The Placer herald., 1865-04-29
Idaho...The Boise Basin.

Express is furnishing series of com,nunica'
tions to that paper upon the mineral and
agricultural resources Of the new Territory
Of Idaho. OF the "Boise Basiu," The most
noted locality Of the Territory, be says:
This vicinity comprises the principal (pla
cer) mines that have been discovered, and is
about the middle portion of the Territory
from either point of the compass. Its loca.
ton is near latitude 43, and is surrounded
by very tall mount~ins, from which water
flows into the tributaries Of the Snake, Tor
Lewis fork Of the Columbia,) the Colorado
and Missouri Jetfersons Fork being the
principal tributary of the Missouri; Green
river being the tributary of the Colorado,
and Snake river that Of the Columbia
Moores Creek, named after j. Marion Moore,
formerly Of Stockton and Mariposa, Cali
forna, is the only outlet from Boise Basin;
its confluence with Boise River is about 40
miles from Boise City. On this stream but
little mining has been done-the gold being
generally SO fine that no extra exertion has
been used TO save it, there being good mines
near at hand in the Basin, and wages rather
high. This, together with water heretofore
only about three months in year, has inn
peded the success of the country generally.
Boise Basin may be estimated as being ten
miles wide by twenty-five long There are
many small streams running through it,
emptying finally into Moore's creek. The
outlet on these are invariably very rich
diggings, and are found in creek bank and
bill claims. The creeks are generally fiat
areas of ground. The gold is found in leads
through them-many places paying fabu-
lous'y rich; others not paying the expenses
of working-lhere being no fall to the creeks,
therefore no dump-the dirt has to be han,
died so often that few hydraulics are or ever
can be worked, the pay may be imagined
The bank or bar digglngs constitute the first
rise of the bill, and in many instances ex-
tends for half a mile, and 10 leads or depresl
sions prove very rich. In places on these
bars or banks, as they are termed, water at
times only may be had by paying from Is
cents to 81 per inch Many Of these bars
that were located before the general tide of
emigration came to the Basin, have turned
out immense fortunes, but the originals
worked only the depressons and sold the
balance of their claims to raw hands, many
of which have lost all they brought to the
country. besides their time and expenses for
tools and living, which is no small amount
annually. The water, as l remarked, gives
out or has heretofore, about the 2Olh Of
July, only giving about three months work
on this class of diggings. Many have done
well, but like all other rich and distant
diggngs, you hear on y of the lucky ones.
The bitches that cover these diggings are
owned by enterprsing and liberal men, who
give every accommodation to the miner in
their power, and many poor man 10 day
blesses Moore, Lnsey, Smith d Co., for their
subsistence. The hill claims commence at
the second benches of the mountains, and
are but hills when you get to the upper lines
Of the bar claims, although high mountains
from the creeks. On this species of dggings
no water has ever been got. Some are haul
ing their dirt from one to three miles and
there wash in rockers and make from $4 to
$50 per day to the man. A bill claim
extends from the line Of a bar claim to the
summit of the mountain, be it 100 feet or
10 miles. There are many very rich quartz
mines in this Basin, but like all other gold
bearing quartz mining, spotted. Every day
gives the discoveries of a new quartz mine,
but for p acer diggings the country has been
as well prospected as the oldest and best
mining camp in California.
There is little feed for animals in this
Basin; timber is plentiful, but as you are told
water is scarce. This being an unavoidable
detriment, people there who have claims
make their calculations accordingly, as they
know they can work only certain number
of hands for a certain time each year. In
this Basin there are four towns, Idaho City,
the county seat, is the largest; Pioneer City
second; PIacerville third, and Centrevlle
fourth. The road to all of these places passes
through Centreville, yet it is dull and monot.
onous, as much so as California towns, save
the three months that the miners have water.
The general route for the expresses at present
is from Placerville to Fayette, thence via
Old's Ferry, Burnt and Powder rivers, Grand
Round Valley and over Blue Mountain (now
covered with snow yet passable for the stage)
to Walla Wala and UmatilIa; distance 800
miles; time, l-2 days; thence from Una
lila to Wallula, 80 miles; from Waa WaIIa,
llO miles to Ceily; thence 40 miles river:
tuenCe 10 inlles Td'IIodd, tDence % miles
steamboat to Portland. This route is sup.
piled with good accommodations, in the way
Of good fine fast boats, good accommodate
ing and courteous officers. The trip can be
made in days from Idaho City to Portland,
average time. In the winter it is uncertain
with the best management as no better stage
men live than George Thomas Grealhouse
and Kelley The accOmmod lions on this
route are limited.
Now | will return to the basin and give a
brief geological description of it: The Bed
Rock, or so considered, is Of granite forma.
ton. BY sinking down, stratas Of washed
bouIders have been found to depth of 90
feet, and primitive bed rock has never yet
been found in The creek claims. The hill,
or mass rocks, is granite, blue. white and
grey with occasional streaks of basalt, SER
pentne, trap and slate. and THROUGH the