Okanogan County, Washington - Chapter 2: Passing Events, 1891-1903, 1904 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 2: Passing Events, 1891-1903

In the early part of January, 1891, the vicinities of Conconully and Ruby were thrown into wild excitement by rumors of a possible, if not probable, uprising of the Okanogan Indians. The attributed incentive for this was for the purpose of avenging the lynching of an Indian boy, named Stephen, by a party of white men in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 8, 1891. While the tragic circumstances surrounding the affair were sufficient to create considerable alarm among the more timid of the scanty population at that time living in the county, there does not appear, from the present historical perspective, to have been any imminent danger of such an uprising at any period. Three lives, however, were sacrificed, and it is quite probable that these gruesome tragedies, following fast upon the heels of each other, inspired the citizens, and particularly the women of the communities interested, with the wildest alarms.

Among the residents near Ruby and Conconully in 1890-91 was a colony known as "Boston men." Early in the month of December, 1890, a "klootch" on the Colville Indian reservation said that she had observed that a usually sprightly and high-spirited lad about sixteen years of age, was greatly depressed and mysterious in manner. This was Stephen. He appeared sleepless, unable to eat and generally downcast and melancholy. It was only after a great deal of persuasion, according to the story of the "klootch," accompanied by certain threats naturally appealing to the superstition incident to Indian character, that he confessed that he lived in terror of his life as he had killed a "Boston man," and was afraid he would be caught and made to pay the penalty of his crime. Stephen said that he was with a friend who was attempting to grow a moustache. Together they had met a freighter who had ridiculed his friend and told him that he would soon be "All same like Boston man." His friend had sworn vengeance against the Boston freighter, declaring that he would kill him. They afterward came upon the man on the reservation and, on his refusal to "potlatch" them some tobacco his friend had made him shoot the Boston man, whose name was S. S. Cole, killing him. They had then "cached" the body atout threefourths of a mile away. Since then remorse and fear had preyed upon him and he was forced to unbosom himself.

The tenor of this confession finally came to the ears of the sheriff of Okanogan county. He dispatched two deputies to arrest the Indians supposed to be guilty of the murder. The latter fled. Then ensued a long pursuit during which, at one time, one of the Indians lay concealed beneath a pile of blankets and saddles upon which the two deputies rested. Finally the two deputies separated, but one of them, Lee Ives continued the chase. He caught the friend of Stephen in a cabin at the confluence of Chiliwhist Creek and the Okanogan river. While Ives was atempting to arrest the Indian the latter shot at him at close range. Ives returned the fire killing his man, who was called Indian John, about twenty years of age. It was he, who according to young Stephen's confession, had caused him to kill Cole.

resident of Ruby, declared that the boys were innocent of tlie murder of Cole. He said that tlie story was simply a wicked machination of the "klootch," who was enamored of the slain Indian ; that she had manufactured the alleged confession of Stephen in a fit of jealous anger.

January 2, Justice of the Peace Richard Price, of Ruby, received word that young Stephen, the Indian boy who had been for some time wanted for the assassination of S. S. Cole, was at Omak Lake, on the reservation, and that he desired to give himself up. In the chapel of St. Mary's Mission the lad was found surrounded by forty or fifty others, and a pow-wow ensued. It was finally agreed that the boy should be surrendered and, after a preliminary e.xamination, released on bail. Tuesday, the 5th, Stephen was brought to Ruby, and turned over to the sheriff, who carried him before Justice Fifield, at Conconully, for a hearing. The court refused bail and committed Stephen to the county jail. A writ of habeas corpus was immediately sworn out and on the afternoon of the same day the prisoner was examined before United States Commissioner George J. Hurley. IVI. C. Barney, of Conconully, appeared for the defense. The court ruled that the prisoner was entitled to bail and placed the amount at $1,000.

Thursday morning following twenty horsemen swept silently yet swiftly through the town of Ruby. The newly fallen snow muffled the sound of their horses' hoofs ; the slumber of the camp was not disturbed by their movements. Their mission was an errand of death. This band had been organized in the vicinity of Alma. Arriving at Conconully the party called on the jailor, Thomas Dickson, and compelled him to admit them into the steel cage where the Indian boy was confined. He was taken thence and Dickson locked up in his place. The close of this tragic scene was at the foot of the grade about one-half mile from Conconully. The gibbet was a large tree standing by Mr. D. J. McGillivery's fence. Here the lifeless body was left swinging in the frosty air of early morn ; the executioners quickly disbanded. The victim of this lynching was only an Indian, yet he was the sole one, so far, to suffer the death penalty, either legally or at the hands of vigilantes, in in Okanogan county.

Then followed the "Indian scare," a feverish dream which was subsequently ridiculed by all persons of broader judgment and less excitability. In the east, throughout the Dakotas, in the neighborhood of the "Bad Lands," and in the vicinity of Wounded Knee, Sioux Indians had been ghost dancing and participating in the superstition of the "Messiah craze." Alarm had, consequently, extended west ; the muttered threats of Okanogan "braves" were taken for much more than they were worth ; the wings of rumor carried many direful prognostications ; the press from Spokane to the International Boundary swelled the fateful chorus.

The day following the hanging of Stephen, friends came in after the body. George i\Ionk was engaged to carry it to the Indian reservation. An Indian by the name of Smitkin accompanied him. He was, doubtless, the most influential "tyee" among the Okanogans. The simple funeral cortege was met by a party described as "hostiles." It is stated with little indication of probability that Smitkin had the task of his life to prevent the killing of Monk. But the Indians sullenly admitted that Monk was pretty badly scared. He passed the night, however, in safety, and in the morning he antl Smitkin returned to the Okanogan river. For two days the obsequies of Stephen were accompanied by dancing. Old Loop Loop was master of ceremonies. No white men were present ; their movements, whether hostile or peaceful cannot be definitely given ; it is known only that for two days and nights dancing continuetl. .\t the termination of that period the remains of Stephen were buried in the Catholic cemetery at Omak Lake. This dancing resulted in sending sixteen of the bravest of the Okanogan trilje I to Dakota. On this occasion there was a good "potlatch;" thirty-two of the best Cayuses to- gether with ample "chickamun," blankets and other valuable commodities were provided for their expedition. And then the more timorous spread the story that Messiah had already appeared to the Indians once and that on his second appearance they would not again dance, but would take the warpath, drive off the "Bostons" and regain their lost lands.

The territory tributary to the town of Ruby was supposed to be in the greatest danger. The city council held a special session at which it was decided that, so alarming was the situation, a call should be made for assistance. The following telegram was prepared and sent to Acting Governor Charles Laughton, Mr. Irwin Baldwin serving as courier:

"Owing to the lynching of Indian prisoner at Conconully, Indians are congregating in very threatening manner. Lives of settlers and citizens are in danger. Send troops if possible at once. Petition by mail. George J. Hurley, Mayor; W. J. Dorwin, C. F. Webb. H. A. Huntley, J. W. Jewett, councilmen."

Subsequently a detached petition signed by a large number of responsible citizens of Okanogan county was forwarded to Olympia, reading as follows :

"Sir : - Events are transpiring in our midst that demand prompt action. Therefore we respectfully petition you as the executive of this state to send to us troops, also arms and ammunition. This we ask may be done without any delay. You know our defenseless state. At this moment there are fewer men and more women and children here than at any time during our history. Our reasons of this pressing request are these :

"A short time since a white man by name of Cole was murdered on the verge of the reservation. Two of his murderers have been taken ; one endeavored to kill the officer when being arrested and in self defense the officer shot him dead. The other was arrested and placed in jail, but on the night of January 8, persons unknown to us did by force take the prisoner from jail and hang him until dead.

"The people who did this are wholly unknown. It is unnecessary to say we do not approve of the act ; but it has brought down on us, who are innocent, the threatened vengeance of the dead Indian's relatives and friends and other Indians, who have been in the late dance on the reserve, and at this time they are gathering in force near Cumming's ferry. If we were supplied with arms and ammunition and our families and those of others were not here we would not ask aid ; but aid we must have.

"Every indication is that there will soon be dirty work here. Settlers on the Okanogan are asking for reinforcements tonight. Old Indian fighters here say the signs are serious. Send us aid and avert, if possible, this threatened catastrophe to these settlements. The probable force of Indians we may have to contend with will be about 400 bucks. The number now collected i-> about TOO fighters."

Yet within less than a week from the time this appeal was forwarded to Acting Governor Laughton the people in the section involved had arrived at the conclusion that the alleged Indian demonstration was simply a "scare." In fact the Okanogan Outlook admitted as much, saying on January 16, 1891 :

"It is not at all likely that there will be any serious trouble with the Indians at this season of the year, and we do not apprehend that an outbreak will occur at this time. The Indians have been sullen and apparently "out of sorts" for some time past, and no doubt have contemplated, or at least have had some idea of making the whites trouble, but we do not believe that they intend to make any demonstration until spring. The lynching of the boy Stephen undoubtedly greatly excited and angered them, and for a time under their excitement there is no doubt that danger of immediate action upon their part existed, and we do not believe that tliey have wholly abandoned the idea, and our citizens should be on their guard at all times and not relax their watchfulness."

At Olympia the affair was regarded more seriously. The following dispatch was received by the Sf'okcsDiaii-Rcz-icz^', published at Spokane, and printed January 1 1 .

