The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-05-25
SPOKANE, WASH.
Especial Correspondence

Statements just filed by big mining
companies operating in the Occur
d'Alene mining district in northern Ida
no. east of Spokane, showing that more
than $14S.000,0 900 in mineral wealth has
been taken out since 1884, recall that
what are today the richest lead-silver
camps in the world were opened in 1872
when a mission was established by the
Jesuit order IN the beautiful valley of
the st. Joe river. The mission was
moved to its present site on the Occur
d'Alene river in 1886 and Father ].
Josef and his missionaries were the only
white inhabitants in the region. having
under their care 800 members of the
Occur d'Alene tribe, to whose wants
they ministered.
Lieutenant John Mullan, acting I'M
der instructions from the war depart
ment, began explorations for a wagon
road over the Occur d'Alene mountains
to connect Fort Benton and Fort Walla
Walla in 1854. These preparations
reused the Indians, who were subjected
only through the kindly influence of the
catholic missionaries, and the work
was begun the following year and fin
ished in 1861. Seventeen years after
ward Thomas Irwin located a quartz
claim on Elk creek, and a year later A
J. Pritchard whose widow is a resident
of Wallace, Ida, and his associates dis
covered Pritchard creek, finding placer
gold. Patrick Flynn and n. Gellett
also located claims and miners rushes
followed.
Millions of dollars worth of lead sill
yer. gold and copper has been taken out
of the district discovered by the priests
and it is declared three is not a mine
that has ''petered out" The mines that
have been developed the longest and
have shipped the most ore have the
largest and best showing today. Wal
lace is the leading camp in the district.
More than $3.50 men are employed in
the mines, the yearly payroll being be-
tween s6,OO0,0OO and $780, 900, while
more than that amount is paid to So
holders in dividends every year. The
output in 1906 aggregated $21, S3S, 083; as
fellows: Lead, $14,SS7,347; silver, $685.
923: gold, 500, $40; copper, 81, 306. 1888.
Delegates returning from the state
convention of the Knights of Columbus
bring the assurance that the fourth de-
gree. conferred for the~first time in the
northwest next September, will be eX-
emplified in Spokane. There are 400
candidates for the degree in the north
west, including Washington, Oregon
and Montapa. Edward O'Shea of Spo-
kane was elected state delegate to the
national convention at Jamestown. Va.
and James Hammii, also of the local
council. was elected state warden. Other
state officers are: T. j. German, Seat
tie, state deputy; e. J. Manning, Seat
tie. state secretary and Judge Lynch,
North Yakima, state advocate.
Improvements costing $4,000 are be-
ing made in the interior of the Church
of Our Lady of Lourdes. of which Fa
Their A. Verhagen is pastor. More than
900 lamps will be used to illuminate
the edifice. So ar the structure has cost
SS5. 900, and it is said it will require
S35, 900 more to complete it. Twenty
five thousand dollars has been collected
toward the last named expense, and it
is purposed to raise the rest at next
falls fair. The members of the finance
committee are: DR.. H. B. Luhn, chair
man: William O'Brien. F. P. Hogan,
Charles O'Connor, Edward j. Cannon, j.
j. King, james Smythe. John Feulner,
jr, Rudolph Dorm and Rhinehart Mar
tin.
ST. PauTs court No $50, of the Cath
Ole order of FOrresters, made an ex-
curson to Occur d'Alene Ida, thirty
four miles east of Spokane, the evening
of Nav g.. when the members were
guests of the Occur d'Alene court at a
reception and entertainment given by
the Occur d'AIene court. A party of
eighty members ard their lady friends
went to the Lake City on the special
train and had an enjoyable time.
Ladies of the auxiliary of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians gave one of their
series of dances in the Pacific hall, May
IA. The members of the committee on
were May G.. de ROmo,
Frances Stewart Mabel Portch, Agnes
Barrett. Florence Rowles and Jennie
Langan.
Glasses at GonZaga college have be-
gun the general review preparatory to
the final examinations June 10. II and
IS. The commencement exercises will
take place June 10 in the college gym
nasium The program VIII include mu-
steal numbers, the distribution of med
ais and premiums, and the comforting
of degrees.
First communion was received by a
large class at st. Aloysius' church
short time ago. The instruction was
given by Rev. Father Delon, S. j., who
recently came from st. Louis, Mo-, to
the Palouse country, south of Spokane.
of the class has been de-
ferred until next year, as the Rt. Rev. |
Bishop Edward ]. O'Dea could not be
in attendance.
Rev. Augustin Dinand of New York
and Rev. Michael Honrin of Boston.
who have completed the Jesuit course
IF sixteen years study, were elevated to
the priesthood at ordination services in
Ganzaga college, May "a to rs, the cere-
monials being conducted by Re. Rev.
Bishop Edward j. O'Dea. The services
were largely attended.
The order of Jesuits is preparing to
erect a temporary frame building for
school purposes at Cottonwood Ida, |
south of Spokane, preparatory to build
ing a stone school and monastery to
cost 100000 The society owns a go
acre tract of land at Cottonwood.