Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-17
wOOD RIVER.

Hts Mineral and Agriculture
Weaith-The Flood of fgra
ton. Etc.. Etc.
We have yet to see the man who has
bad word to say Of the Wood River coun
try-that is, the region between and about
Bellville and Galena. Occasionally ,
growl comes from some one who has nevel
got that far away from home, and agar
we have seen dissatisfied visitors to the
Yankee Fork section, or that OF Silver
City. But Of the country along Wood
River, either as an agricultural or mineral
producer, there appears to be but one opin'
ion-it is good. A gentleman Just in from
Galena is loaded with good reports con.
corning the basin wherein reposes that
quiet but growing town.
THE MINES.
A person can stand in the town and see
| upon every point for miles around the
busy prospectors throwing out rich, black
%sulphurets Of silver from the many shafts.
which are really but prospect holes" at
present. None of the mines nave been
tapped at any depth from the surface
either by shaft or tunnel-to exceed 100
feet.
The Alturas Mining Company, composed
largely of Californians, is doing a large
amount Of work upon the claims under
their control. The stock was originally is
sued for about fifteen cents per share, and
members Of the company are now out en-
deavoring to get 1t all in at s. per share.
OF course not much is out, but those on
thu fnotda MANI 10 oil uAI nororkt.o 80
from the nearest railroad stations, either
Eagle Rock or Kelton been available late
this season, there would have been machin-
cry and and furnaces up for winter use. As
1t now stands, only prospect work will be
done until another season.
The ore is of o similar character for
miles about Galena and assays all the way
up to $lO,0 900 per ton. 1t is there also in
vast quantities, and to show what faith the
residents and property owners have in it is
illustrated by tbs fact that the inveterate
" newspaper starter" Muagrove, was up
there, and only wanted $500 to bring in a
rip snorting weekly" that would go
forth and cause q tremendous rush into
that section. The people told that gentle
man that the mines were all the advertise
ment they wanted until another spring,
and capitalists would be on hand as soon
as the ore was shown.
About fifteen miles from Galena, Messrs.
Broadhead and Bidwell have secured, by
paying about $35, 600 for it, one Of the
best mines on the continent. 1t is remark
ably rich, but, outside Of a carload now on
the trail, and which Mr.. Broadhead is max
ing desperate efforts to get to a railroad
shipping point, no more will be done than
to prospect with a small fore this winter
q RSA115 THITHER.
The facilities for getting supplies to that
country are very poor. Idaho has had a
very black eye as a mining region, and it
was not until late last summer that any
capitalist could be persuaded to make a
trip TO the Wood River region. That has
been accomplished, and the right men
have seen the b~onanzas.
To go away around by Eagle Rock is an
out-of-the-way journey, but freight is de-
liyered there even cheaper than it is in
Eureka. Also at Kelton, ON the Central
Pacific Railroad, aud this is considered a
superior point from whence to ship next
spring, it being but a days ride from there
to Galena. Some of our townsmen were
interested last summer with one Fulton in
a scheme to fix this road in good shape on
to Wood River, but owing to injudicious
management the matter has fallen through.
A few thousand dollars would-so we are
informed-make the Kelton road superior,
and a far more direct route than many
thousands could possibly do from any
other railroad point.
IMMIGRATION.
From about the middle of August up to
about the first OF November, there was o
continual string Of stage travellers, wagons,
and pack outfits, pouring into the Wood
River country. The packers were nearly
all prospectors; those in wagons were peo-
pie who came to stay-families from Cali
fornia, who were endeavoring to flee from
the Chinese infection; families from the
grashopper land along the lower Missouri;
and, in fact, families from everywhere.
The settlers located as fast as they came,
and n after another, "Kellogg's Picnic
Grounds" became property, by squatter's
right, Of industrious ranch people. There
Is an immense amount of bottom land
along Wood River and adjacent streams,
which remain for next springs rush Of
immigration to settle up, but the crowd
tober, was unprecedented in the history Of
any country, and, as a matter Of course.
they " had their first pick"
Woop hANEh . h~hspUhpESs
Outside of its mineral wealth, which is
now without doubt established as second to
no other country, the region drained by
Wood River and its tributaries Is capable
Of remarkable agricultural productions.
The lay Of the land is to the east and
south, and its valley elevations are not
nearly of the altitude east, north or west,
at which points Of the compass fruits are
now being raised in great profusion. We
have not the figures at hand as to the alti-
tude, but have the word Of good authori-
ties on that question.
For small herds the grazing is magnif-
cent, and no grasses or white sage on the
globe can fatten stock quicker than that
found on the hills and slopes to the south
of the Sawtooth Range. For large herds
the country is almost too much broken up,
and every stock man knows what it is to
keep track Of cattle, sheep or horses when
they are upon . thousand hills. The timber
is varied in character, and is grand enough
to make an old Chippewa lumberman
smile as runs his eye to the lofty heights
which it attains. The species upon the
mountain sides are placed there for build
ing and mining purposes they are suited
| for such use. In the valleys are lovely
groves-of c~ottonwoods and other classes,
and cherries and wild plums grow in pro-
fusion. Indeed, the section to which we
refer particularly, to-wit about Belleville
and Galena, is what the average Nevadan
dreams of when he wakes up and says he
has been in Gods country.
THE RIVER,
From q point about ten miles below Ga
lena to Its source, Wood River can be ford
ed at most seasons OF the year, and oppo-
site the town 1t is thirty or forty yards in
width; is a very rapid stream Of pure snow
water, and Is filed with "apeckled beau
ties" as are all the creeks and brooks
which empty into Wood River.
MISCELLANEOUS
Gilmer & Salisbury will run daily stages
from Kelton into Belleville in early pring
ml.-aa-la haua 4old AL.a Gliaoaa a l. aau