180
WEST SHORE.
Rexburg, Idaho, will hv a 50-brrel flouring mill, erected by a stock
company composed of citizens of that place.
Eight hundred thousand pounds of fresh salmon have been shipped
east over the Canadian Pacific from Vancouver, B. C, this year. This busi
ness will be largely Increased next season.
At Sitka, Alaska, the shortest day in the year, December 21, is only six
hours long, the sun rising at nine and setting at three. The longest day,
June 21, Is eighteen hours, the sun rising at three and setting at nine.
A party of hunters recently discovered a seven-foot vein of anthracite
coal in the mountains in Lewis county, Washington, three miles south of
what is known as " Big Bottom." It is about twenty miles from the big
beds of anthracite at the head of the Cowliti river.
The Atlanta lode, which has produced over (3,000,000, and which
was considered one of the richest mines in Idaho when work was suspended
several years ago, has been sold to London capitalists. Every claim is se
cured by a United Htates patent. The pries paid is (600,000.
Work on the Coos Bay & Roseburg railroad is being pushed rapidly.
An additional force of BOO Chinamen is to be put at work immediately on the
grade Rails for thirty miles of the track are now on the way, and sixty
miles more will be shipped soon. Between Marshfleld and Coquille City
the line passes through a section rich in coal and timber. It runs up the
Coquille to Myrtle Point, and thence up the middle fork of the Coquille.
There is plenty of timber and coal all the way to Camas valley, and from
there to Roseburg the line passes through a rich agricultural country. It is
expected the first section of thirty miles will be in operation by the first of
April next.
The Columbia Railway A Navigation Co. has been incorporated in
Portland with a capital stock of $5,000,000 for the purpose of building a line
down the north bank of the Columbia to the mouth of that river, with
branches to Chehalis valley, Gray's harbor and Shoalwater bay. This is
considered a Union Pacific enterprise, the terminus on the river being the
town of Frankfort, just opposite Astoria. As the Union Pacific is now build
ing a line to Puget sound that will run down the river as far as Ealama, it
would only have to build from the latter point to Frankfort, less than fifty
miles, to have a line from Portland to the mouth of the Columbia. This
road would be of undoubted advantage to Portland, but the citizens are still
more Interested in securing rail connection with Astoria on the south side
of the river, and will work earnestly to that end.
The Canadian Pacific Timber & Lumbering Co. has been incorporated
in British Columbia with a capital stock of $500,000. The company has se
cured valuable timber lands and will erect a large saw mill in New West
minster, the officers being prominent business men of that city and Van
couver. The Umatilla Irrigation Co., with a capital stock of $1,000,000, has been
incorporated by 8. P. Bturgis, 8. Rothchild and C. II. Leadbetter. The ob
ject Is to irrigate 100,000 acres of land lying to the north and west of Pen
dleton, Oregon, and to supply 2,000 horse power (or mannlacturing pur
poses in that city. Preliminary surveys are being made.
The Oregon board of immigration has issued a very handsome pamph
let describing the city of Portland and Its surroundings, embellished by nu
merous excellent engravings of business blocks, schools, churches, factories,
residences, scenery, etc. This kind of immigration literature is the most ef
fective, and produces far better results than the same amount of money spent
In cheap trash, which fact the board Is beginning to realize.
Victoria and Nanalmo capitalists are arranging to erect a hotel at the
latter city next spring, to cost $40,000. Nanalmo Is the coal center on Van
couver island about seventy-five miles north of Victoria. The country
round It la quite wild and picturesque and It la becoming a favorite resort
for tourists during the summer. A good hotel will add much to the attract
iveness of the locality. Preparations are now being made for the construc
tion of an electric street railway in Nanaimo.
The Junction City Coal & Mining company was Incorporated at Port
Townaend, Washington, last week, with a capital stock of $1,000,000. What
promises to develop Into the best mining proierty In Western Washington
has been discovered by its promoters within twenty-two miles of that place.
