The snow at the head of Lake Chelan is reported to be three feet deep and at Horseshoe Basin from five to seven feet deep.

It is understood that F. Wilkeson who visited the Chelan Mining District some time since and of whom mention was made in these columns, has secured a claim near the mouth of Bridge Creek and erected a large store building in which he will put a $10,000 stock of goods now on the way.

Robert Beyars, who is largely interested in mining properties in the Chelan Mining District, passed through Chelan Falls Saturday en route to Waterville, and from him it is learned that Donald Ferguson, who went up the lake Thursday, came back again Friday on his way to Conconully, having bought the Summit mine, the Wapaca and a three-fourths interest in the Buzzard and Upper side mines. The amount paid was not learned.

Mr. Wilkeson, who has been at work on his store for some time at Bridge Creek, is now staying at Moore’s Point.

The steamer Belle went up Friday with thirteen passengers and a heavy load of freight for the head of the lake. She goes up Tuesday for a raft of logs, material for the dam, which is to cross the river at Emerson Street.

To Develop Chelan Mines

A recent letter from Waterville to the Review says: Waterville’s citizens are becoming largely interested in the great mining district at the head of Lake Chelan. Outside of individual investors a mining company has been organized by some of the leading citizens in Waterville, which has been named the Cascade Range Mining Company, with A.E. Case as president; A.L. Rogers, vice president R.W. Starr, company owns 14 claims, seven of them being at the head of Agnes Creek and seven on McCollum Mountain. The ore is galena, carrying a high percentage of silver. The lowest assays on these properties were $127 and the highest $486 to the ton in silver. The two above mentioned camps are in the vicinity of the already celebrated Horseshoe Basin. The advantage of navigation via Lake Chelan to within 20 to 25 miles of the different mining camps will greatly aid in cheaply developing then.

The advance guard of the great rush for the Chelan mining district is beginning to arrive, although it is still four weeks too early to reach the mines.

This issue of the paper reports from the U.S. Land Office at Waterville for March 16, that a Morris W. Buzzard had received a homestead patent. (Bill Buzzard?)

G.W. Hall, of Stehekin, at the head of Lake Chelan, received notice of his appointment as postmaster of that promising burg last week, so the Leader is informed.

The report that a post office has been established at Stehekin proved to be premature.

Mrs. and Mrs. Kingman removed form Chelan to the head of the lake last week.

C.H. Cole, the enterprising Stehekin merchant, was in the city Monday. Mr. C. is enthusiastic over the very bright mining outlook of that section. Speaking of the remarkable healthfulness of the climate at the head of the lake, he said that his three children gained thirteen pounds in weight within ten days after arriving from Seattle. Good country.

Col. Frank Wilkeson went to Spokane Thursday to purchase a stock of goods for the store he expects to establish at Bridge Creek.

Two very important petitions have been circulated and almost unanimously signed at the Falls and on the lake the past week, one asking for a daily mail route from Coulee City, via Chelan Falls, to Chelan; the other for a tri-weekly mail route from Chelan to Bridge Creek via Lake Chelan, asking also for the establishment of three new post offices, one at Moore’s Point, with Col. Moore as postmaster; another at the head of the lake, with M.M. Kingman as postmaster, and the third at Bridge Creek. As hundreds of people on these routes will be greatly benefitted by the establishment of mail service as petitioned, many of them being entirely without postal facilities, it is to be hoped they will speedily be granted.

Dan Devore started for Ellensburg Tuesday morning, to be absent about two weeks. On his return he will bring in the stock for his pack train to be run between the head of the lake and the mines.

The Lake Chelan Railroad and Navigation Company will hereafter run daily steamers on the lake. See their new advertisement.

Dan Devore passed through the city Saturday, en route to Waterville. He reports the prospects for mail facilities at the head of the lake in the near future as well as very promising. He says the snow is still four feet deep at Bridge Creek, but they expect to reach it with pack animals by the latter part of this week.

On Monday the Messrs. Rouse, owners of the famous Boston mine, passed through Chelan Falls with pack animals, en route for Palmer Mountain, where they will prospect for a short time until the snow will permit of their reaching the Boston.

