The Montana post., 1865-11-25
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
A TRIP TO SUMMIT.
VIRGINIA CRY, N. T., Nov. 9Th, 1866.

10 las .Edtt0Ts Oy uhe M0ntdnd P0St:
GENTLEMEN: Having returned from my northern |
trip, i followed the advice of the Parson to the
andalmongers by :" taking q look round home"
and, accordingly, having mounted my cayuse, |
steered up the Gulch. The work there may be SAID
to have been concluded for the season, as general
rule; though, perhaps, on the whole stretch, some
thirty claims being worked, with more or less
strength, and with fair results. 1t is worthy of
remark, bearing the question of the origin of
gold in placer diggings, that all along Alder Creek
wherever lead has crossed the gulch, run either
obquely parallel to the course of the ravine, |
the claim where this has invariably contained
very rich streak Of probably, dozen feet wide,
tapering of from " good to fair Mr.. Rockfellow
would record In his market report. The fact was
specially apparent where the Kearsage and Sterling
crossed the Gulch, as Mr.. Boardman informed me;
and also, believe, where the Caverone traversed
claim just above discovery, at Summit. 1t also hap
pens that where crevce is found on the hills bound
ing gulch, and that the placers are very poor or
barren, the lode is commonly very rich at that place.
and vice versa
In climbing the ascent to Summit. particularly
noticed the gradually increasing GOODNESS of the
atmosphere and on my return, the same phenomena
was observable, in reversed order; with this differ
ence, that at night, l came down, the tempera-
ture changed suddenly, ard not gradually, if diyi
ded into zones. / am glad to say wore but one
spur, for 1T took all my exertion to keep side
moving, and two would have been burden. The
snow line is little above Highland, at this time,
the road being very slippery, and even dangerous to
any but sharp shod beast. Arrived at Summit,
stopped for chat with Hank Haines, who lives in
the neghborhood of his great discovery the Yankee
Blade, which he visits occasionally, and breaks off a
piece of quartz, with smile, to pan out the gold
as a relaxation In the evening. He says it mends
and widans gradually and surely, to the bottom of
the shaft-ffty one feet-where it is six feet wide.
" Do you think Its big thing, Hank?" "Big
You bet you; go my pile on that" left him
smoking his calumet with the air of convinced
Washoeman, and In such mooG, change of optuion
Is hopeless Hank would not shave with O British
razor because 1T was not a Yankee Blade.
could now see the main object of my journey
not 90 The Mill on the Floss but the mill on the
Lucas. Mr.. Chas. Davis, the Superintendent of the
Idaho Gold and Silver Mining Company, never was
more pleased than I was, as l noted the partially
completed roof and finished walls of the structure
Having dismounted from Ty "animal !" accepted,
on his behalf, offer of hay from the manager, Mr..
Meser, and walked into his store which is the most
complete and chocely stocked establishment for the
benefit of the hands more particularly, than any
ever saw in the wilderness. Right at the head cf
the main gulch stands the building, embosomed In
the mountains. Two little forks which run like the
bifarcations of snakes tongue, head south and
southwest, blocked by the huge and hoary Bald
Mountain, called because it is bare of heritage
trees on the top, and covered with coral rock and
shells, which rest on limestone and sandstone. 1t
was, presume, account of its being Naked that
mOuDtalneer having planted flagstaff On the
apex. hung his shirt on 1t instead of a flag. WELL
the building lat last is situated right at the base of
the divide between the two young gulches, and by
little inexpensive but effectual engineering, the
gulch stream from above Is carried to height of
twelve feet, to supply the boiler and battery
In front, at distance of twenty yards,
failing stream of hmrid water-evidently placed
there for the workmen of the Lucas mill Ali good
Calynists will receive the assertion as orthodox
Thirsty Armenians may drink and be thankful. The
finest timber In the Territory, In inexhaustble guam
tty, fringes every hill except the Bald Mountain,
which Is too steep and too high, near the Summit,
for the growth of the balsamS spruce fir and pine of
this region. The building Il am back AGAIN. is sew
entyfve feet long by thirty-fye wide. and sixteen
feet high substantially constructed of logs, with
shingle roof of one-third pitch. The laying of the
shingles has just commenced. The situation is per-
| feet. Right at the back of the main building and
only twenty five feet from it, is the far-famed Lucas
lode which assays per ton Of 1000 pounds according
to Prof Kent, Ia good authority, S72S.95 of gold
and S26l of silver, and this from the blind quartz,
In which no gold can be detected, even with glass.