The prospectors and stock holders of the new corporation have been out for
thirty days on a tour of exploration, and returned lust week with specimens
that will assay twenty per cent, copper and sixty ounces In silver, besides
sample of the finest quality of bituminous coal. Expensive machinery will
be put In, as soon as it can be procured to develop the mine. The outlet of
the company will be Port Discovery bay, and wharves will be erected tills
winter or In the spring.
About six months ago a plumbago mine wu located at Samlsh lake, on
the line ol the Kairhaven Southern railroad. The mine is a most promis
ing one, and considerable development work has been done. A tunnel has
been run sixty-two feet through the ledge, and the end is not yet in sight.
Several shipments of the mineral have been made to Tacouia, where it has
bn tried for paiut making purposes, and as a lubricant it has given ex
cellent satisfaction. Assaya allow tint it contains eighty-five per cent, of
pure plumbago, Samples have also been sent to New York, Philadelphia
and Chicago, and the assays received have been most satisfactory, A stock
comany has been formed to still further develop the proerty. There is
little doubt that tills la a most valuable property, and one which will prove
a bonansa to Its owner.
The most extensive and costly mining enterprise undertaken in Cal
ifornia for ten years is now nearing completion a few miles above Oroville,
in Butte county. It is the work of the Golden Gate Company, which will
lift the Feather river from its bed and carry the whole volume of the stream
in an enormous flume for nearly a mile. Work has been going on constant
ly for eighteen months. The flume has been completed, but a huge dam
will have to be built across the river. The main work of exposing the bed
of the river for a mile will have to be deferred nntil next year. The Feather
river is the richest gold-bearing stream in California, and It is estimated
that the gravel in the river bed will yield over $500 per linear foot. Tnls
was the amount realized by a company which worked a small section of the
river bed in Oroville, although they lost much gold through poor appliances.
The total value of all taxable property In Montana this year as reported
by the state board of equalization is $110,767,204. In the total of $68,256,944
for real estate is included sere property and town lota and Improvements;
also railroad property. The total of personal is $48,510,290. The following
table shows the result by counties :
oousnis. SEAL PU80HAL. total.
Roaierhoad 1 1,600,454 $ 1,158,926 I 1,069,480
Oawsdi) S,014,aoi 1,071,068 7,889,869
Chottaa 1,765,117 1,178.588 1,944,710
('Ml" 1,460,771 4,582,694 6,043,485
D"1 1,221,900 2,162,383 (,184,231
D" 5,851,914 1,226,698 10,518,612
'"" 638,485 2,226,405 2,864,870
Gallatin 2,825485 2,006,524 4,832,009
,8ffe"UB 2,485,244 1,577,147 4.012,391
Lewu and Clarke 21,065,135 7,091,295 28,154,130
M,dUoB 1,317,052 1,682,086 1,029.138
J1"" 1,777,559 1,669,116 3,446,675
l"0Bl4 7.092,840 2,907,522 9,999,862
2696,178 2,810,255 5,0W,6S8
BiborBnw 9,676,401 6,656,252 16,882,653
YeUoTitona ljmMt uot,j8 1,178310
168,256,911 tliijsToiio 1116,767,234
A company known as the Washington Stump Extracting Co. has been
organized at Tacoma, Washington. The object is to engage extensively in
clearing land ready for settlers, with the idea of inducing a larger immigra
tion. The farmer who comes from even the most heavily Umbered regions
in the east is easily discouraged when he begins to contemplate the forests
of Western Washington. Most people, therefore, who come with the ex
pectation of farming, turn their attention, where possible, to other pursuits.
This fact Is now thoroughly realized by those who have studied the sltua
ion most carefully, and it is every day more and more apparent that some
thing must be done to encourage the farming element. A resident of Ta
coma h ,Vented a machine for pulling stumps which is said to accom
plish Its object more successfully than any yet introduced. This company
will manufacture and use this machine, and it is claimed that clearing can
be done for about one-fourth the amount now required for that purpose.
im enterprise is one which must commend Itself to every property owner
in the cities and towns west of the Cascades, for If the claims can be sub
stan iated, more can be done by a little effort In this direction to settle and
develop the state than will be done In hall a century U the work of clearing
i left to the settlers themselves.