The Okanogan Realty and Investment Co., of Chelan, has disposed of its interest in the steamer Clipper and the barge to Messers. Birch Bros., and will devote its attention to a general real estate, investment and insurance business in future. Capt. Charles Johnson, president, and William Gibson, secretary and treasurer of the company are well known, highly esteemed, and thoroughly reliable citizens of Chelan and are pleasant gentlemen to transact business with. The Leader takes pleasure in commending the Okanogan Realty and Investment Company to the public. See advertisement elsewhere.

May 6, born to the wife of Byard Wilkeson, of Chelan, a daughter.

Dan Devore has his pack train at the head of the lake in running order, and as the snow is rapidly leaving the mining region, he will soon have his hands full.

It is expected that the steamer Columbia Queen will very shortly be placed on Lake Chelan, as traffic and travel on that lovely waterway are increasing at a rapid rate.

C.J. Nolop, of Wenatchee, now running the steamer Clipper on Lake Chelan, accompanied by his father, J.G. Nolop, who resides at Seattle, were among the visitors at the Leader office last week. This is the elder Mr. Nolop’s first visit to this section and he may conclude to locate here permanently.

Supt. Nichols authorized the Leader to say that there need be no more kicking about failure of the City of Ellensburg passengers to connect with lake steamers for the mines or any point on Lake Chelan; that within ten days the Belle will make the round trip daily and, in the meantime, will send out a special steamer for anyone who fails to make connections with the regular boat. The wiry little superintendent says his company is there for business and is getting into shape to handle all that comes.

The Leader is informed that the steamer Belle, having a large list of passengers and towing a barge full of horses, ran on the rocks near First creek, Friday, broke her rudder and was otherwise disabled, having to send back to Lake Park for help. The stammers Omaha and Clipper went to her assistance, the former taking the barge and passengers on up the lake and the latter towing the Belle back into port for repairs.

Leader was in error in saying that the steamer Belle ran upon rocks and broker her rudder. The rudder gave way first and then as a matter of course the —- drifted the steamer ashore.

M.E. Field, a relative of P.H. Farley, was in the city one day last week, en route to Stehekin with the outfit for a new hotel at that very promising burg.

M.E. Field, a relative of P.H. Farley, was in the city one day last week, en route to Stehekin with the outfit for a new hotel at that very promising burg.

The Leader is informed that M.M. Kingman has been appointed postmaster at Stehekin. It would be hard to find a better man for the position.

Four Mile Mining Tunnel

To Cut Over 100 Ledges

Lake Chelan’s Rich Ores

Railroad and Steamboat Communication Via Lake Chelan With the Sound

The Following clipping, taken from the Tacoma News and sent to the Leader by a core pendent, will be of interest to our readers, as references heretofore been made in this paper to the tunnel to be driven through the crest of the Cascade Mountains from Horseshoe Basin. It should be understood, however, that the Cascade district is located altogether on the west side of the mountains, in Skagit County, while the Chelan district, in which is located the Horseshoe Basin referred to, lies on the east side of the mountains in Okanogan County, within 24 miles of Lake Chelan, and the contemplated tunnel would connect with two districts, thus making it possible to develop several rich properties on the west slope, among them the famous Boston mine, now practically inaccessible, by giving them an outlet via Lake Chelan:

More rich strikes of mineral in the Cascade mining district have been reported to Dr. Willis E. Everette, the mineralogist. This district has been heretofore inaccessible because of the altitude and roughness of the country. Now trails have been opened to that section and develop work on claims taken least year is in progress. The richest finds have been made in what is known as the Horseshoe Basin, near the summit of the Cascades, at the elevation of 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Entrance is made from the west side via Hamilton on the Skagit River and from the east side via Lake Chelan.

The galena contains lead, silver and gold, and runs, according to Dr. Everette’s assays, from $80 to $100 upwards per ton. It will require the smelting process to work it. Dr. Everette is now negotiating with foreign capitalists with a view of putting considerable capital into the district. Said he:

“In August the expert of the London syndicate I am negotiating with is coming out to view the properties in the Horseshoe Basin. The mining proposition and tunnel project, which I am working on will necessitate and expenditure of three million dollars. One-sixth of this amount, or $500,000 is guaranteed by New York men if the balance is raised by English and French capitalists. If we raise this money, it will be invested in that country on coal, iron, clay and mineral propositions. Much of my work during the last six months has been on this project.

