Spokane Focus

TRAIL CREEK NEWS. – Some Rich Bodies of Ore Being Developed Near Rossland.  Richest Mine On Earth. – The Rich Mining Country Tributary to Spokane Which Has Only Recently Attracted Notion from Mining Men. – The People of Spokane Heavy Investors in Mines. – Some New Millionaires.

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Spokane, Wash., April 23. – The city of Spokane is feeling the effects of the development of the Trail Creek mining district, and the fact that a number of Spokaneites have recently become millionaires in the mining world had a direct tendency to create some excitement in the business of taking from mother earth the precious metals which she yields up so readily to her favorites.  Mines and mining stocks are all the sojourner in Spokane at this time hears from one end of the week to the other.  Remarkable showings of some of the older Trail Creek mines as development continues and new and promising properties thrown on the market serve to keep the interest unabated.  The mines of Trail Creek are now attracting nearly all the local attention, though the Slocan and Colville districts seem destined to soon divide honors with the country in which such mines as the Le Roi and War Eagle are situated.  The Trail Creek district is about 130 miles north of Spokane, and on both sides of the line, the two main cities being Rossland and Trail.  The latter city, which is beautifully situated on the Columbia river, contains now about 1,200 people and the future seems bright for this place for many reasons.  A smelter is now located at this point, which has the contract for smelting the entire output of the Le Roi mine, and it will probably in the future handle the output of other mines in the vicinity.  A narrow gauge road is being constructed from Rossland, where the principal mines are situated, to Trail, a distance in a straight line of about eight miles.  The road will be completed in a few weeks, when ore from the mines will be taken over the railroad to Trail.  Now the ore from the mines at Rossland has to be taken out in wagons over a rough mountain road either to Northport, eighteen miles, or to Trail, 8 miles with a descent to either point of about 2,500 feet.  In both cases the cost of this mode of transportation is large compared to the rates charged by a railroad, and for that reason the mines are storing up great quantities of ore on the dumps and in the ore bins to await the completion of the road.  After the road is completed the ore that will not be treated at the smelter will be sent down the river by boat from this point to Northport and thence by rail to any outside smelter, in Tacoma, Everett or Helena.

            The town of Trail is principally owned by E.S. Topping, the original owner of the Le Roi mine who sold to the present owners for $30,000; F. Augustus Heinze, who constructed the smelter and who represents the capitalists who own the new road almost completed from Rossland to Trail, the third owner being W.T. Humphreys.  All are enterprising business men, and under their auspices the young city, with location and circumstances so much in its favor, is sure to develop into a place of importance.  Rossland has about 2,500 people, including those employed in the mines.  It is 3,600 feet above the level of the sea, and has a number of substantial buildings.  In Trail and Rossland the hotel accommodations are good – in fact, a pleasant surprise in this respect awaits the visitor of either place.

            A few days ago a local item appeared in the daily papers here announcing the fact that Judge Turner has purchased the Moore place for a family residence, and that his law partner, Frank Grave, has also bought one of the finest residences in Spokane.  These two beautiful residences were constructed without regard to cost by two of Spokane’s real estate kings in the boom days when millions changed hands and owners in a comparatively short time, and the fact that such places are now passing into the hands of men who were poor at the time of their construction is a lesson on the philoso [p4] –phy of life, showing the wonderful agility with which dame fortune can present a smiling visage or a frowning front.  Judge Turner and a few associates secured control of the Le Roi mine in 1891, at that time but a promising prospect, such as many others now apparently promise on their face.  It was purchased for less than $30,000 – and at the present time the mine is valued at anywhere from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000.  It has paid over $150,000 in dividends, besides the putting in of a fully $100,000 worth of machinery.  The ore from the Le Roi carries about $50 in gold to the ton, the shaft now being down about 340 feet, and as a greater depth is reached the ore constantly becomes richer in gold and silver.  Should the ledge in which the company is now working hold out for another 500 feet, there will be fully $20,000,000 worth of ore in this one spot.  A number of rich pay veins also branch out in different directions from the mother ledge, the extent of which is as yet unknown.  One of the most reliable and competent mining experts in the northwest recently made an exhaustive survey of the Le Roi mine as far as it is yet opened up, and stated that the owners could safely rely on the fact that there was in sight at the present time between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000 worth of ore.

            The War Eagle is the other great dividend-paying property at Rossland, in the Trail Creek district, and like the Le Roi and other valuable mines in the district, is owned by Spokane people.  The War Eagle was located at the same time as the Le Roi, and was one of the four claims of which Recorder E.S. Topping was given his choice in return for the fees for recording for the other three.  The War Eagle last week declared a $25,000 dividend, which makes a total sum paid in dividends in the past year $157,500.  The first dividend was $32,500, paid in February, 1895, followed by two of $50,000 each paid last summer.  Besides paying these dividends to the stockholders the War Eagle company has purchased from undivided profits about $100,000 worth of machinery.  Both the Le Roi and the War Eagle will shortly increase their output, the Le Roi mine turning out ore at the rate of 125 tons per day, which, as soon as the new machinery, which has been ordered, is put into place, will be at the rate of 300 tons per day.

            The Iron Mask, the Josie, the O.K. and the J.L. are all more or less developed and make excellent showings.  The country about Rossland and Trail has been prospected a good deal in the past few years, particularly since it has been demonstrated that perhaps the richest gold mine in the world in the sense that it has the largest solid body of high grade ore yet discovered, is located at Rossland, and that many more fabulously rich mines are doubtless in the adjoining hills waiting for some lucky prospector to come along and make his fortune.  Hundreds of locations are made, and every day prospectors with a grub stake start out from Rossland and Trail to try their luck in the hills.

            In 1862 and for several years after that time in the region of Trail Creek on the Columbia river, and on the present site of the prosperous young city of Trail, old California miners staked out placer claims, and a good deal of gold was taken out on the Columbia bars, particularly below where the Pend d’Oreille river pours its turbulent waters into the Columbia.  These old Forty-niners, however, fresh from the placers of California, did not look for quartz, having their training in free gold regions.  This accounts for the remarkable fact that the rich gold mines of Trail Creek lay undiscovered until 1890, when the first locations were made.

            In 1890 E.S. Topping, the recorder for the district at Nelson, B.C., was offered his choice of the Le Roi, the War Eagle or the Centre Star if he would advance sufficient money to pay for the recording of the claims.  He chose the Le Roi, and sold it soon after for $30,000 before it was known it would develop into so valuable a property.

            Mr. Topping soon after took up a pre-emption where the town of Trail now stands, and is fast becoming a wealthy man from the increase in value of his real estate.

            In the town of Trail there are many substantial stores and dwelling houses and the place presents a pleasing appearance.

            The Board of Trade of Trail, of which S.K. Green is secretary, is a wide awake and progressive body of men, and the board, through Mr. Green, will furnish prospective settlers with information about Trail Creek which can be relied upon as true.