Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-11-11
M,Nnc oQMo At 6ITIEP c0ExH

them There are some men famous
In the annals of mining adventure WHO
nave gone back to the love of their
youth and disappeared into the British
Columbia wilderness with their. kits on
their backs.
The officers of the geological survey
at Ottawa, while admitting the rich.
ness OF the country, warn intending
miners OF the difficulties OF the trip.
Prince Rupert is the objective point of
the Grand Trunk Paciflc's proposed
line through British Columbia, and the
British Columbia & Alaska railway is
Intended to pass near, but neither OF
these roads is as yet built.
So far the engineers and prospec.
tors who have left Stewart and gone
into the heart of the gold fields have
had great difficulty in getting enough
food, to say nothing OF carrying
blankets and implements. The town
stands at the mouth of little river
known as Bear Creek, a stream run.
ming through valley only a mile
wide. On either side rises a wall of
mountains, precipitous and sometimes
as high as 5000 feet. In these noun.
tains lies not only the gold, but many
other valuable minerals. and they have
to be scaled somehow. 1t is hard
enough work without the task OF car.
rying supplies, and for men burdened
with baggage the difficulties are
great. There will be considerable SUI.
ferlng and privation for time, at
least.
The residents up that way, oddly
enough, are not wildly enthusiastic
over this gold discovery. Mineral
wealth is an old story to them. They
are In the country not to mine but to
build and trade and farm, and they
like the emphasis laid, when one
talks of their province, not on gold,
with Its suggestion of boom and dis
order and more or less riot, but on the
agricultural richness of the land.
Gold mining seems bit crude to
them, trifie nouveau richie and vul-
gar. II is true that many of the
Prince Rupert people have bought
picks anC set forth tor the mountains
but they are not the 'oId families" of
the communities.
Producing annually over 20 per cent.
OF the total mineral output OF the do
minion. British Columbia is essentially
the gold province NJ canada. The
early miners OF the fraser in 1858 and
following years washet out in rockers
from benches ana creeks $50 .OOO. 900
worth OF Tree god nuggets. Since that
Time BRITISH Column OILS has produced
over $ll4.UO> 900 IN gold and s1S5C00.-
o0o IN otner minerals. IN 1907 the min.
eraI production was $4,000 600 and
there are still 100000 square miles of
unexploreo mineral lands open for
tree prospecting.
The Bitter Creek mines on Portland
canal now calm the worlds attention
70: I'VE years mining operations nave
been carried on n TINS district quietly,
conservatlvely. ana with no cry In the
marketpIace. Gold mas been found
along the banks OF the Bear river ana
all three OF Its Observation-Disclosures
creek, Glacier creek and American
creek.
The big reef OF Bitter creek is a
gray-white porphyry dyke from FIVE
feet to 20 feet wide and miles IN
length. Imbedded In the reef are
veins OF quartz from two feet to ar.
teen feet wide. presenting on the sur.
face a honey-combed appearance. one
recent assay from which gave a re-
turn of $4s.20 per ton In gold with a
trace only of silver.
On the north fork OF Bitter creek f.
the Oldest property In Portland canal
the Roosevelt, sample shipment of
ore from which, taken to Tacoma. gave
total values of s42o5 per ton.
For the whole distance of the Rig
Reef every claim Is staked, so anyone
wishing to acquire property now must
buy from or through an original To-
Gator The government Is building n
pack trail up Bitter creek. and this
should greatly help development