Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-05-05
HIGGINS STRIKE WILL MEAN
GREAT DEVELOPMENT
TO ATTRACT PROSPECToRS
Wide and Rich Mineral Region In
Josephine County Awaits
tho Pick

M. j. Anderson. former supervisor
of the Siskiyou forest reserve, is one
of the best posted men regarding the
coast range and that locality near the
Higgins mine. He talked interesting
ly this morning Of that country and
The Courier reprodufes in part the
story as he related 1t regarding that
region and its great wealth in min
eral.
Mr.. Anderson says the recent strike
by Higgins and other rich discoveries
between the Illinois and Chetco
rivers In southwestern Josephine
county have at last excited more than
passing notice to the mineral wealth
OF that region, He says It will be
we'll to remove the impression that
these deposits are simply rich spots
or pockets that have been overlook
ed by prospectors In an old, worked
out mining region, and continued.
ut is true that this last extraor-
dinary find would be, II surveyed, In
the same township as the discoveries
Of May, 1852, which, with the Sailor
Diggins' at Waldo, first brought a
swarm OF miners into Oregon; and
Il is also true that the placers OF the
Illinois and along all the little creeks
and gulches heading on the east slope
of this range have been profitably
worked for over half century. II
is only within two or three years
however, that any real attention has
been given to the quartz veins, and
what work has been done In this
line has been richly rewarded, foI
several valuable properties have beer
opened on Canyon creek, Fiddlers
gulch, Days gulch and other small
streams which head on the opposite
side Of the range from the Higgint
property, which lays on the Chetct
slope.
"The Illinois slope OF this grea
mineral region Is much the easies
OF access; but even this territor!
shows little evidence Of the pros
pector except on the gulches named
while on the west side one may trave
, for days In highly mineralized form
, atlon showing old placer workings oi
the streams (reported to have beef
, rich, and undoubtedly were so) with
, out the slightest sign OF any prospect
Ing for the source Of the gold de
, poslts.
r "Of course there have been pros
3 pectors through this region, but
, Is so large a territory that thei
marks are not easily found. TIL
{ wild, rough, uninhabited region alon
= this range and In the Chetco basi
[ include about II townships. or owe
= 600 square miles, while the porto
Q worked on the small streams men
: toned are all practically within on
Q township. The higher elevation
: are about 400 feet and standing o
e some OF these high points one ca
g see In all directions the same dee
= red mineral soil that marks the In
mediate vicinity OF the Higgir
strike, and also marks most, II nc
& all, the great mining camps OF tn
- west.
g "Thls Is a hard country TO trav'
in. Forest fires have long ago d.
g stroyed most Of the valuable timbe
+ brush has taken It's place and Is a
most impossible In many place
e There ls only one passable ira
through the country, and this In son
rlaces extremely unlnvlting to q
mounted tenderfoot
T. while, as ! have said this va
" area IA practically unprospected, rl'
n deposits Of copper and coarse 90
n. lave been found IN various plnc
O. throughout the whole territory, al
ne last season a rich discovery OF coar
Ilt gold was made high on Mount Bma
he between the Chetco and Winchu
ID rivers on the southwest edge Of u
region Mineral hill, between I