A Gold Rush Above the Snow Line

Spokane Spokesman.

“There are two ways of reaching the Squaw and Slate Creek gold camps from Spokane,” said Mark Musgrove, who has returned from an extended visit to that district. “One is via the Great Northern to Wenatchee, then connecting with the steamer City of Ellensburg for Virginia City, about seventy miles up the Columbia. The other is via the Central Washington to Coulee City, and then by stage sixty miles to Virginia City. From Virginia City there is a regular stage line to Methow and the Squaw Creek district, and the distance is seventeen miles; also another line to La Mesa in the Slate Creek district, a distance of ninety miles. The fare to Squaw Creek is $1.50; to La Mesa ...; to Vera Cruz, in the Slate Creek district, is fourteen miles by trail.

“Virginia City is on the north bank of the Columbia River, a short distance west of the mouth of the Okanogan, and has a population of about 100. Several Spokane men are there doing business, among them the Andersen brothers. The town of Methow is ten miles from the mouth of the Methow River, and is the principal town in the Squaw Creek district. It has four large general merchandise stores, two hotels, one saloon, two barber shops, an assay office, a jewelry store and a sawmill. It has a population of about 200. At the mouth of the Methow a new town has sprung up, called Rene. It has a large hotel, one general merchandise establishment, conducted by S. Haas, formerly of Spokane, and a saloon.

“Going out on the Slate Creek road, thirty-two miles from Virginia City, one strikes the town of Silver. It has one large store and is surrounded by beautiful farming and grazing country. Twenty-eight miles further on is Winthrop, with a large hotel, store and blacksmith shop. It is the last postoffice on the road, which makes it a point of considerable importance. About twenty-five miles further on is the new tented town of La Mesa, laid out by Col. Hart for the convenience of the Methow syndicate and the general public. The peculiarity of this townsite is that the lots are not for sale. A newcomer who wishes to locate is asked his business and located accordingly by Col. Hart. ‘There is your place,’ the colonel says, and that settles it. He frankly tells people that he does not believe the townsite will be permanent and advises men not to build extensively. The place has a population of about 250, and there are about 400 men in the district.

“From this place on to Slate Creek, fourteen miles, Col. Hart has built a trail on a ten per cent grade. He employs about 150 men and pays them $3.50 a day. About twenty of these men are now shoveling snow off the prospects heretofore bonded by him. This trail was shoveled out of from six to fourteen feet of snow. For quite a distance one can ride along on horseback and not touch the top of the snow with his hand. Near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek, where the trail starts up the mountain, 170 rattlesnakes were killed within a few days.

“At this time there is from eight to fifteen feet of snow on the Slate Creek mines, and it will be fully six weeks before parties can get around and accomplish anything. There is no work here, and poor men would better keep out. While there seems to be perfect confidence in the mind of Col. Hart in the richness of the mines, he very candidly says he knows nothing about them himself, and bases his belief on the reports of others. William Toole, an expert representing Marcus Daly, is on the ground with a force of four men and an assayer, and is quietly picking up properties. I want to emphasize the statement that Slate Creek is no place for poor men at this season, and will not be for at least six weeks.”

Speaking of the Squaw Creek mines, Mr. Musgrove said: “At least 700 locations have been made, and all are gold propositions. The deepest shaft in the camp is about 100 feet, and it is claimed that the greater the development work on the properties the stronger and richer appear the ore bodies. As a general thing the pay streak seems to be from eight to sixteen inches, and the ore goes from $7.50 to $9.50 in gold, though there are several properties which show a vein from eight to twenty feet. These veins average across, it is said, from $10 to $25. Osieberg & Gardner’s arrastra, with the cyanide process, is now running on Paymaster ore, and is said to save about 85 per cent. The ten-stamp mill of the Gray Eagle Company is saving from 85 to 90 per cent, and running through about fifteen tons a day. The Highland Light, the Hidden Treasure, Four Aces, Chicago and several other properties have made recent ore shipments. Just before I left a very rich strike was reported in the Hidden Treasure. Last fall they were running in a horse, but after a small amount of work this spring they passed through this and opened up what is said to be a fine body of ore. There must be 500 men in the Squaw Creek district.

“The finest grazing lands I have seen in the Northwest lie from about twenty miles northwest of Virginia City up to within ten miles of the summit of the Cascades. When I went in two weeks ago the new bunch grass stood to the horses’ knees. This beautiful expanse extends for about eighty miles, and yet the range is hardly stocked at all.

“The Methow Valley is from one-half to a mile and a half wide, extending on both sides of the river. The country is chiefly open, and is comparatively well settled, there being from 200 to 300 families in there. Many of these have beautiful ranches, which are irrigated from small springs and streams. I should say the Methow is fully half as large as the Spokane River. One of its small tributaries flows over the face of Goat Wall, and has a fall of [unclear] feet. It is the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.”