Big Bend News

LATER FROM BIG BEND. – CHEERING NEWS – [From the Columbian]

            Mr. Perrier, well known as one of the Hills Bar miners of ’58, and who has been on French Creek since the 18^th of June last, arrived in this city on Monday, having left French Creek about three weeks ago.  Mr. Perrier has kindly supplied us with the following items of news, the accuracy of which may be relied upon:

            The Discovery Company, four men, had just commenced mining, and had taken out $600, when they were obliged to go below for provisions.  This was about two months ago, and they were expected back to winter on the creek.

            The Half-Breed Company, three men, struck the first really big prospect on the creek.  They got as high as six ounces to the pan a few feet from the surface.  The company continued steadily at work, taking out from 25 to 65 ounces a day.  It was expected they would stop work for the season about a week after Mr. Perrier left.  They took $10,000 out of about 75 feet of a bench on one side of the creek.  Dupuis, who formerly belonged to the Half-Breed Company, took up a small strip of ground adjoining their claim, from which he took about $5000 with which he left.  He took out $500 in one day.

            The Perrier Company, two men, put in a wing dam and struck a prospect of $10 to $12 to the pan in the high ledge; but after getting to work and taking out $500, the freshet carried away their dam and they quit work for the season, as they could not get the necessary appliances for carrying on further operations.

            Munro & Co., four men, were at work, and were taking out from 12 to 30 ounces per day.  They intended continuing at work for another week.

            Anderson & Co. and Jerrold & Co. got prospects of $10 to $12 to the pan, but left for the season for want of the proper appliances.

            Bailey & Co., three men, were at work, making from 15 to 20 ounces per day – coarse gold.

            The Brabant Company, four men, 1500 feet higher up the creek, were taking 5 to 8 ounces in the top gravel.  Half a mile higher up several companies had got prospects of from one dollar to one and a half dollars to the pan.  Some of these companies were still at work.  About two miles along this creek is taken up, at least one half of which has been prospected, and has proved to be rich.  When Mr. Perrier left the creek the weather was very cold, though clear and pleasant and free from rain or snow.  The frost had interfered with the working of some of the wheels.  It is thought that no more than twenty men will winter on French Creek.  Smith & Ladner were getting in provisions and were selling at the following prices: Flour 80¢, beans 80¢, bacon $1.25, sugar $1.25, tea $3, and other articles in proportion.  Ten head of beef cattle belonging to Smith & Ladner were met on the summit on the way in to the diggings.  Mr. Smith is Acting Gold Commissioner in the Big Bend country.

            M’CULLOCH’S CREEK. – This creek empties into Gold Creek, about four miles below French Creek.  Only one company (Clements & Co., four men) were working on this creek.  They were taking out 20 ounces a day out of the surface gravel.  Several claims were prospected giving 50 cents to the pan in the top gravel, which is from six to eight feet thick; but these claims were all laid over toll spring as the season was too far advanced to get in supplies.  Mr. Perrier met Messrs. McCulloch and Orr on the Columbia River on their way in.

            CARNES CREEK. – empties into the Columbia River, about 50 miles below Gold Creek, running parallel with the latter stream.  On this creek there were two companies mining taking out from two to ten ounces of gold a day to the hand.  They were working in the top stratum of gravel.  Two companies had completed the work of fluming the canyon and were ready to commence sluicing when Mr. Perrier left.

FURTHER OF BIG BEND DIGGINGS. – Their Richness Confirmed. – Excitement at Colville. – White’s Boat Completed.

            We have been permitted to publish the following extracts from a private letter received by a gentleman in this city from a friend of his then at Colville.  The writer is thoroughly reliable, and the information has this recommendation about it – that it was not intended for publication.

                                                                                                COLVILLE, W.T., Nov. 5, 1865.

Friend H________

            I write a few lines to you in haste and send them by S_______ *     *     *     *

The steamer (Captain White’s boat, “49”) is built, and will make her first trip in one week from today.  The distance that she will have to run is 250 miles of good river.  The boat is a fine one, about the size of Captain Irwin’s new boat.  The news from above is good, the gold is there in abundance.  Mr. S_______ will give you all the news.  I don’t get any Victoria papers and would like to hear from you what is going on.     *     *     *  We are going to run the boat as long as possible, perhaps all winter.  The river does not freeze up here, and for a distance of 130 or 150 miles up was never known to freeze.  The weather at present is warm and pleasant. 

            There have been two frosts so far.  The boat was built two miles from the Hudson Bay Company’s old Fort, and 16 miles from the American fort or barracks at Colville.  This is a fine valley and a pleasant place to live in.  The valley is settled principally by French, and they raise almost everything.  There are here two flour mills, two saw-mills, one tannery and one distillery.  I saw four men a few days ago who came down from the mines, they had 6,000 in dust.  They told me that they took it out in three weeks.  A great many have come down with from $500 to $3,000 a piece, and all speak well of the mines in the Upper Columbia.  There will not be a man left in the Valley in the Spring; all is excitement here, men are leaving every day in small boats for the mines; it takes from 12 to 15 days to go up; loaded boats from 20 to 25 days.  The river is bad for 75 miles, and the balance of the route lakes; Little and Big Arrow lakes they are called.    *     *     *