The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-15
FIRST MEN At
PORCuP|NE CAMP
DiscOyerer of District Gives
Some Idea of Far North
Pioneering.
IS A REPETITION
OF kL0NDIKE DAYS
Railroad Soon Will Reach the
New Gold Camp Now in
LimeIight.

The first discovery OF gold in Porcu-
pine carries with IL little Of the roman
AAe. IL did not result from q lucky acci-
dent. but instead is traced To the hard
work OF the hard prospcctor, says the
Porcupine Press.
In short time the passenger will
step from the Pullman coach on the shore
doubtful whether he Will appreciate or
think of the labor and hardship that was
tho initial feature in making this posi- :
BILE; he could scarcely conceive that in
the winter of 1908 little party headed
by James j. Dwyer. ono of the best
known prospectors OF the north country.
occupied twenty-five days in getting
from the railway, then completed only
lake, there to carry on through the win
ter the initial development OF the first
gold discovery in Porcunine.
twenty-five days seems q long time
on the TRAIL" said Mr.. Dwyer, "but YOU
must consider that We were carrying
supplies to last through until July fol-
dynamite. etc, and all this had TO be
taken in in relays resulting in our be-
ing able TO make sometimes only a mile
or less DAY with our whole outnt-and
We had teams FOR good part of the dis
tance.
Our operations were being financed
by II. F. Hunter. Toronto barrister.
and under ARRANGEMENTS with Mr., Hun
him and report progress al Matheson, on
April S, 1908. The report encour-
aged Mr.. Hunter that he determined 10
get through supplies as far Frederick
House Lake before the break up and
come In himself. The break up came so
quickly that the supplies had 10 be left
IN the bush on the way. and though Mr.
Hunter managed 10 get In, he was tied
Up with the break up and una BILE to get
out for several weeks.
How did Mr.. Hunter make the trip
" Ill :,
snow was soft and snowshoes impossible.
II took about day and half 10 make
the last ten miles-out overnight with
out blankets and everyone wet through.
Mr.. Hunter, who had just returned from
Nevada 10 meet us. as arranged COM
mented upon the summer climate he had
left in Nevada. but added that such
nights experience there would result
in pneumonia. while with US no one
even had cold: the climate was cx-
hilarating and the worst results Of the
exposure and hard work was manifested
in ravenous appetite for pork and
beans.
I'VE left our camp on RATS. getting
out to our canoes at Night Hawk lake
apart 10 get them over the porta ges In
the several months we were there no
white man had been seen. A couple of
Indian trappers had been our only vis-
itors."
In the following fall and spring Mr..
Dwyer was again at It, but found that
A winter road to get supplies sufficient
for serious operations was necessary
test pit on the ore body near the edge
OF the lake about eight feet deep
and a considerable clearing and much
deep. trenching had been accomplished
by the spring of 1909
This is short history giving some
idea of the difficulties under which the
early discovery Of gold and It's deveI-
opment In Porcupinc was proceeded with.
Splendid camp buildings now stand
where Dwyer and his party lived under
canvas In the so degrees below zero
weather. and the discovery leading to
the opening up Of Porcupine. now owned
and being operated by the ..Porcupine
Lake Gold Mines, Limited" looks quite
likely to become one of the big producers
IN the camp.