Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-05-05
BIDS FAIR TO BE GREATEST IN
OREGON HISTORY
ALREADY GET THOUSANDS
Serpentine Overfl0ws Wide Area;
Values Come in Quartz
POrphyry

Editor Courier: Your correspond
ent. In company with Messrs. R. c.
and r. G. Robertson, of Parish, N.
T., left Grants Pass by private con-
veyance for the Higgins gold strike
on Wednesday at 2 p. M, and ar
rived at Selma four hours later. AZ
ter spending the night at the Jack
Casey hotel we took the old Copper
trail early on Thursday morning, and
following the same down the north
side of Deer creek five miles we
reached Inspiration point" on Illin-
ois river in a region of rare scenic
beauty. At every turn Of the trail
could be seen towering cliffs, snow
capped peaks, deep gorges, greenly
clad hills and rapidly flowing streams
forming a most wonderful panorama
not soon to be forgotten.
AS we had learned that no feed
for our horses could be had for love
or money, either en- route or at the
mine, we left them at Selma and un-
6ertook the trip on foot. Ten miles
from Selma we left the main trail
and crossed the river in boat, TAX
ing a trail on the south side Of the
river and climbed a rugged hill two
miles, reaching an altitude Of 260C
feet above sea level In two hours
walk.
after we had visited some friends
and looked over several mining pros
poets we retraced our steps to tn
, river, where we resumed our Jour
ney by taking a dim and uncertain
trail. Soon we found ourselves OF
the cop of lofty mountain, with thu
river no where to be seen. We pauset
moment to consult our compass an'
take our bearings, and then discov
cred that the trail was leading !:
the opposite direction to the ou'
that we thought we were going. w
then descended the steep hill ant
passed down Falls creek near tn
Brown & Wheeler copper mines, ant
as we got a glimpse through tn
rocky gorge we could see in the dis
tance a farm house and bloomin
c, chards with sleek cows grazing u
a luxuriant pasture. Being tired
fcotsore and hungry, the tinkling o
the bells that was heard from tn
busy cows in the green field wa
,ore fascinating to us than any en-
tranclng tones ever produced b
Paderewski on keys Of ivory an
strings of gold" BY seven o'cloc
We reached the hospitable home c
MIR. and Mrs. George II. Anderso
on Illinois river at the mouth {
Kancherie creek, whore we enjoye
as good accommodation as could b
rafforded by the ! est hotels In Orr
: gen.
Early Friday morning we took th
Gold Basin trail that leads up Ii
north bank OF Rancherie and at mir
o'clock the summit was reached
an elevation OF 240O feet above II
river and 3s00 feet above the lev
OF the sea. Here, at the gateway
"the garden Of gold" we paused
view one of the grandest landscal
scenes that ever met the rapturo'
saze Of man. In every directic
could be seen vast 'expanse OF lof
mountains, green and glorious In q
morning sunlight, resembling hui
piles Of silken velvet garnished WI
whitest applique Of ivory and gol
Ten minutes walk brought us to q
Higgins treasure vault" The ge
logical conditions here are unid
and most interesting. No prima
rocks are anywhere TO be found. b
vast fields OF serpentine and gre
eomes OF andesite are in eviden
everywhere and on all sides. The 50
pen,ine overflows the entire d
trict In a confused mass, but I
EpdesIte takes true course nor
and south. and along its contact wi
the serpentine IL where values are
ing discovered. The famous tre'