“At Helena, from which I recently returned, I found some men who are desirous of putting in as high as half a million dollars in the district, providing the proposition suits them. Two years ago, my arrangements were made so that if Baring Brothers had not failed two million dollars of English money would have gone into Skagit County in iron and coal propositions.”

The tunnel scheme referred to was outlined in the news a number of months ago. The project is to drive a four-mile tunnel through the summit of the Cascades. This tunnel, it is claimed will cut across over a hundred rich mineral bearing ledges, which can thereby be worked cheaper and to better advantage. It can also be used for the purposes of a railroad, and if built will be constructed with that object in view. Dr. Everette’s latest information is to the effect that between 300 and 500 miners have gone into the district since May 1^st.

Editorial Section

From the reports constantly reaching this office of the rich gold ledges being discovered in the northern part of the country and the extensive silver and gold finds along and above Lake Chelan, the Leader would not be surprised if Okanogan County would prove to be the banner gold and silver producer of the United States e’er long.

The miners and prospectors of Bridge Creek and tributary mining camps held a meeting in July and passed resolution for the organization of a new mining district, the boundaries of which are as follows:

Beginning at the mouth of Agnes Creek and running westerly along the summit of the divide between Agnes Creek and the waters of the Stehekin river to the summit of the Cascade mountains, thence northernly along the summit of the Cascade Range to the point where the divide between the Methow and Bridge Creek joins the main range, thence southerly along the divide that separates the waters of the Methow river from those of the Stehekin system to a point opposite the mouth of Agnes Creek.

Within the boundaries of this district are situated the camp of Bridge Creek, Park Creek, Horseshoe Basin, Park Little Lake and North Bridge Creek.

Bayard Wilkeson was elected recorder for a term of one year, and the records of the district will be kept at the office of Wilkeson and La Due near the mouth of Bridge Creek. – Outlook.

M.M. Kingman, of Stehekin, called at this office Friday and subscribed for several copies of the Leader. He reported everything was very promising in the mining region.

John Ohlhausen, lately of Ellensburg, brother-in-law of M.E. Field, the hotel man at the promising town of Stehekin, has accepted a position on the Leader’s mechanical staff.

An article about the Republican County convention states that M.E. Field was appointed district committeeman for the Stehekin valley.

John Ohlhausen, lately of Ellensburg, of Ellensburg, brother-in-law of M.E. Field, the hotel man at the promising town of Stehekin, has accepted a position on the Leader’s mechanical staff.

An article about the Republican County convention states that M.E. Field was appointed district committeeman for the Stehekin valley.

A valued correspondent sent the following news items from the head of the lake by steamer Saturday:

The following parties went up to Horseshoe Basin this week: Capt. Johnson, A.T. Greene of Waterville, Charles Abercrombie, Stewart Johnson, Ed Larrabee, Joseph Darnell, W. Henry and son Dan, Mr. Kingman and Alson Hole.

M.E. Field, proprietor of the Hotel Arganaut, is finishing up his hostelry in very elegant and luxurious style, and when it is completed, we can rightfully boast of having the best hotel in the county. It will be first-class in every particular.

J.F. Samson and Lloyd Pershall came down from Horseshoe Basin Sunday, bringing some fine ore specimens to be assayed, returning Friday to finish their assessment work.

Misses Lizzie Cavanaugh and Anne Underwood are now occupying the neat little residence belonging to Mr. Roberts, formerly of this place.

Mrs. Capt. Johnson, of Chelan and Mrs. Greene, of Waterville, were guests of Miss Cavanaugh Thursday and Friday. Mrs. J.F. Samson has united with the firm of Cavanaugh and Underwood and will remain until the termination of Miss Cavanaugh’s school. Mrs. C.C. Campbell, of Chelan, is also visiting the above-named firm.

