The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-09-14
IDAHO CITY, 1T.
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER IA, 1877.
OUR QUARTZ.

the Gold Hill Company, and Clarkson q Brown
at Summit Flat, have aroused not only our own
people, but attracted the attention of quartz
operators and capitalists from abroad. No
one, who has ever examined any of the nu.
,merous lodges in this county, doubts the rich
ness of the quartz; and had it not been for the
bilking operations of a few parties in wild
cat" lodges, several years ago, instead of hav-
ing three quartz mills in operation in Boise
county at the present time, there might have
been thirty or forty. Outside capitalists are
also to blame, in fact, principally responsible,
for the failures which have occurred III quartz
operations in this Territory. Instead of send
ing out, as Superintendent, men Of expert.
ence in the quartz mining and milling business,
they generally send some kid-gloved counter
hopper" who don't know quartz from lime
stone, and the consequences is just about what
could be expected. About the time the green
Superintendent is beginning to learn that quartz
don't grow GU huckleberry bushes, the money
furnished by the Company is squandered; the
owners. becoming disguised at not receiving
returns, refuse to furnish more; smash-up is
the result, and general damnation, by the
whole Company, of Idaho quartz. follows as a
matter Of course.
Practical men, who have had some expert
ence, are beginning to demonstrate to the sat
isfaction of the public. as we'll as to themselves
that our quartz lodges are rich, and that by
proper management they can be made to pay
as well, if not better, than any upon the coast
The ore from the celebrated Amador mine in
California yields, as we understand, only about
Sl7 per ton, while here in Boise county we
consider it very poor wall-rock or groupings
that wouldn't pay thrice that amount.
California capitalists are, however, begin
ming to look little further than Washoe and
Owyhee, and We were pleased to meet, n few
days ago, Mr.. G. W. Grayson, wealthy quartz
operator, who has heretofore Interested him-
self principally in Owybee lodes, and who, in
company with Mayor Himrod Of Boise City,
came here for the purpose of making per-
sonal examination Of some of the lodges in
this county. They went across the Basin last
Saturday and visited some of the mines on the
other side, and upon their return We inter
viewed them as to the result of their Obserra-
tons. Mr.. Grayson appears satisfied that We
have rich quartz in this county, and told us
that, in fact, some of the richest gold quartz
he had yet seen in the Territory was from
lodges in Boise county. In company with
Messrs. Himrod, Cannady and Wilson, he Wis
tied Clarkson Il Browns mine at Summit Flat,
and while the ledge has not been mined sys-
tematically, yet be seemed well pleased with
the appearance uf the mine and the character
Of the ore. They also visited the Golden
Era, which was discovered few weeks ago,
some three or four miles this side OF Summit
Flat, and Mr.. Grayson informs US that
very rich ore was being taken out, and if
the work being done developed well defined
ledge Of average width, the owners had 4
good thing. Business engagements in Owyhee
and San Francisco prevented Mr. Grayson
visiting many other lodges which he desired to
examine, and which it was his intention so to
do, when he came here. He informed US that
he would visit the Basin again sometime dur
ing the month of October, and should make
his arrangements to spend a couple of weeks
here, for the purpose of examining all our prin.
cipalledges. His visit here will. without doubt,
rebound TO our benefit, as San Francisco CAPT
talists are awaiting the result of his observa-
tons in this section of the country; and if they
find that he is favorably impressed with the
character Of our quartz, many of them will
before snow flies, visit the Basin and examine
for themselves the various lodges which the
want of capital alone has prevented from be-
ing more fully developed. One great induce
megt for capitalists to invest in quartz in
this county, and which gives US superior
advantages over the principal quartz min.
ing camps in other regions is, that there
is no scarcity of timber. We have not only
the quartz, but we have the wood and
the water, both 10 abundance. Boise county,
as q quartz mining country, is peculiarly ia
vored in this respect Nevada has produced,
and still is producing, her millions, annually,
ip silver bullion, but the cost of production is
greatly enhanced by the high price of wood
and the scarcity Of water. Owyhee labors
under similar disadvantages, and Utah is not