt, which at present
contains one tent. Seven miles this
side of Roosevelt is Thunder NOM
tain City, where some cabins are go
ing up, with a store, a saloon and
restaurant as a nucleus. Across the
creek from Roosevelt, on Mule creek
is Mule Creek City There is also a
small settlement there. | saw one
woman at Mule Greek City, and a
couple of French women at Thunder
Mountain City. These are the only
women l saw.
"The only available place for a
town is at Thunder Mountain City,
which is seven miles from the noun
tain proper.
"The trails are simply awful They
look to me like they had been made
by a man who was lost and was try
ing to find a high place to see out.
They meander along on level ground
for while and then run straight up
to some summit and down again on
the other side, instead of going
around They are in terrible condi-
ton. The day before we went in
there were 10 horses killed by fall
ing off the trail into the creek. We
lost two Of our five horses in the
same manner. Slide rock is one of
the worst features of the trail Fallen
timber also makes travelling slow
and tedious. We struck snow in
some places, and if I ever go in
again l will go in over the snow, and
so avoid the down timber and the
rocks.
The hardships of the trail might
be put up with, however, were there
anything there. But there is not an
unstaked piece of ground in the
whole district. Everything is taken
and some of the claims have had
three locations filed. But little assess
ment work has been done as it does
not have to be done until next year
Claims can be had for a song. | could
have had seven claims on Mule creek
for $50 had | wanted them. Mr. Seelye
and myself were we'll equipped fol-
prospecting, but we could get moth
ing. Not a painful of dirt showed the
least semblance of colors, and I did
not see man who had any showing
on his claims"
How do you account for the piece
of Thunder Mountain ore for which
Ed Dewey, son of Colonel Dewey
paid S500?" Mr.. Selfridge was asked
Il do not believe that the rock
came from Thunder Mountain. There
is little or no work being done or
the Dewey Seven men are watching
it, and they keep any one from ex
aiming it.
I did not see man but what was
completely disguised with the whole
thing. One man had his group o.
claims sold for $1,000, but when al
examination was made no values
were found and now the owner viii
take what he can get for them. Thu
whole country is lava formation, will
no gold bearing rock in it. Every
thing is being overdone. We me
one outfit which was taking in 20t
gallons of whisky, and | heard tina
arnthnn