Olympia, Jan. lO. - The official information of the Indian trouble in Okanogan county was contained in a dispatch received this afternoon by Acting Governor Laughton from the sheriff and county commissioners of Okanogan county. Upon receipt of the report Governor Laughton summoned Adjutant General O'Brien and a conference was held. The governor thought that, as the appeal for aid had come from such a high source, something should be done, and it was decided to ship 200 stand of arms and ammunition tomorrow.

Governor Laughton then notified Brigadier General Curry, of Spokane Falls, by telegraph that the arms would be sent, and told him to see that they were delivered to the chairman of the Okanogan county commissioners and receipted for. He was explicit in his instructions that there should be no bloodshed unless necessary, but peace must be preserved at all hazzards. Governor Laughton thought that the disaffection would be over in a few days. He said it would not be difficult to put down an uprising among the Okanogans, but if they were determined to fight they would send out couriers and enlist British Columbia Indians in their cause. In that event there was much to fear.

Representative Smith, of Okanogan, received a telegram requesting him to call on Governor Laughton and urge him to send arms. He did so, and the governor assured him that steps had already been taken. Speaking about the disaffection Representative Smith said tonight :

"The Indians who threaten to go on the warpath are the Okanogons. who live on the Colville reservation, near the mouth of the Okanogan river. They have always been peaceful, took no stock in the Messiah craze, and all the trouble has been caused by the lynching of the murderer, which I think was very unwise. The Indians number 150. If Chief Moses and Chief Joseph, who have as much influence among them as Sitting Bull had among the Sioux, join them, their numbers would be increased to between 300 and 400, and if the British Columbia Indians take their part they will have nearly a thousand. I doubt very much whether Moses or Joseph will urge them to go on the warpath, as they had no end of troi'ble in their day and were punished by the government. If prompt action is taken there is nothing to be feared."

General A. P. Curry and staff'. Lieutenant White, Byron Swingler, Frank Howard and Mr. Westren, accompanied by Sheriff Rush and posse who met the general's party at the Columbia river, arrived in Conconully Saturday evening, January 17. They brought 180 guns and 3,000 rounds of ammunition which were turned over to the chairman of the board of county commissioners. General Curry and party remained in Conconully over Sunday and left Monday morning for the reservation to hold a pow-wow with the Indians. Indian Farmer Thomas had been instructed to call the Indians together for a conference with the general on Tuesday, and a large number of them congregated opposite Cummings for that purpose.

General Curry reported that the Indians strenuously denied any intention of going on the warpath, and the following is his report to County Commissioner McGillivery :

"Dear Sir : We had a conference today on the reservation with about seventy Indians, including all the chiefs in this part of the country. They were told through the interpreter by me, that the bringing of guns into the country did not mean war, but to insure peace. That the white people were determined to defend their homes and if there was any outbreak on the part of the Indians, there would be a war of extermination : that the citizens and state troops, and if necessary the regular army, would make short work of them. But if they behaved themselves and controlled their young men, the whites would treat them kindly and no soldiers would be brought in. That they must discontinue their dances and stop carrying giins, except when hunting, and do all in their power to assist in ferreting out white men or Indians who sold liquor to the Indians.

"To all the above a sacred pledge was exacted from chiefs and all young bucks present. They promised to take no further action in regard to the hanging of the Indian Stephen, and make no threats, but let tlie matter entirely rest for the action of the courts. I am entirely satisfied from the earnest way in which this matter was discussed, pledges exacted, earnestness of the answers, that all of these promises will be carried out in good faith. So they well understand that if they break these pledges to me, that no mercy will be shown to them and the entire tribe will be held responsible for the action of any of its members. I have pledged for the white people kind treatment to the Indians, and also their assistance to bring to justice those who so far forgot themselves as to sell liquor to an Indian, and I earnestly request that the citizens of Okanogan, as well as Douglas county, use their best endeavors to carry out these promises.

"It is probably a fact that, as usual, the vigalantes made a mistake and hanged the wrong man when they stretched the boy Stephen up by the neck a few weeks ago. It has cropped out that the lynchers supposed that another Indian (not Stephen) had been arrested and was confined in jail, and working upon that hypothesis enacted that dreadful tragedy. There is now but little doubt that the real murderer of Cole is still at large and the fact is probably as well known to the lynchers as any one else - a fact which will probably not be conducive to pleasant dreams."

The failure of Okanogan county to secure public surveys became a source of grevious complaint in 1891. For this failure there were many reasons assigned. One of them was that the many petitions forwarded from citizens of the county were not drawn in accordance with instructions from the land department. Another reason advanced, and one apparently directly opposed to the facts, attributed the delay to the "apathy and indifl:'erence" of settlers in forwarding any petitions whatever. It is quite likely that the former reason is the most plau.sible. Therefore County Auditor Baum took it upon himself to see that new sets of affidavits and petitions were prepared conforming strictly to instructions of the land commissioner. This action was in compliance with the following letter to the etlitor of the Okanogan Outlook:

Olympia. Wash.. Feb. 26, 1891. "Dear Sir : I am adx'ised by our congressman, Hon. John L. Wilson, that the delay in securing a survey and extension of the standard lines in Okanogan county is caused largely by the apathy and indifiference of settlers in forwarding their petitions for such survey. If through the columns of your paper you can present the matter to our citizens and urge the necessity of an immediate compliance with the rules of the department respecting their petitions, I believe that by combined effort we can have a large corps of United States surveyors in Okanogan county during the coming summer. To this end, pray command me at all times.

"Charles E. Laughton." The matter not only received attention in Okanogan county, but the people of Spokane became interested. There were many Okanogan property owners in the latter city. The Chamber of Commerce of Spokane thre\\- its influence in favor of early surveys. In reply to a letter from John R. Reavis, secretary of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, asking for information as to the status of public surveys in Okanogan county, the surveyor general. Thomas H. Cavanaugh, replied at length. He said that everything possible had been done to extend the surveys in Okanogan county in order to meet the necessities and convenience of the settlers of that countv. He added that the surveyor general \vas invested witli neither power nor discretion, simply acting as a transmitting medium of the Interior Department at Washington, D. C. Without a petition from the settlers in any given township, such as in its preparation complied with the instructions of the department, no surveys whatever could be considered, no matter what might be the wishes of the surveyor general or the needs of the settlers. The status of the surveys in Okanogan county, ^Ir. Cavanaugh said, was this:

The districts containing the settlements were distant and not connected with the existing public surveys already completed. According to the instructions of the department, the township desiring to be surveyed must be connected with the existing public surveys, or no application for a survey could be considered. Therefore the settlers in Okanogan county had been advised to petition the land office there, as required by law, but such petitions as had been received were not drawn in accordance with instructions.

Apparently Surveyor General Cavanaugh was not in the least to blame in this matter. He had made a straightforward statement, which, however, plainly exposed the red tape of the department at Washington, D. C., and let it go at that. He could do nothing further. Representative John L. Wilson, seems to have taken the same view of the matter. He appears to have investigated the matter of surveys in the state of Washington, and ascertained why they had not been made. A special to the Spokcsman-Rcvic'd'. of Spokane, dated February 26. says:

"He (Wilson) says he is strongly of the opinion that the peculiar methods of Inspector Horbinson. now investigating surveyor, are the cause. From an examination of the records here it looks as if Cavanaugh had done everything possible to secure surveys. He has made application to extend the base and standard lines in Okanogan county, and was refused by the commissioners of the general land office. It was absolutely necessary that these lines be extended before the township lines could be made. The instructions sent to Cavanaugh by the land office have been very explicit, and he has had to follow them in spite of all the demands of the people."

In March, 1891, the people of Okanogan county were rejoicing over the supposed fact that the greatly desired surveys would soon be made. Only those interested in such matters can fully appreciate the inconvenience suffered by settlers by the injustice perpetrated by the government in regard to this important branch of the Interior Department. No settler felt justified in making improvements on land which might be taken from him on the completion of a survey. Consequently the growth of Okanogan county, as well as many other portions of the state of Washington, was greatly retarded. The Okanogan Outlook jubilantly said :

"The settlers of the Methow and Okanogan rivers and the people generally throughout the county are jubilant over the prospect of having the public surveys made this summer. The surveys of the standard or base lines have already been ordered, and this work will probably be commenced without further delay. Settlers have been notified to make application for section lines and subdivisions, and as soon as this has been properly attended to it is promised that these surveys will also be ordered and made."

But again were the people doomed to disappointment; Surveying projects dragged their slow length along in the dusty corridors of the Interior Department at Washington. Promises were made which were not fulfilled for years. The Okanogan county settlers continued to suffer. Even Surveyor General Cavanaugh was fed with false hopes. In a letter addressed to County Auditor Baum, dated February 13, 1892, he says: da\-its for the survey of townships 32, N. R. 24 E, which are placed on file for due consideration. I expect to award contracts for surveys in Okanogan county for the following townships: Townships 28 and 34 N. R. 21 E., townships 28 and ^^ N. R. 22 E., townships 32 and 36 N. R. 24 E, and township 33 N. Ranges 25 and 26 E, the surveys to be complete the coming summer."

