, 1862-08-09
Auasbilston 9tatesman.
The Elk City Gold Mines,
MIL CREEK, August 6, 1S62

MILL OhEEh3 august o, 1OOA.
EDS. STATESMAN "A little more than twelve
months ago left the beautiful valley of the Wala
Walla for the then almost unknown Nez Perces
mines All of the intervening period has been
passed in the mountains east and southeast of
Walla Walla in the vicinity of Orc Fino, Elk
CITY and the famous Salmon river mines and
now that have moment of leisure, hope a
word in regard to these mines and the business
connected with them will not be considered out of
the way and as we can know nothing except by
comparison, will begin by saying that these
mines differ in many particulars from all other
mines that have ever been opened on this conti-
nent. The rich Salmon river mines, for exam
pie, are located on a very high divide in an alb
rupt mountain range, where you find but slight
evidences of wash, showing that the liberated
gold now lies in the immediate neighborhood Of
where it was once held by the obdurate quartz.
Descending or either side of this divide into the
streams that have their origin here, you can only
81 raise the color" proving that just so soon as
the water accumulates in quantities sufficient to
make an Impression, it sweeps out sand, gravel,
oouldeTs, gold, and even the very bed rock itself.
The gold at Orc Fino is all found in gulches,
where the wash is moderate and in sluggish
streams. At Elk City-probably the most ex-
aensive and durable mining camp yet discovered
there are greater evidences of wash, and yet the
ROlu IN lnlS locality is IOunu III d leNel OdSiA
where the water has but little opportunity to
sweep it away This is the result of one of the
grand physical peculiarities of this entire region.
I am fully persuaded that gold will never be
found here in great quantities in rapid streams,
from the fact that the falling rains descend so
gently and the SHOWS melt so slowly that the
open surface soil absorbs all the moisture send
ing it forth only from the deep gulches, thus pre-
venting wash from the hills and mountains, and
at the same time cutting the deep canyons
erywhere observable in the mountains. These
peculiarities account in a measure for the want of
success and the great dissatisfaction evnced by
old California miners. They expect to find it
here as in California, where the mighty floods of
last winter sweeping down the hills and noun
tans make immense deposits of gold in the bars
of large streams in the space of single season.
They have their theory from California expert
ence and because this region refuses to conform
they give it over to the alternative of being
worked by other hands.
How business has changed Or rather, sprung
into being within this short period. In April,
1861, it was by many denounced as foolish to at
tempt the enterprise of carrying goods to Snake
river on wagons. Lewiston was not known, and
only one or two tents occupied the site of what
is now the thriving city. 1t was in that same
month of April that Mossman laid the founda-
tioD for his present good fortune in the express
business by.carrying tie first mail to Mutton
town-now Orc Fino. In July, 1861, John
Newsome opened the first claim on Newsome's
creek, fifteen miles from Elk City, In Septem-
Der following, Just as the merchants began to
count their weekly receipts by hundreds of ounces,
came the great run" to Salmon, which left the
Elk City region almost entirely depopulated. In
October, just as men began to make prepara-
ton for comfortable quarters, winter set in with
oh of oil Hfol1la
mining. Winter, gloomy, monotonous winter
was passed, each locality almost as much isola-
ted as if it had constituted earth entire. May
at last came and with it fair weather, activity in
business, new life to the long cooped up miners,
and thousands of new adventurers Salmon"
was entirely over~un and made to Yield all the
gold the hasty preparations would permit, as
well as to bear the most bitter curses from thou
sands of good men who had been seized with
desire TO grow suddenly rich. In June and July
the tide turned towards Orc Fino and Elk City,
and those who have gone TO work in these local
tiles are generally well satisfied with their pros
poets. Especially is this the at Elk City.
where many new gulches have been discovered
and opened this season, yielding in a number of
instances as much as six ounces per day to man,
and always paying at least good wages. The hills
of this district prospect well and are very exten-
sive, and will, wien water-which is abundant
and easily had-is brought into them, make an
astonishing yield. The pay dirt IS from three to
thirty feet deep, is easily washed and is far
enough above the bed of the stream that all the
pay dir: may be worked by hydraulic power and
run off through fumes. Results already had
from the efforts put forth, under existing circum
stances, go to prove most conclusvely that these
mines are both rich and extensive, and that
when mining operations are conducted they
should be and The proper facilities employed, the
ylea of gold must be very great
VIM PURYINE