Colonel Hart's Mining Rush: A Small Army Descends on the Methow Valley

The mines of Slate Creek continue to be the subject of much discussion among mining men on both sides of the mountains. Col. Hart's advent in the district, his handling of several of the more favored claims at prices which have made several Anacortes prospectors wealthy, is still fresh in the minds of many, and news from Slate Creek is eagerly watched for. At last accounts Mr. Hart had about eighty-five men employed, some building bridges and others grading the wagon road, while the survey party were locating a route for the road up the mountain. As near as can be learned, it is the colonel's intention to push work on a trail from the foot of the mountains up to the camp, and commence work on the various mines bonded at the earliest possible moment. After this he will put a force of men to work on the wagon road, which is to be constructed on a railroad grade, and by the first of next month he expects to have 400 or 500 men at work. At present he is handicapped for want of tools, but a large consignment of picks and shovels is expected up on the next boat from Wenatchee, when there will be employment for every man in camp who wants work.

The Okanogan Outlook has the following cheerful dissertation on the opening up of this district:

"The suddenness with which the change from darkness to light—as it were, from poverty and idleness to prosperity and progressive life—has come upon them seems to have completely upset the inhabitants of the peaceful and productive valley of the Methow; and no wonder. About the first inkling of what was coming was when some of Col. Hart's emissaries came along and bought up all the butter and eggs and surplus vegetables, grain and hay in the valley, paying settlers their own price, too. Following closely in the wake of these individuals came the first party of about a dozen, fully equipped with snowshoes, toboggans, etc., to all appearances on a prospecting expedition. Then came a pick and shovel brigade trailing a turnpike wagon road up the hill and headed toward the region of glaciers and perpetual snow. Next came several hundreds with their outfits complete, prepared to rustle in the river whenever and wherever it suited their convenience to do so. They were subsequently followed by an army of miners, in charge of Col. Hart. They were heavily armed with picks, drills, etc., and well supplied with ammunition. It was supposed they were also bound for the rush, and a lively time was anticipated for the receiving party."