For nearly two years Mr. Baum had been actively engaged in trying to bring about the surveying of the agricultural portions of the county. Consequently this letter was eminently satisfactory; but it was in the nature of an ignis fatuus. Nothing was accomplished "the coming summer," as suggested in the letter of Mr. Cavanaugh. The settlers of Okanogan county were doomed to bear their disappointment as best they could. These long promised surveys became a "hope deferred which maketh the heart sick." Agricultural properties were involved in exasperating complexity. And the Interior Department at Washington, D. C, slumbered on. But at last the hopes of the settlers were rewarded with fruition. September 30, 1893, the following appeared in the Outlook:

"E. D. Hooker, of Spokane, who was awarded the contract for township 36, range 24, came in Wednesday with a crew of men and established a camp about three miles north of town. This is the township which embraces Lieut. Governor Laughton's stock ranch and D. E. Wilson's saw-mill site. It is situated north and west of Conconully, the southwest corner being about a mile from town. There were to be several other townships surveyed this fall, but there seems to be a hitch in the proceedings somewhere and the season is now so far advanced that contracts, if they were let, could not be completed this fall."

Indeed there was a "hitch in the proceedings :" several of them had occurred since agitation for land surveys nearly three years since. From this time on the work proceeded in a desultory manner, and one by one the settlers of Okanogan county came into their own ; arrived at a condition in which an energetic government department could have placed them years before, and saved much time and wasted opportunities.

The increase of the taxable property in the county, as shown by a statement published in September, 1891, was considered quite encouraging. The value of all the property in the county, assessed for the year 1890, was only $460,000 against $790,616 'for 1891, an increase of nearly 72 per cent. This was nearer the full valuation of the property than had ever before been obtained. The tax rolls as finally corrected by the board of equalization, gave the following values of property throughout Okanogan county: For Ruby the total valuations were $81,763; for Conconully, $97,761. Real estate was shown to be as follows :

The value of improvements on lands held under the laws of the United States was $113.- 486. The value of all other personal property was $180,363. There were 201 men who were heads of families and entitled to an exemption of $300 each. The rolls showed 43 Indians who paid taxes on a valuation of $31,313. There were also two Chinamen on the rolls. The rolls further showed that 162 people paid taxes on an assessed valuation of $558,859. leaving 530 people to pay taxes on $231,757.

county that evoked violent protest. The matter cuhiiinated in February when an incUgTiation meeting was held in Loomis, on the i6th, and the following resolutions adopted :

Where.^s, By their actions since they came have endeavored to, and have to a certain degree, caused dissensions and strife to arise among the hitherto peaceably disposed people' of the town of Loomis and vicinity, greatly detrimental to the interests of all the people of Okanogan county, and particularly to the interests of the people of the town of Loomis,

Whereas, Said persons have by artifice and fraud jumped and caused to be jumped certain mining claims upon which large and extensive work is being done and have, by trickery and fraud endeavored to jump the townsite of Loomis and thereby greatly jeopardizing the interests of innocent purchasers and holders of property within said town, and.

Whereas, We believe that if said evil disposed persons are allowed and permitted to continue' in their nefarious designs, great and irreparable injury will result to the business interests of said town, and many honest miners and laborers will be thrown out of employment. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That we utterly condemn and look with disfavor upon all unlawful endeavor to dispossess the rightful owners of any mining and other property of the citizens of said county, and that we will ever lend our aid and support in every honest and lawful endeavor to suppress said lawlessness, and that we utterly despise and condemn the professional jumpers and seekers after blood-money by compelling honest holders of property to buy off and pay said jumpers money for their unlawful holdings, and we do hereby request the said evil disposed persons, townsite and claim jumpers, for mercenary purposes, to at once repair the wrong they have done to the rightful owners of the Black Bear and other mining claims.

In addition to the.'^e resolutions the prime movers of the industry of "lot jumping" were requested to leave the country, which they did. Their friends and co-workers were given to understand that any continuance of the troulile would not be tolerated.

of disasters by floods. The Similkameen, Columbia and Fraser rivers reached the highest mark known, with the exception of Indian traditions, which the settlers of this county had long since discovered were quite unreliable. Fences, hay, dwellings and barns in the Similkameen valley were floated off. Nearly every stream in the county lost bridges, and great damage was done throughout the county. The northern portion of the state suffered generally, and railway communication was paralyzed.

The month of May, 1894, witnessed the organization, at Conconully, of a "Taxpayers' League." The association was non-political, and the objects to be attained are set forth «i the following petition for signatures :

"We, the undersigned taxpayers of Okanogan county, believe the present stringent times and the e.xisting financial condition of the county, call for a more economical administration of the afifairs and finances of the county, and for the encouragement of economy in public expenses, the promotion of efficiency and honesty in the various departments of the county offices, to regulate taxation and become acquainted with the manner of keeping the county records, and to enforce the operation of law and seclire better legislation on many matters, hereby become members of an organization to be known as the 'Taxpayers' League of Okanogan County, Washington,' the object of which is to secure the benefits above enumerated."

Peter Coutts, living on the east side of the Similkameen river, three miles north of Wyandotte' Mill, was ambushed on the public road Monday, August 23, 1897. and shot to death by an unknown assassin. It is stated that in March, 1896, Coutts had shot and killed one George Stringham, in the course of a quarrel over a piece of land, although there appeared nothing definite at the inquest, which was held at Loomis, to connect the two murders. .\n examination into the killing of Coutts was held before Justice of the Peace William Bnines. It was developed at the inquest that the Imllet struck about one and one-half inches below, and to the right of the right nipple, passing through the body and coming out below the left shoulder. The coroner's jury comprised Joseph Linton, James Henderson, Chauncey Riggs, C. H. Brown, John Cutchine and A. B. Dinsmore. Peter Coutts was born in Scotland, coming to America in 1863. In 1S80 he removed to Dakota before the di\-ision of the Territory and. organization into states. He settled in Okanogan county in 1892 and was fifty years of age at the time of his death. He left a widow and six children. The verdict of the jury was as follows :

"We, the undersigned, coroner's jury, find that the deceased, Peter Coutts, came to his death by a gunshot wound inflicted by a g^m in the hands of a person unknown, who was concealed in the cabin of the late George Stringham, at about 5 :30 o'clock a. m., August 2^, 1897."

During the month of November, 1897, pneumonia became quite prevalent among the Indians. With the tribes along the Okanogan river, on the reservation, its ravages were particularly severe. Although this malignant disease is not unusual among them it commenced its run much earlier this season. At all periods of the year the Indian carelessly exposes himself and, as a rule, does not receive the careful attention absohitely necessary for the safety of the patient in such serious cases.

July 6. 1898, the International Mining Congress convened at Salt Lake City, Utah. To this important convention involving questions of the deepest moment to the mining interests of the country the delegation from Okanogan county comprised George H. Noyes, of Loomis : Charles H. Ballard, of Conconully, and Dewitt C. Britt, of Chelan.

The "blizzard" of 1898 was one that will not soon pass from the remembrance of the citizens of Okanogan county. Sunday, Trmnary 1 1 , snow began falling accompanied by a heavy wind out of the north. This continued three days and nights, with hardly a moment's intermission. For any length of time it was impossible to travel in any direction. Thermometers indicated fifteen degrees below zero. In all directions mail routes were blockaded causing a delay of three days in the reception of mail from outside points. Throughout the countv the storm was general. The Conconully stage arrived at Loomis in a badly demoralized condition; horses nearly perished: driver and passengers coated with ice. A similar condition attended the arrival of the Oroville stages from each direction. The Virginia City letter mail was taken to Conconully Monday on horseback. Tuesday it failed entirely. This storm, it was claimed by the older resident, was the worst since the winter of 1892-3, and its severity has not since been duplicated. On the latter date the weather conditions were much colder, the mercury dropping to thirtyfive degrees below zero. It was stated in Loomis that for the period of two days and nights a majority of the citizens of that town did not go to bed, but passed the time feeding stoves with fuel and trying otherwise to make themselves comfortable.

During this storm of 1898 stock, unless under shelter, suffered intensely. With its abatement snow was piled high in many places, some of the drifts being ten feet in height. In all directions roads were, practically, impassable. Between Conconully and Loomis snow was drifted sufficiently solid to nearly bear the weight of a horse. Two men leaving Loomis for Oroville succeeded in getting but half way there when they were compelled to abandon the trip for the time being. On the road between Loomis and Conconully, after the storm, a stage driver was forced to leave his team and break out a mile and a half of passage way through the snow over a grade that had been drifted full. So badly filled were the roads south of Conconully that the mail carrier passed three hours of

This severe winter of 1897-8 was followed in the spring by floods of unusual proportions. In May and June the rainfall throughout Okanogan county was most copious. A steady and heavy downfall for forty-eight hours culminated in a flood exceeding that of any within the memory of the oldest settlers in the country. At the close of the forty-eight hours mentioned the rain gauge of the recorder showed that 3.3 inches had descended within that period. All the mountain streams were high above their banks, tearing great ruts in hill and plain. The Sinlahekin gained a greater elevation than was ever before recorded. From the nature of the country through which this and similar streams course no extensive damage was done to property other than carrying away bridges. At the "Loomis ranch" the stream became a lake and the highest water mark of 1894 was exceeded. For several days thereafter all roads were nearly impassable with vehicles ; mails were brought in on horseback. Such continuous rainfall materially afifected the Similkameen and Okanogan rivers. Salmon river was exceedingly high and nearly all bridges were carried down the swollen stream. Scarcely an inhabitant in the various towns affected by the flood retired to rest for several nights, remembrance of the flood of 1894 arousing fears that it might be duplicated.

