1897-98 MONTANA, WA, KLONDIKE - GOLD MINER LETTERS

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Letter archive, 1897-1898 - (30) handwritten letters sent to Charles Scott, Scott's Mill, Oregon from gold miners and related individuals in various locales. Scott was interested in mining investments and friends, his brother, and other correspondents, supplied him with information, many from miners "in the field". The lot includes: (8) letters, E. H. Cowles, 1897-98, Webfoot Gulch, near Hunters Hot Springs, Montana. Cowles describes his purchases - Placer Claim, Hidden Treasure - and attempts to recover gold. Boasts of making a fortune. Good content. 2-3pp letters. See excerpts below. (5) letters, Geo. T. Cline, 1897, Eureka Mining Camp, Washington. Describes mining attempts, conditions. One letter from Spokane on Pacific Hotel letterhead w/ fantastic engraved illustration on the verso showing the "Pacific Hotel Mineral Cabinet.". (see photo) (10) letters, Rossland, British Columbia, 1897-1898 - various correspondents, incl. Scott's brother John, and Albert P. Hunter, 2 1/2pp., on letterhead, "Mining Operator, Mining Stocks". (7) letters, Wm. D. Gutman, 1898, Chicago, etc. Gutman describes his attempts to recruit a Klondike party. [Apparently Gutman and Scott were partners in the venture.] Excerpts: E.H. Cowles, Webfoot Gulch (spelling uncorrected) - June 27 - "We are working the Placer Mine now and getting some Gold. I will use a High Drolick [Hydraulic] next week. I bought the pipe to day 350 feet long 6 inch. Reves [?] thinks that I got a million but 50000 wold do me."; July 24 - "I have bought the Hiden Treasure Mine and Mill allso the Placer Clame that the Mill stands on. I got it for 3000.00...Every body wants to no if I am geting eny Gold but they cant find out. I am working 7 men on the Placer..."; Sept. 10 - "We no that t is Gold in it but dont no how much. We get 5 10 25 50 75 to the Pan but we have not cleaned up yet." Wm. D. Gutman [Klondike venture], 1898 - Jan. 3 - "While at Pittsburg I did considerable advertising and work and looked thoroughly into the Klondike prospects...The persons that are ready to leave or will be leaving are organized in parties of 10, 15 and 20 and are under the supervision of a leader." Jan. 12 - "Chicago is the hot-bed of excitement...T are been and are so many frauds in the business that it is almost useless to ask for a deposit." Jan. 31 - "I am back in Portland again to await the coming of some of the Klondikers...I advertized and became very well known..." John Scott, Rossland, British Columbia - Aug. 9, 1897 - "I cannot understand how it is that the Town is quiet for the Mines are proving to be all right as the LeRoy is building large Bunk House and are going to put on about a hundred more men and the Center Star started a new shaft...every thing goes to prove that the mines are all right. It must be the alien labor law & the Klondike craze that has toped all the building." Geo. T. Cliine, Eureka Mining Camp, Wash. , 1897 - June 11 - "The ledges in Eureka are very large. some of them 60 ft wide or thick. The ore is free milling and the average assay is about $1200 per ton in gold."; Sept. 10 - "T is already enough in sight to make this a great mining camp and the indications are that t is enough gold in these hills to cure the worst cases of Klondyke fever by the thousands." Correction: The recipient's (Charles Scott) locale was given as Scott's Mill. It is actually Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon. My apologies for the error. read more

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