The Kootanais Mines

THE KOOTANAIS MINES. –

            The great richness of these new mines of the sister colony is being fully and satisfactorily established.  The Columbian gives the following extract from a private letter which it says is perfectly reliable, and which confirms the news given by us nearly a month ago, for publishing which we incurred the envious wrath of several of our contemporaries.

            “From - - - - -, late from Kootanais, I have received a most encouraging account of the mines in that vicinity.  - - - - - showed me a nugget weighing $12 taken from a tributary of Kootanais river, and he says he saw one weighing $70 from the same place.  He says that when he left Kootanais on the 15^th of May there were about 300 men in that country, and that he met 160 more on their way up.  He also met several loaded pack trains en route to the mines from Walla Walla and other places in Washington Territory.  He describes the country as well protected by mountains near the boundary line, there being but two narrow passes on the trail at present travelled – one of these via “Spokan” is just north of the line on “Mosquito River,” called on Arrowsmith’s map “Grand Queti.”  The other by way of “Bitter Root Valley” enters near the Kootanais River, close to the “Tobacco Plains.”  When - - - - - left provisions were abundant.  Flour was selling at from 50 to 60 cents a pound, bacon $1.50, and other necessaries in proportion.  The country is hilly and heavily timbered.

            The estimated distance from Colville to the Kootanais mines via “Spokan” is 400 miles.  Ditto by the projected H.B. Co’s trail, north of the boundary, 200 miles.”