Friday, February 10, 1899, Mary Smith and Tenas Martin, Indians, were drowned in the Okanogan river, near Osoyoos Lake. Mary was the first wife of "Okanogan" Smith, from whom he had separated ; Martin was an Indian boy. Mary Smith had continued to reside on the "Okanogan" Smith ranch after his death at Olympia, and it appeared that she held in her own name the title to the property. Mary and Martin had left the ranch in a buggy bound for Oroville. The fatal accident was not witnessed bv anv one. but on the dav following, Saturday, an Indian came into Oroville and inquired if Mary and Martin had arrived in the town. They had not done so and an investigation followed with the result that the buggy was fished out of the river. No trace could be found of the Indians. Thoughout the county Mary Smith was well known and was a familiar figure on the streets of many of the small towns in the northern part of Okanogan county.

The same year another Indian fatality occurred in the vicinity. Alexander Pointer, a half-breed twenty-five years of age accidentally shot and kiled himself Monday, October 2;^. at his ranch on the Okanogan river. He attempted to draw a revolver from his pocket when the hammer caught and the weapon was discharged. The ball entered his right hip coming out over the left hip at his back. He lived only a short time.

The United States census of 1900 gave Okanogan county a population of 4,689, divided as follows among the fifteen precincts and Indian reservation :

The result of this census raised Okanogan to a county of the 22d class. Owing to the sparsely settled condition of Okanogan county, (the census of 1900 showing less than one inhabitant to the square mile), and the mountainous condition of the countrv, for several years past it has been the rendezvous of a number of desperate characters. There is, also, an excellent class of people, industrious, enterprising citizens, and by no one is this fact deplored more deeply than by them. Many murders have been committed in the county and seldom have the murderers been brought to justice. Organized bands of horse and cattle thieves have operated in the county in the past. Thousands of dollars' worth of cattle have been driven off and disposed of without conviction of the guilty parties. While these wholesale raids have been carried on other "rustlers" were operating- on a smaller scale. It has always been a difficult matter to secure evidence sufficient to convict the guilty parties because of fear of future vengeance from members of the band who were carrying on this land piracy. Since 1901 the "war for the range" between the cattle and sheep men has given the county authorities considerable trouble. Prior to 1901 the ranges of Okanogan county were occupied almost exclusively by cattlemen. Since then, however, about 50,000 sheep have been driven onto the Okanogan range. The band of sheep belonging to Frank Clerf, which runs the range in the Okanogan valley to the south of Oroville, contains about 30,000. The first act of violence intended to drive Mr. Clerf and his band of sheep from the country was perpetrated in 1901, shortly after his arrival in the country. At that time seven hundred tons of his hay was burned. Letters were received by many of the ranchers significant in their wording, the common form being. "Sell no hay to sheep men." Enclosed in these letters would be matches. Mr. Clerf still continues to occupy the range. In December, 1903, two hundred tons more of his hay was burned, although the property was guarded night and day.

In the spring of 1903 occurred an incident illustrating the determination of certain parties to rid the county of sheep. C. C. Curtiss had a band of about 1,200 sheep in the vicinity of the town of Alma, on the Okanogan river. These were visited by a party of armed men who entered the corral where the sheep were, and with clubs, axes, guns and other weapons killed nine hundred of the animals. Evidence sufficient to convict any of the perpertators has never been secured.

"This plant was erected in the year 1899, and has a capacity of about 3,000,000 fry. It was beautifully located on government land at the junction of Twisp Creek and Methow river, in the village of Twisp, Okanogan county. For the last two seasons it has proved a very successful plant. Upon my first visit of inspection of the plant I found one of the best systems of gravity supply in the state, but upon investigation discovered that the state had no right or title to the water supply, and I immediately went to work to perfect the state's title to this important feature of our hatchery, with satisfactory results, when I discovered that th.e state land to perfect that state's title to this important feature was located, from sale, and that Mrs. Phebe E. Zenor had filed a homestead entry on the premises. I have been negotiating the entire year, or since I discovered the condition of the title, with Mrs. Zenor, for some kind of a settlement that would be satisfactory to the state, but my labors so far in that direction have been without fruitful results, and just what will be the outcome of the matter I am not at this time prepared to state, but am in hopes that a settlement may be perfected whereby the state will not be any great loser from this enterprise. The amount expended for maintenance for the year from November i, 1901, to November I, 1902, was $1,461.95. The output for the season of 1902 was $2,969,350."

The year 1902 witnessed the cultivation of about 2,500 acres of land in Okanogan county on what is known as the "North Half" of the Indian reservation. At the nominal yield of furty busliels per acre east Okanogan would have produced one hundred bushels of grain. But this it did not do owing to the fact that fully seventy-five per cent, of the land in question was devoted to hay crops. In 1900 no sock was permitted to graze east of the Okanogan river, with tlie exception of such as belonged to Indians. The assessment roll of ic)02 carried about 2,500 head of cattle, 5,000 head of horses and 20,000 sheep in this locality, really a wonderful increase in so short a period. In 1898 the population of eastern Okanogan (between Ferry county and the Okanogan river) numbered about four hvindred. In 1902 the local census reports carried a few over sixteen hundred, showing an increase of over four hundred per cent, within four years. The amount of personal property listed exceeded $250,000.

With the exception of ore shipments and a comparatively small number of exported cattle Okanogan industries have always been limited to the local markets. Originally it was settled as an exclusively mining country; its hundreds of thousands of acres were scattered around among a heterogeneous mixture of Indian tribes in the 'form of "reservations;" rail transportation \vas absolutely nil ; for years the apparent disadvantages to settlers seemed insurmountable.

As we have said the first sparks of industry were struck from the mineral beds of the country. Originally mining topics comprised the bulk of conversation between the pioneers of the country. The first towns were mining camps ; Ruby, Conconully, Loomis, Golden and Oro; these names significantly indicated that the precious metals were at that early period uppermost in the public mind and constantly in \iew before the public eye. Rapid strides were made in the country's development. It was, indeed, on a most limited scale that agriculture was first undertaken. Mainly it consisted in the production of hay and vegetables for the hiime market. A few engaged in freighting supplies or growing produce for the subsistence of miners. Large bands of cayuses haunting the ranges were considered of little value. Mining was the one subject of general interest.

Small wonder is it, then, that the memorable panic of 1893 fell with severity upon the industrial resources of Okanogan county. The sharp decline in the value of silver presaged a financial depression that drove many out of the various districts of Okanogan county; and filled with deep forbodings the hearts of those remaining dependent wholly upon outside capital for sustenance. Upon the limited number of agriculturists then in the county the distress incident to the mining industry immediately reacted. Practically business in the entire Okanogan region was suspended. Dazed by the heavy misfortunes of their brothers in affliction - the miners - those devoted to agriculture considered it simply misapplied lalxjr to cultivate crops of any description. Truly these were "the times that tried men's souls" in Okanogan county. "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot" stole eastward, or sought the Pacific coast in search of manual employment - an opportunity to exist.

But, happily, some were made of sterner stuff. And there were underlying causes and effects that, eventually, redounded to the advantage of the farmer - the squatter, in fact - upon the unsur\'eyed lands of Okanogan county. While he could assume no rights under the homestead laws, neither had he any taxes to pay. His land, or "squatter's equity," as it might be termed, could not be rnortgaged : but he could graze immense herds on the nutritious bunch grass. Gradually he discovereil that these cattle had gained an excellent reputation in eastern points and he could market them on the hoof. The Okanogan farmer began to view conditions in a new and rather more favorable light. Up to this point it had been impossilile for him to get \-ery deeply into debt owing to the fact that he lived on unsurveyed lantl as impossible to mortgage as it was to homestead.

He had been compelled to practice rigid economy. A few years more and the farmer began to forge ahead. The future assumed a rosier aspect. The land having been surveyed he could now enter it under the homestead laws; he took new bearings - took stock of himself - and cast about for long neglected opportunities. He fenced land, erected more substantial buildings ; cropped more acreage; his little band of cattle gradually yet surely increased in number ; he disposed of more beeves ; he directed his attention to fruit.

Coupled with all these improvements in his fortunes there came a revival in the mining industry. Again money flowed into the country for investment ; local enterprises, particularly those of Slate Creek and Republic, afforded him a fairly remunerative market for his produce, and all in all the farmer and stock raiser entered a new and more favorable era following the dark clouds that had swept across the financial horizon of 1893. To-day the Oganogan farmer is thrifty, careful and economical. Debts which he contracts are, as a rule, judiciously entered into for the purpose of substantial improvements; he has sagaciously planned to meet them at maturity.

On the evening of Monday, September 14, 1903, a meeting was held in Conconully, the ostensible purpose of which was to bring about an amicable understanding between the cattle and sheep men of Okanogan county; to draw lines marking the territory to be occupied by tlieir respective interests and to set aside a strip of land such as would enable sheep owners to travel with their flocks between summer ranges and winter quarters. This meeting was thinly attended. Several prominent cattle men were there, but unfortunately sheep men were not represented at all, and practically the convention was without result. Still, a number expressed themselves as being in sympathy with the object of the meeting, and a resolution was passed requesting the chairman, Mr. Wilder, to correspond with leading representatives of ' the sheep industry requesting them to fix a date on which they would meet with the cattle men, for the purpose of a full, fair and candid discussion of the subject. But so far there has been no result.

