The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-19
LETTER FROM CALICO GREEK.

The stream known as Galice Creek is
a mountain stream heading in the Coast
Range and emptying into Rogue River
about twenty miles west of the regular
stage road and fifty-five miles north
west of Jacksonville. Although SEEM
ingly quiet and peaceful, it has its his
tory of tumult and bloodshed as well as
other places of greater notoriety.
Twenty-Five years ago, when this
country was densely inhabited by In
dians, and a few adventurous bands of
white men were roaming these craggy
mountains in search of the precious
metal, Galice Creek was discovered.
Investigation proved it to be one of the
richest mining ledges in Southern Ore
gon, if not on the coast. Great fortunes
were unearthed, and many having pos
sessed themselves of them, returned to
their homes to enjoy the fruits of their
toll. Others less fortunate remained
and toiled and hoped on. Some of these
were subsequently, driven out by hostile
Indians, and not few brave fortune
seekers met their doom at the hands of
blood-thirsty savages.
Travelling through this country, now
so peaceful and quiet, it seems like a.
strange, wierd dream to recall the scenes
of bloodshed and dire cruelty to which
these mountains were witnesses, and
standing in their mute presence, we feel
almost thankful that they hold in ever
lasting silence many of the tragic tales
that garrulous witnesses might rehearse.
The conflict between the red man and
the white is here, as elsewhere, finished
by the complete supremacy of the latter.
The triumph is so complete that scarcely
an Indian remains as a reminder of a
bygone era.
Two years ago, when your humble
correspondent first came to this camp,
but two Indian men remained here
abouts-one a native Indian, the other
an old Mexican Indian who had located
on a farm on Rogue River before the
war. This last was firm friend to the
miners throughout the war, and haC
they needed his warnings, a great many
who suffered death might have escaped
This dreadful war-how dreadful only
shuddering frontier settlers can tell
began, think, in '52, and lasted, will
; short intervals of peace, till '56. Thr
Indians who remained at this time wer
by treaty removed to Grand Rohde Res
ervation in Yamhill county, where
: with the exception of few families
= they still remain.
During the period of which l hav
spoken, the mines were deserted, mos
of the richest claims having been worket
out, and the rich gold deposits of East
ern Oregon, Washington and Idah
having been discovered, the poorer dig
gings were abandoned. The mines il
this section are at present confined t
the gravel and placer mines. The com
pany known as the "English Hydrauli
! Mining Company" worked their mine
last winter to great advantage. The
are we'll provided with all the moder
Improvements for mining, including
{ twenty-five inch pipe and two "giants
ready for use as soon as the water come!
Last year was a much more tavorabl
year for mining operations than th
= present one has been thus far, owing I
" ! IF y
other claim known as the "Reed claim
has also two fifteen-inch pipes and tw
}, "giantsn waiting for water to commend
!. operations. These mines are situate
on the south side of Galice Creek, on til
=. mountain from 600 to 800 feet above tt
level of the creek, and as the miners e.
press it, "have plenty of dump" The
:, depth is from go to 100 feet, and the
! appear to have been at some remo
:, period the channel of a large rive
!, The water by which they are supple
/, is taken by ditch from fork of Cali,
Ir Creek. This ditch is six miles in lengt
:, and was constructed at great expen
10 and affords water for mining purpos
u from six to eight weeks in the yea
70 The claim of Capt. A. p. Ankeny d c
=, is similarly situated and similar
.. rugged for work. Their ditch is for
70 miles long and traverses about $50 acr
70 of mining ground. There is also
q claim being opened on the north side
70 Rogue River by VIM. Bybee & Co. th
l. prospects well and will no doubt vie
,s ample returns to the enterprising ow
ers. There are also other claims
- minor Importance that are being work
with satisfactory results. The hume
Gus quartz ledges in this county are I
. ceiving but little attention at the pre-
ent time, although some are going
quietly prospecting with full confiden
that they have good thing. The far
~ Gus "Yank ledge" situated on the nor
:" side of Rogue River, and which b
III been thoroughly tested and found to
q rich both in gold and silver, has 81
~ pended operations, owing to the desig
~ ing intrigue of the uperintendent, b
~ 1 believe it is the intention Of the col
pany to resume work again at an eaI
. day.
o. This county is vastly rich in minel
,h resources, and only wants men and ca
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