54

The possibilities for placer mining in the area are mainly for dredging
and hydraulicking. In addition to the dredging ground on Antler creek
where dredging is being carried on by the Kafue Copper Development
Company, there is possible dredging ground on the lower part of Williams
creek from Barkerville to the Meadows; on parts of the Meadows opposite
the mouths of the tributary creeks and opposite the Devlin bench and
Forest Rose claim; on Antler creek from the canyon above the mouth of
Grouse creek for about 2 miles down stream; on Pine and the upper part
of Summit creek; at Eightmile lake and in the lower part of Valley creek,
and in places in the upper parts of Swift river, especially in its lower part
for 23 miles up from the junction with Lightning creek. There is sufficient
ground for hydraulicking at Lowhee mine, at the Tregillus mine on Cun-
ningham creek, at Slough creek, and at other places in the area, to ensure
continuance of the work for several years, and the possibilities include a
large area on Conklin gulch as well as a few other smaller areas. It seems
probable, therefore, that although this mining camp already has had an
exceptionally long life as compared with that of many other alluvial fields,
it will produce gold for many years to come, and that the gold production
for the next ten years will be materially greater than that of the last decade.

The maps of the creeks (Figures 7 to 30 )accompanying this report
were prepared in 1922 and 1923. They were done on a field scale of 800
feet to the inch by plane-table and telescopic alidade. The contours are
drawn at 40-foot intervals and the elevations are referred to sea-level.

Upper Antler Creek

The part of Antler creek above the mouth of Grouse creek is usually
referred to as Upper Antler creek and the part below as Lower Antler
creek. Sawmill flat, along which extends the old trail from Keithley to
Antler, lies where Upper Antler creek, after flowing southeast from its
source in Bald mountain, turns towards the north and the valley widens.
The remarkably rich, gold-bearing part of Antler creek, mined chiefly in
1861, extended down stream for about 12 miles from near the mouth of
Victoria creek, the first tributary on the south side below Sawmill flat.
Here, the ground was on the average only 6 feet deep; there was no over-
burden of barren clay and the surface gold-bearing gravels were easily and
cheaply mined, mostly in one season, by rocking and sluicing down to
bedrock. Along this stretch of the creek the valley bottom is compara-
tively wide and has a low gradient. Near the mouth of Nugget gulch,
the next tributary below Victoria on the east side, a channel which is
apparently a continuation of the Antler channel, leaves the Main Creek
valley and extends a short distance up and across Victoria ereek. This
channel, partly filled with glacial drift, was also mined out in the early
days. Little gold was found in the upper part of Victoria creek. Be-
tween Victoria creek and Sawmill flat, Antler creek occupies a narrow
rock gorge along which little or no gold was found. The rich pay-streak
thus ended abruptly. Below the old town of Antler, situated near the
lower end of the rich ground, Antler creek enters a narrow rock gorge,
which continues for nearly a mile. Some gold was found along the rock