Until October, 1903, it had not been possible to deliver goods on the Okanogan river abov^ Brewster except by the primitive ox-team method. Thus a vast and fertile country was, practically, inaccessible. Friday, October 16, the first steamboat to navigate the upper Okanogan river, "The Enterprise," made its initial trip. For the merchants of the upper country the boat brought up a cargo of twenty tons of freight. Heretofore steamers had navigated the Okanogan six or eight weeks only during the high water of spring. From the head of navigation. Riverside, the return trip of "The Enterprise" was an ovation. This boat was built at Wenatchee by H. S. De Puy and Will Lake, of Seattle. She was financed and owned by Captains Frank Reed and George Ostenberg, residents of Alma, and was constructed expressly for the Okanogan trade between Brewster and Riverside. "The Enterprise" is eightysix feet long, seventeen foot beam and three and one-half feet in depth of hold, and thoroughly equipped for freight and passenger service. Messrs. Reed and Ostenberg own, also, the flourishing mills at Alma, on the Okanogan river. They built the boat that they might have access to the grain warehouses on the Columbia river and lower Okanogan all the year round. The placing in commission of "The Enterprise" means a saving of ten cents per hundred pounds on freight to the merchants of Conconully, and as much as twenty-five to thirty cents per hundred pounds to those of Loomis and other mining camps and towns.

In 1903 Okanogan county had a population of 7,660, according to the annual report of the state board of statistics. This report is compiled from the school census taken by the difl^erent school clerks. The population of the county according to the United States census of

1900 was 4,689. This signifies a gain of 2,971 within three years, or 63.3 per cent, and there were nine counties only in the state which showed a larger per cent, of gain than Okanogan.

As shown by the rolls of July, 1903, the assessment of Okanogan county was $26,788 less than double that of 1900, but had the amount belonging to exempted persons and not assessed been taken into account, the difference would have been more than wiped out. Within three years the county increased at least one hundred per cent in wealth. The steady increase in the number of persons taxed in the interim between 1900 and 1903 indicates that this was not the result of a sudden influx, or of anything approaching the nature of a "boom." In 1901 the number was 304 larger than for 1900, or 1,182 ; in 1902 there were 1.399 persons taxed, and in 1903 the number had grown 161 over the preceding year. In making comparisons between 1902 and 1903 we find that the valuation increased from $1,254,445 in 1902 to $1,377,494 for 1903, and that there w-as the sum of $187,- 055 exempted in 1902 against $212,690 for 1903. In 1902 there were 6,055 horses valued at $136,580; in 1903, 6,942 horses valued at $149,689. In 1902 there were 12,812 head of cattle valued at $262,505, and in 1903 16,711 head valued at $341,787. The sheep in 1902 numbered 25,888 and were valued at $58,245; in 1903 there were 28.770 worth $64,733.

cattle are worth more than the combined value of all other farm stock, and that horses are a quite distant second, but worth more than the hogs and sheep. In fact the horses and cattle of Okanogan county make up more than onethird of the taxable wealth, as has been the case for a number of years. In the matter of towns and improvements there has been but slight change w-ithin the year - from a total of $57,125 in 1902 to $61,390 in 1903. Mines have added $10,000 to the valuation between 1902 and 1903 - $39,831 for 1902; $50,628 for 1903. The value of agricultural acreage shows an increase in value over 1902. That year there were 35,740.4 acres and in 1903 there was an increase to 49,566.3 acres ; the value of land in 1902 was $141,342, and of improvements thereon $52,646. In 1903 the land was valued at $192,093 and improvements at $66,747. This was a gain of $54,878 in the farms of Okanogan county during the tweh'e months between 1902 and 1903.

The total valuation of Okanogan county for the year 1903, as equalized by the county board of equalization $1,226,194. As equalized by the state board it was $1,047,192. Nearly half of this amount or $464,131, state equalization. was for live stock, as follows :

Mines And Mining

The birthplace of mining- industry in the state of Washington is Okanogan county. So long ago as 1859 we hear of stampedes to the Similkameen from Fraser river and the Cariboo District in British Columbia. It is certain that some of the placer washings on the Similkameen at that period was done south of the International Boundary and, consequently, within the limits of the present Okanogan county.

But, practically, mining in the county dates back to the returning tide of miners from British Columbia in the early 6o"s. They washed gold from the gravel bars of the Peshastin and Swauk and Ruby Creeks. So far as records are concerned the first quartz ledge discovered was the Culver, on the Peshastin, in Chelan county. This early discovery was made where now stands the town of Blewett.

It was not until the opening of Chief Moses' reservation in 1886 that development began on the low grade silver ores of Salmon river and on the gold and silver ores of Palmer Mountain. Coincidentally prospectors invaded the Methow country and other districts. So far as can be learned "Okanogan" Smith made the original location in what is now Okanogan county. It was in the early 70's that Smith took the first Okanogan claim in the county on Mount Ellemeham, north of Loomis. He named his discovery the "Julia," but it has since been relocated as the "King Solomon." These early discoveries were, however, accompanied by disappointing results. Commenting upon this succession of faihu-es Mr. L. K. Hodges says :

The first flock of investors were doomed to faiTure, mainly through their own fault. They were without experience in mining, for Washington had been mainly populated by farmers, merchants, manufacturers and professional men from the eastern and middle western states, while British Columbia had absorbed a similar population from the British Isles and Eastern Canada. The working people were generally drawn from the same sources. This was not a mining population, for it knew nothing of mining, having always turned its mind into other channels. There was a sprinkling of old miners and prospectors from California, Colorado and other mining states, but the formation was new to them. A few of them flung aside precedent and boldly proclaimed the mineral wealth of the state and the adjoining British Territory. But the experts, with their heads filled with California and Colorado precedents, scoffed at them, saying that the ore was too base and low grade to pay for treatment and that the formation was so broken that it would be impossible to follow any ore body from the croppings to any considerable depth. The moneyed men in the cities were absorbed in real estate speculation and readily voiced the unfavorable opinions of the experts, being anxious that outside investments should go into their own schemes and not be diverted into any alluring mining ventures.

Thus the first men to make known the mineral wealth of the Pacific Northwest "caught on" in only a limited degree. They induced some investments among men of means and caused quite a flurry in the Salmon River, Palmer Mountain. Cascade and Silver Creek districts. But a combination of circumstances forbade success at that time. The surface free gold in the ledges on Palmer Mountain led to the belief that free gold would continue indefinitely, and stamp mills were built without concentrators and managed by unskilled millmen. Wild speculation was practiced in some instances and there was not lacking evidences of fraud in others. The result was failure. As ore changed from free milling to base, a larger percentage was lost in the tailings. Victims of fraud loudly denounced the mines as worthless and others took up the cry and repeated it far and wide. The fall in the price of silver caused a suspension of work in the low-grade silver mines of Salmon river, which had already suffered in the eyes of investors from two abortive attempts at reduction of the ore. Only a few persons held their faith in the Pacific Northwest as a mining region and most of them were bankrupted by the panic or the collapse of their mining ventures. Only in a few places was development continued, notably among which is Monte Cristo, For a few years mining languished with every other industry.

Altiioiigli no thorough geological survey of tlie various mining districts in Okanogan cuuntv has ever Ijeen made, considerable has been learned from a number of individuals, each of whom has studied a particular section as opportunity offered. These sources of information have established that the Cascade Range, and their eastern foothills, extending across Okanogan county, are mainly composed of granite, syenite, diorite, and kindred rocks. Among thein occur broad belts of gneiss, schist, slate, shale, and sandstone and dikes of porphyry and limestone. In most instances mineral ledges occur in fissures in the granite, syenite, diorite and slate, often cutting through several of these rocks, but are also in contact between two of them, or between one of the granite rocks and a dike of porphyry or limestone. Throughout the Okanogan districts there are numerous areas in which eruptive rocks have burst through the older formation and in the latter have caused fissures, which Tiave either been filled in with mineral bearing Tock or have been impregnated with mineral along the walls of the cavities thus created. A heavy capping of oxidized iron, or magnetic iron, often of great width and thickness, generally indicates the presence of one of these ledges. Throughout this section the ores are almost universally base and of low grade, although some of the ledges on Palmer Mountain carry high-grade silver ore. There are other isolated cases where ores are sufficiently rich to be classed as high grade.

Although found in almost every combination the minerals most common are iron and copper pyrites, arseno pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, galena, tetrahedrite, or gray copper and zinc blende. In some proportion invariably the pyritic ores carry gold, with a few ounces of silver. Quite often they carry so much copper that this element becomes the principal value. Where the ledges are small the galena is usually rich in silver. On the surface free gold is often found where the ore has been subject to the decomposing influence of the air, continuing in decreasing ratio as the ore belts are followed down. Still, with increasing depth gold is found more and more in iron and copper sulphides.

There are at present fourteen mining districts within the limits of Okanogan county, viz. : Meyers Creek, Toroda or Ballarat, Piloses, Chapacca, Similkameen, Gold Hill, Galena, Salmon River, Ruby, Methow, Wanicutt, Similkameen, Upper Methow, Twisp and Gretchel. Some of these names are changed occasionally, as Palmer Mountain for Wanicutt; Chesaw for Meyers Creek and Squaw Creek for Methow, but the expert prospector, familiar with the territory, is seldom misled by such errors. Undoubtedly the Wanicutt district is, at present, the most prominent on account of recent developments. Yet all, in their day have enjoyed individual "booms." It is our purpose to present a non-technical description of the most noted of these properties, leaving the thousands of abandoned prospects upon which work has ceased for years to future development and future historians.

