The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-04-19
THEIDAHO GOLD MINES.
A General Descriptions.

ing a comparison between Idaho and
California, and also giving an account
of the richness Of the mines of the for
mer Territory:
AS far as the Territory has been pros,
pected, the mines have proved as rich
as those of California in her pafmiest
days, but it must be borne in mihd, that
Idaho is but little over a year old as a
mining country, and it will require more
than day to develop the great mineral;
wealth of the Territory. 1t required
two yeaIs of toll by the hardy pioneers
of California, to establish its reputation
as the FL Dorado of the West. The
same length of time must be granted to
the pioneers Of Idaho, and / viii un-
hesitatingly risk my reputation as CAL
ifornia miner, that before the time exl
pires, we will prove to the most skep-
teal that California is not the only Eu-
reka on the shores Of the Pacific. We
will prove that if Idaho is not the equal
Of California in the extent Of her pla-
Ger mines, that she is at least her equal
in the richness of those already discov-'
cred. siiH ~
HAMMOCK CITY MINES. "a
Bannock City, the County seat of
Boise County, is thought to be one Of
the best mining localities in the County,
and in fact one Of the best yet discov-
cred in the Territory. 1t is situated
between two of the best mining streams
in the Territory, More and Elk Creeks,
which discharge their waters into Boise
River, 40 miles south OF, Bannock City.
The mines are hills, bars, (formed from
the creeks,) gulches, flats, 'rayines, and
the beds Of streams. .s
| CENTREvILLE MINES.
Six miles west of Bannock City are
the placers of Centreville. 1t is situa-
ted ON Crimes Greek. The mines of
Centreville are similar to those of Ban,
mock City, and are equally as rich sand
as extensive.
PLACERvILLE MINES.
Six miles west of Centreville, we find
Placerville, situated on Great Creek.
The mines of Placerville are, equally
good.
PIONEER MINES. r,
Ten miles northeast of Placerville,
situated upon Grimes Creek, are the
placers of Fort Pioneer These are the
places from which the pioneers extract
cd the first gold from the virgin soil OF
Idaho.
THE QUARTZ MINES.
The quartz mines of Idaho were dis
covered by an old trapper of that coun-.
try in ls45, and were frequently shown
to emigrants going to Oregon, whose
fabulous reports of the richness Of these
mines were never fully credited until
after the discovery of Barnook City
and indeed even now the richness Of
these mines does not fully verify the re-
ports that have been in circulation, on
the shores of the Pacific for the last l5
years but that the Idaho. quartz lode.
is one of the richest ever found is be-
yond doubt.
THEIR RICHNESS.
We have had many assays of the rock
from San Francisco, and never yet have
received. less than $4,000 per ton. l
have assayed the rock in the manner of
the practical quartz miners of Califor-
MIA, that is, by crushing and pulverizing
the rock in a hand mortar, and panning
it out in the ordinary way, and never
failed to get less than half a dollar to
the pound of rock.
SUPPLIES.
Our supplies come from Oregon and
California. From Oregon by the way
of Portland; from California by the
way of San Francisco and Portland
From Portland up the Columbia River
to Wallula, the landing of Wallnla, ESQ
miles west of Bannock. In high water,
the steamers run as high up the river
as Lewiston, the capital of Idaho, stu
ated on Snake River, $50 miles north
east of Bannock. / may here add that
Portland must in the future be the great
depot of Idaho, as San Francisco is. Of
! California. ,l,r,
CAUTION TO EMIGRANTs. iig
We have faith in the richness of Ida
no, but at the same time we would not
encourage the emigration to the gold
\ field, for we are well aware that many
will be disappointed. 1t was so with
the early emigration to California, and
we can hardly expect it to be otherwise
with Idaho emigrants going to the new
gold fields. They generally picture to
themselves that when once among the
golden sands and pebbles, it will be ca
/ sy to accumulate wealth. This is the
fancy picture. They forget that all is
not gold that glistens, aud when they
are awakened by the stern realities OF
mining life, they find change come
DER the spirit of their dreams. Hence
their disappointment. a
WHAT MICHIGAN MAN THINKS.
! Mr.. VIM. Wclch writes to his broth
er, DR.. II. Welch, of Hudson, Mich,
as follows about Idaho: -,
"I arrived in this country last June,
and am well pleased With it for farming,
stock growing, and more especially mi
ming purposes. Our mines are on the
tributaries Of the Jefferson River, one
of the three branches of the Missouri
River, and about GO miles above the
Three Branches. We have done but
little mining as yet, but shall be ready
to drive things early in the Spring. We
} own 450 feet Of ground in one of the
best and most extensive camps ever
knew anything Of Many claims in this
gulch Weld from 200 to 81, 500 per day
to the sluice. This is no exaggeration.
The work has been done principally by
the hand rockers since Winter set in.
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