New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-24
Pom Our Slecia Coucspondfnt
RUBY CITY, Owyhee Comfy.
L.I-Iu, Nnver-lnr Il III.


The earliest gold discoveries in Idaho cate
back 10 the Sumner of is62. Some dggings are still
worked but like all placer mines these bid fair to DO
shortliyed The guloh gold largely alleged with sill
ycr rendering it winter and lees valuable thaa Tie gold
oiMontaua.
The first quartz lodes were found in July ls63 lbs
was during tie strong reaction following the crazy OK
elements OF Nevada Nearly all the capitalists Oh lie
Pacific slope had burned their fingers ia "ash0e
wherefore they KEEP: away from this newer ana feoei
Gane quite declining invest their money. IL III
peded the growth Of Idaho but proved blessing IN
disguise" by rendering its development legitimate and
permanent. Against the advice Of friends ard IL
deadly peril from Indians tic early prospectors went
steadily forward for many lonely months. have
already mentioned the very great aud welearned sne-
cess of Moore & FOCUS. third pioneer was George
Collier Robbins Mayor Of Portland, Oregon. When
IN single day this gentleman pounded up ore in a NOR
tar amalgsted it, and made heavy teaspoon, all with
no tools except those constructed BY himself among the
mountains his friends began TO think 10 might not be
so insane about Idaho ores after all Though not born
with silver spoon in lis mouth lie found one Ia Lis
auartzode which promises to be betOr STILL for he has
secured many valuable interests
The god and silver yield Of Idaho for lsG5 viii ey-
eeed Sl2 100000 Another season ought to double That
amount Thus far the Territory has labored under the
greatest disadvantages wish labor supplies and trans
portation ut rates. and eYerytr eto leafn
Freghts TO San Francisco have sometimes reached &c
DER pound and even now the cost OF sending the bars
OF gold and silver to that city and getting returns
here in coin (paper docs not yet circulate Is cents
on every dollar Here the retail prices current;
Flour per cwt.. s22as2i. bacon per 10. 62ci butter
e5cdS rs; coffee 55c.; sugar sea 6Oc. tea q ''9
g. So dried apples fjc. fresh apples Ijcj salt l1ci
potatoes l0d 2c; turuips. I0a 2e; onions, 23c oats
10; barley l2c. candles 7Jc. nails, e4ei eggs per
dozen, 81 80; milk per gallon sl kerosene OIL per
gallon SC; lumber per thousand $3.50; bricks,
SEQ shingles SIS; wages Of common laborers per day
s4S0Qs5; mechanics s60:5; board for laboring men,
DER week s9a SIC; exchange on NewYork gold, u a
per cent premium; on San Francisco and Portland
)a5 per cent premium; loans. 3d5 per cent month.
The most immediate and pressing need is shorter and
better communication with the outside world Now
idaho has but two outlets First Holadays tri-weekly
nail coaches from Boise to Salt Lake City by which IN
Summer passengers and mails reach New Noik IN Il
30 rs days or San Francisco in 10 to H. Second
Thomas Ruekle's daily mail coaches from Boise
10 Umatils and Walla Walla Columbia River
reaching Portland in to DAYS and San Francisco in
tOtoeO Ian assured By John WATSON Of this city
and other gentlemen who have traversed the route
that an excellent road can be opened from Ruby City
Virginia.
miles. This would place Idedo within 4 days Of San
Francisco by a practicable for teams as far as
Virginia every month in the year. connect the heart OF
this mining region, which gives such unoqua,ed prom
ise with the heart Of the rich silver lodes OF Nevada
and strike the line of the great Genital Pacific Rail
road which before 1867 will be completed from Sacra.
nento TO the summit Of the Sierra Nevadas within 60
miles of Virginia. Congress ought by all means to
establish daily mail upon this route, with soldiers
enough guard il against Indians for two or three
years Let this protection he assured and there will
soon be enough in the arabic valleys along the
road to keep it open. Now one can hardly go o mile
upon that any other thorOughiare IN Idaho without
serious danger Of losing his scalp.
Many New. Workers and Bostonans are here to pur.
chase mines or have them bonded" for sale in the
East. Thus, the owners Of mine authorize John Doe
ofNew.York to sell it at $50 foot aud give bond
that they will dispose Gift to any other parties for
six months. John Doe without expanding dollar
for his travelling expenses goes to the Eastward
and if he can. sells it for SGO go 500 per foot
know Colorado gentleman who cleared $1,000 by
such TRANSACTION apd ap told Of two moro who real
ized hall million dollars by another QnaTtz like any
other property can always be pL""hased cheaper and
safer on the ground than 5000 miles away. oct year
New.York association bought bonded mine for
$4,000; but with spasm of sense unusual in mining
company. made 1t contingent upon the approval of an
agent TO be sent ont by thomsevCs Upon seeing IT, the
agent declined to ralify the bargain, and afterward
purchased the mine of the owners here for 5000
Probably 200 feet OF bonded mines from this district
alone offered in the New-York market.
OF the quartz mills now in Idaho few made in
Eew-Nork. several in Chicago, Others in Portland
Oregon. but most in San Francisco. In general
NewYoIk mill delivered in San Francisco costs about
the same made In the latter cy but for reasons
given In nv last the San Francisco work far prefera
be. The Chicago mills cheaper and better than
those OF New York, but their fOundeTies are too far
away for Idsho. though Chicago aud 81. Louis ma
cbnery may do for Colorado Utah and Montana Port
land 10 the best natural location for Idaho hut thus far
her mills are light and imperfect In due time she will
doubtless supply all this Territory Oregon and Wash
ingion but for the present the advantages largely
With San Francisco Six eight OF the great founder
les there turn out machinery unsurpassed the CONT
nent Usually they will engage transport their mills
to Idaho and SGT them In good running order for
specific summuch the safest and wisest contract for
Eastern capitalists to make In general company
designing TO erect 2Qstamp mill here with quartz suf
fcen TO supply 10 for years should be prepared 10 OK
pend teO0 900 In currency before expecting dividends
Then IL their business conducted iudoously they
may reasonably look for great and permanent profits
Thus far Idaho 10 not in any Just sense Developed
only Frospected little here and there Its gold and
silver are demonstrated facts; Of the einnabar have
already spoken; and stream tin has been discovered
in large quantities The Territory less attractive
to the eye than Montana, and its mineral wealth a
whole Is probably less but the Owyhee and apparently
the Flint districts quite surpass any others the
continent
The present population of the Territory is estimated
ct 90 600 10 25 600 There three ewspapers The
Boise Statesman (Unionl; tri'weekiy SIS per year
weekly ei0; Rnby City Wsesy AraGTeAs (neutral with
Union prochvites), $40 and Idaho CHy Wsekly Word
(Democratic), $40.
In intervals OF the storms have glanced at few
mines The Trook Jennings lode contains some 4
hard quartz beautifully crysalzcd but is mainly like
most this district soft that it be crushed
In the hand. The gters with crystaized gold and
silver visible to the naked eye At the surface the vein
three inches wide 90 feet down, IL Is three
feet with inclosng walls four feet apart. Ninety
have been crushed with the WELD OF $500 10 500
psr tun. 1he claim, Loo feet loDg Is offered at
ta50ooo.
10 . biting wind which nearly swept from the
saddles our horses climbed the cork screw road which
Nd ~ tain E.rtn1 Tho AZ