Palmer Mountain, in the Wanicutt District, is at present in the public eye. Quartz mining in the state of Washington dates back to 1885. At that period the storm center was in Stevens county whose territory then comprised some 1.500 square miles, extending from the Idaho line to the summit of the Cascade Range, with British Columbia its northern boundary. From the present Stevens county the excitement moved gradually westward, and in 1886 gold bearing ledges were struck on Palmer Mountain the richness of which caused a stampede thither. At that period Loomis, at the base of Palmer Mountain, was i;o miles from a rail- way by the nearest traveled route. In this locaHty the Triune and Jessie were the original locations made. But these were quickly followed by the Expert, Jumbo, Helena Belle, Wisconsin Central, Dolly and a number: of others, now composing a part of the Palmer Mountain Gold Mining & Tunnel Company's holdings. Although there have been many failures debited to the most enterprising miners, a most striking instance of unqualified success is that of this company in running a tunnel into Palmer Mountain. September 10, 1897, the Palmer Mountain Prospector said :

"Great was the excitement created on the streets yesterday when Manager John Boyd came down from the Palmer Mountain tunnel and displayed quartz containing free gold. It is a good lead, assaying $185.20 to the ton in gold, and $2.50 in silver. It was assayed by O. S. Stocker."

Gold, silver, copper and lead are the predominating minerals in the Wanicutt District. They are distributed throughout the ranges and spurs that cut up the country in every direction. They are in ledges, many of which crop conspicuously and for many feet may be distinctly traced. The formation varies with varying localities. There are granite, diorite, porphyry, slate, green stone, schist and other characters of rock, with a distinct line belt on the eastern side of Aeneas Mountain, and a wedgeshaped dike of the same formation on the eastem side of Palmer Mountain. In this locality there are a number of properties that are improving under development ; others exhibit favorable surface showings. It has been claimed in the past that the ledges in this section did not "go down." But the exhibit made by the Palmer Mountain tunnel would seem to disprove this assertion and demonstrate that these ledges are fissure veins continuing to unknown depths.

altitude of 5,500 feet and the base is 1,200 feet above sea le\-el, embracing an area of about twelve miles square. The formation is a mass of mineralized diorite upheaved by volcanic action through granite formation. On all sides it is surrounded by granite except on the north where slate and limestone abound. There are fifty-eight claims in this group situated on the southern slope of the mountain. A doublecompartment tunnel was started at the base that would connect with the gold-bearing ledges, and it has been driven over 4,000 feet into the heart of the mountain, intersecting twentyeight veins, of which number sixteen outcropped to the surface. At the present working a vertical depth of fourteen hundred feet has been attained, and it is the intention to drive the tunnel four thousand feet beyond the present breast, which will cross-cut the Grand Summit ledge at a vertical depth of 4,200 feet. The aggregate width of the veins cut at present is 200 feet. In 1890 a nugget was found on Palmer Mountain that produced the owners $1,000. The company intends to install an electrical plant at an early day, and erect reduction works. John Boyd, the president and general manager of the company has resided in Loomis, Washington, since 1892.

In the vicinity of Loomis are the Hillsdale mine, with a tunnel, the Putnam group, the Security, the Copper World and the Perennial group, all good properties. North of Loomis are the Nighthawk and Six Eagles where extensive work is in progress and with profitable results.

The Pinnacle, but a short distance from Loomis, was first discovered in 1888 by two prospectors. Free gold was found on the surface, high up on the west slope of Palmer Mountain. The original discoverers took out a considerable quantity of gold. They went on the outside to dispose of it and, for reasons never explained they did not return. The property was left in charge of James O'Connell, better known as "Pinnacle Jim." In time he relocated the claims. Several years ago he bonded the mine to a Canadian investor. That individual did considerable work, but not being entirely satisfied asked for an extension of time. O'Connell refused, as it had come to his ears that a rich ore shoot had been struck on the Bunker Hill in that vicinity. A few weeks after the expiration of the bond O'Connell met with a tragic end, an account of which will be found in the chapter devoted to Loomis and other towns. Then relatives sprang up on every hand and the property was hardly free from litigation for several years. General J. B. Metcalfe purchased the property at administrator's sale.

The mine is now in the hands of the Pinnacle Gold Mining Company. The officers are Judge William Hickman Moore, president; General J. B. Metcalfe, vice-president and manager; John S. Jurey, secretary and treasurer. These gentlemen are all citizens of Seattle. Aside from the Pinnacle the company owns the Bunker Hill, Nevada, Bonanza King, Julia Fraction, Telephone and Bullion mines, onehalf interest in the Von Moltke, one-third in the Nellie and one-third in the Onora, comprising the Pinnacle group. The Pinnacle is exceedingly rich, and is shipping amalgam in fair quantities. The company has leased the Black Bear five-stamp mill, at Loomis, and is now working a day and night shift.

Among the other mines and groups in this district are the Gladstone, Kit Carson, Ivanhoe, Why Not, Frisco, Surprise, Daisy, St. Patrick, Black Diamond, Daisy Ball, King Solomon, Roanoke, Whiskey Hill Tunnel group. Sunnyside, Yellow Dust, Phoenix, Combination, Benton, Wabash, Gray Eagle, Defiance, Little Defiance, Jordan No. i, Jordan No. 2, Betty Patterson, Kalamazoo, Young .America, Voltaire, Tenderfoot, Gold Thread. Little Dan, Hercules, .Atlas, Red Jacket, Miller. Redpath, Empire, Jack, Silent Friend, Raintow, May Queen, Bessie, Butler, Leviathan, Cherokee, Emma, Wall Street, Strictly Business, Long

The Meyers Creek Mining District is on the "North Half" of the Colville Indian Reservation, in Okanogan county, and east of the Okanogan river. With the opening of the reservation to mineral entry, February 21, 1896, there was a remarkable stampede to this section of the country. Meyers Creek heads among the foothills of Mount Bonaparte, to the south of Chesaw, several miles distant. It has a fall of ninety feet to the mile. Mary Ann Creek flows into Meyers Creek at Chesaw. The former has its source in the mountains a few miles north of Chesaw and drops one thousand feet in the last ten miles of its course. These streams are never failing, affording great volumes of water which has been rushing down in cascades since the glaciers from the north carved out their channels aeons ago.

In 1898 placer gold was found along these streams and since that time the soil has been washed in a primitive manner. Gold is found from the grass roots down through the gravel as deep as workings have extended, yet in no instance has bed rock been reached. Mr. K. Grant, who has passed two years placering on Mary Ann Creek, estimates the depth of the gravel to be from eighty to one hundred feet. To the depth of six feet the auriferous gravel has been washed with a resulting average of ?i.25 to the yard. Mr. Grant has prosecuted his work with pick, shovel and sluice box. And what has been said about his development may be claimed for all placer properties lying along these streams.

Previous to the opening of the reservation a number of miners had surreptitiously visited the present Meyers Creek Mining District and its fame had become known abroad. With the opening of the reservation prospectors and miners began to explore the hills and mountains seeking for veins and lodes of precious metals. Five hundred locations, or claims, were staked. Many of these claims ha\-e since passed from the hands of the original owners. Corporations have been organized for the purpose of development. It is undeniably true that lack of transportation has greatly militated against the Meyers Creek District. The ores require treatment by smelters. Consequently the district has been greatly handicapped in demonstrating its values.

The first property in the Meyers Creek District to receive attention from capitalists was the Crystal Butte, owned by the Interstate Mining & Developing Company. Over fifteen hundred feet of work is completed and a concentrating plant installed at a cost of $100,000. The Monterey IMining Company, on Copper Mountain, owning the Buckhorn group, was the next corporation to commence development. Over eight hundred feet of work has been completed by this organization. A body of gold and copper ore has been struck. Next in point of sequence came the Review Gold Mining Company. It is the owner of the Re- \-iew group of claims on which more than one thousand feet of work has been done. Hundreds of tons of high grade ore are now ready for shipment.

The Yakima Gold Mining Company, owning the Yakima group, adjoining Chesaw, was next in line with five hundred feet of development work. The Wyandotte Mining Company, owners of the Oregon group, a gold, silver and lead property, has disclosed a fine body of ore and further development is now under way. It is one of the best galena properties in the district, has all necessary buildings and equipments for extensive development, with one hundred and twenty feet of shafts and sixty feet of drifts and open cuts. The last property in the camp to receive attention from outside capital is now owned by the Opal Mining Company, consisting of the Opal group of eight claims, lying just west of Chesaw. There are in this property four hundred feet of tunnel and open cuts. Mr. J. P. Blaine was instrumental in interesting capital for its development. The ore will average $30 to the ton, and a portion of the ore taken out ran as high as $500 per ton. The Opal claim runs east and west and the first tunnel was cut at right angles. The second will cut the vein at about 125 feet below the surface, and runs south. About 1,200 tons of ore are now on the dump. These claims are a composition of porphyry and trachite, and are identical with the famous Cripple Creek formations in Colorado. On a five-acre tract, adjoining their claims, the company will in the spring erect a smelter, and negotiations are now under way for the machinery.

Three miles northeast of Chesaw, on the east side of Copper Mountain, is the Grant group of claims. An enormous body of ore appears on the surface which outcrops at the grass roots. The assay average of value is $40 to the ton, in gold, iron and copper, the latter predominating. For fifty feet a shaft has been sunk and open cuts made at intervals to determine the value. There are three claims in this group. Arrangements are pending to bond this group for $40,000.

Three miles west of Chesaw are seven claims comprising the Keno group. A ledge of gold and copper can be traced 4,000 feet. The iron cap is approximately 200 feet in width, averaging values in copper and gold of $10 to $15, the gold predominating. Results from 259 feet of shaft prove satisfactory.

