The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-10-13
FEROUS SANDS OF the SIMIuKAMEEN
roat Remarkable Placer Gold Strike ALL.
from Kiondyke, Since Days of Coeur
d'Alene Made Near Oroville.

ana smooth by the action of the waite,
and gravel, some Of the samples hay,
quartz attached, an indication tina
the ledge from which the gold wal
originally broken off cannot be q grea
distance from where 1t was found
This theory Is further carried ont b,
the fact that in all the years TIA,
gold has been found on tn, Sinill.
kameen very little color has been dis.
covered above the point ON the rive,
locally known as Rich Bar.
Now the discovery of gold &; this
particular place is not the opening
up OF virgin placer ground. Placer
gold has been known to exist on this
stretch Of the river since the first
discovery in 1856. In 1856 and the
year or two following fully 5000
miners worked the river bars, AMI
the amount Of gold extracted has
been estimated to have run up into
the millions. The discovery was first
made by accident by prospectors pass
ing through the country on their way
to the Cariboo mining district In
British Columbia. the same argonaurs
who found gold on Rock creek, north
east OF Nelson, and Just across the
line In British Columbia. We met 2
man nearly quarter Of a century
ago who was at the diggings, a nan
who subsequently diAd at Nighthawk
who told US Of the marvellous discnv-
cry and that 5000 men were in camp
at one time and not single woman.
Recently Guy Fruit, q former resi-
dent Of Oroville. met Jas. Healy al
Los Angeles, a wealthy man far ad-
vanced In years. who told Mr.. Fruit
that he was with the party that
made the first discovery OF gold on
the Similkameen. Mr.. Healy stated
that with fiften other miners he was
on his way to the Cariboo country in
the fall Of 1856. travelling through the
Okanogan valley. The season being
late the party went into camp on the
flat at the foot OF Palmer lake. on
land afterward owned by Jack Long.
In the spring gold was discovered on
the Similkameen and the party forgot
CaAboo and commenced washing.
The Indians became hostile and the
party left In the fall for Fort Col
willie, by the way Of Rock creek. AT
Fort Colville the 16 men divided up
$500. 900 and dispersed. Such is the
story of the early gold discovery on
the Similkameen. told by one who was
among the original discoverers. and
as has been said before almost every
year since that time, 66 years ago,
men hive prospected the river shore
and bed with more or less success.
During the past Is years numerous
companies have been organized to
carry on placering on a large scale
along the river, but In every instance
from one cause and another. these ef-
forts have failed to bring returns
commensurate with the capital IN
vested in the enterprises.
Some rs years ago a father and two
sons came to Oroville from California
for the purpose Of dredging the river.
A large boat was constructed and
equipped, but for reasons unknown
the effort proved abortive. The upper
works Of that old boat were used Tor
a residence on the south side OF the
Similkameen for years. and we be-
lieye is still used for that purpose.
Other companies constructed large
steamboat above the falls years ago.
with the object Of dredging with
pumps. but that enterprise went on
the rocks and the boat over tle faiis.
Another company built large steel
Golfer dam in the center OF the river
near Rich Bar, but high water came
and wrecked the plant before 1t couid
be put to use. Other companies IN
stalled expensive hydraulic plants
one Of them below the falls from
which much was expected, yet notn-
ing resulted. Thus the placer grounds
Z the Similkameen river have not been
forgotten, although all efforts 10 Sc
cure the gold which exists IN aouno.
ance without doubt, have failed, ano
vast sum of money has been squan-
dered in those enterprises. Let us
hone that Mr.. Coyle will be aoie u
solve the problem, and that In tne
months to come the long hidden treas
nro NAV be recovered to the beneli'
of mankind.
Naturally the writer was wraugn'
nm TO a high pitch Of excitement wnen
Iha was shown the placer gold ina,
Mr. Coyle had picked out of the grave
on the similkameen, for he had seer
nothing like it since the time @ W,
coeur d'Alene placer field was mrs
mada known to the world. We nave
sssn the scale, or flour gold that aa'
hssr taken from the bars OF the 20
,mmh,a river for time immemoriai' ah'
much and even larger samples s,,'. .aM.'
In ANAL quantities from the simiias NINA
meen and Mary Ann creek, but ho.n
,rg that would compare in size VIII IL.
hat which Mr.. Coyle has to exnipi, =,
T,at display carried our memory DaS' az.
70 the fall Of 1888, when the goia uis
every on Eagle Creek was nrs' n'"D
known to the world. . or+,
Thirty-nine years ago tnis ~ =
Ia + Prichard, the discoverer
nlacer gold in the Coeur A,'nn A,.n'
walked into the office OF the spoAa a.,
rolls Review and casually saia -. T.
wanted ant to show us something ~. M
$4,000 aaked for q sheet OF VIII