Spokane County, Washington - The Ixlaxd Empire, 1900

The Ixlaxd Empire

Spokane county is tlie center, and the city of Spokane is recognized as the metropohs of an immense territory fittingly designated the -'Inland Empire." It is the vast and marvellous region of country between the Rockies and the Cascade range of mountains, comprising all of eastern \\'ashington, northern Idaho, western ^^lontana, northeastern Oregon, and southern portions of British Columbia. It has an area of over one hundred and twenty thousand square miles, three times as large as the great Empire state, with a i)opulation approximating half a million people and rapidly increasing. It is a region with hardly a ri\al in enchanting scenery and picturesque sublimity and variable forii " of beauty. In it are found all the inspiring phenomena that any aspiring lover of nature can desire. He can find broad and rolling prairies stretching in all directions, verdure-clad plateaus, bordered by hills crowned with sturdy pines; 'and in the distance lofty and rugged mountains rising higher and higher, pile on pile, the towering majestic peaks wrapped in eternal show. He can witness with wondering awe the results oi the awfvd upheavals of primeval days when the earth was twisted and tossed into a shapeless mass. He can look into the pawning abysmal canyons and deep gorges worn out by rushing and foaming and ceaseless torrents for ages unknown ; or upon the massive glaciers whose origin history fails to recL'rd. The lover of nature can revel in the enjoyment of an ever changing landscape amid scenes which the Almighty alone could design and frame. It is beyond the possibility of human hands to paint them and words fail to descrilie their dazzling beautv. It is a region of plains and prairies, of fertile valleys and of thick forests. The grandeur of it is accentuated by wide contrasts. There are lakes and streams in great variety. Portions of it have been designated as the "paradise of the sportsman."' In the streams and lakes the fish are sufficiently plentiful to gratify the lover of the rod and line, and the expert shot can hardly fail to drop a curlew or chicken on the prairie, a grouse in the woods, a duck or goose on the lakes, and a deer or a bear in the distant ra\ines or isolated valleys. This region is not only wonderful on account of its untold stores of the rare and beautiful, where nature has spread her "banquets of health and l)eauty," but is also one hardly paralleled in di\erse resources, which are almost limitless and sufficient to maintain a population of many millions. There are rich agricultural sections, millions of acres in extent, such as the far-famed Palouse, and almost boundless Big Bend, already producing millions of bushels of wheat annually. The prospector has already unearthed hidden mineral wealth and treasures priceless to science and the uses of man. Wonderful di.scoveries have been made and are being made, and those to be made are inconceivable in the human mind.

It is not within the province of this work to describe the mining districts within the "Inland Empire"' and tributary to the city of Spokane. They are almost too numerous to mention and it would fill a \olume to ade- (juately describe them. The Coeur d"Alenes is acknowledged as the greatest lead-producing district in the world and also rich in other precious metals. The Kootenai district, with its world famous Le Roi, the noted wealth- maker, and other di\-idend-paying mines, witli its city of magic growth," and the silvery Slocan district, are still inviting fields to the prospector and capitalists. The Grand Fork and Kettle River coimtry, the Okanogan, the Reser\-ation, with the wonderful discoveries at Republic, and Pend d'Oreille lake and man}- others are beyond description. Even the names of mines and prospects of the Empire" would fill many pages. It is putting it mildly to say that many of them are attracting far and wide attention. ^Vonderful transformations have already taken place. The wild and unsubdued paradise of the red man, who occupied it as a hunting ground, and sometimes gazed upon its nati\'e wildness, is now the objective point toward which thousands are directing their steps seeking new fields of wealth. The Inland Empire is doubtless a mining region unexcelled for wealth in all the world. Taking Spokane as the center one finds mineral wealth in all directions.

mines are not at our doors. Yet the city is the center of a mineral region which is unsurpassed in all the world for wealth of precious metals. East, west, south, north - no matter which way the seeker for mines may turn - he finds untold riches e\-erywhere.

a few hours' ride of the city to the east the world famous Gjeur d' Alene region is entered, where forty per cent, of the lead produced in the countr\' is turned out, with the product growing larger and more profitable every year. Here, too, are placer diggings which yielded millions in the days when the stampede to the district rivalled the recent Klondike excitement. ^Vith all the wealth of the product of the early days this gold belt is yet scarcely scratched and waits for capital to undertake the more expensive but equally profitalile task of sinking to bed rock and washing the older deposits of gold from their ancient hiding places.

