Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-04-29
THE MINING PROSPECTS.


A brief visit over to Centerville, Placerville,
and Granite Greek, early this week, enabled
us to gather information in respect to the min
ing interests, and to trade generally, in and
about these named districts 1t would be folly
to attempt concealment Of the fact that this is
the dullest season of mining and trade which
has ever been experienced in this Basin, and
the present outlook is by no means encouraging.
But the trouble is not in the exhaustion or
poverty Of the mines; it is the consequence of
the unprecedented lack of water to work them.
The winter just closed was the midest IN one
respect ever known in Idaho. since the first
discovery of diggings here. The temperature
was as bitter cold as in any preceding winter,
but the snow fall was greatly less, and this
great treasury for the supply of water to the
miners during the working season is now un-
usually deficient. The larger streams which
flow from the mountains, and feed the numer-
GUS bitches, great and small, are already at a
lower stage than they have usually been as late
Us July, and of what is called free water"
which in previous seasons has continued from
five to ten weeks, there has been, comparatively
speaking, not any this season. This unparal-
leled scarcity of water has caused hundreds
of miners to lay idle. Hundreds more have
already exhausted the supply of water for the
season; and only few are likely to be favored
with water enough to work their claims through
the ordinary mining season. But wherever
the mines have been worked, by hydraulics or
ground-sluices, SO far this season, the gold pro-
duet in each instance has been, not merely
good, but very excellent-better indeed than
the claim owners had anticipated.
This much said in explanation Of the cause
of the prevailing depression aud inactivity in
mining and trade generally throughout Boise
Basin, we shall proceed to present the follow
ing brief sketches Of our recent trip.
TO cENTERvILLE AND THERE.
Going by the Crawford Toll House road to
CecteryiIIe, we observed the mining operations
along on both sides Of Elk creek for mile or
two, and up Spanish gulch to the large claims
of b. F. Chanaell g. CO., in Baboon guch,
Just below this Summit A dozen hydraulics
are in active play on either bin side, and up the
gulches ground sluicing is industriously pros
ecuted. From the Summit on to near Grimes
creek there is little doing, but thence on into
Centerville, and all about there the glad sight
of busy mining is presented. We were in
formed by Mr.. VIM. l.. Law, one Of the largest
claim owners about that camp, and who also
owns quarter interest in the Ben Wilson
Big Ditch, which has lately been extended to
diggings near Centerville, that the water would
be turned on in the course of this week, and
this will afford supply to several important
claims about hummer Hill, spot noted for
It's richness. The bitches Of Chandler d.
Thatcher yield fair supply to other localities,
and oil things considered, the miners and
traders and residents generally OF that region
have no cause to complain, when they contrast
their situation with that of the people of most
other camps in the country.
From few .'clsan ups'' fair amount Of
gold has been put in circulation there, and
during the past fortnight the merchants have
enjoyed really good and lively cash business
Ridge, Witt e. Co. have on the way large
stock of assorted merchandise, which will ar
rive in few days, and their sales for the season
10 far have nearly exhausted their last Falls
stock. J. B. Duke g. Co. have in q new stock,
which meets with quick sales, and Moritz a.
Co. are doing good share Of the business
The public houses Of Murray e. O'Donnell, Of
c. Hocfin, and Of Thatcher & Fuller, also
begin to show that prosperous business activity
has recommended in Centervlle, and that 1t is
row among the most spirited mining camps of
the Basin. safr 4
PLACERv1LLE.
Along the road from Centerville to Wolf
creek there isvery little mining going on. The
creek mining operations Of the Smith Brothers
IN that stream, in which they employ the agen-
cy Of steam pumps, are suspended until the
water is at much lower stage. On the hills
in front of Placervills. where every ten feet Of
ground will yield hundred dollars in dust, the
mining has already ceased, savs in one or two
claims, for this season, because of the want Of
water. But in the run Of from eight to twelve
days which was given to the claim owners they
derived handsome, very rich products. In one
instance. Of which we were told, the owner Of