Mrs. Charles Cole is on the sick list.

Donald Ferguson, than whom no one in this community is more highly respected and esteemed, thoroughly established his reputation last Sunday as a brilliant schemer, by dragging a fine large trout from the river with a rock tied to its tail. He is suspicioned of inventing this mode of anchoring fish in order to pose before his eastern friends as a successful fisherman, but it didn’t work in this instance.

Mr. Ferguson took a party of capitalists and mining experts up to Horseshoe Basin this week. To say they were well pleased with the outload is putting it mild. They said it greatly exceeded their anticipations.

The Misses Cavanagh and Underwood, who have been spending some time at Stehekin, where Miss Cavanaugh taught a term of school, came down on the Belle Saturday.

Prof. J.F. Samson, Republican candidate for County Supt. of Schools, is the fortunate owner of some rich mining property in Horseshoe Basin, he having been one of the first discoveries of that phenomenal camp. He returned from there Saturday evening and reported everything looking promising

A.T. Green of Waterville, called to this office last week in company with A.H. Muroch. Mr. Greene had been up to Horseshoe Basin recently and said the mining prospects in that region were the finest he ever saw. Mr. Greene is treasurer of the Cascade Range Mining Co., which has seven valuable claims on the Agnes and the same number on Bridge Creek.

The Misses Cavanaugh and Underwood, who have been spending some time at Stehekin, where Miss Cavanaugh taught a term of school, came down on the Belle Saturday.

The Coming Mining Center

Direct Connection with Leading Mines

Chelan Strictly In It

The Manhattan Railroad Will Tap the Doubtful Lake, Horseshoe Basin, Park Creek, Bridge Creek, Agnes Creek and Vroman Lake Camps and Connect Them with Chelan via the lake.

The following is taken from a special to the Spokane Spokesman.

The surveying parties of the Manhattan company are at work in the Stehekin valley running preliminary lines. The railroad will run along the valley of the main river and some of its tributaries. It will tap the mining camps of Doubtful Lake, Horseshoe Basin, First Cree, Park Creek, Bridge Creek, the Agnes and Vroman Lake. This road will afford direct connection with the summit of the Cascades via the steamboats on Lake Chelan. A short line at the foot of Lake Chelan will connect with the steamers on the Columbia river and the Great Northern on with the Central Washington when it will be extended. Ore can be shipped to the great Northern at Wenatchee, and it is expected that the mines not lying idle will be worked extensively. The mines in that vicinity have a good elevation and there is a large quantity of ore in sight, and when transportation facilities are provided Chelan will be a mining center of some magnitude.

Flattering Returns

On Monday R.N. Pershall received from Salt Lake City the certificate of assay of samples of ore taken from across the face of the ledge in the big strike on the Stehekin at the mouth of Horseshoe Basin, in which he and J.B. Pershall are equally interested, showing the ore to average 134.10 ounces silver to the ton, with a trace of gold. The ore is carbonates and galena, mostly the former, and the pay streak in this vein is four feet and a half wide. Mr. Pershall will go up to the basin the latter part of the week to resume development work, and will send 100 pounds of the ore to the sampling work at Spokane soon.

The Leader man had the pleasure of meeting Col. Frank Wilkeson, of Bridge Creek, at Waterville Friday morning. The Colonel was en route for home from a extended visit to Sound points.

Ed. Larrabes and Steward Johnson returned from Horseshoe Basin where they have been doing assessment work for Capt. Johnson and others, they report favorably.

The steamer Belle brought down a large raft of wood Saturday for Darnell and Merritt.

