Owyhee semi-weekly tidal wave. [volume] (Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho Territory) 1868-1869, 1869-08-10
Tho war eagle TANNED.


to eastern capitalists, is interesting
because IL shows that the writers are
alive to the importance OF deep
tunnel under War Eagle mountain.
We sincerely hope the enterprise
may succeed:
We, the undersigned, residents Of
Owyhee county, Idaho Territory,
believing that the development of
the mineral resources OF said county
is an object of great Importance not
only to those whose local interest
will be affected thereby, but to the
whole northern region Of the Pacific
slope, and will favorably effect the
entire commercial and monetary
system Of our whole country, and il
judiciously managed win afford
abundant returns for the capital nee
essarily employed for that purpose
to the end that the attention OF east
ern capitalists may be directed to
this point as a proper field for their
enterprise, we join in the following
statement of facts:
The existence of precious metals
in the Owyhee regions in quantities
sufficient to repay the labor of exs
tracing them was first discovered
during the summer Of 1868, and the
stream known as Jordan Creek and
its tributaries have ever since been
worked for gold deposits found
therein. During that season several
quartz lodes OF remarkable richness
we're discovered and located, among
the first Of which were the Orc Elmo,
Morning Star, Whisky, War Eagle,
Silver Legion and Silver Cord I; and
during the year following the Home
Ticket, Baltic, Poorman, and nume-
rons other valuable lodes were dis
covered.
The first quartz mill was built in
the summer of 1864, and since that
time ten other mills have been erect
ed in the cohnty; and although many
Of them were built by parties who
had little or greatly inadequate cap
ital 10 meet the expenses Of their
enterprise, still 1t is believed that
all who have persevered have re-
ceived remuneratiye return for the
money invested.
The quartz mining district of
Owyhee is situated in n peculiarly
favorable position for the adyanta-
geous development Of its mineral
wealth, the principal obstacle being
its great distance from any CONNER
cial center; but this objection Is
being fast overcome by the rapid
construction Of the Central Pacific
railroad, which will in a few months
time place us within forty-eight
hours travel from San Francisco.
The mineral belt appears to traverse
the country in nearly north and
south direction, and the lodes found
within IL 10 preserve, with occasion
al deviation, the same general course.
The 0wyhee group of mountains
Is composed of four or five high
peaks surrounded by many smaller
ones, of which the one known as Wal
Eagle mountain is the highest, and
unconnected with any other mount
ain range. They are surrounded by
the valley of Snake river on tht
northern and eastern sides, and the
valleys of smaller streams on th'
southern and western sides. The
War Eagle rises to an elevation o
about 3, 900 feet above the valley o
Snake river, is of granite formation
and is traversed by hundreds OF golt
and silver bearing quartz veins, va
rying in width, where they cut th'
surface, from few inches TO eigh
and ten feet. Many of these vein
are the richest ever known and
is believed that all, or nearly all, 0
them contain the precious metals II
sufficient quantities to pay for work
ing them when the proper facilitie
have been provided. 1t is acharae
teristic feature of nearly all thes
quartz lodes that they increase il
width and richness as they have bee
followed downward from the surfac
of the earth. The deepest level We
reached is about 800 feet from th
surface, where the ore surpasses il
richness and quantity anything foun'
above it. This constantly and rap
idly increasing expense of raising
the ore and water to the surface a
the work progresses has been foun
In 0wyhee, as elsewhere, the prin
cipal impeachment to the profitabI
working Of the mines. For thi
,,nrnnsa a constant nnLlav of none