ans«. me.  1  COEUR    D'ALENE    DISTRICT,  IDAHO.  301 
tream  is  thus  rendered  far  more  effective  than  if  it  were  continu- 
al sly  employed.  When  the  gravel  has  been  removed  to  within  2 
feet  of  the  bed  rock  the  remainder  is  shoveled  into  sluices. 
The  gold  is  coarse,  nuggets  up  to  40  ounces  having  been  reported. 
?hey  are  usually  somewhat  hackly,  and  often  contain  particles  of 
[iiartz.  From  $15  to  $18  an  ounce  is  usually  obtained  for  the  placer 
rold. 
THE    COPPER    DEPOSITS. 
The  only  productive  copper  deposit  in  the  region  is  that  of  the 
mowstorm  mine,  east  of  Mullan.  The  deposit  occurs  in  the  Revett 
uartzite,  and  consists  of  an  impregnated  cupriferous  zone,  which 
onforms  with  the  bedding  planes.  The  deposit  strikes  N.  60°  W., 
nd  dips  G5°  to  the  southwest.  It  has  a  maximum  width  of  10 
eet.  The  ore  consists  of  chalcopyrite,  bornite,  chalcocite,  and  per- 
uips  other  cupriferous  sulphides  disseminated  in  small  particles 
hrough  the  quartzite  and  in  part  oxidized  to  cuprite  and  malachite. 
The  mineralization  along  the  zone  is  not  easily  accounted  for,  as 
he  quartzite  is  not  particularly  fissured  and  is  apparently  not  differ- 
nt  in  character  from  the  quartzite  of  the  foot  wall  and  hanging  wall. 
The  greater  part  of  the  mineralized  quartzite  contains  about  1  per 
ent  of  copper,  6  ounces  of  silver,  and  0.1  of  an  ounce  in  gold  to  the 
on.  The  ore  shipped  is  worth  from  $9  to  $10  a  ton,  and  goes  to  Butte 
nd  Tacoma.  Smelting  and  freight  charges  are  $5  a  ton,  but  the 
melters  require  that  the  silica  shall  not  fall  below  90  per  cent.  In 
903  a  leaching  mill  was  being  erected  on  the  South  Fork  to  treat  the 
re. 
GENERAL    CONDITIONS    OF    MINING. 
Labor. — The  turbulent  condition  that  existed  in  the  Coeur  d'Alenc 
istrict  from  1892  to  1899,  and  the  notoriety  given  the  locality  by  the 
eeds  of  violence  then  perpetrated  justify  a  brief  account  of  the  pres- 
nt  relations  of  the  mine  owners  to  their  employees. 
Up  to  1892  all  men  working  at  the  mines  received  $3.50  a  day.  In 
he  spring  of  that  year  the  depression  in  the  prices  of  lead  and  silver 
ailed  for  retrenchment  in  operating  expenses,  and  wages  were 
educed  to  $3,  except  for  miners,  who  retained  the  old  rate.  The 
esults  of  this  action  have  already  been  related.  The  men  struck,  but 
Lnally  returned  to  work  on  the  mine  owners1  terms.  Shortly  after, 
n  the  ground  that  further  economy  was  necessary,  wages  were 
educed  to  $2.50  a  day.  The  men  again  struck,  and  the  mines,  after  a 
>eriod  of  idleness,  resumed  operations  with  wages  at  the  original  rate 
f  $3.50  a  day.  For  the  next  few  years  the  miners'  unions  were 
ominant,  and  the  mines  were  operated  under  their  rule.     The  at- 