Big Mineral Deal Rumored

Ferguson Group Reported Sold

A special to the Spokane Spokesman says:

Word has been received reporting a sale of the Ferguson group of mines, composing 8 claims in Horseshoe Basin above Lake Chelan. The consideration, it is said, is $100,000. This is the largest deal yet made in the Chelan Mining District and is important, not only from the fact that it ensures the working of the mines, but it is a guarantee that there are mines of great value in this district. The claims all lie in and above Horseshoe Basin, located on the eastern slope of the Cascade Range. During last fall they were bonded by Donald Ferguson, who developed a scheme to cut a tunnel through the mountain that would tap 16 of the 26 veins. Many of the veins have been exposed from glacial action and show from 3 to 4 feet of solid pay streak in veins 16 to 20 feet wide. About two weeks ago two mining experts of the purchasing syndicates, Col. Hammond of Chicago, and Capt. Rusti, of the Omaha Smelter, visited the properties and were well pleased with the showing. It was on their report that the deal was made. The name of the new company is not yet made public. What gives strength to the report of the sale is the fact that some payments had become due under Mr. Ferguson’s bond, which were about to revert back to the original owner if the deal did not go through, and notices revoiced here from a Spokane bank that the money had been paid. Mr. Ferguson is entitled to great credit for the manner in which he handled his bond, and his many friends here rejoice in this luck, as the difference between the cost and the selling price leaves him quite a snug profit.

More than the World Can Use

The following is an extract from an article in Harper’s Magazine by Julian Ralph.

The Lake Chelan prospects so called, are of argentiferous galena. At least 700 claims have been taken, and this summer’s work will prove the value of the district, although all mines qualified to judge of its express confidence in its great richness. Stehekin belt, where the ore is found, runs northeast beyond the British border. In addition to the galena, other ores are found, though not yet in sufficient quantity to excite the cupidity of the prospectors. But the belt contains more limestone and white marble than the world can use. It is proposed to build a railroad to Lake Chelan, whereon the ore can be boated 70 miles and then carried by short rail to the Columbia, and thus to the Great Northern Railroad at Wenatchee.

L.K. Armstrong came down Saturday from Horseshoe Basin and Doubtful Lake, and reports all the country thereabout as extremely rich in precious metals. We hope to print a write of his trip in the near future.

Work of the Commissioners

They Manufacture New Precincts and Appoint Election Officers

Among other business transacted by the County Commissioners at their last session was the creation of several new voting precincts and the appointment of election officials. It was ordered that a boating precinct be established to be known as Lakeside Precinct, with boundaries as follows: Commencing at the junction of the Columbia and Chelan Rivers, thence up the south shore of the Chelan River and Lake Chelan to a point opposite Prince Creek, thence due west to the county line, thence southerly along the divide between the Entiat and Lake Chelan to the Columbia River, thence along the west bank of the Columbia River to the place of beginning. The polling place is at the Lakeview House, with C.W. Feickert, inspector and Wm. Henry and H. Hoefer as judges.

It was also ordered that a voting precinct be established to be known as Stehekin Precinct, with boundaries as follows: Commencing at Prince Creek where it empties into Lake Chelan, thence east to the summit of divide between Lake Chelan and the Methow River, thence northerly along said divide to Cascade Mountains or west line of Okanogan County, thence southerly following the county line to a point due west from the mouth of said Prince Creek, thence east to place of beginning. The polling place is at Wilkeson and Laude’s store (at Bridge Creek, 15 miles from Stehekin), with F. Wilkeson inspector, and Bayard Wilkeson and Thomas P. Ladue as judges.

The polling place for Chelan precinct is at the school house, DeWitt C. Britt, inspector; C.C. Campbell and D.A. Vroman, judges.

The residents of Stehekin valley are believers in home rule and want to know how it comes that the commissioners appointed a bridge and road supervisor elsewhere when they had plenty of good materials at home.

Important Sale

Robert Pershall has disposed of a one-fourth interest in his recently discovered claim on the Stehekin, just below the mouth of Horseshoe Basin, to M.M. Kingman, the consideration being $20,000, taking Mr. Kingman’s ranch at the head of the lake as a part payment. This sale effectually settles the question of the value of that mining property as Mr. Kingman knows a mine when he sees it, and Mr. Pershall is to be congratulated upon his rare good fortune.

Donald Ferguson came down from Horseshoe Basin Thursday and started for Seattle Friday via the Waterville stage, expecting to return in a week or ten days. To a Leader reporter he stated that everything was prospering in the mines and that a number of improvements had recently been inaugurated at his camp. The tunnel is being vigorously pushed.