The specimens are magnificent Reuben Foster, the
architect who may be proud of his work, has added
sort of back kitchen to the mill, twenty-five feet
long, which ends at the vertical shaft reaching the
lode at depth of ten feet. Thus all under cover,
and, like Canadian farm house, the steamer is in
! the big barn and the well is in the back kitchen
aforesaid). The boiler is soldly set in masonry it
is tested to two hundred pounds to the square inch
and the engine-twentyfour horse power, high pres
sure, non-condensng, horizontal-s ready to be set
up. Some magnificent sticks of timber prepared
| for the framework. The englne-block is of red
spruce, fourteen feet and four inches by twentysix
inches and fifteen inches. The engine bed of two
blocks and the battery block composed of as fine
timber can be found. w. II. Johns, the chief
engineer, and Mr.. Kidd, the second in authority,
showed the stamps, twelve In number, three hun
dred weight each but their light weight is compen-
sated for by velocity of notion the rate being
enty-two revolutions per minute, giving fourteen
blows to the second. In about fortnight the mill
will be running, and J. j. Hull will be saving the
gold-the cream of the joke being that there is
plenty OF 1t to save. Having completed my lnspec-
tion, l went across to the boarding house-a most
beautifully made log building, 70Nl6. The employ
eeS of the Company were most courteous, and Mr..
Mesler most hospltable. 1t was indeed treat to
taste the excellent liquors and to smoke one of the
real Havanas of his stock. As write, 1 enjoy
ing one out of the box full presented to by that
gentleman. An inquiry for my pistol having elici
ted the fact that my slx-pounder at home, A. d.
Foster presented me with fine target rife pistol OF
his own make, to "cary me safe to Old Virginia:
Shore 1 said goodbye with regret. should like
to work on that mill.
chance question to a gulch miner working 25
26, 27 and % above discovery, repaid by tbs
information that Miles, Gibson Co., had taken out
in day, with three hands, Sl43.75, and in a week
S525. Also that their neighbors were doing about
as we'll as they were. 1t being night, took
hasty view Of the Seneca Falls Company's mill
which is now near completion. s. G.. Armstrong il
President, G. D. Boardnan, Secretary, and Ii. Ben
ham, Treasurer and Foreman. The mill is on that
aurifero giant, the Caverone-a rich lode, varying
from fifteen to forty feet in width of crevce. The
machinery is of the finest description, and every
thing progresses well, The quartz will be drawn
short distance down incline by single spanmul,
wagon. 1 shall, hope, pay these gentleman a visi
when they are in running order. L.. B. 0lds is tht
Superintendent of the works, which are situated a
the mouth of Bachelors Gulch, about two hundreG
yards below the mill the Orc Cache which will bt
replaced by better one next season. The Seneca
Falls Company's mill has fifteen stamps, in a fnt
frame house 35x45xl5, and is of excellent finish
design. The chimney stack is fifty feet high. Mr.
Boardman informed us that the Keystone" an old
discovery, being developed is proved to be very
rich, and shows splendid specimens.
turned Bucephalus homewards and became rap
idly convinced of two facts: first, that 1t Is easie
to go down Alder Gulch than up it and secondly
that horse prefers going home to leaving it. Ny
faithful steed brought me safe to Virginia, and
refer to your housekeeper for a certificate of |
healthy appetite