Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1867-06-05
A rRIP no PIoNEER CITY.


does, we made the trip to Pioneer last Satur-
day. and tarried there until next day, with a
view to ascertain how the diggings there and
in that vicinity were paying and to gather
general information concerning trade, business,
and the prospects for the future of that camp.
As in the case of our. late visit to PlacerVille
and Granite Creek, we have returned from
Pioneer with far higher opinion of the great
resources of that district, its vast mineral
wealth, its present and its future. From all
with whom we cOnversed upon the subject,
miners, merchants, ditch-Owners, and others,
we received cOrr0boratiVe statements and
views respecting the diggings, and the belief is
general that, while equally big strikes are not
likely to be made, the aggregate gold product
of this year will fully equal if it will not some
what exceed that of any previous year. The
enterprise and business sagacity of the promi-
nent citizens have cleVerly diverted to the adj
vantage of that region whatever resources ma
ture has blessed it with. Water is plentifully
furnished to the diggings by means of bitches
leading from Grimes creek and the smaller
streams of Clearwater and Buckskin. The
principal ditch is known as the Big Ditch, ;"
and is owned, one-haf by Ben. Wilson, the
other half by w. H. Law and O. j. Waterman.
Tt taps Gatmes' creek between three and four
miles above Pioneer, and courses for a distance
of twenty miles, with capacity of from 1900
to 1000 inches Of water, agreeably to the.
season, to the noted rich Bunnmer Hill diggings
near Centerville, supplying q great extent of
mining claims along its entire length. Water
from this ditch is furnished to the claim owners
this season at much reduced and very reason
able rates-forty cents per inch for twenty
four hours. Among the diggings supplied by
the ditch are Big and Little Muddy, Orleans
Bar, Buckskin, and several rich and interme-
date gulches. High above this ditch is the
Mountain Ditch, owned by the same company.
It taps Grimes creek about seven miles above
Pioneer, and supplies stretch of very rich
mining ground higher up than the line of Big1
Ditch, for distance of ten miles, terminating
at Buckskin gulch, mile and half below the
town. On this line are upper Big and Little
Muddy, Applejack and Buckskin districts
Water from the Mountain Ditch is supplied at
seventy cents per inch day and night. Between
these bitches is another and shorter, known as
the American Ditch, owned by Curry, Kyle
and Wilson, which taps Grimes creek about
four miles above town, and ends at Buckskin.
1t has present capacity of 200 inches, and
furnishes line of diggings which pay very
handsomely, at sixty cents per inch for twenty
four hours Then there is the Clear Greek
Ditch, owned by z. Z. GibersOn and Ben.
Wilson, which brings water from the Clear
water, beautiful mountain stream, to the
claims above, along and below the town. Below
all these is the Gray Ditch, now owned by P. |
Hefren, which takes water from Buckskin
creek, and is three miles long, with present /
capacity of $50 inches. It furnishes diggings
on the Big and Little Muddy and some others,
at the rate of sixty cents per inch day and
night Mr.. Hefren has lately become the
owner of this ditch, and intends to extend it.
ALI along the lines of the bitches mentioned,
from rich to very rich claims are being con-
stalltly worked, day and night. Over on Or
leans Bar, across from Pioneer City, down be-
low at Little Pig'em, above the city, and as
far as can be seen, it is an interesting, busy
scene that is presented at night. The torch
fires and lantern lights from numerous claims
worked by gangs of night hands, the roaring
and smashing Of the hydraulic pipes, the din
and rafting Of the miners busiy-plied tools,
the rumbling of the sluicing operations, and
all the peculiar, strange and active scenes pre-
scented to the view are singularly entertaining,
and, we are glad to note, very gratifying re-
suits flow from them in a pecuniary point of
view to the claim owners, after paying hand
some wages and water bills. There are now
employed in mining in and about Pioneer City,
fully four hundred men, and as evidence how
closely they pursue their avocations, there is
scarcely an idle man to be seen at the present
time in that place, day or night. All are at
work, and employment is readily obtainable by
all who want work. But although the town
presents this quiet appearance, good, pros-A
porous condition of affairs prevails there in
business generally. The miners pour steadily
in, procure their stores and do their shopping,
tarry little now and then for recreation, and
their ssmany mickle makes muckle" in the /