John Connick came down from Horseshoe Basin Saturday, en route to Spokane and the Coeur d’Alene’s. He reports that Jack Marshall shot three silvertip bears in the vicinity of the Ferguson tunnel last Thursday.

Henry Harris, a big wholesale merchant of New York, was here yesterday. ‘I have just been examining the scenery of Lake Chelan,’ he said, ‘and found it superior even to the —d artists who have pictured it in descriptive articles. It is bound to be the summer home of all your wealthy citizens just as soon as easy transportation is assured. What surprised me more than anything else, though, was to discover way back there 50 miles from a railroad, the home of one of the republican state electors in this campaign, Judge Navarre. It really seems that it is impossible to hide a man in this enterprising state.’”

Spokane Spokesman

It is learned that the force at work on the Ferguson tunnel in Horseshoe Basin has been increased to 12 men, and a further increase will be made as soon as there is room for more to work.

A.N. Pershall got back Tuesday from Horseshoe Basin, bringing with him a magnificent 235-pound solid galena specimen from the Davenport claim. The chunk is a dandy and will convey some idea of that immense ore body. It is Mr. Pershall’s intention to send the ore to the Spokane Mining Exchange.

The Horseshoe Basin

The valuable group of mines in Horseshoe Basin, known as the Ferguson group, will receive the active attention of the owners. The bod on the property has been taken up by Donald Ferguson, George B. Markell, of Portland, and I.B. Hammond of Portland. Extensive improvements are contemplated in the near future. The Agnes camp, south of Horseshoe Basin, contains some very encouraging prospects, upon which considerable work is being done. The ore is galena and the veins are large and well defined. The Cascade Range Mining Co. owns several of the properties. — Spokane Miner

The Leader acknowledges receipt on Monday, through the kindness of J.W. Provance of a sack of potatoes sent down from Stehekin valley by William Buzzard. There were 18 potatoes and they weighted 13 ¾ lbs. they were of the white elephant variety, raised on Mr. Buzzards place 2 ½ miles above the head of the lake, they were of the first crop raised on the land. They were hard to beat. Mr. Buzzard is very fortunate, as is every other settler in that the productive valley, in serving a home combining the poetry and romance of a wild and weird mist amid tumbling cascades and towering mountains, with extreme healthfulness of climate and fertile soil which will make its possession wealthy more certainly than a gold mine.

Rising Resolutions

The Miners and Settlers of Stehekin Valley Heard From

Stehekin, Wash., Oct. 21, 1892 – (To the Chelan Leader) – At an indignant meeting held here today the following resolutions were passed:

1.      Resolved, that a vote of thanks be presented to DeWitt C. Britt for the splendid write-up of our valley which appeared in a recent issue of the Chelan Leader, and that a cordial invitation be extended to his to come again.

2.      Resolved, that our thanks are due to the Chelan Leader for bringing to public notice the manner in which we have been used in regard to a certain county road appropriation.

3.      Resolved, that we condemn the article in the paper printed “At the Boat Landing at the Foot of the Lake,” signed “Stehekin,” as an outrage on the hospitality of the miners and settlers in this county.

4.      Resolved, that in our belief, if the aforesaid “Stehekin” stubbed his toes on pieces of quarts, it was when he was in the employ of the county, surveying county roads.

Signed, William Buzzard, C.H. Cole, D. Moran, Jim Scheuyealle, John Wilson, J.W. Horton, Robert Pershall, John W. Provance

To The Public

As a scurrilous and entirely uncalled for letter signed “Stehekin,” reflecting alike upon DeWitt C. Britt, editor of the Leader, and the hospitality and good name of the miners, prospectors and settlers of Horseshoe Basin and the Stehekin Valley, was published in a recent issue of the Lakeside paper, I wish to state that I gave Mr. Britt a cordial invitation to come to Horseshoe Basin and told him not to bring anything with him; that I had plenty of food and blankets in our tent, also at the cabin and he was perfectly welcome. I had expected to accompany him on the trip but was prevented by unfortunate circumstances.