The DeLate mine is one of the most valuable properties in the district, and is owned by the Interstate Mining Company. A tunnel has been run 150 feet and a number of shafts cutting a ledge of gold and lead ore for a distance of four feet. Assays on the ore from this mine average about $45 per ton, carrying- one ounce of gold and about 24 per cent, of lead. The main tunnel into the Interstate group is in over 800 feet, and the showings are goood. Ore is being shipped to the Everett smelter. The home office of the Interstate Company is at Columbus, Ohio. The property is in charge of Mr. Henry Thompson.

Seven claims comprise the Keno group. They lie three miles west of Chesaw. The ore runs gold and copper, a ledge of which can be traced 4,000 feet. The iron cap is approximately 200 feet in width, averaging values in copper and gold of from $10 to $15, gold predominating. There have been 250 feet of shaft sunk.

Meyers Creek Alining District emliraces about one hundred square miles. The groups of claims are distributed pretty generally throughout this territory. Some of them have been exploited to an extent sufficient to make the public fully aware of the extent of the development, and the value of the ore. But there is still another phase of the subject. Owners of the majority of the prospects are the original discoverers. From year to year they have Ijeen quietly and steadily sinking shafts, running tunnels and doing surface work. As better values have been shown the prospector has been strengthened in his resolution to cling to his property until the arrival of a railroad. Transportation of his ores means to him a fortune. Thus situated in the Meyers Mining District are scores of such determined prospectors.

The Old Germany. - A gold and galena bearing group with as fine showing as any propert)- in the district. This property has 230 feet of tunnel and 50 feet of shaft.

Among the best properties around Bolster, in the Meyers Creek Mining District, are: The Chicago group, consisting of the Chicago, Dewey and Philadelphia; the Review group, comprising the Review and Bird claims, which are among the most important in the camp. They were located by Robert Allison and John Mulholland, and sold to the Review Gold Mining Company for $35,000. In the neighborhood of $40,000 has been expended in development ; the Buckhorn group, consisting of eleven claims and fractions, is situated on the summit of Copper Mountain, at the head of Nickelson Creek; the Copper Queen and Number Nine claims on Copper Mountain; the King Solomon group, one-half mile northeast of Bolster; the Ramshorn and Cariboo on Copper Mountain ; the Smuggler and Joe Dandy, claims; the Aztec, Neutral, Homestake and Golden Curry, lying north of the Buckhorn ; the East Side and Morning Star, lying north and east of the Buckhorn. and the Kitchner group, situated north of Gold Creek. Considerable development work has been done on all of these.

Of these properties the de\-elopment work noted represents but a fractional part of the improvements. There are substantial houses, cabins, stables, blacksmith shops clustered around many of them. Several are equipped wi'th whims. For concentrating the ores the

Seattle capital has been largely employed in the development of the Methow Mining District. And it was among the first to feel the effect of the revival of interest in mining iu 1896. Having suffered from ill-advised ventures during the period immediately following the frrst discoveries, it appears now to have entered upon a period of prosperity. The mineral belt through which discoveries extend and through which flows the IMethow ri\-er, is about twenty-five miles long and three miles wide, extending through the foothills on either side of the river. To Mining Engineer S. G. Dewsnap, we are indebted for the following description of its characteristics :

"The country rock of the belt is secondary granite, which is crossed and cut by dikes of bird's eye porphyry, feldsite porphyry and diorite, which mostly strike northwest and dip southwest. The vein formation strikes a few degrees from east and west and dips northerly, cross-cutting the dikes at an angle of about thirty degrees. In many cases the dikes are not broken by the veins at the surface, but are found to ha\-e been broken at some little depth below. The croppings of the quartz veins are mostly blind, that is, the surface of the rock formation is largely covered by soil underlaid by glacial cement, which makes prospecting rather difficult, and the bed rock is only seen at points where the dike contacts have left ridges of hogsbacks not covered by detritus. Standing" on the foot-wall and looking down the dip of the veins, the ore is found in well-defined chutes dipping to the left hand at an angle of 60 to 66 degrees from the plane of the vein. South of the belt proper, in Black Canyon, which runs parrallel with Squaw Creek, are some veins in which the oxidized iron is magnetic, not hematite. On the north side of this belt is another of soft feldsite porphyry about half a mile wide, in which a number of locations have been made on quartz veins, none of which have been proved by development work. Beyond this is a belt of syenite, extending north on the divide between McFarlane and Gold Creeks, in which are veins carrying a little galena, mispickel and stibnite, and much richer in siher than the ores of the south belt, some tetrahedrite carrying much more biith of silver and arsenic. The quartz in the three main \'eins, which form the letter N and have been traced and located for nearly six miles east and west, seems to have followed in its formation a seam of diorite porphyry, which is broken and replaced by quartz, sometimes shoving the diorite to the hanging wall, sometimes to the footwall. The ore occurs in chutes following the line of breaks in this diorite porphyry seam.

"The characteristic mineral on the surface is a wax-like compact hematite, filling the crevives in the quartz, probably arising from the oxidation of the different sorts of pyrites which are found at greater depth. Free metallic gold is very rarely found in the quartz, but fine colors of free gold are generally found in the hematite iron of the surface ore. The characteristics of the ore in depth, unoxidized, are a pyrites, compact, hard, crystalized, containing a little gold, a grayer, softer pyrites, carrying traces of zinc and arsenic that is rich in gold ; a further pyrites mineral carrying quite a little copper; traces of arsenic carrying moderate values in gold ; a further sulphuret mineral resembling tetrahedrite of complicated composition, carrying considerable silver and gold with a little bismuth, antimony, arsenic and zinc."

In 1887 Mr. J. IM. Burns made the first mineral discovery in this belt on Polepick Mountain, near Silver. This property has developed into the Red Shirt mine. The ore carries iron and copper sulphurets and assays alxiut $20 per ton in gold and silver. In 1896 the Red Shirt Mining Company erected a twentystamp mill and began reducing ore from the dump.

Mrs. M. Leiser, in 1890, made the succeeding discovery, near the Red Shirt. This property was subsequently purchased by J. S. Crockett who extended the 40-foot tunnel run by the original owners, opening up a ledge of quartz and crystalized lime carrying good values in gold and silver. Following this came the discovery of the Black Warrior. This was, also, secured by Mr. Crockett. A small shaft showed eight feet of pyritic ore between walls of diorite. Other properties in the neighborhood are the IMike Malony, Silver Bow, Brother Jack, on an iron cap assaying $20 per ton, and the Panic. On the same and parallel ledges are several promising prospects, including the Brooklyn, Pride of the Hill, Capital and Love Ledge.

Discoveries southeastward to Squaw Creek were made in 1892 by J. W". Draa and Xels Johnson. So broad a belt of mineral was disclosed that this point became a center of interest. On Johnson Mountain the first croppings were found. This was on the left bank of the Squaw, and ledges have been traced across the Methow nearly to its mouth, and o\-er the mountains to Gold and McFarlane Creeks, in one direction, and to Black Canyon in another. The Highland Light is one of the promising properties in this section. The Friday group of five claims is on the left bank of the r^Iethow. Development was commenced here by the Friday Gold Mining Company. The ore is best where the ledge is narrowest. It is mainly iron pyrites, chalcopyrite and mispickel, with rare bits of zinc blende. The Diamond Queen group of two claims is on the west of the Friday ledge, on a steep bluff overlooking the river. ' They were owned by the Diamond Queen Gold Mining Company. An assay from croppings of the ore chute returned $10.80 in gold and sixty-one cents in silver. Assays from the upper tunnel ran from $3.65 to $32.70 in gold. On the same side of the river beyond this group is the Emerald group of three claims. The ledge crops five and one-half feet wide between granite walls. Surface ore assayed $25 in gold, siher and copper ; samples from the face of the tunnel at 53 feet assayed $122 and $157, the matter outside of the pay streak being mineralized to the value of about $10.

The Hidden Treasure adjoining the Highland Light shows up well for a large amount of de\elopment. The Okanogan is another well developed property, located on Johnson Mountain. The ledge shows six feet nine inches between the walls, and assays run from $20 to $28 in gold. The original location on Johnson Mountain is the Hunter, which has shown up fairly Avell on development. Values average from $16 to $20 in gold and eight to twelve per cent copper. The Washington group of seven claims belonged to the Methow Mining Company. Two of these are on the Hunter ledge, which is shown to be from six to six and one-half feet wide in an open cut fifteen feet long and ten feet deep on one claim; four and one-half feet wide in a twelve-foot shaft in another. It is well mineralized with copper sulphides on the surface. Another claim is on a stringer three to eighteen inches wide, carrying high-grade ore with free gold often showing. Bill Nye is the name of the last claim in the group. It is, doubtless, an extension of one of the main ledges, although three miles west of the others, showing five feet of similar quartz. Fisher Brothers, of Seattle, made an excellent showing on the Gray Eagle group of these claims, all on the Friday ledge. Development revealed a vein from four to eight feet, with a diorite dike, shoving it first to one wall, then to the other. The Last Chance adjoins the Gray Eagle, which has a well defined ledge three and one-half feet wide with talc gouge on the walls which are diorite and bird's eye porphyry. Ore sent to the Everett smelter netted $39 in gold and a little silver.