south in Idaho are the free millmg gold quartz di.stricts around Florence, Dixie and Pierce City. l\-unous in early days for placer production, these districts still yield the yellow gold to the miner who patiently washes the sand, but are yielding more abundantly to the miner who delves with pick and drill in the rich ledges from whence came the gold in the streams. Lacking transportation, this region has been developing slowly, but is lately attracting capital. The recent stampede to the Buffalo Hump discoveries has been the means of attracting much attention to the possibilities of the great undeveloped country lying between the Clearwater and the Salmon rivers.

one turn north .from Spokane he finds a diversified mineral zone before him. Within the confines of our own state and within a hundred miles of the city is the richest gold mines in the west, the Republic, where within a 3-ear an ore chute carrying two million dollars at least, above the three-hundred-foot level, has been opened up, with greater wealth yet to be encountered. \Vithin the confines of the Coh'ille reservation, every part of which is now open to the prospector, will he found the richest gold ledges in the country, beside \-eins carrying silver ore of enormous richness from the \ery surface, lead prospects which shows ores of the same character as those of the Creur d" .\lenes, placer diggings which promise to yield rich returns, and copper ores more than doul>le the richness of those which have made Butte the greatest mining camp on earth. This region is all new. The prospector has not yet finished his work within its borders and ca])ital is yet to de\-elop some of the great mines of the West in that rich region.

the Pend d'Oreille i-i\er, in the northeastern portion, are placers, gold-ljearing quartz and galena. Coal deposits, which will he valuable when transportation reaches them, are also found there. Gold, silver and lead are the profitable minerals around Northport, Bossburg, Chewelah and Myers Falls. Near \'alley are great deposits of onyx, marble, alabaster and slate, which are being opened for shipping.

The Kooten.Ws

"Still further north lie the mining districts of the Kooteneys. Although these are under the British flag, the l)order line loses its significance between Spokane ami the mining camps of British Columbia. It was the prospector from this side of the line who explored and developed the cnuntry, largely. U was the hardy American miner who blazed the trails, dug the prospect holes and made it easy for the men of means to come along and buy fortunes in the mines which the prospector hatl discovered. To a large degree all the north country is still tributary to Spokane.

"West of Spokane are the Okanogan count V mines, fahious ledges of gold-bearing ores, rich copper veins and valualile silverlead propositions. Here again lack of railroads retards development of mines probably as rich as any in all the northwest. A great enterprise which will ])ni\e the worth of Okanogan veins at depth is the long tunnel which is being driven into Palmer mountain near Loomis to cut the \eins of many claims which promise well on the surface.

"Farther west are copper-gold claims on the Methow and around Lake Chelan. While still bevond are the wonderful rich mines of Slate creek and the Cascade mountain districts. Spokane men are interested and working in all of them.

E.Xsterx Oregox

"To the south are the gold mines of eastern Oregon, some of which have been paying dividends for many years and all of which carry gold in abundance. Baker City is the central camp and Spokane capital is finding its wav into many a promising claim in the districts around that town.

"To enter into a detailed description of the mining districts around Spokane within the confines of the Inland Empire is a task too great to be undertaken in an edition the size of this i)ai)er. X'olumes might l)e written and still much of interest would be left unsaid. .\ country covering hundreds of scjuare miles with mineral everywhere can not be adequately descril)ed within the circumscribed columns of even a large edition devoted especially to the purpose. It is the intention here to tell .something of all the leading camps of the Inland Junpire and where mines are being develo])ed to describe the work being done upon some of them. It should be understood, howe\er. that not every camp is mentioned here. Some are new and small and not yet prominent in the public eye. They maj* become famous within antnher year. Republic camp was obscure a year ago and it has not been long since Rossland was unknown. The edition will be found, however, to tell much that is interesting concerning mines and prospects. The one thing which the reader should bear in mind is tliat the facts told here are but a hint of what might be written if time and space and opportunity were gi\-en for mentioning every property under development in all this region and to describe the hopes and prospects of every hustling little mining camp." - Spokesman Review Twice a Week, September 29, 1898.