All newspaper men are welcome at Kingman and Pershall’s camp

— A.M. Pershall

Oct. 24, 1892

Still More Of It

The following was received at this office last evening, from the original and only “Stehekin,” a valued contributor to our columns, and is printed at his request:

Stehekin, Oct. 23^rd – Mr. Editor: I would like to make a few simple requests through the columns of the Leader to the gawk who wrote the article dedicated to the Leader man, dated Stehekin, Oct. 7, 1892, which was printed by the short-sided paper “At the Boat Landing,” Oct. 13, 1892, signed “Stehekin.”

I would like to ask him, when he writes again, to sign his own name, if he has one, and not deviate quite so much from the truth.

He would infer that the citizens of this place were poor, depraved, simple minded cusses with but little to eat and but a few torn blankets to cover themselves with and too stingy to divide those with a friend. Certainly the public will take no stocks in such stuff.

A special request, and one I wish to emphasize, is, that before starting in on another harangue he go off in some unknown region and ide.

I don’t’ believe he ever resided in Stehekin. His heart and brain are too rotten to keep, even in this pure atmosphere. I think any person that is mean enough to write such contemptable stuff and try to palm it off on someone else, is mean enough to steal acorns from a blind sow and start it on a wrong road home.

Yours truly,

F. F. K. (Keller)

Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Provance and Miss Bolyard, of Stehekin, came down to Chelan on a visit, returning on Tuesday’s steamer. Mr. Provance is one of the prominent citizens of the Stehekin valley and has a fine farm in that locality. He favored the Leader with a friendly call and said he should move to Chelan for the winter, on account of the superior school facilities afforded here.

A Big Tunnel

L.K. Armstrong of the Mining Review has completed a chart of the Ferguson tunnel in the Horseshoe Basin, Okanagan County showing the cross section of the mountain with position of the ledges tapped, profile of adjacent peaks, line of the mountain one and one-eighth miles, being at one-point 2200 feet below the surface, and will tap the big Boston ledge and fifteen others. As previously announced, work is now progressing on the tunnel. — Spokesman

Jack Empey, foreman of construction at Horseshoe Basin, came down to Chelan on Saturday’s boat. He was accompanied by Ed Bailey, well known to our citizens.

Donald Ferguson went up to Stehekin on Friday’s steamer, returning on Saturday. Mr. Ferguson remained in Chelan several days, stopping at the Antler hotel. He goes to Wenatchee tomorrow, expecting to take the train there for Spokane. His headquarters for the winter will be in Seattle, whither the Leader will follow him. He is a typical mining many of the proverbial successful sort and this office is indebted to the gentleman for many very pleasant calls while here, as well as more substantial tokens of his friendship.

The Leader acknowledges a pleasant call Monday from Jack Empey, just down from Horseshoe Basin.

M.E. Field, proprietor of the Hotel Argonaut at Stehekin, and John Ohlhausen, the very efficient type of the Leader office, took their departure on Thursday of last week for Ellensburg, on court business, expecting to be absent about ten days.

Opinion of an Expert

Col. Wilkeson Talks of Horseshoe Basin

The following, taken from a recent number of Spokane Review, comes from a source that can be relied on and will be read with interest by the many warm friends of Col. Wilkeson in this section:

Mr. Frank Wilkeson, fat, round faced, smiling, with just a touch of humor, came down from his mountain home at the head of Lake Chelan yesterday and took his ease in one of the great leather chairs in the lobby of the Spokane, surrounded by a lot of warm friends.

Mr. Wilkeson is perhaps one of the best-known editorial writers on the New York dailies, but having amassed a comfortable little bank account and tiring of the work at the desk, he came west three years ago with his family and settled in the Chelan district, which he says “is the finest scenic country in the world.”  He was for many years connected with the editorial work of the Times and Sun. His letters may now occasionally be seen in the columns of the former paper, while now and again, when feels in the mood, he fires into the sanctum of his old paper pages of pointed “thunder.”

Speaking last night of mining work in the Chelan district, he said two new claims have recently been struck on the Stehekin river near the head of the lake, and in the Horseshoe Basin. Both are chlorides. The assay from one of these will run 240 ounces in silver and the other makes a showing of $3600 in silver and 60 percent lead. Development work is being down on both of these properties and will be continued all winter.

