The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-03-27

county IlOHeeG .ASSDrlHtlO''
When the known placers of Stevens
county, according to its territorial
limits so years ago, had become ex-
hausted of gold the miners turned
their attention, naturally to the search
for free gold quartz. The upper
reaches of the tributaries of the CO.
lumbia were searched for seams OF
auriferous ores. That a country so
abundant in alluvial deposits of the
metal must furnish these bars from a
fixed source was the impulsive con-
clusion of the habitual prospector
who shouldered his pack and melted
away into the unbroken seclusion OF
the mountains where no elevation was
too great and no declivity so abrupt
or cavernous that he would not ex-
anime with the utmost scrutiny every
promising outcrop carrying the least
indication of values.
Returning to their winter rendez-
vous, usually at the military posts,
or at some trading center, these pio-
neers spent much Of their time tell.
ing OF the wonderful success in their
summer expeditions; and, in their
restlessness, they would excite others
to abandon pursuits of trade and
traffic and join in the more innocent
and interesting employment of dis
turbing the holy resting place of the
uncoincd dollar. So long as gold
from placer was obtainable, the
quartz deposits did not attract. There
were other reasons, too, namely:
To develop quartz mine, trans
portation and machinery played an
important part. The absence of these
two factors made it Immediately ap-
parent to the owner of quartz
mine that he had hard task on his
hands in scheme of development,
fT" there were no railways, even
across the continent Regardless Of
the riches locked in the lodges he
could not move his ores to place
for treatment, and to provide facili-
ties for treating them on the ground
was as difficult because he would
have to bring his machinery hundreds
of miles from the sea coast with no
roads to furnish transport. Very
crude and primitive methods for
grinding ores were sometimes en-
ployed but the process was usually
too slow for the mountaineer. He
wanted to make his money quickly
and rush on to some new excitement.
The result was that the miner of the
original invasion, after having eX-
hausted his physical resources, spent
the balance of his life telling of
rich claims he had discovered, and
left because of their inaccessibility.
When the soldiers came to Fort
Colyille, many of them, in small
squads, under the leadership of Off
GERS on leave, would spend much
time prospecting the ranges in the
hope that they might verify these
winternight tales spun by optimistic
prospectors about the gaming tables.
Also, the ownership of a quartz
lode meant more substantial tenure;
for, while rich placer deposit could
be worked out in few weeks, or in
a season at most, the only facilities
needed for domicil being tent, a
quartz mine meant heavy tunneling,
buildings, mills and permanent fix
lures with capacity to endure through
many years Of progress and develop
ment. While the laws of the country
were sufficient for the purpose of the
placer miner, this transient security
was not satisfactory to the quartz
miner who might, when his ground
was proven, wish to reduce his title
to more than mere possessOry right.
Such guarantees had been made to
the agricultural classes in the acqui-
siton of farm lands, but not until
July a, 1866, did the federal govern
ment offer sufficient inducement to
the quartz miner, and this was in
the passage of the following statute:
"Sec. 2318. In all cases lands val
liable for minerals shall be reserved
for sale, except as otherwise express
ly directed by law"
This was small comfort to the
quartz miner, but his hopes were
realized almost in bound when the
general laws of May /, 1872, pointed
the way and confirmed his title under
proper restrictions to lands bearing
mineral. This statute was so definite
and clear-cut in its provisions that
every locator felt absolutely secure
in his discovery and location. He
was, to all intents and purposes, his
own lawyer.
While this law, with consistent
Y,,lao hoe andurad tbrouoh the hest