Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-07-07
JOSEPHINE COUNTYS NEW ELDORADO


a Today option on the property has
been given for cash sale of Sl00, 600.
No bonding proposition is considered
by the owners. Another mining op.
orator is in camp waiting until the 10
days sSpire, to got similar option.
AS near as can be ascertained, by
getting line ON the mountain peaks,
the new find is located in Josephine
county, short distance north of the
California line
A surprising percentage of those
who start to visit the mine never get
there. a few hours of perspiration
on the trail is sufficient to abate their
enthusiasm to such an extent that the
idea that there is nothing to seer
finds ready lodgment in their minds.
And the man who is ready to volun.
teer the. information that "there is
nothing to see, is met in Grants Pass
and ali along the route. The Courier
party met one man who had carried
his blankets to within five miles of
the place, and then beat retreat.
One party, it is said, reached Holland
by team and on being informed that
they had reached the end of the
wagon road, turned about and went
back The leader said IL he couldn't
drive there he'd be "gol.darned II
he'd 90. "
As the Courier men were toiling
up the steep slope, which separates
Holland from Sucker creek, they met
an old time prospector with three
pack animals coming down from Bo-
land peak. A look of pity and dis.
gust came over his weather beaten
face when told that the pedestrians
were on route for the scene of the new
strike and no evidently considered
them the dupes of inflated newspaper
reports He did not hesitate to ex-
press his sentiments.
why, them newspaper men in
Grants Pass, he said, "l wonder
what they can be thinking about.
They surely never read in the scrip
lures where the Lord killed Ananias
for lying. He is surely a whole lot
more liberal nowadays when he let's
the newspaper men live. 4"
"Why'', he said. as he warmed up
to his subject, II haven't been there
since the strike was made, hut I've
been over the country and know just
what they've got They've got hole
just about so big" and he marked
with his stick n rectangle on the
trail about one by three feet in di.
mensions, "and its about so deep"
measuring about 10 inches on his
stick, "and they've taken out some
gold and the thing has pinched down
to little stringer so long" four
inches land SO wide," half an inch,
"and they've covered it pand they're
trying to sell the hole.
TIE prospector was evidently sin.
cere in his views. He had gone over
the country and found nothing.
Therefore ho was ready TO inform all
comers that there was nothing there.
He does not yet know that his re-
marks on Ananas were wasted ON
newspaper men Of Grauts Pass His
remarks on the mining industry
would have been extremely dis9ourag.
ing to anyone who would have given
them weight Visitors and prospec.
tors who traverse our mountains in
search of mineral have to be prepared
to hear such doctrine aud ignore it.
1t is not difficult matter to reach
the place. II II were, the round trip,
10 miles by wheel aud 20 by Trail, and
return, could not have been made in
three days by men accustomed only to
office work. Tho Courier party started
on Thursday morning and campod that
night eight miles beyond Holland with
a miner who received them with a
generous hospitality that was good to
experience. The following day, Gold |
cnyiow City was reached early in the
afternoon, the mine was visited aud
somo four hours were spent there aud
at the city. Starting at half past
five in the evening a lively sprint Of
about l2 miles brought us to our camp
Of tho previous night. The remainder
Of the return journey was made on
Saturday.