“The syndicate which has bought up a group of 16 prospects in the district will develop all their properties. They will put on a full force next summer, and I predict that their work by next fall will startle many who have heretofore avoided Chelan because of its inaccessibility. They will erect concentrators for the reduction of ores near the properties, and sufficient water power to operate them can be had from 20 creeks whose waters come dashing down the mountains form the glaciers above.”

Biggest Mining Proposition in the Northwest

The Leader enjoyed the pleasure of a call, on Friday, from Wm. Buzzard, who has recently visited and thoroughly examine the mines of Horseshoe Basin. Mr. Buzzard who had 15- or 20-years’ experience in mining in Montana, Washington and Idaho, and is well known throughout the Coeur d’Alene’s. Speaking of Horseshoe Basin, he pronounced that camp the biggest mining proposition he had ever seen, and said that when the mining world gets to learn the facts regarding these wonderful ore bodies there will be one of the greatest mining excitements in this section potation necessary to develop the mines and contiguous country. Mr. Buzzard predicted that Chelan would see lively times with the opening of spring. Everything points this way.

M.E. Field, of the Hotel Argonaut at Stehekin, returned from Ellensburg Monday evening, having walked all the way from Wenatchee in order to be able to catch a boat up the lake Tuesday, not knowing of the change in schedule. He departed for home today. John Ohlhausen, the Leader typo who accompanied him, was expected to arrive via Waterville Tuesday, but has not arrived.

Horseshoe Basin

William Buzzard, who is interested in the Summit and Buzzard mines in Horseshoe Basin, has returned from that district, having stopped work for the winter. “I have been a miner for 30 years, “he declares, “and will say that the outlook in the Horseshoe Basin is far better than it ever was in the Coeur d’Alene’s. It will take two or three years to get it fully opened up, but there are large quantities of ore that will run from 40 to 90 ounces, averaging better than the Coeur d’Alene ore.

“The Ferguson tunnel is just under cover, but will not be worked this winter as preparations could not be completed before the heavy snows come. The Davenport leads, owned by Kingman and Pershall, have been showing up larger than ever this year. The owners had a big piece of galena, weighing 350 pounds, selected to sent to the Spokane Mining Exchange, but transportation is difficult, and it had to be cut down to 235. It is now at Chelan and will probably not arrive for several days. —Spokesman

Donald Ferguson has gone to Seattle, where he will spend the greater part of the winter. He intends putting in a large force of men on his properties in the Horseshoe Basin in the spring to run the tunnel proposed and otherwise develop them. — N.W. Mining News

The Goats Died

Red Pearl, the veteran of Lake Chelan regions, was over from his summer camp at the head of the lake last week. He reported a plenty of snow up the Stehekin, and game working down the mountains in consequence. During the summer Red succeeded in trapping a couple of goats, which he endeavored to domesticate; but, after weeks of pining for their native freedom, the white-haired denizens gave up all interest in affairs moral. This action upon their part is deplorable as they would have made unique and valuable additions to any park or the world’s fair exhibit. – Waterville Index

Work to Be Resumed in the Spring

The development of the mines of the Ferguson group in Horseshoe Basin is most satisfactory, but work has been suspended for the winter and with spring active work will be resumed, says the Spokane Miner. The main work done last summer was the opening of the veins, that showed large bodies of ore. In the Blue Devil and Black Warrior, a tunnel has been run for 50 feet. The ledges are large, six feet wide with pay streaks from four feet widening into eleven feet. The ore yields about $60 per ton. Mr. Ferguson, who is a thorough and practical mining man intends putting up machinery in the spring.

The Davenport group, consisting of four claims shows a wonderful ore body of galena of high grade.

Donald Ferguson returned the present from his group of mines in the Horseshoe Basin, having suspended operations for the winter. The properties as developed show rich ledges of mineral. This group of mines from all accounts bids fair to develop into immense paying properties. There is also lying just north of the Horseshoe Basin another group of minerals on which there has been a great deal of development during the past season, and there is 250,000 ton of galena ore in sight.