On the Highland Light ledge is the Standard and extension, with a ledge from four to four and one-half feet wide. Average samples of this ore assayed $38.60 in gold with a little silver. The Nip and Tuck group of four claims is on Treasure Mountain. The pay ore assayed $23.50 in gold; $6 in silver. Two miles west of Methow, on Gold Point Hill, is the Larsen group of four claims on two ledges. One of them showed forty inches wide in a double compartmertt shaft, forty-five feet deep, ore from which assayed from $22 to $78. Good ore bodies have shown up on McFarlane and Gold Creeks, west of Squaw Creek. The Black Jack shows four feet of quartz, well mineralized with gold, silver and copper for its entire width. The Damfino shows forty inches of similar ore. i\mong other prospects in this immediate vicinity are the Parallel, Catherine and Osiola.

Discoveries in the Spokane mines show that the same mineral belt extends through the Methow foothills far up the river. The Spokane is at the mouth of the Twisp river ; the ledge between four and five feet wide, between walls of porphyry, running northwest and southeast, nearly perpendicular, with a slight pitch to the west. Prospecting was begun with a shaft sunk forty feet, showing ore all the way with a widening ledge. The pay streak carries about $50 in gold and silver, and the entire ledge carries good values.

But for the ill effects of early experiments in treating ore development work in the Methow District would, doubtless, have proceeded much faster. Prospectors were led to erroneous conclusions; slight showings of free gold on the surface were taken to signify that it was a free gold belt. On this assumption they proceeded. On Squaw Creek a five-stamp mill with one concentrator was erected, and two arrastres were built. Through the stamp mill twelve tons of Paymaster ore were run that barely paid expenses. However, experiments are being made with a view to the adoption of the cyanide or some other leeching process and some such method wnll, undoubtedly, be adopted, where the percentage of copper does not run too high. Mr. L. K. Hodges says : per foot and shafting hx contract costs $i6 per foot clown to the 150-foot level. While the ore is rich enough to pay a good profit o\er cost of mining, freight and treatment, much better results can be obtained by the erection of a reduction plant on the ground, and the question' as to the best process now occupies the minds of mining men. The small proportion of free gold is in extremely minute particles; rendering amalgamation not worth while, except in connection with concentrators, and the values are mainly in sulphurets. The percentage of copper ranges from two to thirteen per cent, and where it does not exceed the former figure and the action of the solution is not hampered by other ingredients, the cyanide process may be successful. However, experiment will settle this question, and now that the mining men have become aroused to the fact that the problem is not to find, the gold bearing rock, but to extract the gold after they have found it, ultimate success is assured."

In the Moses Tilining District are located the Multnomah Alining Company's properties, about three miles from the Nespelim Indian agency. They were located and are held under the mining laws of the state of Washington. They comprise the following claims of twenty acres each : Columbia. Excelsior, Niagara, Chalcocite. Multnomah, Hanover, Butte, Michigan and Ramsey. Aside from these the company owns one hundred and sixty acres at the mouth of the Nespelim river, together with the Nespelim water power for milling and power purposes. These holdings aggregate 320 acres, besides one of the best and most available water powers in the northwest.

By those acquainted witli the formation of the mineral deposits throughout the United States, it is admitted that these properties show favorably. The formation is syenite accompanied by very little granite, with several dikes of porphyry and porphoritic quartz. The general trend of this mineralized zone is nea.rly north and south, varying in its course to northeast and southwest. The claims of the Alultnomah Company were located during the summer of igoo and spring of 1901. While development work has been conducted steadily the large extent of territory held by the company has prevented more than a practical exploitation of the surface sufficient to show the value of the properties. One immense mineralized zone is the mountain upon which are located these holdings, and when they cjncentrate in the veins of the mines they are found not only highly mineralized, but of surprising extent and size. At a depth of ten feet these ledges assayed from $6 to $40 in gold, copper, silver and lead, the principal value being gold and copper. The Ramsey, three miles distant from the Multnomah, Hanover, Niagara, Chalcocite, Excelsior and Columbia, makes a showing of surface assays running from $10 to S48. Increased mineralization is shown as depth is gained.

So long ago as 1884 the original mineral discoveries were made on the headwaters of the Twisp river, now in the Twisp Mineral District. But general prospecting has been conducted in this section not over eight years. And it remained for recent prospectors to define the character of the country's mineral.

As in other sections of the Cascades the country formation is granite broken by numerous dikes of porphyry. From oxidation the ledges have assumed a reddish hue which makes them easily tracable, and they carry free gold on the surface in most instances, changing to sulphurets. The ore is sulphide toward the headwaters of the Twisp, and on Twisp Pass rich in copper and showing the same characteristics as the older and more developed sulphide ore belts. E. W. Lockwood, of ^^'enatchee, H. M. Cooper and Edward Shackleford made the first discoveries in this district in 1884. They located the Washington, but being dissatisfied, abandoned it on account of the

In 1892 John Gillihan penetrated the district and located the Oregonian group of eight claims. His partners were James Gaston and F. S. Sanford. This group is at the head of North Creek near the glaciers that feed that stream. The walls are usually of porphyry. One ledge carries ore which assays from $60 to $600 in gold. Other ledges run from $11 to $1 14 in gold. R. P. Dolsen and P. B. Shonafelt made the next location which was the Derby. This mine they bonded to Frank Rosenhaupt, of Spokane, for $10,000. The ledge cropped near the Oregonian twelve feet wide and in a sixty-foot shaft and forty-foot tunnel showed quartz carrying $8 to $10 in gold throughout, with a pay-streak of from eight to twenty inches on the hanging wall, carrying $100 and upwards in gold. Discoveries extending from North and South Creeks were made in the summer of 1895, and also up the Twisp to the summit of the pass. The following year development work was inaugurated. Eight parallel ledges were found on Gilbert Mountain on which thirty locations were immediately made. The same belt has been traced across North Creek to Clark's Mountain. Two great main ledges with many cross-ledges are on Goat Park Mountain.

The Mountain Goat is the pioneer claim on Gilbert [Mountain. It was the property of P. Gilbert, Nelson Clark, A. Raub, George Witte, Henry Plummer and Frank Thompson. It has two ledges five and three and one-half feet wide, one of them with a cropping so strong that it is visible a mile distant, standing twelve feet high in a perpendicular cliff. A fifteen foot tunnel showed three feet of free milling ore similar to that of the Derby. Surface assays ran from $95 to $387 in gold.

through three claims from base to summit of the mountain. Eight parallel ledges continue through the entire group. Ore from the Mountain Goat ledges assayed from %2y to $280. Nelson Clark and R. J. Danson owned the Washington in this belt, which has a five-foot ledge showing ore fairly well mineralized. Seven claims comprised the Portland group owned by the Consolidated Twisp [Mining & Milling Company. The ore carries $13 free gold throughout, though two assays made of the drillings from the tunnel ran $1,500 to $1,900.

Between walls of granite and gneiss three great ledges crop out on Goat Park Mountain, on the side of a deep gulch on the north slope. They have been traced a distance of 12.000 feet. They show red oxidized quartz carrying free gold, but at from two to ten feet below the surface the ore runs into copper and iron sulphides. Surface ore assays from $5 to $88 in gold besides good copper values. The Orient group of four claims on these ledges was owned by the Orient Gold Mining & Milling Company. These ledges crop two hundred and fifty feet apart, one thirty-three and the other twenty feet wide. They carry free gold and sulphides, one mill test going $15 in gold. The Ben Lumnion Gold Mining & Milling Company had six claims in 1897 on the same ledge, E. W. Lockwood, F. M. Scheble and O. D. Johnson had the Cumberland on Bear Creek, at the foot of the mountain, on a sixteen-foot ledge of copper sulphide ore. The Crown Prince group of four claims was owned by J. H. Shepard. and George and Edward Witte, C. F. Wilke and Henry Ramm had the [Marshal Ney, on a four-foot ledge showing free gold with black sulphurets and iron and copper sulphides.

Among other mines and prospects are the Lone Star and Cathedral, on Clark's Mountain, the Daisy, the White Bear, the Chamter of Commerce, the Lulu, the Flossie, Summit, Princess and Yellow Jacket. The Three Links

Gold Mining Company owned three claims on the summit of Twisp Pass on a twenty-foot ledge cropping for three thousand feet between walls of porphyry and granite. Surface ore assayed from $4 to $12 in gold; two and onehalf ounces in silver and four per cent, copper. The Gold Bar group of five and one-half claims is on several ledges of sulphide ore cropping about twenty feet wide down the mountain side. Assavs ran all the way from a trace to $600 in gold with some copper, the average value being about S40. The Hattie group of three claims on Elmer Mountain, near the Derby, was owned by the Twisp River Mining & Milling Company. These claims were discovered late in 1896. Assays have ranged close to $100 per ton.

The Salmon River Mineral District was once the scene of great excitement throughout Washington. But it suffered with all other Okanogan county districts, an eclipse, owing to its remoteness from means of steam transportation. Following the opening of the Moses reservation the first mineral discoveries were made in the spring of 1886, on Ruby Hill, a steep mountain rising to the height of 3,800 feet above the town. Ledges of quartz carrying silver and a small quantity of gold were found in the country rock of granite and gneiss. The ledges run a little west of north and east of south, and pitch about twenty-two and onehalf degrees east. They are on the summit of the hill ranging in width six feet and upward. Suljjhurets are found carrying from ten to one hundred ounces of silver with rich pockets of nati\e wire and ruby silver, running much higher, and an average of $3 in gold.